Should the United Church join a growing chorus of organizations naming Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as apartheid? That’s a question commissioners to the General Council recall meeting on Oct. 19 will have to consider — and not for the first time.
Two years ago, at an online meeting, General Council deferred voting on several proposals (previously adopted by five regions) that would have named Israel as an apartheid state. An online meeting of the General Council Executive (GCE) last May similarly deferred a proposal to join the Apartheid Free Communities network, a group that views Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as apartheid.
“The reality is that apartheid is still a lightning rod for us,” says general secretary Rev. Michael Blair. The Executive recognizes the situation in Gaza is urgent, he adds, but “most of what the apartheid-free thing is [addressing], we are working on.”
More on Broadview:
-
United Church moderator, other church leaders march on Parliament Hill to call for Gaza ceasefire
-
United Church of Canada’s humanitarian aid collaborations struggle to get resources to Palestinians
The network is a coalition of North American faith communities brought together by the American Friends Service Committee (Quakers). Members include the United Church of Christ
(USA), which is in full communion with The United Church of Canada. Signatories to the coalition pledge to take several actions, including to “join others in working to end all support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation.”
Want to read more from Broadview? Consider subscribing to one of our newsletters.
The proposal from last May also asked the GCE to promote discussion in congregations on Palestine-Israel. Keith Simmonds, a diaconal minister in Kelowna, B.C., and commissioner to the 44th General Council, brought the proposal to the Executive. According to Blair, much of the discussion around it related to whether an individual commissioner should be able to forward a proposal directly without having to go through a pastoral charge or regional council. The decision on joining the campaign, however, will go to the October recall meeting of General Council.
***
Mike Milne is a journalist in Owen Sound, Ont.
Thanks for reading!
Did you know Broadview is the only media organization in Canada dedicated to covering progressive Christian news and views?
We are also a registered charity and rely on subscriptions and tax-deductible donations to keep our trustworthy, independent and award-winning journalism alive.
Please help us continue to share stories that open minds, inspire meaningful action and foster a world of compassion. Don’t wait. We can’t do it without you.
Here are some ways you can support us:
Thank you so very much for your generous support! Together, we can make a difference.
Jocelyn Bell, Editor/Publisher, CEO and Trisha Elliott, Executive Director
Comments
George Leonard Sheldon LeGrow says:
Apartheid? Really?
Question: What would a person do to protect his family if he were told by the community that the community was going to wipe his family off the face of the earth? He would have no choice but to fight. This is the world in which Israel exists. It is surrounded by enemies. For some reason anti Semitism has always existed and continues to exist. I don't know why. And for some reason the western news media continues to believe Hamas propaganda. In war people die. It's not Israel's fault that Hamas is literally a death cult that hides behind civilians to to their dirty work. Israel must fight and we must support her. War is not pretty but as long as we have those who choose to oppress others, as in the case of Hamas, there is often no choice. Peace only comes by way of reasonable people. When people's ideas are warped by whatever reason, all they understand is violence. That's what Hamas understands.