Yesterday, the United Church of Canada revealed a new anti-Israel agenda by passing a preliminary motion to selectively boycott Israeli products. This action is in contravention of the Ottawa Protocol to Combat Anti-Semitism which considers the singling out of Israel for selective opprobrium to be "discriminatory and hateful". This motion also denies the Jewish character of the State of Israel which is a key Israeli requirement for the peaceful co-existence of Israel and a future Palestinian state. This motion thus marginalizes the United Church of Canada as a constructive voice in the peace movement.
This decision has understandably outraged the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs: “In adopting this position, the United Church has rejected the path of balance, and has chosen to explicitly ally itself with those who formally reject the two-State solution and who deny the historical right of the Jewish people to a homeland. In so doing, they have damaged the Church’s standing amongst Canadians and have profoundly compromised the UCC’s ability to play any constructive role in making a positive impact for peace,” said David Koschitzky, Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
