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
Israeli Army Radio's diplomatic correspondent quoted a senior Israeli official as saying: So he [Trump] decided to cut off contact. That might still change, but that’s the situation right now
Israeli Army Radio's diplomatic correspondent quoted a senior Israeli official as saying: Trump’s circle told him [Dermer] that Netanyahu was manipulating him, and there’s nothing Trump hates more than being portrayed as someone being played
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Meetings between the Israelis, Egyptians, and Qataris are all centered around the Israeli proposal, which does not guarantee an end to the war [on Gaza]
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is threatening to expand the ground offensive if Hamas rejects the proposal
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Hamas rejects the Israeli proposal, viewing it as failing to guarantee an end to the war
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is sticking to its proposal, and insists there is no alternative offer on the table for negotiation
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: The meetings between the Israelis and the Egyptians and Qataris all revolve around the Israeli proposal
The administration was clearly looking for an off-ramp for this campaign against Ansar Allah, NBC News reports, citing US official
Trump's operation against Ansar Allah cost more than $1 billion, NBC News reports, citing US official
White smoke signals new pope elected: AFP

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

'Israel' clings to Gaza proposal as Trump charts a different course

British MP admits he 'got it wrong' on 'Israel', withdraws support

- 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

Pro-Palestinian protesters march toward the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Washington (AP)

US House to vote on bill criminalizing boycott of 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 3 May 2025
Throughout Operation Prosperity Guardian, current and former US military and intelligence officials expressed disquiet at the enormous “cost offset” involved in battling Ansar Allah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Ansar Allah triumphant: US facing Red Sea defeat again

  • Opinion
  • 3 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025
Yemeni missile hits Ben Gurion Airport as interceptors fail

YAF targeted Ben Gurion with hypersonic ballistic missile: Saree

  • MENA
  • 4 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
UN experts warn: Stop the genocide or witness Gaza's end
Politics

Stop the genocide or witness end of life in Gaza: UN experts warn

Israeli police attack mourners as they carry the casket of killed Al Jazeera veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in occupied al-Quds, Friday, May 13, 2022. (AP)
Politics

Israeli sniper who killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh identified

The Department of Defense logo is seen on the wall in the Press Briefing room at the Pentagon, Oct. 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
Politics

Pentagon’s unused properties drain billions in taxpayer funds

Haaretz
Palestine

Israeli military avoids calling up unwilling reservists: Haaretz

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