Faith-washing: Friends of Sabeel provides cover for Terror

Friends of Sabeel prove once again that no lie is too outrageous for Israel haters
From the Friends of Sabeel (FOSNA)Facebook page

Except for 2 things.

1. The tunnel was on the Israeli side of the border.

2. The tunnel targeted a kibbutz. Was that the source of "much needed supplies"? Were the Palestinians planning on a shopping spree at the local Super Sol? Why doesn't Sabeel read the actual words of the Palestinians, who don't try and conceal their true motives? 

Islamic Jihad: "The tunnel targeted by the occupation yesterday was to be used to abduct soldiers for the liberation of the prisoners"

Why is FOSNA providing cover for terrorists?

Uptown Body and Fender hosts antisemitic speaker at Jazz for Palestine event

Only in the Bay area would an auto body shop play host to local non profits after hours. The concept is charming, and the venue is more attractive than you'd guess.  Uptown Body and Fender's website states  they "supports Oakland and East Bay communities by offering its shop free of charge to local and non-profit organizations for their fundraising events."

Unfortunately, either through ignorance or perhaps malice, Uptown Body and Fender has become the go-to venue for haters.  Do shop owners Lisandro Allende and Giovanna Tanzillo even care what takes place under their roof?  Earlier this year the auto body shop played host to notorious anti-Semite Gilad Atzmon, a man so bitter, so vile, he has been condemned by most of his former allies.

Uptown Body and Fender, located in the heart of Oakland on 26th Street continues on the low road, hosting "Jazz for Palestine" , sponsored by Friends of Sabeel, NA on Nov. 9  Sabeel itself is problematic, distorting Biblical language and imagery to push its extremist agenda. 

From the ADL profile on Sabeel:

Sabeel’s efforts to demonize Israel and Israelis have also featured charges of deicide against Jews; they have compared Palestinians to a modern-day Jesus and accused Israel of engaging in a “crucifixion” of these Palestinians. In an Easter mes­sage several years ago, Ateek explic­itly said: “Jesus is on the cross again with thou­sands of cru­ci­fied Pales­tini­ans around him…The Israeli gov­ern­ment cru­ci­fix­ion sys­tem is oper­at­ing daily,” a highly offensive expression given centuries of Jewish oppression on the basis of deicide charges. Ateek and his organization have also compared Israel to the Nazis, accusing Israel of committing a “Holocaust” against Palestinians.

The event also features cartoonist Khalil Bendib, whose antisemitic caricatures could have been lifted straight from Der Sturmer.

From Bendib exposed

Giving lip service to a philosophy of equality and justice while turning a a blind eye to the antisemites by their side is one of the hallmarks of the anti- Israel movement world wide.  Its truly a shame that our local businesses have chosen to aid and abet this bigotry.

Sabeel : Just Anti-Semitism

 The  Sabeel conference is coming to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sabeel  demonizes Israel using offensive Holocaust imagery  and spurious theological arguments and is a driving force behind the campaign to pressure mainline churches to divest from Israel.

FOSNA Philosophy Just Anti-Semitism was written by Sam Sokolove / Executive Director, Jewish Federation of New Mexico and Todd Goldblum / Chair, Israel Action Network, New Mexico

 As the Sept. 15 Albuquerque Journal article detailed, Friends of Sabeel in North America will be holding a “Justice & Peace in Palestine and Israel” conference in Albuquerque later this month. What the article failed to convey, however, is that while Sabeel hides behind a language of peace and reconciliation, FOSNA – listed by the Anti-Defamation League as one of “The Top Ten Anti-Israel Groups in America” – actively promotes a rejection of Israel as a Jewish state.

An integral part of the global anti-Israel Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement, Sabeel promotes the idea that Zionism is based on a false reading of the Bible and that it stands for injustice and in opposition to God.

 In addition, Sabeel often compares the Palestinians to the crucified Jesus, and Israel to his murderers, alluding to the ugly deicide charge against all the Jewish people. Examples include referring to Israeli actions with deicide language such as “The Israeli government crucifixion system is operating daily” or “Israel has placed a large boulder, similar to the stone placed on the entrance of Jesus’ tomb. This boulder has shut in the Palestinians.”

 Sabeel conferences are notorious for featuring speakers who vilify Israel and routinely lift the voices of anti-Zionist Jews as a means to disingenuously suggest that they bring Christians, Jews and Muslims to the table. They continually reject almost all mainstream Jewish voices, including progressive or dovish Zionists.

When the Jewish Federation of New Mexico and Jewish clergy first became aware of the FOSNA conference last summer, we also learned that friends in the interfaith community had been approached to serve as conference sponsors. Given the positive history of interfaith relations between Christians and Jews in Albuquerque, it was our responsibility to offer a mainstream Jewish perspective on this conference.

 As a result, it was heartening to garner the support of friends like the New Mexico Conference of Churches and Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. John who distanced themselves from FOSNA in demonstration of sensitivity to Jewish community concerns and civic discourse.

Characterizing these conversations as “bullying” and “harassment” is profoundly incorrect, but an expected part of the BDS campaign. We are confident that other church representatives who have lent their endorsement to the Sabeel conference will come to recognize the one-sided, inflammatory and destructive nature of the movement.

To be sure, the Jewish community of New Mexico is in no way monolithic, and many of us often vocally criticize the policies of Israel’s government. However, the overwhelming majority of Jews in New Mexico and around the globe recognize Israel as a miraculous return of our homeland after a 3,500-year exile, and a vibrant, if young and imperfect, democracy for people of all religions within a region surrounded by intolerance and brutal dictatorships that conspicuously escape Sabeel and BDS scorn.

 The conflict in the Middle East is about finding a peaceful path to establish two states for two peoples, not about preventing a group from exercising its right to self-determination.

There are appropriate and meaningful forums for interfaith discussion on all issues pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that engender dialogue and increased understanding. Sadly, Sabeel’s commitment is not to promoting this goodwill, but instead to spreading vicious propaganda to assault Israel’s legitimacy

Sabeel, and FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel North America) wrap their old fashioned anti-Semitism in the feel good rhetoric of " peace ".  To those of you in Albuquerque and  elsewhere- if you believe our best hope for peace are two states living side by side, then keep your distance from this extremist organization