Calls for sanctions against Israel in support of the Palestinian cause are nothing new or strange rather, they have been the norm for about as long as Israel has existed and have gained a sustained momentum since the historic Arab-Israeli wars. Perhaps what is now stranger is that Israel is also increasingly facing opposition from sections of what was once the unlikeliest of quarters, the Christian Church.
Sharp divisions have arisen within the Christian community over whether to support Israel, pitting the pro-Israel Christian individuals and lobby groups against the anti-Israeli ones. One key battleground between the two opposing camps is whether Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns against Israel are justified or appropriate. Max Samarov is an ardent supporter of Israel and wrote an account of his efforts mid-last year in the Jerusalem Post. In his view, a common thread with the pro-BDS group is the notion that Israelis are powerful oppressors who deserve to be pressured and Palestinians are victims whose leaders dont require accountability – even if some of their resistance methods might be disagreeable. FULL REPORT
