Press Release:
Antisemitism of Zionism Unsettled and Presbyterian "IPMN" Causes Allies to Pull Support
Jerusalem – The exposure of antisemitism on the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Israel Palestine Missions Network (IPMN) Facebook page and in its publication Zionism Unsettled has caused affiliated organizations to distance themselves from the group dedicated to advancing BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) within the Church.
Last week, NGO Monitor released a report revealing antisemitic sentiments within IPMN, including crude anti-Jewish caricatures and links to antisemitic websites. One statement (Nov 2, 2013), “Israel’s Zionist establishment wants constant war. No longer a surprise, but a most serious evil;” linked to Press TV (the state-owned English-language TV station of the Islamic Republic of Iran). IPMN was one of the principle Presbyterian advocates for divestment and other anti-Israel efforts.
Since publication of our report, the Presbyterian Church (USA) removed IPMN’s Zionism Unsettled publication from its online store, which delegitimizes the existence of the State of Israel, and dismisses the internationally accepted moral right of the Jewish people to sovereign equality.
In addition, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), a fringe NGO of the American Jewish community that works with groups like IPMN to support BDS and other forms of political warfare against Israel, removed its endorsement of Zionism Unsettled from its website.
The deleted article, written by JVP’s director for advocacy Sydney Levy, praised Zionism Unsettled as “an exciting new church study guide… a much-needed resource: smart and gutsy and immensely important.” JVP was also very active in promoting divestment at June’s Presbyterian General Assembly.
While JVP appears to be disassociating from IPMN, NGO Monitor’s research shows that JVP remains affiliated with multiple other radical groups that seek to erase Israel, and continues to promote their divisive, pro-BDS agenda within the Jewish and Christian communities. The Presbyterian Church also remains strongly tied to JVP and the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, another radical anti-Israel group, which has not retracted its endorsements for IPMN and Zionism Unsettled.