Denial of Israel’s right to exist is antisemitism says the Pope

June 2, 2015 by J-Wire News Service
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Australia’s B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) has praised Pope Francis for stating that “anyone who does not recognise the Jewish people and the State of Israel—and their right to exist—is guilty of antisemitism.”

Pope Francis

Pope Francis

The Pope also noted in the interview with Portuguese reporter Henrique Cymerman that “…we must distinguish between the Jewish people and the state of Israel – and their right to exist – and the current governments of each state. Whoever does not accept the first two is guilty of antisemitism.”

ADC Chairman, Dr Dvir Abramovich said: “We applaud Pope Francis for seeing through the guise of the anti-Semites who  seek to hide their true intentions under the mask of anti-Zionism. It has been widely recognised by various governments and organisations, including The European Forum on Anti-Semitism and The US State Department that, “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, and denying Israel the right to exist” is a form of antisemitism. Most recently, President Obama in an interview with  Jeffrey Goldberg drew a link between antisemitism and anti-Zionism when discussing those who question Israel’s right to exist.

We are also reminded of French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who as Interior Minister stated that “Criticism of Israel that is based on anti-Zionism — that’s antisemitism today, this is the refuge of those who do not accept the State of Israel.”  As the ADC has noted time and again, those who claim that Jews do not have a right to sovereignty  and self-determination like all other people on earth, who delegitimize Israel by undermining its right to exist as a Jewish state, who promote boycotts, divestments and sanctions, and who want to see Israel destroyed, should be treated as haters and bigots.

This is an important statement by Pope Francis that will further reinforce the strong bond of friendship that the Church, Israel and the Jewish people have enjoyed, and which underscores the vigorous role Pope Francis has played in improving Jewish-Catholic relations.”

 

Comments

3 Responses to “Denial of Israel’s right to exist is antisemitism says the Pope”
  1. Lynne Newington says:

    However, lost in all this, at least you haven’t handed over the all properties demanded, I do recall reading sometime ago The Palestinians were going to hand over the Temple Mount to Benedict…….

  2. Lynne Newington says:

    I was impressed with Jeb Bush’s support for Jerusalem remaining [forever as is policy of the Netanyahu governemt], an undivided city as Israel’s capital and moving Washington’s embassy to the historic city from Tel Aviv.
    J/Post today.
    Maybe more value there in the long run, considering the winds of change.

  3. Geoff Seidner says:

    Hey – why do the ADL gratuituously – discuss

    ”….. Jewish people and the State of Israel—and their right to exist”?

    Surely no other nation or people ever feel the need to so claim?
    Surely the term to use – if one has the unaccountable urging to go down this meek / weak / pathetic path / tangent – should be THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN PEACE!

    No wonder the Church picked this up by their unfortunate lines in defacto suggesting an unfortunate derivation: the need to distinguish between JEWS AND ISRAEL. Thank goodness the Church has not joined Stuart Rees in essentially supporting anti semitism more than a year ago in a quote from The Australian
    [embedded below]

    http://socialistdystopia.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/anarchist-rees.html

    This is a mere derivation of simply a trope of Jew Haters of earlier times.

    IE – I AM MERELY ANTI ZIONIST NOT ANTI ISRAEL / ANTI JEWISH…

    I hope most people understand this: see original from above – below:

    ”Henrique Cymerman that “…we must distinguish between the Jewish people and the state of Israel – and their right to exist – and the current governments of each state. Whoever does not accept the first two is guilty of anti-Semitism.””

    http://socialistdystopia.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/anarchist-rees.html

    Anarchist Rees
    Professor Stuart Rees has multiple plays at anarchy in trying to vitiate Julia Gillard government’s policy declaring the BDS and antisemitism improper. These ideas manifestly being supported by both main political parties.

    JG:”It means remaining alert to new vehicles by which hatred and social poison can be spread”
    Julia here clearly vitiates the boycoteers’ illegal ‘policy’ as a poison by another name.
    The Australian 14/5: Anti-BDS stance `easy, populist’

    The PM et al also signed the London Declaration on Combating Antisemitism, Rees response? ‘’Childish, thoughtless but easily populist”.The Australian 14/5
    Plainly he demands the right to be anti semitic. And unpopular? Very unpopular?

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