Learn about the history of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, equality and justice by exploring major events in the history of their oppression on this day of the year.
23 May
CHURCH OF SCOTLAND CONDEMNS CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
On this day in 2013, the Church of Scotland General Assembly adopted a report which opposed Christian Zionism and rejected "claims that scripture offers any group a privileged claim for possession of a particular territory". The report argues that it is "doubly wrong to seek biblical sanction" given "the fact that the [Palestinian] land is currently being taken by settlement expansion, the separation barrier, house clearance, theft and force". The pro-Israel crowd attacked the church as anti-Semitic.
الكنيسة الاسكتلندية تدين الصهيونية المسيحية
23 مايو
في مثل هذا اليوم من عام 2013 ، تبنت الجمعية العامة للكنيسة الاسكتلندية تقريرًا عارض الصهيونية المسيحية ورفضت "الادعاءات القائلة بأن الكتاب المقدس يقدم لأي مجموعة حقوق مميزة بامتلاك أرض معينة". ويحاجج التقرير بأنه "من الخطأ المضاعف السعي وراء عقوبات توراتية" بالنظر إلى "حقيقة أن الأرض [الفلسطينية] يتم الاستيلاء عليها حاليًا من خلال التوسع الاستيطاني والجدار الفاصل وتطهير المنازل والسرقة والقوة". هاجم الحشد الموالي لإسرائيل الكنيسة ووصفوها بأنها معادية للسامية.
Israel blasts Kirk amid allegations of anti-Semitism.
The Israeli government has hit out at the Church of Scotland over a report questioning the divine right of Jews to the land of Israel. Israeli Ambassador Taub called the Church of Scotland repudiation of Christian Zionsm "a step backwards for the forces of tolerance and peace in our region.”
Christian Zionist ultra, the Rev John Ross described the report as contrary to "the Bible as the Word of God”, and indicative of “a growing anti-Semitic tendency within the Kirk”. SCoJeC (Scottish Council of Jewish Communities), while claiming disingenuously to be neutral on issues of Zionism and Israel, inveighed against the Church of Scotland for daring to reach a theological conclusion in favour of human rights, which they disapproved of, calling the report anti-Semitic, "an Inquisition-era polemic against Jews", as well as an "ignorant and tendentious document masquerading as a theological statement." Haaretz played the same Israeli refrain: the "Church of Scotland...has kept intact not only the delegitimization of political Zionism - but of Judaism itself." The US Forward sang the same song in an article headed Church of Scotland Insults Jews With Denial of Claim to Israel. An influential extremist settler website in Israel joined in denouncing the “stunningly offensive” paper from Church of Scotland as anti-Semitic.
Church of Scotland General Assembly refused to accept misuse of scripture to claim exclusive right to territory and reaffirms support for Palestinian rights.
The Church also reaffirmed their view that the present situation in Israel/Palestine "is characterised by an inequality in power" and that Israel's blockade of Gaza and illegal military occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem must end before reconciliation is possible.
Delegates further stressed that the human rights of all peoples should be respected and that "this should include the right of return and/or compensation for Palestinian refugees".
The Church and Society Council report, The Inheritance of Abraham? A report on the 'promised land', was condemned by the Israeli ambassador to the UK when it was first published earlier this month. The conclusions of the revised report presented to the General Assembly were unchanged from the original, while adding introductory remarks and a reaffirming of the Kirk's rejection of racism and religious hatred.
Dr Bernard Sabella of the Middle East Council of Churches, based in Jerusalem, a delegate to the Church of Scotland General Assembly, called the Church of Scotland report "a wake-up call". Rev Na'el Abu Rahmoun of the Diocese of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East explained to the General Assembly how Palestinian citizens of Israel face systematic discrimination, and said "we are about 1.5 million, Christians and Muslims together" who are "considered maybe second or third class citizens"...
General Assembly delegates also endorsed the Church and Society Council General Report which notes and encourages debate around the Iona Call 2012, a response to Kairos Palestine that endorses the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) and other forms of non-violent direct action.
Iona Community member Eurig Scandrett said that the Church of Scotland "has not been afraid to speak truth to power - the truth that Israel's claims to Palestinian land is unjustifiable theologically or ethically. Israel's credibility has just been dealt a major blow".
Fiona Napier, Chair of Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, welcomed the General Assembly decisions, saying that "the Israeli government needs to know that Scottish civil society, including our trade unions and churches, refuse to be complicit in their crimes against the Palestinian people and, as we see the situation for Palestinians worsen, we will find and take more effective action in support of Palestinian rights."