Calls it a False Witness
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs expressed its shock at the extreme rhetoric of a recently released document, "Call to Action: U.S. Response to the Kairos Palestine Document," produced by a group of American Christians.
“The Kairos USA document, signed by American pro-Palestinian Christian activists in response to the 2009 Kairos Palestine document, is deeply disturbing. If embraced, it would set back the clock on peacemaking even further,” said JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow. “It is appalling to think that religious leaders would sign a document that places 100% of the blame for the tragic Israeli-Palestinian conflict on one party – faulting Israel even for the terror used against it. This document offers no support for a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. It compares those who challenge Israel to those who fought the Nazis. It is a pathetic manifesto for the delegitimization of Israel.”
“Kairos USA misdiagnoses the conflict as one of Israeli ‘state violence’ with no recognition of the threats to Israel,” continued Gutow. “There are over 8,000 words in the document purportedly on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; not one of them is ‘terror’ and not one of them is ‘Hamas.’ That makes this document nothing less than a false witness. The Christians who composed and who sign this document are accepting carte blanche the ‘Kairos Palestine’ document which said ‘if there were no occupation, there would be no resistance.’ Had any of these authors or signatories read the Hamas charter—which promotes a jihad to wipe Israel off the map - they may not have been so naïve.
“The Kairos USA document sets up a straw conflict between Israelis and Palestinian Christians,” said JCPA Chair Larry Gold. “Israel takes defensive measures in response to genuine threats, not to harm individuals. Israel’s defensive measures exist to save lives. Contrary to the author’s claims, there would be no need for security measures were there no violence against Israel. It is outrageous that this reality is excluded from the Kairos narrative. We also reject the document’s false dichotomy between fighting anti-Semitism and working for justice for Israelis and Palestinians; we reject the specious claim that Americans have tried to ‘foment panic’ about rising levels of anti-Semitism. Kairos-USA attempts to silence the voice of Jews who are concerned about terrorist attacks against Israel – this is not a message of peace and reconciliation, but of partisan politics. We think true peacemakers are committed to hearing the voices and ending the suffering of those on all sides.”