Categories News Provincial Synod votes on Israel sanctions, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia Post date 26th Sep 2019 Provincial Synod has voted to support non-violent action to end Israel’s military occupation of Palestine, especially “well-directed Boycott, Divestment and Sanction actions”. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, Synod also: Condemned “all forms of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia… in the strongest terms”; Described the situation in Israel and Palestine as “in some respects… worse than apartheid”; and Urged church members who travel on pilgrimages to Israel to include Palestinian Christians in their itineraries. The full text of the resolution follows: This Synod 1. Noting that: a. This is the 10th year anniversary of the Palestine Kairos document, a document written by Palestinian Christians for our reflection and action (www.kairospalestine.ps); b. The South African government has withdrawn its ambassador from Tel Aviv; c. It is reported that each year a few hundred Palestinian children are held in Israeli jails and there is evidence of human rights violation. d. Prime Minister Netanyahu has recently said that “Israel is not a state of all its citizens”, a statement which accurately reflects the nation-state law they adopted in 2018; e. There is considerable environmental damage through injustice in the access to and distribution of water, the uprooting of olive trees and home demolitions, which in turn has led to environmental displacement, adding to the already large number of refugees 2. Acknowledging that: a. The situation in the Holy Land demands the attention of the Christian church precisely because that is the place where Jesus the Christ was born, nurtured, crucified and raised; b. The current political nation state of Israel and Israel in the Bible should not be confused with each other, and neither should the ideology of Zionism and the religion of Judaism be conflated; c. Many Christian pilgrimages to the current state of Israel often ignore the Christians living in Palestine; d. Israel was one of the very few states that continued to support the Apartheid State in South Africa until the very end; e. There are possible similarities between Apartheid in South Africa and what is happening in Israel and Palestine and that in some respects the situation there can be described as worse than apartheid; f. Several NGO’s draw attention to the plight of those who suffer in Palestine and Israel, especially Kairos Southern Africa as well as the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), for whose work we are grateful; g. Southern Africans have a special responsibility to stand by the oppressed in the same way that others in the international community stood with us during our own oppression. 3. Affirming that a. Palestinians and Israelis both deserve to live in peace and harmony as this will contribute to peace not only in that region, but globally; b. Non-violent solutions underpinned by faith, hope and love, to the challenges there are the only solutions that the Church should actively pursue; c. Current efforts by the International community are not enough and new initiatives towards peace, justice and reconciliation should be pursued; d. The presence of the Christian community in Palestine and Israel is something that we should strengthen; e. The military occupation of Palestine must end as soon as possible; f. All forms of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia should be condemned in the strongest terms; g. Jerusalem should be a place where all the nations are able to gather and it should not be for the exclusive use of one group over another. 4. Resolves to: a. Encourage every Diocese within ACSA to pass this or a similar resolution at its next Synod and to work with the South African Council of Churches and its affiliates who have adopted resolutions on Palestine and Israel to seek ecumenical action towards maximum justice and peace for our sisters and brothers there; b. Educate and inform ourselves as much as possible on the daily reality of the situation and to encourage members of ACSA who travel in the Holy Land to choose an inclusive and balanced itinerary that includes establishing contact with Palestinian Christians; c. Support any non-violent action especially well directed Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions actions against the Israeli state until they end their military occupation of Palestine. d. Pray the following prayer for Palestine: “God bless Palestine, Free all from oppression; and bring justice and peace. Amen.”; e. Respectfully request ACSA delegates to Lambeth 2020 to pass this resolution on to the Anglican Communion Office for possible consideration and inclusion in the Lambeth 2020 Agenda. f. To respectfully request ACSA to appoint a Palestinian Study Group to prepare and disseminate study material for use in parishes and dioceses and that will prepare a report on the progress of implementing this resolution at the next Provincial Synod; g. Pass this resolution on to the Ambassadors of Palestine and Israel who are based in Southern African countries as well as to the Palestinian church leaders, SABEEL and Kairos Palestine. The resolution above is the correct version, and was posted here on February 25, 2020. It differs from that posted at the time of the Synod in September 2019 only in the numbering format used. For some weeks during February, it was replaced by an incorrect version, which omitted paragraphs 4(b) to (f), as a result of mistakes introduced in the official Resolutions of Synod. The Synod media office apologises for the error. ← Province asked to pay Growing the Church director’s stipend in future → Homily for Day Three of Provincial Synod 2019 55 replies on “Provincial Synod votes on Israel sanctions, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia” I strongly support all these resolutions. This is a sad day in the ACSA – People who forget their own history are doomed to repeat it. No acknowledgement of centuries of antisemitism and violent acts against Jews in Europe by the Church. No acknowledgement of the rise of antisemitism in contemporary society No acknowledgement that even the UN has described the actions of the BDS as antisemitic. ( https://www.algemeiner.com/2019/09/24/un-releases-unprecedented-report-linking-antisemitism-to-bds-movement/?fbclid=IwAR15ieIsqW9_801S7qxpEmgZbY8UJorLz7jtsaEYkJO8ShyQlEXeGu8mTls) No acknowledgement of Arab Israeli and Messianic Jews (non-Palestinian) Christians in Israel and the disputed territories. This resolution is one-sided and ill-informed – the very thing it calls for others to avoid. I strongly oppose this decision. As a practising Anglican, I find this offensive and against the word of God. Isn’t it comforting to know that it’s true, that “truth is always the strongest argument” (Sophocles, Phaedra, 435 BC) – BDS stands or falls on the question of ownership of a particular portion of geography which Scripture rigorously proves was assigned to Israel by Divine prerogative with a warning to the nations to serve Israel’s Biblical interests and refrain from attempting to part/divide/partition their Land, or be cursed (2 Chr 20:7,11; Is 60:12; Jer 27:5; Joel 3:1,2,16-21). It cannot be that the Middle East is being “occupied” by Israel, if the land they deem is theirs, is actually theirs. BDS activism’s self-justification, its rationale for diminishment, disarmament and de-nationalization of Israel, namely, the PRESUMPTION that the existence of an Israeli Title Deed to ALL or PART OFf former Canaan, “the land of Moriah” inherited through Isaac (Gen 17:8; 22:2; 25:5; Deut 1:7) is a FABRICATION, and that therefore, the Jewish presence largely or entirely invalid, is struck dead as by a lightning bolt, by the light of the knowledge of the glory of the Gospel revelation in Romans 15:8 that our LORD Jesus was specifically sent to minister Israel the truth, to “confirm the (everlasting) promises to the fathers” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and his sons, the twelve patriarchs (in other words, to the twelve tribes of the eternal house of Jacob – Lk 1:33; Rom 11; Eph 2:11-19; Rev 21:12) by ratifying their New Covenant (“the New Covenant of the house of Judah and the house of Israel” – Jer 31:31-33; Heb 10:16,17) through the Blood of His Cross. He did so as LandLord of Israel (Ezek 36:5), knowing that He would return to fight for Israel at Armageddon (Zech 14; Rev 19) and restore the Kingdom of David to Israel in latter house glory as Head of the House of Jacob (Amos 9:11-15; Is 60-62; Haggai 2:5-9; Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32,33; Acts 1:6,7; 15:14-17). They would therefore need to “return to their OWN border” on reversal of their SECOND EXILE, which is presently well underway (Is 11:10-12; 43:1-11; Jer 31:10,17,31-40), to prepare the Land for His return. Since they would have to return during the INTERREGNUM (the hiatus/gap between the first – 2 Sam 8 – and second, Messianic kingdom of David – Mk 11:10), Gen 49:10 legitimizes the current interim secular democracy, which will transition to Theocracy after they’re saved in the Land (Ezek 36), when Jesus ascends David’s Jerusalem Throne (Ps 122:5; Lk 1:32). Amongst those “forever” fixed “promises to the fathers” confirmed in order to define the Abrahamic covenant which is the heart of the Gospel (Gal 3:8), is the twice blood-covenanted Divine Grant of ALL the territory which was once the land of Canaan, but since two millennia BC has been the Land of Israel, the identity of which has been all but SMOTHERED by common use of the Greek and Roman coinages, Paleistine, Palaestina, Palestine, Filistin, all being derivations from the ancient Peles(h)et/Plishtim/Philistines of the coastal Plain of Philistia/’Gaza Strip.’ The Almighty, YHVH the God of the Hebrews (Ex 3:3-18), the Author of Biblical Zionism (Ezek 47:13-23), no doubt ANTICIPATED the massive propaganda-use of these extremely misleading place names, by taking the precaution to define the Jewish national home in B&W by precisely delimiting and delineating Israel’s borders in amazing detail in the MESSIANIC PROPHECY in Ezekiel 47:13-23, which is described more broadly in foundation passages such as Gen 12:7; 13:15-17; 15:8-21; 17:8,21 35:9-15, Zech 9:9-17, and summed up in no uncertain terms in Psalm 105:8-11 as an “everlasting covenant to Israel” and therefore as “a law (to the house of) Jacob,” amongst whom we as Christians are grafted in as co-heirs with Israel as co-heirs of the world as joint heirs with Christ (the Messiah) (Rom 11), a point which Palestinian Christians (who like Islamists, oppose Israel) seem to have lost sight of in their misuse of the Kairos concept.. That leaves the ACSA Synod no option than to back down (for ALL its resolutions are premised on the SPURIOUS conclusions of ‘Replacement Theology,’ which has denied the fullness of God’s covenant with Israel – Is 49:5-8,12-26 – ever since the 3rd century apostasy of the Christian Gnostic Marcion and the tedious allegorizer Origen; and on ISLAMIC DISPUTE OF ISRAEL’S GOOD TITLE), or be exposed for HYPOCRISY for professing a different, counterfeit gospel and be reproached by the Almighty for promoting ‘Chrislam’ (reinterpreting both the Bible and the Qur’an, which doesn’t once mention ownership by Islam of Israel’s inheritance, to fit a particular agenda, in this case BDS) by confusing the baseless claims of secular humanists and religious apostates, with the holy purposes of the God of the Ten Commandments Who “brought Israel out” in order to finally, as in our day, “bring them in” permanently to be “married” to their landed inheritance, for salvation, purification through refinement and then, final deliverance to happen there as ”Israel My glory,” which is why we ought not ever “boast against” them (Ex 15:11-17; Deut 6:23; Is 1:25-29; 31:4-9; 46:13; 4:1-6; 60:12-21; 62:2-4,11,12; Ezek 36; Is 65:8-10; Zech 9:16,17; Lk 1:68-75; 2:32; Rom 11:18-22,25-29). By the grace of God, may our leaders timeously make the right choice, and be blessed by blessing the apple of His eye. There are no extenuating circumstances for failing to do so. I support all the resolutions and would love to be involved in spreading awareness especially to the youth. How the adoption of this resolution is to be warmly welcomed! The Anglican Church has hereby shown that it clearly discerns the Kairos moment re Israel/Palestine, and understands what God’s just, saving love in Christ Jesus demands of his church under the increasingly ominous clouds gathering over “the holy land”. There is so much misunderstanding re the meaning of God’s blessings upon Abraham, all his descendants and the world, so much misunderstanding, too, of the transformational impact of the New Testament message on concepts such as the davidic kingship, the chosen people and the promised land. Add to this the widespread ignorance re the major difference between Israel in the Bible and the modern State of Israel, as well as between well-founded and absolutely necessary criticism of Zionist Israel on the one hand, and deplorable anti-Semitism on the other. A strong strategy to tackle these misunderstandings is long overdue and must speedily receive much better attention than before. At the same time, however, the undeniable fact is that Zionist Israel is daily, relentlessly, tightening its stranglehold on the throat of Palestinian life. According to many well-informed observers, we are witnessing – to use a chess term – the endgame between mighty Israel and what is left of, virtually, defenceless, oppressed Palestine. We cannot remain silent and passive! The Anglican Church has now courageously called us to stand with the oppressed and has indicated the best way of doing so – for the sake of both the oppressors and the oppressed.May this clarion call be widely heeded not only in the Anglican church, but also by a growing number of other denominations. This is what you’re supporting: A Palestinian convert to Judaism, now in captivity, is the grandson of an Arab who saved 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. By United With Israel Staff A 50-year-old Palestinian man, who converted to Judaism this year just before Rosh Hashana, has been held in captivity and tortured by Palestinian Authority (PA) forces over the past two weeks. He is reported to be the grandson of an Arab who helped save 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. The victim is a resident of Hebron and works at a supermarket in the Jerusalem area. He claims that his family had set him up for arrest in order to prove their allegiance to the Palestinian regime. His own siblings have mercilessly beaten him, while the PA has burned his arms and legs, Ynet reported. The official reason for the arrest is a police complaint, filed by his brother, that the convert had assaulted him several months ago. However, the accused man denies the allegations. It is assumed that the brothers are trying to protect their inheritance by showing disdain for their now-Jewish sibling, according to Ynet. “His brothers must distance themselves in order to show that they don’t support the conversion, otherwise they will also suffer greatly,” said attorney Michael Teplow who is associated with the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, which specializes in assisting Palestinians who cooperate with Israel, reported Ynet. The man’s capture occurred when he traveled to an area of Judea and Samaria under Palestinian security control, just before Yom Kippur, in order to meet one of his nine Muslim children. During the reunion, a white Skoda vehicle carrying four men approached. They got out of the car, dragged him into the vehicle and drove away. He was then dropped off at the PA’s Hebron police station. The man was converted to Judaism by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, a prominent arbiter of Jewish law and head of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish court in the city of Bnei Brak. The rabbi passed away on Monday. The convert was waiting for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to recognize the conversion so that he could apply for an Israeli passport. He was granted a temporary Israeli residence permit, The Jewish Press reported. Prior to his conversion, he studied at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, an institution strongly associated with nationalist politics and the settler movement, according to Ynet. Haim Perg, a leader of the Jewish community in Hebron who had spoken to the Palestinian convert by phone and heard first-hand about the torture, is trying to help him. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s like my son, and I will shake up the world for somebody to come and save him,” Perg said, according to Ynet. “The man’s grandfather rescued 26 Jews during the events in Hebron. Now that he is in danger, we have a commitment to help him.” Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has contacted senior civilian officials, Knesset members and government ministers to help release the detainee, but to date he remains in PA custody. I strongly disagree with the above statements which in my mind is contradictory to your statement of anti-Seminitism! As long as Hamas who effectively controls the Palestinians and has been responsible for the sistematic killing of Christian Palestines remains there will be no peace in the region! They have been the aggressors for so long in this battle. Hamas’s agenda is to kill all Christians and Jews and they have no interest in Peace. If Israel left so called occupied Palestine they would be signing there own death warrant. Rather boycott Hamas and get rid of their influence and presence and then there will be a chance at best. Clearly the majority of people voting in this latest statement have not been to Israel!! So far from an apartheid state that it is laughable! Irag Iran and Saudi Arabia is a better example of countries that are worse than apartheid! But of course they are too big and strong to warrant any boycotts againts human rights religious freedom ect ect! Lets just keep on picking on Israel! I will be leaving the Angican Church if they continue to go againsts Gods biblical mandate regarding Israel!! Wake up Angligan Church God will deal very harshly against Churches that are not Holy Spirit led! The next time you visit Israel you must visit Palestine as well, particularly the villages that occupied by the settlers. Of course you will not acknowledge the atrocities because as tourist you are treated well. You must never ever confuse the biblical Israel and the modern day oppressive apartheid state Well said indeed. Picking on Israel, standing up against them, are all end time signs. Nations gathering against Israel!!! Ironic that for Jews the modern nation state is a continuation of the historical/biblical jewish nation state but he Anglican Church rules that this is a fallacy. Ironic that Christians are now actively aligning with organisations such as Hamas who through BDS wage asymmetrical war against Israel with the intent of destroying that State. Just read some of the BDS aligned commentary and you will see that the intent is the destruction of a member of the United Nations through the assistance of the Anglican Church. Yet nothing for christians in Iraq, Eqypt and Pakistan. Women and girls abducted, forcibly converted and married off . A young woman falsely accused of blasphemy with a mob of 800 men baying for her blood outside court. Response from the Anglican Church? Silence , but lets BDS Israel… I am so angry at the hypocracy I really begin to question organised religion. I missed the part where Jesus suggested a boycott of the Roman Empire which at the time was one of the most brutal and oppressive regimes on the face of the planet to those who would not submit. Unfortunately the statement of the ACSA contradicts itself when taking the recent UN report on the “Elimination of all forms of religious intolerance” into account – the report specifically states “the objectives, activities and effects of the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement are fundamentally antisemitic” (http://humanrightsvoices.org/site/developments/?d=21128) So for the resolution to especially support “well-directed Boycott, Divestment and Sanction actions” unfortunately seems to expose an underlying antisemitic bias which is well ingrained in our church history and theology. God will bless these who bless Israel and curse those who curse Isralel. SA is under God judgement lately for not blessing Israel. They are apple of Gods eye. Jesus Christ returns to fight for Israel and Jewish people. Psalm 83, Psalm 2; Genesis 17v17-22; Romans 11; Genesis 12 verse 1-3. I agree. I strongly oppose this very one sided resolution AMEN The self-appointed United Nation Supreme leader (USA) is the one causing chaos and mayhem in Israel-Palestine. USA acts like the father to its spoilt child Israel. Nothing is done in Israel without agreement of Washington. Israel is just a project to colonize the Middle East so that Pentagon and EU countries can go in and plunder oil reserves and minerals. Read about WW2. If Americans and EU can leave Jews and Arabs peace will return. They lived together before Zionist ideology and the European Project. The idea of holy land in Israel is a smokescreen to commit sin. After all, how holly can you be when you reject Jesus Christ. Palestine must defend.themselves against the brutal, oppressive repugnant of an Apartheid Israel. South Africans who support Israel immoral laws and policies are clearly not fit to stay in SA. We know best, we felt and lived oppression and we shall stand without Palestine struggle for freedom. LEAVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE ALONE. THEY ONLY DEFEND THEMSELVES. SOUTH AFRICA IS TOTALLY DESTROYED….ISRAEL DOESN’T NEED TO BE DESTROYED AS WELL. THEY’VE BEEN PERSECUTED ENOUGH….!!!!! Thank you, Anglican Church of Southern Africa. May this resolution strengthen our faith, hope and love…. This is a excellent move by the church. The Voice of the Church is alive, this is the Kairos Moment for the Church of God, what a time to be alive. Speak for yourself . This is wrong!!!!! Not surprised by the Anglican church. I will not agree to support BDS. See psalm ,83 Thank you ACSA for being on the right side (the justice side). The State of Israel has positioned itself to be an Apartheid State in words, legislation, and in action. We pledge ourselves to actively support the resolutions of the Synod and will have great impact in denominations that are yet to resolve on the Israeli regime. The right side of justice? If you truly believe Israel is an apartheid state you’ll believe there are little green men on Mars. The BDS has done a good con job on you and all the other mindless sheep. Read the following: . A 50-year-old Palestinian man, who converted to Judaism this year just before Rosh Hashana, has been held in captivity and tortured by Palestinian Authority (PA) forces over the past two weeks. He is reported to be the grandson of an Arab who helped save 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. The victim is a resident of Hebron and works at a supermarket in the Jerusalem area. He claims that his family had set him up for arrest in order to prove their allegiance to the Palestinian regime. His own siblings have mercilessly beaten him, while the PA has burned his arms and legs, Ynet reported. The official reason for the arrest is a police complaint, filed by his brother, that the convert had assaulted him several months ago. However, the accused man denies the allegations. It is assumed that the brothers are trying to protect their inheritance by showing disdain for their now-Jewish sibling, according to Ynet. “His brothers must distance themselves in order to show that they don’t support the conversion, otherwise they will also suffer greatly,” said attorney Michael Teplow who is associated with the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, which specializes in assisting Palestinians who cooperate with Israel, reported Ynet. The man’s capture occurred when he traveled to an area of Judea and Samaria under Palestinian security control, just before Yom Kippur, in order to meet one of his nine Muslim children. During the reunion, a white Skoda vehicle carrying four men approached. They got out of the car, dragged him into the vehicle and drove away. He was then dropped off at the PA’s Hebron police station. The man was converted to Judaism by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, a prominent arbiter of Jewish law and head of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish court in the city of Bnei Brak. The rabbi passed away on Monday. The convert was waiting for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to recognize the conversion so that he could apply for an Israeli passport. He was granted a temporary Israeli residence permit, The Jewish Press reported. Prior to his conversion, he studied at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, an institution strongly associated with nationalist politics and the settler movement, according to Ynet. Haim Perg, a leader of the Jewish community in Hebron who had spoken to the Palestinian convert by phone and heard first-hand about the torture, is trying to help him. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s like my son, and I will shake up the world for somebody to come and save him,” Perg said, according to Ynet. “The man’s grandfather rescued 26 Jews during the events in Hebron. Now that he is in danger, we have a commitment to help him.” Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has contacted senior civilian officials, Knesset members and government ministers to help release the detainee, but to date he remains in PA custody. Very sad day indeed. Guess we should not be surprised as the Bible – God”s Word – warns us that in the last days apostasy will occur and false teachers will emerge from within the church I pray that those Bible believing Christians will stand firm and not support this or any other anti semetic body. Once again we are allowing politics to make decisions instead of believing God’s Word and being obedient. Jesus was a Jew. Israel is the nation God chose. Jesus is the head of the church. He did not say be this denomination or that one. He said follow Me. I pray people will open their eyes and see this for what it is and not be misled. I think it’s really important to distinguish between opposition to the state of Israel ( a political entity) and antiSemitism which is opposition to Jewish people (adherents of the religion). It is the political state which has occupied, and continues to extend its occupation of, Palestine. The resolution refers to the political/ military occupation which began in 1948 and has resulted in millions of people (both Muslim and Christian) losing their homes, farms and livelihoods. If there really is a distinction between oppostion to the state of Israel and antisemitism, would you care to explain why on the steps of Wits University in 2017, BDS supporters chanted, “Shoot the Jews.” Note, note Israelis but Jews. The BDS (Bigoted, Dishonest and Sly) displayed their true colours that day. The real enemy of the Palestinians is Hamas. You’re just too bigoted and too stupendously ignorant to see it. It is encouraging to know of the strong support of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa for those suffering in Palestine and its commitment to contribute towards bringing justice and peace in that region. If there really was strong support by the Anglican church for the Palestinians, it would condemn the real enemy, Hamas. But there’s no reasoning with bigotry. How can ACSA contribute towards bringing peace when it condemns one side and doesn’t hold those who don’t want peace with Israel but only its destruction accountable? The hypocrisy behind this resolution must be a stench in God’s nostrils. I strongly disagree with this and so do my parents who are in the Anglican Church. God forgive them for they know not what they do. Those who bless Israel will be blessed. Everything we have as Christians comes from the Jewish people. Lord remove the blinkers from those who are blind in your churxh Being polically correct is not what Jesus is about. Jesus is the Lion of Judah. If Anglicans think He needs a little help pruning His own vine, I’m afraid they are very likely to be in danger of being among those who fall away just prior to Jesus’s return. I totally agree with Thea’ s comments The land was given to Abraham’ and his covenant children by Almighty God Read Genesis 12:3!!! What a fearful thing to come under God’s curse! !! I strongly urge the reading of the book ‘Our hands are stained with blood’ by Dr Michael Brown. Replacement Theology and the allegorical reading of the Word of God has robbed many of seeing the truth and brought misery and pain to the Jewish people through the ages in the Name of Jesus. Let us not forget Paul’s words in Romans 11 v 29… ‘For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance’. Father, by Your Spirit please bring about the Truth of Your Word in these urgent days. A courageous and measured resolution. How appropriate that the Province that struggled against apartheid should lead the Communion in seeking justice where racism has been institutionalised, and Scripture manipulated and abused to justify crimes against humanity. A 50-year-old Palestinian man, who converted to Judaism this year just before Rosh Hashana, has been held in captivity and tortured by Palestinian Authority (PA) forces over the past two weeks. He is reported to be the grandson of an Arab who helped save 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. The victim is a resident of Hebron and works at a supermarket in the Jerusalem area. He claims that his family had set him up for arrest in order to prove their allegiance to the Palestinian regime. His own siblings have mercilessly beaten him, while the PA has burned his arms and legs, Ynet reported. The official reason for the arrest is a police complaint, filed by his brother, that the convert had assaulted him several months ago. However, the accused man denies the allegations. It is assumed that the brothers are trying to protect their inheritance by showing disdain for their now-Jewish sibling, according to Ynet. “His brothers must distance themselves in order to show that they don’t support the conversion, otherwise they will also suffer greatly,” said attorney Michael Teplow who is associated with the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, which specializes in assisting Palestinians who cooperate with Israel, reported Ynet. The man’s capture occurred when he traveled to an area of Judea and Samaria under Palestinian security control, just before Yom Kippur, in order to meet one of his nine Muslim children. During the reunion, a white Skoda vehicle carrying four men approached. They got out of the car, dragged him into the vehicle and drove away. He was then dropped off at the PA’s Hebron police station. The man was converted to Judaism by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, a prominent arbiter of Jewish law and head of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish court in the city of Bnei Brak. The rabbi passed away on Monday. The convert was waiting for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to recognize the conversion so that he could apply for an Israeli passport. He was granted a temporary Israeli residence permit, The Jewish Press reported. Prior to his conversion, he studied at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, an institution strongly associated with nationalist politics and the settler movement, according to Ynet. Haim Perg, a leader of the Jewish community in Hebron who had spoken to the Palestinian convert by phone and heard first-hand about the torture, is trying to help him. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s like my son, and I will shake up the world for somebody to come and save him,” Perg said, according to Ynet. “The man’s grandfather rescued 26 Jews during the events in Hebron. Now that he is in danger, we have a commitment to help him.” Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has contacted senior civilian officials, Knesset members and government ministers to help release the detainee, but to date he remains in PA custody. I am shocked but not surprised that the Anglican Church of the Province of Southern African should adopt this resolution, without anyone opposing it. I call upon ACSA to publish the obviously “fact checked” report that was provided to the members of Synod in order to make this decision. I have been to Israel, have spoken to Arab Christians, have travelled through the West Bank and interacted with Christians and Jews who live in Israel. I have seen Palestinians and Jews working side by side in harmony in Jerusalem. This alone does not make me an expert but it has opened my eyes to a misreported situation. I am dismayed that the ACSA should rely on a political view of our governments to inform them around this decision and choosing to use the BDS movement to support this smacks of Politicking and should have no place in the affairs of God. I also call all Christians who members of the Anglican Church to educate themselves and be informed about the current state of Israel and Palestinians. Let us pray for all of the people who live in Israel and not just the Palestinians. Believing what is said in the media is not always advisable as it can be biased. An example of this was a report on how Israeli troops had shot indiscriminately across the fence into a group of demonstrators in Gaza and killed and injured them A well respected BBC reporter based at a hospital in Gaza reported that the attack was unprovoked and that Hamas was not involved. Three days later Hamas admitted that they had people there and that the Israeli’s had primarily targeted them. These Hamas members were the majority of those killed and injured. Israel admitted that they caused civilian casualties There was no retraction or follow up from the reporter from the BBC or the BBC itself about it’s baseless accusations. I support all the resolutions Have you ever been to Israel? Do you even know what you are supporting? Do you believe all the fake news you’re fed? 1 ¶ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Ex 4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. Now if Israel is considered by God to be His son, would the Anglican Church now help God discipline His son without God asking for that help? have you ever decided to go unauthorised and take over the disciplining of somebody else’s son, whilst the father is in attendance to that very matter? It is obvious the leaders of the Anglican Church are now displaying ignorance as to who God is and who they are. I strongly oppose this boycott, it is just another political correct response, were the S A Jewish Board given a chance to respond to the Regina Mundi congregation? Until I am convinced otherwise my husband and I will resign from the Anglican Church, Zeerust North West Province Good for you Christine. I pray all Anglicans who love the truth will take your principled stand. A sad day for ACSA by taking a political decision and going against the word of God by : Failing to have a proper understanding of God’s covenantal relationship with Israel; By “ touching the apple of God’s eye”; Forgetting that “we do not support the root, but the root supports us.” All the Christians must support and LOVE and BLESS ISRAEL not to CURSE them,by doing so GOD will Bless us too Without Jews no Christianity, SALVATION IS COMING FROM THE JEWS. The JEWS and CHRISTIANS ARE ONE PACKAGE, we must support each other not to oppose each other. Now the Jews are attending the feasts of GOD, the feast of the trumpets, Yomkippur andSukoth, during these FALL HOLY DAYS We as christians It is a GOOD thing to support them FIANCIALLY. PEACE BE WITH ISRAEL. NOZI In December 2009 Palestinian Christians through their various church leaders released their Kairos Palestine Document. They speak for themselves about the ongoing and worsening realities on the ground. The way many Christians beyond Palestine invalidate and silence these voices is not unlike how many Christians beyond apartheid SA invalidated and silenced the voices of black Christians and churches in 1985. Since our birthplace is something of an ‘accident’ as some are born in Palestine, Brazil, Norway, Australia, Solomon Islands, Uganda, South Africa…… it seems awfully convenient to make easy and flawed pronouncements on Palestinian Christians from afar. If you were born there – a Palestinian Christian from Gaza or the West Bank – I wonder if you’d still be employing the usual vitriolic judgments to justify the brutal occupation. Oh, and given the numerous international violations Israel is guilty of, including the Rome Statute’s apartheid as a crime against humanity, I suppose it’s easier to sweep that under the carpet and reduce everything to Hamas, even though all these realities were in full force long before Hamas emerged on the scene. It’s just amazing the depth of hatred fellow Christians have against their fellow Christians in Palestine-Israel. I guess most of us should just feel ‘lucky’ we were not born ‘Palestinian.’ God bless Palestine. I am so shocked at the aggressive stance the Anglican Church has taken towards Israel and the God they supposedly serve. Even if the Anglican church stands on its erroneous teaching of supersessionism, Jesus was and still is Jewish and will return as a Jew to Jerusalem or has the Anglican Church changed that teaching as well? Here are some additional facts to consider. In a world of rising anti-Semitism,( one need only to see this week’s attack on the most Holy day of the year, in Germany) this aggressive stance only fuels that hatred and what possible good can come from this decision? Even the UN has seen BDS as anti-Semitic. If the Anglican Church does not support Israel where should the Jews go? Back to the camps of Auschwitz? Please note how many times Israel has come to the table with peace plans and each effort has been thrown out because the Palestinians want no peace but rather want to obliterate Israel and the Jews as often stated by their leaders. And thirdly if the Anglican Church wishes to evangelize Jews into seeing Jesus as Messiah they have just shot themselves in the foot. It would be wonderful to see the Anglican Church take a stand for justice, truth, compassion love and peace as proclaimed by the saviour they claim to serve. Let us tear down walls rather than build up more walls. Why doesn’t the Anglican Church take the lead for peace and reconciliation instead of taking sides of known terrorists? I am most unhappy with this resolution. I am a Christian and my Saviour was a Jew. I am exceedingly grateful to his people. Surely I do pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but the Bible gives me no more liberty to inveigh against the conduct of the State of Israel than it does against, say, Colombia for the export of cocaine, Mauritania for institutionalised slavery or North Korea for its persecution of Christians. Nor, indeed, did Jesus himself rail against Rome for her brutal injustices. I have a feeling our Lord might say to us, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.” It ill becomes the Church to condemn all forms of antisemitism without acknowledging our own atrocious historical involvement. But at least antisemitism is real and historic. Islamophobia is a political fiction invented by Islamists less than thirty years ago. A phobia is an irrational fear of something; but a historical study of the rise of Islam over 1 400 years shows that any infidel has indeed cogent, rational grounds to fear it. The two are not morally equivalent in the slightest degree. Mention of ‘Palestine’ might at least acknowledge that this term was invented by the PLO only in 1974 as a propaganda weapon to obscure the fact that the territory of southern Syria under British mandate was offered to both Jordan and Egypt by the UN. Both declined it. The place was stateless. After the war of Jewish independence, the so-called green line was simply where the combatants were when hostilities ceased. The rejected territory was not and is not a state, and no nation can be said to ‘occupy’ territory not a part of another state or nation, despite the UN deliberately refusing to acknowledge this That said, I am appalled at the eagerness of the Anglican Church to believe the propaganda of Hamas and the PLO and to enshrine it in this resolution. Both entities are constitutionally dedicated not just to the destruction of the state of Israel, but the death of every Jew on earth. Surely we cannot be unaware that the UN has been captured by the Arab bloc of nations as surely as SA was by Zuma and the Guptas? The resolution also avoids the important distinction between ‘Palestinians’ living in the so-called occupied territories who are Arab Israeli citizens, and those who are citizens of Syria or other countries. We South Africans are regrettably xenophobic and violently so; it again ill becomes us to condemn Israeli discrimination of any kind against these outsiders without acknowledging our own sin. Anglican church leadership obviously has either disregarded or not studied Bible Prophecy concerning Israel. The church rather seems concerned with being politically correct. I strongly object to this resolution and its double standards. Israel is the only country in the Middle east which has religious freedom and Palestine is run by a bunch of thugs who use children as human shields. I am a parishioner at St Paul’s Durban and i have just arranged that my monthly donation to the church will be allocated to our roof fund so that none of my money goes to the Diocese unless this resolution is squashed at our Synod next month and I am encouraging as many as possible to do the same. I wish to register my disagreement with the Synod’s decision. BDS is regarded as ‘antisemitic’ by the UN. Notwithstanding some important considerations in the resolution, ACSA is contradicting itself by supporting BDS and warning against antisemitism and islamaphobia. It is sad that there is not the nuance that is needed. Further, the resolution is one sided: no public criticism has been made of China, Russia, Syria, Turkey, or the USA for their current crimes. I strongly object to this resolution and also to the fact that my previous post was not sanctioned (censored) by the page moderator. Why can’t all views on this debate be aired? What are you afraid of? As Christians we must always speak out against evil, but in doing so, our views must be balanced not be clouded by hate or prejudice – this leads to us creating a ‘hierarchy of evil’. Sin is sin and truth is truth, wherever it may be found… Do we need our non-Christian communities to see and point out our lack of love (our primary purpose on this planet) to us and to the rest of the world? All I included was a statement from The South African Friends of Israel (SAFI) pointing out that South African Jewish community was not engaged and that Christians suffering hardship in the area are not getting the same attention as clearly anti-semitic organisations. Here is a link to the statement: https://safisa.co.za/media/blog/safi-rejects-anglican-church-southern-africas-hateful-anti-israel-resolution/ I would appreciate my post being made public I strongly oppose this resolution. I deplore the oppression of the Netanyahu Government and any oppression of any people. However, I see no energy from ACSA on the oppression of Christians and others in Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Gulf states. This fashionable, trendy, ‘politically correct’ resolution is shameful! Why is it shameful to be moral? To be caring for an oppressed people? Your criticism on an entirely different issue can be discussed separately. And by the way, there is a significant number of Palestinians who are Christian. Thank you Provincial Synod for this vote and recognition of what the State of Israel, governed by Benjamin Netanyahu, is doing to the Palestinians.There has been no significant achievement in a peace agreement during the 10 years that Mr. Netanyahu has been in power. The BDS program is targeted toward the Netanyahu government, not the Jewish people, contrary to Mr. Netanyahu’s propaganda. For Christians to say that God favors Israel and not the Palestinians is like saying that God hates His own creatures. We are all God’s chosen people. Both sides want to and need to live in peace. There has to be a mediated peace settlement here providing justice to both sides or there will not be peace. No people, including Americans and British, could live under military, economic, and political oppression for 50 years without becoming violent. The Palestinians are no different in that respect than the Israelis who fought for their own state while being oppressed. What defies understanding is that the Israeli-Jews who went through the Holocaust could treat another people in such an inhumane way. […] un inmenso avance de la campaña por el Boicot, las Desinversión y las Sanciones (BDS) aprobaron una resolución de apoyo de toda acción no violenta para terminar con la ocupación militar de Israel, así como condenar todas forme […] I strongly oppose this resolution . Strangely enough, the Anglican Church makes no mention of Hammas or Hizbollah ??? Having lived in Jerusalem, I have seen first hand exactly what happens on a daily basis. I agree with the other objectors who rightly say that this is Our Lords Land and we should therefore leave it in his Hands. Who is the Anglican Church who thinks they have the moral right to judge one side only? My heart breaks to watch the Anglican leadership set themselves up as an enemy of God. Their disproportionate obsession with condeming Israel to the point of grossly false parallels and litteral economic sanction is hard to fathom. In history, every authority that set themselves up against Israel “had their reasons”. Remember that God brought the Jews back to Israel. Remember that he did this. He scatters and he gathers. When he scattered them in 70AD do you really thing man by the flesh overturned him. Moreover the bible clearly states that the regathering of the Jews is a significant end times sign on the seasons. Leave a Reply Cancel replyComments are moderated and may take a few days to appear. Your email address will not be published. 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This is a sad day in the ACSA – People who forget their own history are doomed to repeat it. No acknowledgement of centuries of antisemitism and violent acts against Jews in Europe by the Church. No acknowledgement of the rise of antisemitism in contemporary society No acknowledgement that even the UN has described the actions of the BDS as antisemitic. ( https://www.algemeiner.com/2019/09/24/un-releases-unprecedented-report-linking-antisemitism-to-bds-movement/?fbclid=IwAR15ieIsqW9_801S7qxpEmgZbY8UJorLz7jtsaEYkJO8ShyQlEXeGu8mTls) No acknowledgement of Arab Israeli and Messianic Jews (non-Palestinian) Christians in Israel and the disputed territories. This resolution is one-sided and ill-informed – the very thing it calls for others to avoid.
I strongly oppose this decision. As a practising Anglican, I find this offensive and against the word of God.
Isn’t it comforting to know that it’s true, that “truth is always the strongest argument” (Sophocles, Phaedra, 435 BC) – BDS stands or falls on the question of ownership of a particular portion of geography which Scripture rigorously proves was assigned to Israel by Divine prerogative with a warning to the nations to serve Israel’s Biblical interests and refrain from attempting to part/divide/partition their Land, or be cursed (2 Chr 20:7,11; Is 60:12; Jer 27:5; Joel 3:1,2,16-21). It cannot be that the Middle East is being “occupied” by Israel, if the land they deem is theirs, is actually theirs. BDS activism’s self-justification, its rationale for diminishment, disarmament and de-nationalization of Israel, namely, the PRESUMPTION that the existence of an Israeli Title Deed to ALL or PART OFf former Canaan, “the land of Moriah” inherited through Isaac (Gen 17:8; 22:2; 25:5; Deut 1:7) is a FABRICATION, and that therefore, the Jewish presence largely or entirely invalid, is struck dead as by a lightning bolt, by the light of the knowledge of the glory of the Gospel revelation in Romans 15:8 that our LORD Jesus was specifically sent to minister Israel the truth, to “confirm the (everlasting) promises to the fathers” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and his sons, the twelve patriarchs (in other words, to the twelve tribes of the eternal house of Jacob – Lk 1:33; Rom 11; Eph 2:11-19; Rev 21:12) by ratifying their New Covenant (“the New Covenant of the house of Judah and the house of Israel” – Jer 31:31-33; Heb 10:16,17) through the Blood of His Cross. He did so as LandLord of Israel (Ezek 36:5), knowing that He would return to fight for Israel at Armageddon (Zech 14; Rev 19) and restore the Kingdom of David to Israel in latter house glory as Head of the House of Jacob (Amos 9:11-15; Is 60-62; Haggai 2:5-9; Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32,33; Acts 1:6,7; 15:14-17). They would therefore need to “return to their OWN border” on reversal of their SECOND EXILE, which is presently well underway (Is 11:10-12; 43:1-11; Jer 31:10,17,31-40), to prepare the Land for His return. Since they would have to return during the INTERREGNUM (the hiatus/gap between the first – 2 Sam 8 – and second, Messianic kingdom of David – Mk 11:10), Gen 49:10 legitimizes the current interim secular democracy, which will transition to Theocracy after they’re saved in the Land (Ezek 36), when Jesus ascends David’s Jerusalem Throne (Ps 122:5; Lk 1:32). Amongst those “forever” fixed “promises to the fathers” confirmed in order to define the Abrahamic covenant which is the heart of the Gospel (Gal 3:8), is the twice blood-covenanted Divine Grant of ALL the territory which was once the land of Canaan, but since two millennia BC has been the Land of Israel, the identity of which has been all but SMOTHERED by common use of the Greek and Roman coinages, Paleistine, Palaestina, Palestine, Filistin, all being derivations from the ancient Peles(h)et/Plishtim/Philistines of the coastal Plain of Philistia/’Gaza Strip.’ The Almighty, YHVH the God of the Hebrews (Ex 3:3-18), the Author of Biblical Zionism (Ezek 47:13-23), no doubt ANTICIPATED the massive propaganda-use of these extremely misleading place names, by taking the precaution to define the Jewish national home in B&W by precisely delimiting and delineating Israel’s borders in amazing detail in the MESSIANIC PROPHECY in Ezekiel 47:13-23, which is described more broadly in foundation passages such as Gen 12:7; 13:15-17; 15:8-21; 17:8,21 35:9-15, Zech 9:9-17, and summed up in no uncertain terms in Psalm 105:8-11 as an “everlasting covenant to Israel” and therefore as “a law (to the house of) Jacob,” amongst whom we as Christians are grafted in as co-heirs with Israel as co-heirs of the world as joint heirs with Christ (the Messiah) (Rom 11), a point which Palestinian Christians (who like Islamists, oppose Israel) seem to have lost sight of in their misuse of the Kairos concept.. That leaves the ACSA Synod no option than to back down (for ALL its resolutions are premised on the SPURIOUS conclusions of ‘Replacement Theology,’ which has denied the fullness of God’s covenant with Israel – Is 49:5-8,12-26 – ever since the 3rd century apostasy of the Christian Gnostic Marcion and the tedious allegorizer Origen; and on ISLAMIC DISPUTE OF ISRAEL’S GOOD TITLE), or be exposed for HYPOCRISY for professing a different, counterfeit gospel and be reproached by the Almighty for promoting ‘Chrislam’ (reinterpreting both the Bible and the Qur’an, which doesn’t once mention ownership by Islam of Israel’s inheritance, to fit a particular agenda, in this case BDS) by confusing the baseless claims of secular humanists and religious apostates, with the holy purposes of the God of the Ten Commandments Who “brought Israel out” in order to finally, as in our day, “bring them in” permanently to be “married” to their landed inheritance, for salvation, purification through refinement and then, final deliverance to happen there as ”Israel My glory,” which is why we ought not ever “boast against” them (Ex 15:11-17; Deut 6:23; Is 1:25-29; 31:4-9; 46:13; 4:1-6; 60:12-21; 62:2-4,11,12; Ezek 36; Is 65:8-10; Zech 9:16,17; Lk 1:68-75; 2:32; Rom 11:18-22,25-29). By the grace of God, may our leaders timeously make the right choice, and be blessed by blessing the apple of His eye. There are no extenuating circumstances for failing to do so.
I support all the resolutions and would love to be involved in spreading awareness especially to the youth.
How the adoption of this resolution is to be warmly welcomed! The Anglican Church has hereby shown that it clearly discerns the Kairos moment re Israel/Palestine, and understands what God’s just, saving love in Christ Jesus demands of his church under the increasingly ominous clouds gathering over “the holy land”. There is so much misunderstanding re the meaning of God’s blessings upon Abraham, all his descendants and the world, so much misunderstanding, too, of the transformational impact of the New Testament message on concepts such as the davidic kingship, the chosen people and the promised land. Add to this the widespread ignorance re the major difference between Israel in the Bible and the modern State of Israel, as well as between well-founded and absolutely necessary criticism of Zionist Israel on the one hand, and deplorable anti-Semitism on the other. A strong strategy to tackle these misunderstandings is long overdue and must speedily receive much better attention than before. At the same time, however, the undeniable fact is that Zionist Israel is daily, relentlessly, tightening its stranglehold on the throat of Palestinian life. According to many well-informed observers, we are witnessing – to use a chess term – the endgame between mighty Israel and what is left of, virtually, defenceless, oppressed Palestine. We cannot remain silent and passive! The Anglican Church has now courageously called us to stand with the oppressed and has indicated the best way of doing so – for the sake of both the oppressors and the oppressed.May this clarion call be widely heeded not only in the Anglican church, but also by a growing number of other denominations.
This is what you’re supporting: A Palestinian convert to Judaism, now in captivity, is the grandson of an Arab who saved 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. By United With Israel Staff A 50-year-old Palestinian man, who converted to Judaism this year just before Rosh Hashana, has been held in captivity and tortured by Palestinian Authority (PA) forces over the past two weeks. He is reported to be the grandson of an Arab who helped save 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. The victim is a resident of Hebron and works at a supermarket in the Jerusalem area. He claims that his family had set him up for arrest in order to prove their allegiance to the Palestinian regime. His own siblings have mercilessly beaten him, while the PA has burned his arms and legs, Ynet reported. The official reason for the arrest is a police complaint, filed by his brother, that the convert had assaulted him several months ago. However, the accused man denies the allegations. It is assumed that the brothers are trying to protect their inheritance by showing disdain for their now-Jewish sibling, according to Ynet. “His brothers must distance themselves in order to show that they don’t support the conversion, otherwise they will also suffer greatly,” said attorney Michael Teplow who is associated with the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, which specializes in assisting Palestinians who cooperate with Israel, reported Ynet. The man’s capture occurred when he traveled to an area of Judea and Samaria under Palestinian security control, just before Yom Kippur, in order to meet one of his nine Muslim children. During the reunion, a white Skoda vehicle carrying four men approached. They got out of the car, dragged him into the vehicle and drove away. He was then dropped off at the PA’s Hebron police station. The man was converted to Judaism by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, a prominent arbiter of Jewish law and head of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish court in the city of Bnei Brak. The rabbi passed away on Monday. The convert was waiting for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to recognize the conversion so that he could apply for an Israeli passport. He was granted a temporary Israeli residence permit, The Jewish Press reported. Prior to his conversion, he studied at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, an institution strongly associated with nationalist politics and the settler movement, according to Ynet. Haim Perg, a leader of the Jewish community in Hebron who had spoken to the Palestinian convert by phone and heard first-hand about the torture, is trying to help him. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s like my son, and I will shake up the world for somebody to come and save him,” Perg said, according to Ynet. “The man’s grandfather rescued 26 Jews during the events in Hebron. Now that he is in danger, we have a commitment to help him.” Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has contacted senior civilian officials, Knesset members and government ministers to help release the detainee, but to date he remains in PA custody.
I strongly disagree with the above statements which in my mind is contradictory to your statement of anti-Seminitism! As long as Hamas who effectively controls the Palestinians and has been responsible for the sistematic killing of Christian Palestines remains there will be no peace in the region! They have been the aggressors for so long in this battle. Hamas’s agenda is to kill all Christians and Jews and they have no interest in Peace. If Israel left so called occupied Palestine they would be signing there own death warrant. Rather boycott Hamas and get rid of their influence and presence and then there will be a chance at best. Clearly the majority of people voting in this latest statement have not been to Israel!! So far from an apartheid state that it is laughable! Irag Iran and Saudi Arabia is a better example of countries that are worse than apartheid! But of course they are too big and strong to warrant any boycotts againts human rights religious freedom ect ect! Lets just keep on picking on Israel! I will be leaving the Angican Church if they continue to go againsts Gods biblical mandate regarding Israel!! Wake up Angligan Church God will deal very harshly against Churches that are not Holy Spirit led!
The next time you visit Israel you must visit Palestine as well, particularly the villages that occupied by the settlers. Of course you will not acknowledge the atrocities because as tourist you are treated well. You must never ever confuse the biblical Israel and the modern day oppressive apartheid state
Picking on Israel, standing up against them, are all end time signs. Nations gathering against Israel!!!
Ironic that for Jews the modern nation state is a continuation of the historical/biblical jewish nation state but he Anglican Church rules that this is a fallacy. Ironic that Christians are now actively aligning with organisations such as Hamas who through BDS wage asymmetrical war against Israel with the intent of destroying that State. Just read some of the BDS aligned commentary and you will see that the intent is the destruction of a member of the United Nations through the assistance of the Anglican Church. Yet nothing for christians in Iraq, Eqypt and Pakistan. Women and girls abducted, forcibly converted and married off . A young woman falsely accused of blasphemy with a mob of 800 men baying for her blood outside court. Response from the Anglican Church? Silence , but lets BDS Israel… I am so angry at the hypocracy I really begin to question organised religion. I missed the part where Jesus suggested a boycott of the Roman Empire which at the time was one of the most brutal and oppressive regimes on the face of the planet to those who would not submit.
Unfortunately the statement of the ACSA contradicts itself when taking the recent UN report on the “Elimination of all forms of religious intolerance” into account – the report specifically states “the objectives, activities and effects of the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement are fundamentally antisemitic” (http://humanrightsvoices.org/site/developments/?d=21128) So for the resolution to especially support “well-directed Boycott, Divestment and Sanction actions” unfortunately seems to expose an underlying antisemitic bias which is well ingrained in our church history and theology.
God will bless these who bless Israel and curse those who curse Isralel. SA is under God judgement lately for not blessing Israel. They are apple of Gods eye. Jesus Christ returns to fight for Israel and Jewish people. Psalm 83, Psalm 2; Genesis 17v17-22; Romans 11; Genesis 12 verse 1-3.
The self-appointed United Nation Supreme leader (USA) is the one causing chaos and mayhem in Israel-Palestine. USA acts like the father to its spoilt child Israel. Nothing is done in Israel without agreement of Washington. Israel is just a project to colonize the Middle East so that Pentagon and EU countries can go in and plunder oil reserves and minerals. Read about WW2. If Americans and EU can leave Jews and Arabs peace will return. They lived together before Zionist ideology and the European Project. The idea of holy land in Israel is a smokescreen to commit sin. After all, how holly can you be when you reject Jesus Christ. Palestine must defend.themselves against the brutal, oppressive repugnant of an Apartheid Israel. South Africans who support Israel immoral laws and policies are clearly not fit to stay in SA. We know best, we felt and lived oppression and we shall stand without Palestine struggle for freedom.
LEAVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE ALONE. THEY ONLY DEFEND THEMSELVES. SOUTH AFRICA IS TOTALLY DESTROYED….ISRAEL DOESN’T NEED TO BE DESTROYED AS WELL. THEY’VE BEEN PERSECUTED ENOUGH….!!!!!
Thank you, Anglican Church of Southern Africa. May this resolution strengthen our faith, hope and love….
This is a excellent move by the church. The Voice of the Church is alive, this is the Kairos Moment for the Church of God, what a time to be alive.
Speak for yourself . This is wrong!!!!! Not surprised by the Anglican church. I will not agree to support BDS. See psalm ,83
Thank you ACSA for being on the right side (the justice side). The State of Israel has positioned itself to be an Apartheid State in words, legislation, and in action. We pledge ourselves to actively support the resolutions of the Synod and will have great impact in denominations that are yet to resolve on the Israeli regime.
The right side of justice? If you truly believe Israel is an apartheid state you’ll believe there are little green men on Mars. The BDS has done a good con job on you and all the other mindless sheep. Read the following: . A 50-year-old Palestinian man, who converted to Judaism this year just before Rosh Hashana, has been held in captivity and tortured by Palestinian Authority (PA) forces over the past two weeks. He is reported to be the grandson of an Arab who helped save 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. The victim is a resident of Hebron and works at a supermarket in the Jerusalem area. He claims that his family had set him up for arrest in order to prove their allegiance to the Palestinian regime. His own siblings have mercilessly beaten him, while the PA has burned his arms and legs, Ynet reported. The official reason for the arrest is a police complaint, filed by his brother, that the convert had assaulted him several months ago. However, the accused man denies the allegations. It is assumed that the brothers are trying to protect their inheritance by showing disdain for their now-Jewish sibling, according to Ynet. “His brothers must distance themselves in order to show that they don’t support the conversion, otherwise they will also suffer greatly,” said attorney Michael Teplow who is associated with the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, which specializes in assisting Palestinians who cooperate with Israel, reported Ynet. The man’s capture occurred when he traveled to an area of Judea and Samaria under Palestinian security control, just before Yom Kippur, in order to meet one of his nine Muslim children. During the reunion, a white Skoda vehicle carrying four men approached. They got out of the car, dragged him into the vehicle and drove away. He was then dropped off at the PA’s Hebron police station. The man was converted to Judaism by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, a prominent arbiter of Jewish law and head of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish court in the city of Bnei Brak. The rabbi passed away on Monday. The convert was waiting for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to recognize the conversion so that he could apply for an Israeli passport. He was granted a temporary Israeli residence permit, The Jewish Press reported. Prior to his conversion, he studied at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, an institution strongly associated with nationalist politics and the settler movement, according to Ynet. Haim Perg, a leader of the Jewish community in Hebron who had spoken to the Palestinian convert by phone and heard first-hand about the torture, is trying to help him. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s like my son, and I will shake up the world for somebody to come and save him,” Perg said, according to Ynet. “The man’s grandfather rescued 26 Jews during the events in Hebron. Now that he is in danger, we have a commitment to help him.” Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has contacted senior civilian officials, Knesset members and government ministers to help release the detainee, but to date he remains in PA custody.
Very sad day indeed. Guess we should not be surprised as the Bible – God”s Word – warns us that in the last days apostasy will occur and false teachers will emerge from within the church I pray that those Bible believing Christians will stand firm and not support this or any other anti semetic body. Once again we are allowing politics to make decisions instead of believing God’s Word and being obedient. Jesus was a Jew. Israel is the nation God chose. Jesus is the head of the church. He did not say be this denomination or that one. He said follow Me. I pray people will open their eyes and see this for what it is and not be misled.
I think it’s really important to distinguish between opposition to the state of Israel ( a political entity) and antiSemitism which is opposition to Jewish people (adherents of the religion). It is the political state which has occupied, and continues to extend its occupation of, Palestine. The resolution refers to the political/ military occupation which began in 1948 and has resulted in millions of people (both Muslim and Christian) losing their homes, farms and livelihoods.
If there really is a distinction between oppostion to the state of Israel and antisemitism, would you care to explain why on the steps of Wits University in 2017, BDS supporters chanted, “Shoot the Jews.” Note, note Israelis but Jews. The BDS (Bigoted, Dishonest and Sly) displayed their true colours that day. The real enemy of the Palestinians is Hamas. You’re just too bigoted and too stupendously ignorant to see it.
It is encouraging to know of the strong support of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa for those suffering in Palestine and its commitment to contribute towards bringing justice and peace in that region.
If there really was strong support by the Anglican church for the Palestinians, it would condemn the real enemy, Hamas. But there’s no reasoning with bigotry. How can ACSA contribute towards bringing peace when it condemns one side and doesn’t hold those who don’t want peace with Israel but only its destruction accountable? The hypocrisy behind this resolution must be a stench in God’s nostrils.
I strongly disagree with this and so do my parents who are in the Anglican Church. God forgive them for they know not what they do. Those who bless Israel will be blessed. Everything we have as Christians comes from the Jewish people. Lord remove the blinkers from those who are blind in your churxh
Being polically correct is not what Jesus is about. Jesus is the Lion of Judah. If Anglicans think He needs a little help pruning His own vine, I’m afraid they are very likely to be in danger of being among those who fall away just prior to Jesus’s return.
I totally agree with Thea’ s comments The land was given to Abraham’ and his covenant children by Almighty God Read Genesis 12:3!!! What a fearful thing to come under God’s curse! !!
I strongly urge the reading of the book ‘Our hands are stained with blood’ by Dr Michael Brown. Replacement Theology and the allegorical reading of the Word of God has robbed many of seeing the truth and brought misery and pain to the Jewish people through the ages in the Name of Jesus. Let us not forget Paul’s words in Romans 11 v 29… ‘For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance’. Father, by Your Spirit please bring about the Truth of Your Word in these urgent days.
A courageous and measured resolution. How appropriate that the Province that struggled against apartheid should lead the Communion in seeking justice where racism has been institutionalised, and Scripture manipulated and abused to justify crimes against humanity.
A 50-year-old Palestinian man, who converted to Judaism this year just before Rosh Hashana, has been held in captivity and tortured by Palestinian Authority (PA) forces over the past two weeks. He is reported to be the grandson of an Arab who helped save 26 Jews during the 1929 Hebron massacre. The victim is a resident of Hebron and works at a supermarket in the Jerusalem area. He claims that his family had set him up for arrest in order to prove their allegiance to the Palestinian regime. His own siblings have mercilessly beaten him, while the PA has burned his arms and legs, Ynet reported. The official reason for the arrest is a police complaint, filed by his brother, that the convert had assaulted him several months ago. However, the accused man denies the allegations. It is assumed that the brothers are trying to protect their inheritance by showing disdain for their now-Jewish sibling, according to Ynet. “His brothers must distance themselves in order to show that they don’t support the conversion, otherwise they will also suffer greatly,” said attorney Michael Teplow who is associated with the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, which specializes in assisting Palestinians who cooperate with Israel, reported Ynet. The man’s capture occurred when he traveled to an area of Judea and Samaria under Palestinian security control, just before Yom Kippur, in order to meet one of his nine Muslim children. During the reunion, a white Skoda vehicle carrying four men approached. They got out of the car, dragged him into the vehicle and drove away. He was then dropped off at the PA’s Hebron police station. The man was converted to Judaism by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, a prominent arbiter of Jewish law and head of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish court in the city of Bnei Brak. The rabbi passed away on Monday. The convert was waiting for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to recognize the conversion so that he could apply for an Israeli passport. He was granted a temporary Israeli residence permit, The Jewish Press reported. Prior to his conversion, he studied at Machon Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, an institution strongly associated with nationalist politics and the settler movement, according to Ynet. Haim Perg, a leader of the Jewish community in Hebron who had spoken to the Palestinian convert by phone and heard first-hand about the torture, is trying to help him. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s like my son, and I will shake up the world for somebody to come and save him,” Perg said, according to Ynet. “The man’s grandfather rescued 26 Jews during the events in Hebron. Now that he is in danger, we have a commitment to help him.” Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has contacted senior civilian officials, Knesset members and government ministers to help release the detainee, but to date he remains in PA custody.
I am shocked but not surprised that the Anglican Church of the Province of Southern African should adopt this resolution, without anyone opposing it. I call upon ACSA to publish the obviously “fact checked” report that was provided to the members of Synod in order to make this decision. I have been to Israel, have spoken to Arab Christians, have travelled through the West Bank and interacted with Christians and Jews who live in Israel. I have seen Palestinians and Jews working side by side in harmony in Jerusalem. This alone does not make me an expert but it has opened my eyes to a misreported situation. I am dismayed that the ACSA should rely on a political view of our governments to inform them around this decision and choosing to use the BDS movement to support this smacks of Politicking and should have no place in the affairs of God. I also call all Christians who members of the Anglican Church to educate themselves and be informed about the current state of Israel and Palestinians. Let us pray for all of the people who live in Israel and not just the Palestinians. Believing what is said in the media is not always advisable as it can be biased. An example of this was a report on how Israeli troops had shot indiscriminately across the fence into a group of demonstrators in Gaza and killed and injured them A well respected BBC reporter based at a hospital in Gaza reported that the attack was unprovoked and that Hamas was not involved. Three days later Hamas admitted that they had people there and that the Israeli’s had primarily targeted them. These Hamas members were the majority of those killed and injured. Israel admitted that they caused civilian casualties There was no retraction or follow up from the reporter from the BBC or the BBC itself about it’s baseless accusations.
Have you ever been to Israel? Do you even know what you are supporting? Do you believe all the fake news you’re fed?
1 ¶ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Ex 4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. Now if Israel is considered by God to be His son, would the Anglican Church now help God discipline His son without God asking for that help? have you ever decided to go unauthorised and take over the disciplining of somebody else’s son, whilst the father is in attendance to that very matter? It is obvious the leaders of the Anglican Church are now displaying ignorance as to who God is and who they are.
I strongly oppose this boycott, it is just another political correct response, were the S A Jewish Board given a chance to respond to the Regina Mundi congregation? Until I am convinced otherwise my husband and I will resign from the Anglican Church, Zeerust North West Province
A sad day for ACSA by taking a political decision and going against the word of God by : Failing to have a proper understanding of God’s covenantal relationship with Israel; By “ touching the apple of God’s eye”; Forgetting that “we do not support the root, but the root supports us.”
All the Christians must support and LOVE and BLESS ISRAEL not to CURSE them,by doing so GOD will Bless us too Without Jews no Christianity, SALVATION IS COMING FROM THE JEWS. The JEWS and CHRISTIANS ARE ONE PACKAGE, we must support each other not to oppose each other. Now the Jews are attending the feasts of GOD, the feast of the trumpets, Yomkippur andSukoth, during these FALL HOLY DAYS We as christians It is a GOOD thing to support them FIANCIALLY. PEACE BE WITH ISRAEL. NOZI
In December 2009 Palestinian Christians through their various church leaders released their Kairos Palestine Document. They speak for themselves about the ongoing and worsening realities on the ground. The way many Christians beyond Palestine invalidate and silence these voices is not unlike how many Christians beyond apartheid SA invalidated and silenced the voices of black Christians and churches in 1985. Since our birthplace is something of an ‘accident’ as some are born in Palestine, Brazil, Norway, Australia, Solomon Islands, Uganda, South Africa…… it seems awfully convenient to make easy and flawed pronouncements on Palestinian Christians from afar. If you were born there – a Palestinian Christian from Gaza or the West Bank – I wonder if you’d still be employing the usual vitriolic judgments to justify the brutal occupation. Oh, and given the numerous international violations Israel is guilty of, including the Rome Statute’s apartheid as a crime against humanity, I suppose it’s easier to sweep that under the carpet and reduce everything to Hamas, even though all these realities were in full force long before Hamas emerged on the scene. It’s just amazing the depth of hatred fellow Christians have against their fellow Christians in Palestine-Israel. I guess most of us should just feel ‘lucky’ we were not born ‘Palestinian.’ God bless Palestine.
I am so shocked at the aggressive stance the Anglican Church has taken towards Israel and the God they supposedly serve. Even if the Anglican church stands on its erroneous teaching of supersessionism, Jesus was and still is Jewish and will return as a Jew to Jerusalem or has the Anglican Church changed that teaching as well? Here are some additional facts to consider. In a world of rising anti-Semitism,( one need only to see this week’s attack on the most Holy day of the year, in Germany) this aggressive stance only fuels that hatred and what possible good can come from this decision? Even the UN has seen BDS as anti-Semitic. If the Anglican Church does not support Israel where should the Jews go? Back to the camps of Auschwitz? Please note how many times Israel has come to the table with peace plans and each effort has been thrown out because the Palestinians want no peace but rather want to obliterate Israel and the Jews as often stated by their leaders. And thirdly if the Anglican Church wishes to evangelize Jews into seeing Jesus as Messiah they have just shot themselves in the foot. It would be wonderful to see the Anglican Church take a stand for justice, truth, compassion love and peace as proclaimed by the saviour they claim to serve. Let us tear down walls rather than build up more walls. Why doesn’t the Anglican Church take the lead for peace and reconciliation instead of taking sides of known terrorists?
I am most unhappy with this resolution. I am a Christian and my Saviour was a Jew. I am exceedingly grateful to his people. Surely I do pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but the Bible gives me no more liberty to inveigh against the conduct of the State of Israel than it does against, say, Colombia for the export of cocaine, Mauritania for institutionalised slavery or North Korea for its persecution of Christians. Nor, indeed, did Jesus himself rail against Rome for her brutal injustices. I have a feeling our Lord might say to us, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.” It ill becomes the Church to condemn all forms of antisemitism without acknowledging our own atrocious historical involvement. But at least antisemitism is real and historic. Islamophobia is a political fiction invented by Islamists less than thirty years ago. A phobia is an irrational fear of something; but a historical study of the rise of Islam over 1 400 years shows that any infidel has indeed cogent, rational grounds to fear it. The two are not morally equivalent in the slightest degree. Mention of ‘Palestine’ might at least acknowledge that this term was invented by the PLO only in 1974 as a propaganda weapon to obscure the fact that the territory of southern Syria under British mandate was offered to both Jordan and Egypt by the UN. Both declined it. The place was stateless. After the war of Jewish independence, the so-called green line was simply where the combatants were when hostilities ceased. The rejected territory was not and is not a state, and no nation can be said to ‘occupy’ territory not a part of another state or nation, despite the UN deliberately refusing to acknowledge this That said, I am appalled at the eagerness of the Anglican Church to believe the propaganda of Hamas and the PLO and to enshrine it in this resolution. Both entities are constitutionally dedicated not just to the destruction of the state of Israel, but the death of every Jew on earth. Surely we cannot be unaware that the UN has been captured by the Arab bloc of nations as surely as SA was by Zuma and the Guptas? The resolution also avoids the important distinction between ‘Palestinians’ living in the so-called occupied territories who are Arab Israeli citizens, and those who are citizens of Syria or other countries. We South Africans are regrettably xenophobic and violently so; it again ill becomes us to condemn Israeli discrimination of any kind against these outsiders without acknowledging our own sin.
Anglican church leadership obviously has either disregarded or not studied Bible Prophecy concerning Israel. The church rather seems concerned with being politically correct.
I strongly object to this resolution and its double standards. Israel is the only country in the Middle east which has religious freedom and Palestine is run by a bunch of thugs who use children as human shields. I am a parishioner at St Paul’s Durban and i have just arranged that my monthly donation to the church will be allocated to our roof fund so that none of my money goes to the Diocese unless this resolution is squashed at our Synod next month and I am encouraging as many as possible to do the same.
I wish to register my disagreement with the Synod’s decision. BDS is regarded as ‘antisemitic’ by the UN. Notwithstanding some important considerations in the resolution, ACSA is contradicting itself by supporting BDS and warning against antisemitism and islamaphobia. It is sad that there is not the nuance that is needed. Further, the resolution is one sided: no public criticism has been made of China, Russia, Syria, Turkey, or the USA for their current crimes.
I strongly object to this resolution and also to the fact that my previous post was not sanctioned (censored) by the page moderator. Why can’t all views on this debate be aired? What are you afraid of? As Christians we must always speak out against evil, but in doing so, our views must be balanced not be clouded by hate or prejudice – this leads to us creating a ‘hierarchy of evil’. Sin is sin and truth is truth, wherever it may be found… Do we need our non-Christian communities to see and point out our lack of love (our primary purpose on this planet) to us and to the rest of the world? All I included was a statement from The South African Friends of Israel (SAFI) pointing out that South African Jewish community was not engaged and that Christians suffering hardship in the area are not getting the same attention as clearly anti-semitic organisations. Here is a link to the statement: https://safisa.co.za/media/blog/safi-rejects-anglican-church-southern-africas-hateful-anti-israel-resolution/ I would appreciate my post being made public
I strongly oppose this resolution. I deplore the oppression of the Netanyahu Government and any oppression of any people. However, I see no energy from ACSA on the oppression of Christians and others in Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Gulf states. This fashionable, trendy, ‘politically correct’ resolution is shameful!
Why is it shameful to be moral? To be caring for an oppressed people? Your criticism on an entirely different issue can be discussed separately. And by the way, there is a significant number of Palestinians who are Christian.
Thank you Provincial Synod for this vote and recognition of what the State of Israel, governed by Benjamin Netanyahu, is doing to the Palestinians.There has been no significant achievement in a peace agreement during the 10 years that Mr. Netanyahu has been in power. The BDS program is targeted toward the Netanyahu government, not the Jewish people, contrary to Mr. Netanyahu’s propaganda. For Christians to say that God favors Israel and not the Palestinians is like saying that God hates His own creatures. We are all God’s chosen people. Both sides want to and need to live in peace. There has to be a mediated peace settlement here providing justice to both sides or there will not be peace. No people, including Americans and British, could live under military, economic, and political oppression for 50 years without becoming violent. The Palestinians are no different in that respect than the Israelis who fought for their own state while being oppressed. What defies understanding is that the Israeli-Jews who went through the Holocaust could treat another people in such an inhumane way.
[…] un inmenso avance de la campaña por el Boicot, las Desinversión y las Sanciones (BDS) aprobaron una resolución de apoyo de toda acción no violenta para terminar con la ocupación militar de Israel, así como condenar todas forme […]
I strongly oppose this resolution . Strangely enough, the Anglican Church makes no mention of Hammas or Hizbollah ??? Having lived in Jerusalem, I have seen first hand exactly what happens on a daily basis. I agree with the other objectors who rightly say that this is Our Lords Land and we should therefore leave it in his Hands. Who is the Anglican Church who thinks they have the moral right to judge one side only?
My heart breaks to watch the Anglican leadership set themselves up as an enemy of God. Their disproportionate obsession with condeming Israel to the point of grossly false parallels and litteral economic sanction is hard to fathom. In history, every authority that set themselves up against Israel “had their reasons”. Remember that God brought the Jews back to Israel. Remember that he did this. He scatters and he gathers. When he scattered them in 70AD do you really thing man by the flesh overturned him. Moreover the bible clearly states that the regathering of the Jews is a significant end times sign on the seasons.
