NEW YORK — Reacting to the statement by the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), which not only labeled the State of Israel as “apartheid” but advanced a broader one-sided narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, World Jewish Congress Executive Vice President Maram Stern issued the following statement:
“In no uncertain terms, the World Jewish Congress rejects this deeply flawed and inflammatory statement, which invokes the apartheid slur against Israel and presents a wholly one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The statement’s failure to mention the terror group Hamas or the remaining hostages held since the horrific October 7th terrorist attack strips it of all credibility. Coming from a body of religious leaders, this moral omission is especially troubling and reflects a lack of empathy for the victims of terrorism. It also ignores the very real consequences this rhetoric can have for Jewish communities already facing rising antisemitism around the world.
“We urge the WCC leadership to better understand the real-world consequences of their position, which can be used as a tool to undermine the legitimacy of the State of Israel, and we are prepared to meet to discuss how they can help build understanding.”
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