New York – The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly condemned yesterday’s decision of the 25th General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC) which called for using “economic leverage,” including divestment from at least some companies that do business with Israel. ZOA also criticized another resolution which equally denounced all forms of violence in the Middle East, both Israeli and Arab.
ZOA President Morton A. Klein said, “The UCC’s call for economic pressure on Israel is wrong, inappropriate and immoral and punishes the victim of violence and murder, namely Israel. The UCC says it wants to promote peace and not target anyone when in fact it regards Palestinian terrorism and Israeli self-defense measures as equally immoral. But, there is no moral equivalence between the suicide bombings of Palestinian terrorist groups, which aim to kill and maim as many innocent Israeli civilians as possible, and the legitimate measures of self-defense used by the Israel Defense Forces to thwart terrorist attacks. This position makes as much sense as condemning both the firefighter and the arsonist.
“The UCC claims it recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense, but then it empties its own words of meaning by suggesting that Israeli self-defense is a form of condemnable ‘violence.’ If Palestinians were not killing Jews every day, there would not be a single bullet being fired from an Israeli gun. Israeli measures are a legitimate and necessary response to terrorism.
“The UCC shows a complete lack of understanding of the ongoing Arab war against Israel. Since 1993 Israel has given away one-half of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Arabs and 90% of Gaza. Despite these major concessions, the Arabs have launched the most severe terror war Israel has ever endured, killing at least 1500 Israelis and maiming 1000’s more.
“Appeasement of this Palestinian regime has simply caused more terror, not less. And it has not produced the fulfillment of any of the Palestinian promises under Oslo or the Road Map. They haven’t disarmed or dismantled the terror groups, ended the incitement, closed the bomb factories or arrested the terrorists. The UCC’s attempt to punish Israel only sends a message that Arab terrorism pays.
“The ZOA urges that the United Church of Christ rescind these appalling resolutions and urges that the UCC should instead demand that the Palestinian Authority begin to fulfill their 12 year old obligations they signed on the White House Lawn on September 13, 1993.”