Churches for Middle East Peace Downplays Hamas’ Hostility
Churches for Middle East Peace is doing one of the two things it does best – portraying Arab and Muslim hostility toward Israel as something other than … Arab and Muslim hostility toward Israel!
(The other thing it does best is assisting Palestinians in their effort to portray Israeli officials, soldiers especially, in a harsh light. Here it takes its cue from organizations like B’Tselem and other organizations supported by the New Israel Fund.)
In a bulletin that it distributed to its supporters on June 6, 2014, CMEP, an umbrella organization that speaks for approximately two dozen churches and para-church organizations in the United States, soft-pedaled Hamas’ hostility toward the Jewish state.
After recounting some of the events that preceded the Palestinian Authority’s decision to reconcile with Hamas, the bulletin states: “Contrary to its charter, Hamas has now given its endorsement to a government that recognizes and cooperates with Israel.”
With this statement, the organization is implying that Hamas has somehow changed its tune regarding Israel’s right to exist. What the folks at CMEP omit from their bulletin is that Hamas leaders have stated explicitly that they continue to reject Israel’s right to exist.
In an interview published in Al Monitor on May 6, 2014, Abu Marzouk, Deputy Chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, made it perfectly clear where Hamas stands. He said:
Hamas will not recognize Israel. This is a red line that cannot be crossed. The future government is not interested in providing Israel with recognition, and the conditions set by the Quartet committee do not concern us one bit. We would have spared ourselves seven years of misery under the siege and two wars in 2008 and 2012 had we wanted to recognize Israel. Hamas underwent great political pressure and suffering during the past years, and yet it did not recognize Israel.
Despite this and numerous other statements, CMEP is suggesting to its supporters indicating that somehow Hamas is ready to make peace with Israel as a result of its agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
Why is CMEP broadcasting a distorted view of Hamas to its supporters?
What is to be gained by such efforts?
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