Je World Council of Churches (WCC) is accused by organizations and politicians of anti-Semitism, Germany Badische Neuste Nachrichten reported May 21. In response, the council pointed to its founding 1948 documents which state that “anti-Semitism is a sin, against God and against man.” Yet the WCC believes that it is justified to demand that Israel put an end to its “military occupation of Palestinian territory”. the WCC is not the only so-called “Christian” organization to blame Jews for the conflict in the Middle East.
The influence of the World Council of Churches should not be taken lightly. Not only does the council represent the interests of more than half a billion Christians from 352 member churches; it also maintains close relations with the Catholic Church. Pope Francis attended the council’s 70th anniversary in 2018, pleading for greater unity.
“Unfortunately, in some circles almost any criticism of the State of Israel regarding the occupation and treatment of Palestinians is considered anti-Semitic. We reject this hypothesis. WCC said Acting Secretary General Ioan Sauca. Following the assassination of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on May 11, Sauca said: “As many as 86 Palestinian journalists have been killed since 1967, the year Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza, 50 of whom were you are. since 2000. Ms. Abu Akleh had been reporting on events in Palestine and Israel since 1997 and had won the respect of viewers around the world.
According to Sauca, “The World Council of Churches calls on the government and authorities of Israel, and all people of good will, to take action to stop the forced displacement of Palestinians from their lands and homes in Masafer Yatta, and for the army to shoot the area – a pretext for these demolitions and expulsions – to displace rather than the indigenous population of the area. Injustice can never be the basis of a secure peace. These are strong statements from an outside observer who claims to represent hundreds of millions of Christians.
“There is a one-sided mood against Israel,” said Bernd Morlok, chairman of the German-Israeli Circle of Friends. the WCC has regularly joined calls for an economic boycott against Israel. Organizations like Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Heidelberg and Durmersheim, as well as Greens politician Volker Beck, have publicly criticized WCC for his persistent anti-Jewish stance.
The Jewish people and the Jewish state often came close to being extinguished. Since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, Arab nations have sought to destroy the tiny nation: 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982 and 2006 all saw various Arab forces united in their fight against Israel. The main instigators of the conflicts were Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
In the Six Day War of 1967, Israel succeeded in countering threats to its existence and control from the West Bank. Prior to 1967, Arab states led Palestinian guerrilla groups to attack Israel. As its neighbors mobilized for war, Israel carried out a preemptive strike against Egypt and Syria and launched a ground offensive in the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Israel won. But it would appear that the international community hoped for a different outcome and did not accept Israel’s territorial gains. During the so-called peace process, Israel repeatedly donated land to achieve peace. Yet the Arab-Israeli conflict continues.
Knowing of Israel’s military supremacy, some neighboring Arab nations have refrained from military attacks, choosing instead to sponsor terrorism, which has plagued Israel for years. But still many in religion blame the Jews.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (ihra) worked on a definition of anti-Semitism. During a visit to Jerusalem in April, Thomas Schirrmacher, general secretary of the World Evangelical Alliance (we), as well as Goodwill Shana, president of its international council, refused to sign the definition as follows:
- Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, for example by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist enterprise.
- Apply double standards by demanding from it behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
Salim Munayer, Regional Coordinator of we‘s Peace and Reconciliation Network for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “The implication of the definition is that Palestinian resistance is not driven by a desire for justice and fairness, but by an irrational hatred of Jews.”
Pope Francis also made his party clear during a 2014 visit. “Between scheduled engagements, the Pope ordered his motorcade to make an unexpected stop in Bethlehem.” Trumpet editor Gerald Flurry explained in “The Dark Side of the Pope’s Visit to Jerusalem”. “He got out of his popemobile and headed towards a section of the Israeli security wall. This is an often-photographed section of the wall with heavy graffiti that compares Palestinian Bethlehem to the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw. Near a place where someone had very recently sprayed “Free Palestine”, the pope touched the wall and began to pray. Of course, cameras everywhere captured this moment.
Churches and many governments in Europe overwhelmingly agree that the Jews are the problem and say that only a two-state solution can bring peace. But is it true? Mr. Flurry analyzed this position in “Will Trump’s Peace Plan Bring Peace to Israel?” As the article shows, even the most positive peace agreements open the door to more terrorism and greater hostilities. No matter where the Jews live, it would seem that they are unable to live in peace.
Bible prophecy warns that the Vatican and its daughter churches will play a major role in the future of Jerusalem. The Holy Roman Empire of Europe has a history of anti-Semitism that goes back centuries. This empire is prophesied in the Bible to rise one last time. To learn more, read Mr. Flurry’s article “The Dark Side of the Pope’s Visit to Jerusalem”.
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