RACNews
- October 20, 2004
In
this update:
Reform Jewish Movement Condemns Presbyterian Response to Meeting with
Terrorist Group Hezbollah
Rabbis Yoffie and Menitoff: There can be no religious justification whatsoever
for words that serve to encourage terror and justify terrorism… We hope and
pray that you will exercise the moral leadership required at this moment and
repudiate these deplorable words spoken in the name of your church.
New
York, October 20, 2004 – The Union for Reform Judaism and the Central
Conference of American Rabbis reacted sharply to reports that an official
delegation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) met with leaders of the terrorist
group Hezbollah. During this meeting, Elder Ronald Stone of the Pittsburgh
Theological Seminary praised Hezbollah for its “expression of goodwill towards
the American people” and “initiative for dialogue and mutual
understanding.” Elder Stone went on to say that “relations and conversations
with Islamic leaders are a lot easier than dealings and dialogue with Jewish
leaders." The Union for Reform Judaism and the Central
Conference of American Rabbis also expressed deep concern that the statement
issued by the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
– although it did say that these visits and comments do not reflect the
official position of the Church – failed to denounce both the meetings and
Elder Stone’s remarks.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Rabbi Paul
Menitoff, Executive Vice-President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis,
sent the following letter to Reverend Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick and Moderator Rick
Ufford-Chase, the top leaders of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The full text
the letter follows:
Dear Rev. Kirkpatrick and Moderator Ufford-Chase:
We are deeply disturbed by reports that leaders of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
met with and praised leaders of Hezbollah. In light of our recent meetings and
conversations, you can imagine how surprised and alarmed we were to hear of
these meetings. We were also very troubled by your statement in response.
Though you distance yourself by saying that the visit and the comments made at
this meeting do not reflect the official position of the Presbyterian Church
(USA), you fail to condemn the fact that an official delegation from your church
met with a known terrorist entity whose stated enemies are the United States and
the state of Israel.
To speak of Hezbollah “goodwill towards the American people,” as Elder Stone
is quoted as doing, is astonishing. The U.S. State Department has long
identified Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. In 1983, Hezbollah carried out
a suicide bombing attack that killed 241 American Marines in Beirut. They
continue to portray on their television station, Al Manar, United States
foreign policy as Satanic. Chief Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
has said that “the Arabs must understand that Israel is merely a battalion of
the American army, and that the United States is the principal enemy.”
And on and, tragically, on.
Furthermore, we are horrified by Elder Stone’s praising of Hezbollah for an
initiative of “dialogue and mutual understanding.” Hezbollah is responsible
for untold numbers of Israeli deaths and kidnappings declaring “there is no
life and no co-existence with Israel; there is only one slogan: Death to
Israel.” Hezbollah proclaims “we expect to see a suicide attack every day or
every two days” as suicide terror “is the only way to wipe out the
Zionists.” Even after Israel withdrew from Southern Lebanon, Hezbollah
continues to launch rockets into northern Israel killing dozens of Israelis.
Hezbollah continues to kidnap Israeli soldiers and civilians, including Elhanan
Tannenbaum, an Israeli businessman kidnapped during a business trip to Europe.
We are especially offended by Elder Stone’s remarks that meeting with
Hezbollah “is a lot easier than dealings and dialogue with Jewish leaders.”
To suggest that dialogue with terrorists is preferable to conversations with the
American Jewish community is appalling and has overtones of anti-Semitism.
Based on our recent dialogue, we had hoped that you would swiftly and strongly
denounce these meetings and statements by individuals who speak in the name of
the Presbyterian Church (USA). Yet your statement does no more than repeat
an earlier blanket condemnation of terrorism with no attention to the meetings
of and statements from this delegation.
As we said when we met, there can be no religious justification whatsoever for
words that serve to encourage terror and justify terrorism. Surely all
people of decency, especially those whose tradition calls on us to “choose
life” and “seek peace,” can see that Hezbollah is not praiseworthy.
We hope and pray that you will exercise the moral leadership required at this
moment and repudiate these deplorable words spoken in the name of your church.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Eric Yoffie
President
Union for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Paul Menitoff
Executive Vice-President
Central Conference of American Rabbis
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