Press Statement

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) strongly condemns the emerging policy trend among European and other Western nations to impose discriminatory sanctions singling out Jews and Jewish communities for residing in their ancient heartland of Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the Golan.

It is extremely troubling to see European nations waging economic warfare against Jews living in Judea and Samaria, the Golan and even Jerusalem. Surely, they know that for far too many, this harkens back to the Nazi boycotts against Jews in the not-so-distant past.

While we agree that Israeli authorities need to do more to rein in the small fringe of ‘settlers’ engaged in acts of harassment and violence against their Palestinian neighbours, that should not be used as a pretext to selectively target all the peaceful, law-abiding Jews living in these areas. Rather, this appears to be just the latest phase of Europe’s obsessive singling out of Israel for condemnation and the unacceptable use of double standards against the Jewish state.

The ICEJ noted, for instance, that European and Western nations have done little to impose or enforce sanctions on other nations who are de jure illegally occupying territories not their own, such as Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus and the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. In fact, they have consciously taken measures to allow the circumvention of what limited sanctions that do exist concerning these territories.

The ICEJ further noted that the recent advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice concerning Israel’s supposed “illegal occupation” of these areas is just that: an advisory opinion that is not binding on any nation. Thus, there is no legal obligation arising from it for European or Western states to now impose sanctions on Jewish residents of these areas.

In addition, the current and pending sanctions may violate existing European and global trade agreements.

The ICEJ also noted that the Jewish people have their own rightful historic claim to eastern Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Golan Heights, which was duly recognised by the international community in modern times. These areas were then captured by Israel in a war of self-defense, after they were repeatedly used to launch military and terror attacks on Israel over several decades. Further, European and Western nations all recognised and consented to the Oslo Accords, which legally vested Israel with civil and security control over certain parts of these territories until a final status agreement is reached, meaning those civil and security rights remain valid and in effect to this day.

The ICEJ also pointed out the inherent unfairness, absurd application, and complicated enforcement issues related to some of the laws and measures against the so-called Jewish settlements being considered and enacted in European capitals. For instance, how does a European consumer know whether a Jewish-owned business or factory in the disputed areas has a Palestinian employee, and therefore is exempt from the sanctions? Or why can a Norwegian tourist buy a mezuzah from an Arab merchant in the Old City of Jerusalem, but if they buy it from a Jewish merchant they have committed a serious criminal offense? And how does one enforce such a law from thousands of kilometres away?

This all demonstrates the obsession which many in Europe and elsewhere still have with Israel and the Jewish people in denying they have a rightful place in the heart of their historic homeland. These discriminatory economic sanctions and absurd criminal laws are just European politicians still trying to impose upon Israel a two-state solution, even though neither the Palestinian Authority nor Hamas have ever truly accepted it.

As alluded to by the new British government when announcing their own sanctions this week, they do appear to have a political motive to impact the upcoming Israeli elections. This is an intrusive act of disrespect for a fellow democratic state which they would never countenance with regards to any other free Western democracy.

The ICEJ encourages Christians worldwide to speak out against these sanctions efforts, to alert your elected leaders of your stand with Israel on these matters, and to keep all of Israel in prayer – especially as they head for new elections.