A California pro-Jewish group is appalled that a group of Christian leaders has sent a letter asking Congress to reevaluate U.S. funding to Israel.
Several Protestant leaders are accusing Israel of human rights violations, specifically related to the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act and the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, and they are calling on Congress to investigate U.S. foreign aid to Israel. 15 leaders of U.S. churches, including Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ officials, along with other faith-based organizations like the National Council of Churches, have penned their support.
Dr. Roberta Seid, education research director for StandWithUs, is troubled by this action.
"We see this letter as a disturbing escalation in the efforts of Protestant anti-Israel activists," she comments. "They're now going outside their churches to enlist congressional support for their anti-Israel agenda."
Seid asserts those Protestant leaders are using the same misinformed argument touted by Israel's enemies.
"We're appalled that their letter uses the same irresponsible, biased accusations that we hear from extremists on campus and groups like Sabeel, who blame Israel alone for the conflict and ignore Palestinian intransigents, and even ignore the Palestinian terror group Hamas, even though it has fired 10,000 rockets into Israel since 2005," the StandWithUs director notes.
If Israel is found to have violated the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act and the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, it would no longer be eligible for U.S. foreign aid.
So, Dr. Seid's group, "appalled at the letter's hypocrisy" and "destructive" nature, is calling on people of faith to hold the Protestant leaders accountable.
"These activists want to undermine the U.S.-Israel alliance, which has brought so many benefits to both countries. They undermine peace efforts, they never call for the P.A. to return to negotiations, they're making a travesty of interfaith relations in the U.S., [and] they ignore the 30,000 being killed in Syria and the rampant persecution of Christians in the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring," Seid lists.
She contends these activists cannot be "brokers" of peace and is calling those of faith to take a stand for Israel.
"What we hope is that the people in the pews will hold these misguided leaders accountable and restore the Protestant churches' ability to usurp moral leadership and to be sincere peacemakers," she explains.
The letter to Congress reads, "As Christian leaders in the United States, it is our moral responsibility to question the continuation of unconditional U.S. financial assistance to the government of Israel. Realizing a just and lasting peace will require this accountability, as continued U.S. military assistance to Israel -- offered without conditions or accountability -- will only serve to sustain the status quo and Israel's military occupation of the Palestinian territories.
We request, therefore, that Congress hold Israel accountable to these standards by making the disbursements of U.S. military assistance to Israel contingent on the Israeli government's compliance with applicable U.S. laws and policies."