STOP THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST'S ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTIONS

On July 1, 2005, the United Church of Christ (UCC), founded in 1957 as the union of several Christian traditions, convenes its General Synod, in Atlanta, Georgia. On the agenda are resolutions calling for the dismantling of Israel’s security barrier, and divestment from companies doing business with Israel.

This comes at a time when Israel is removing all Jewish settlements from Gaza, when she has released 900-plus Palestinians held for abetting terrorism, and as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas meet face-to-face in pursuit of an equitable peace.

The Wiesenthal Center has directly urged the head of the UCC to defeat these unfair and dangerous initiatives. We have also asked United States Congressmen who are members of the UCC to raise their voices against these resolutions. And, finally, we have asked that we be allowed to address the conclave directly to ensure that the voice of the victims of Palestinian terrorism are heard. To date, the Church has been silent to our pleas.

We need your help today!

Please join our protest to UCC head Rev. John H. Thomas and other leaders of the  UCC to work to defeat these resolutions which will work against the cause of peace, damage relations between Jews and the UCC, and embolden extremists who want to destroy Israel and who threaten the safety and security of Jews around the world.  By acting now, you will be among the first 25,000 protests that we must generate in the few days before the General Synod convenes this Friday!

Recently, when another Protestant denomination considered similar resolutions against Israel, Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, had this to say, "Israelis are already traumatised and feel that the world is against them. This proposal, if it is agreed, would be another knife in the back. Christians who owe so much to the Hebrew Scriptures and to Israel itself should not be among those who attack Israel in such a way."

Since the Holocaust, Jews have appreciated the attempts of many church groups including the UCC to promote cooperation and good will. But the passing of resolutions so arrogantly oblivious to the safety and future of Israel's civilian population will result in inestimable damage to the relationship between our communities.

Please follow this link to sign the protest to The Rev. John H. Thomas right now!