FUNERAL, DIE-IN PROTEST CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAELI WAR CRIMES

CHRISTIAN ZIONISTS: SHAME ON YOU

Bay Area Jews, Christians and Muslims confronted Christian supporters of Israel with a funeral and die-in outside of Hs Lordship’s Restaurant at the Berkeley Marina on Sunday, August 20. The protest reminded those attending "A Night to Honor Israel," organized by Christians United For Israel, Schindler’s Ark and the East Bay Israel Action Center, of the massive Lebanese and Palestinian casualties of Israel’s most recent military campaigns.

“We are protesting not because we come from one religious background or another,” said Mich Levy, a dual citizen of Israel and the United States, “but because Israel but because Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and in Lebanon is indefensible.”

“If they are going to honor Israel, after Israel has just been accused of war crimes by Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, we are going to take this time to honor our people who are dead and wounded from Israel’s actions,” said Khadija, who has family in the Middle East.

Christians United for Israel and Schindler’s Ark are international organizations which include Reverend Jerry Falwell (Moral Majority founder) and Gary Bauer (former president of Family Research Council), and promote an “Armageddon-based foreign policy” in the Middle East. A recent article in The Nation reports that “Over the past months, the White House has convened a series of off-the-record meetings about its policies in the Middle East with leaders of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), a newly formed political organization that tells its members that supporting Israel's expansionist policies is ‘a biblical imperative.’ CUFI's Washington lobbyist, David Brog, told [reporter Max Blumenthal] that during the meetings, CUFI representatives pressed White House officials to adopt a more confrontational posture toward Iran, refuse aid to the Palestinians and give Israel a free hand as it ramped up its military conflict with Hezbollah.” (http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20060814&s=new_christian_zionism)

“Christian Zionism disgraces both Jew and Christian," said protester Wendy Kaufmyn. "As a Jew, my parents taught me to seek God's justice and I can only feel shame regarding the unjust policies of the Israeli government that exhibits such wholesale disregard for Arabs and their children. As a Christian, Jesus taught me to have love and compassion for all people and I do not understand how his followers can support such violence.”

Photos and video: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/22/18299500.php