Karios Palestine comes to the Bay Area: Promoting a "pathetic manifesto" for the delegitimization of Israel

Palestinian Christians Manawel Salameh and Areej Masoud from Kairos Palestine will be on a local speaking tour, organized and promoted  by a coalition of extremist anti-Israel groups under the umbrella of the California-Nevada Israel-Palestine Task Force of the United Methodist Church.

Kairos Palestine is working to achieve the goals of the notorious  "Kairos Document," issued in 2009 and described by the JCPA as a "pathetic manifesto for the delegitimization of Israel.” 

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs expressed its shock at the extreme rhetoric of a recently released document, "Call to Action: U.S. Response to the Kairos Palestine Document," produced by a group of American Christians. 

“The Kairos USA document, signed by American pro-Palestinian Christian activists in response to the 2009 Kairos Palestine document, is deeply disturbing.  If embraced, it would set back the clock on peacemaking even further,” said JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow.  “It is appalling to think that religious leaders would sign a document that places 100% of the blame for the tragic Israeli-Palestinian conflict on one party – faulting Israel even for the terror used against it.  This document offers no support for a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.  It compares those who challenge Israel to those who fought the Nazis.  It is a pathetic manifesto for the delegitimization of Israel.”    

“Kairos USA misdiagnoses the conflict as one of Israeli ‘state violence’ with no recognition of the threats to Israel,” continued Gutow. “There are over 8,000 words in the document purportedly on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; not one of them is ‘terror’ and not one of them is ‘Hamas.’ That makes this document nothing less than a false witness. The Christians who composed and who sign this document are accepting carte blanche the ‘Kairos Palestine’ document which said ‘if there were no occupation, there would be no resistance.’   Had any of these authors or signatories read the Hamas charter—which promotes a jihad to wipe Israel off the map - they may not have been so naïve.

Their itinerary follows:

Tuesday, September 16, with a 6 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. program at the Buena Vista UMC, 2311 Buena Vista Ave., Alameda

Bechtel International Center on campus at University of the Pacific, Stockton  Time: 12:00noon, Thursday September 18th. 

Thursday, September 18 at 7 p.m. at the First UMC Sacramento, 2100 J Street; 

Fri, September 19, 7:30pm – 9:00pm  University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA,  

Sat, September 20, 10am – 12pm Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Boulevard, Oakland, 

Sunday, September 21, at 10 a.m. worship at Open Door UMC, 6226 Arlington Blvd., Richmond; 

Monday, Sept. 22nd, 7:30 p.m. Zaytuna College, 2401 Le Conte Ave.  Berkeley

Tuesday, September 23, at 7:30 p.m. at Aldersgate UMC, 4243 Manuela Ave., Palo Alto, CA.

Read more about churches, NGO's and the Global campaign against Israel here