Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Hamas official says despite this, Hamas leadership is currently undertaking a thorough review of the new proposal
Hamas official says the response fails to meet any of the just and legitimate demands of our people
Hamas official says it is clear that the Israeli response fundamentally seeks to entrench the occupation
Reuters citing Hamas official: Group received Israeli response to Witkoff proposal
Sources to Al Mayadeen: The news regarding a press conference tonight by the head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Khalil Al-Hayya, is false.
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was martyred in an Israeli drone strike on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The death toll in the al-Bureij camp massacre has risen to 19
Nicolas Maduro: Maria Corina Machado and imperialism wanted to spread violence and chaos so there would be no elections.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: We were able to neutralize 60 attacks on oil refineries and oil facilities and arrest more than 70 individuals involved.
CNN citing sources: Talks between Washington and Tehran are close to reaching a comprehensive agreement that could be concluded during the next meeting.

United Church of Christ Labels "Israel" an Apartheid State

  • By Steve France
  • Source: mondoweiss
  • 26 Jul 2021 14:04
4 Min Read

United Church of Christ condemns all the wounds inflicted on the Palestinians over the decades, with the unstinting support of Washington.

  • x
  • United Church of Christ Condemns Israel as Apartheid State
    United Church of Christ denotes "Israel" as an apartheid state

Steve France wrote a report on the American site "Mondoweiss" in which he stated, "So much bad news is hitting Israel’s leaders, so fast, these days, that they may have overlooked warnings by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), among others, that the United Church of Christ (UCC) General Synod was considering becoming the first major US denomination to label Israel an apartheid state." 

Mr. France added that The Zionist shock and outrage didn’t have the intensity of the meltdown over the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream affair, which came at the same time, but the UCC’s condemnation of Israeli treatment of the Palestinians is sure to resonate with the other mainline American churches — and their millions of members.

The Church firmly stated, "We reject the Israeli apartheid system of laws and legal procedures". 

However, this condemnation passed late in the day July 18 with an overwhelming 83% vote and was part of a long and unsparing indictment. 

The decision of the United Church of Christ is likely to be the first blow in the numerous denominations of Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Unitarians, Quakers, and others who will likely follow the lead of the United Church of Christ in condemning "Israel's" "continued oppression of the Palestinians" and calling on the US government to support full equal rights for Palestinians. 

The UCC has denounced nearly all the wounds inflicted on Palestinians over decades, with unlimited support from Washington.

The UCC specifically declared that they: 

- Affirmed the right of return to Palestine - or to compensation for loss of property - of the 5.6 million Palestinian refugees registered with the UN Relief and Works Administration, invoking UN Resolution 194 (1948); rejected recent efforts to narrow the definition of refugee; and demanded full US funding for UNRWA; 

- Backed the constitutional right of Americans to protest Israel's actions through BDS;

Related News

Hamas reviewing Israeli response to US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal

Two Israeli occupation soldier seriously injured in north, south Gaza

- Rejected "the idea that any criticism of policies of the State of Israel is inherently antisemitic" and countered federal or state legislation to limit free speech on campuses or to constrain or punish BDS;

- Advocated "cessation of US military aid to Israel" until Palestinian rights are "fully realized and protected";

- Rejected any theology or ideology, particularly Christian Zionism, that “would privilege or exclude any  nation, race, culture, or religion”; 

- Condemned "Jewish-only settlements throughout the West Bank," and the 2018 Nation-State basic law, while tying Israel to historical examples of "settler-colonialism" and to the pre-civil rights era racist regime known as Jim Crow;

- Faulted "provocative actions under the Trump administration, including moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem," and supporting Israel’s proposed illegal annexation of West Bank territory;

- Endorsed Palestinian Christian leaders' landmark declaration of 2020 entitled "Cry for Hope: A Call for Decisive Action."

Reverend John Thomas of the UCC Palestine-Israel Network Steering Committee stated, "we hope that this provides some space for other denominations to follow our lead. Both the huge vote for the resolution and the muted nature of the arguments opponents raised against it were encouraging". 

Supporters of the resolution faced a minor conflict when the UCC committee in charge of prepping the resolution edited and removed the term "apartheid" and a reference to "Israel's sin". 

A "large majority" of the Synod then reinserted the word apartheid. 

Rev. Shari Prestemon of Minnesota explained why it was necessary to say Israel's conduct is a sin.  “What we speak of is not just a geopolitical matter… The systemic oppression and denial of human and civil rights for Palestinians caused by the policies of the State of Israel violate the vision of just relationships set forth by ancient [Hebrew] prophets and the [Christian] gospels. They can rightly be described as a sin against God and God’s children.”

In a July 19th statement, the "UCC leadership" claimed that  "as US citizens and as a US church,” the UCC has “a special responsibility to speak out on this." 

  • Palestine
  • Israeli occupation
  • united church of christ

Most Read

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, answers a question about his House Bill 3-C: Independent Special Districts in the House of Representatives April 20, 2022, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida (AP/Phil Sears)

GOP lawmaker says Gaza needs same end as WWII Japan, with nukes

  • MENA
  • 23 May 2025
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
Iran advisor reveals details of US-Iran nuclear talks to Al Mayadeen

Iran advisor reveals details of US-Iran nuclear talks: Al Mayadeen

  • MENA
  • 24 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces he will suspend his presidential campaign during a news conference on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP)
US & Canada

Trump-era health report cited fabricated scientific sources: NYT

From left to right, Dua Lipa, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Gary Lineker (AP)
Palestine

Dua Lipa, other stars press PM over UK complicity in Gaza 'horrors'

Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky speaks during a TV news interview at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
US & Canada

GOP Rep. Massie calls for ending all US military aid to 'Israel'

A seal reading "Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation" is displayed on the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building in Washington, DC, Aug. 9, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)
US & Canada

FBI arrests intel worker over leak plot tied to Trump

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS