CMEP Expresses Outrage on Website Over Uprooted Trees, Nothing about Kidnappings
In the minds of some peace and justice activists in the Christian non-profit community, the destruction of 300 trees is more of an outrage than the kidnapping of three young Jews.
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), an organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. is the best example of this phenomenon.
Just a few weeks ago, CMEP highlighted the destruction of 300 trees by the IDF in a valley near the Tent of Nations, a farm located just outside of Bethlehem.
On May 20, 2014 – the day after the trees were uprooted by the IDF – the organization held a conference call that attracted approximately 134 listeners. After the conference call, CMEP solicited signatures for a petition that it submitted to envoy Martin Indyk on May 29, 2014.
But now that three young Jews have been abducted and been missing for almost a week, CMEP has remained silent about the plight of three young Jews abducted and held somewhere in the West Bank. No conference call, no action item, no mention of the kidnapping, which as of this writing, took place six days ago, on their website. As of this posting, a search for the word “kidnapping” on CMEP’s website reveals only two entries – the kidnapping of two Syrian bishops by Islamists in 2013. (See photo above.)
Clearly, the kidnapping is a game-changing event to the various parties involved in the conflict. Tension over the kidnapping could lead to increased violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
So, why is the CMEP so quiet about the kidnappings? Yes, the organization has mentioned the kidnapping on its Facebook page, but why no conference call or briefing? Why no action alert? Why no petition to Palestinian leaders calling on them to work for the release of the kidnapping victims?
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