AFI welcomes agreement
ANGLICANS FOR ISRAEL today welcomed the joint agreement between the Anglican Church and the Chief Rabbis of Israel as a great step forward to a new and happy concord between the Anglican Church and the Jewish people. AFI director Simon McIlwaine said:
“This is an historic agreement on a par with Nostra Aetate. The Communique is a clear rebuke and a resounding reproach to those elements within the Anglican Communion who have been working obsessively to isolate Israel and delegitimise the Jewish State and People. We welcome the Church’s support for “all forms of constructive engagement, whether religious, humanitarian or economic, which seek to enable closer bonds between individuals and communities.” The Church has made it clear by these words that it will countenance no further attempts to boycott Israel, and that the Synod vote in February was a tragic aberration and is not in accordance with Anglican doctrine.
The enemies of Israel in our Church, though small in numbers, are likely to react angrily to this statement and will seek to undermine the Archbishop’s renewed commitment to loving interfaith relations with our Jewish brothers and sisters. In the months ahead, therefore, we,as faithful Anglicans, must ensure that these wonderful words are matched by our deeds and that-with God’s help- renewed campaigns to divest from Israel or companies doiing business in or with Israel are defeated.”
