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Jewish Groups Criticize Christian Leaders' Call to Reevaluate Military Aid to Israel
(JTA) Leaders of the Lutheran, Methodist, UCC churches, and the National Council of Churches have asked Congress to reevaluate U.S. military aid to Israel in light of "the deteriorating conditions in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories." The Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative movement said in a statement: "The letter calling for hearings and reassessment was issued without outreach to longtime partners in public advocacy within the Jewish community. It was released on the eve of Shabbat, just before a long weekend of Jewish and American holidays. And it was distributed at a time when Congress is out of session, in the midst of the general election campaign. We find these tactics to be disrespectful of channels of communication that have been constructed over decades." Rabbi Noam Marans of the American Jewish Committee said: "When the world currently is focused on the Iranian nuclear threat to the entire Middle East and the world, Christian leaders have chosen to mount another political attack on Israel....When religious liberty and safety of Christians across the Middle East are threatened by the repercussions of the Arab Spring, these Christian leaders have chosen to initiate a polemic against Israel, a country that protects religious freedom and expression for Christians, Muslims and others."