International Christian Embassy to Host Jerusalem Conference Amidst Western Sanctions on Israeli Settlements
The International Christian Embassy will hold its annual conference in Jerusalem during the Sukkot holiday, marking 46 years of bringing Christians from around the world to stand with Israel and the Jewish people. Despite the ongoing security situation since October 7th and rising global antisemitism, 3,000 participants are expected to attend.
This year's conference takes place against a backdrop of what the organizers describe as antisemitic policies by European and other Western nations, imposing discriminatory sanctions specifically targeting Jewish communities in East Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and the Golan Heights. Attendees will come from dozens of countries to express solidarity with the Jewish communities affected by these boycotts, sending a message that they are not alone.
The conference aims to encourage visitors to purchase products from the boycotted communities, protesting what they call the "antisemitic policy" adopted by many Western governments. The organizers express concern over European countries waging economic warfare against Jewish residents in these areas, drawing parallels to Nazi boycotts of the past.
While acknowledging that Israeli authorities should do more to curb violence by a small minority against Palestinians, the organizers argue that this should not be used as a pretext to selectively target all Jewish residents. They view these sanctions as the latest step in a European "obsession" to uniquely condemn Israel with double standards, contrasting it with the lack of similar sanctions against other countries occupying territories, such as Turkey in Northern Cyprus, Morocco in Western Sahara, and China in Tibet.
The article contends that these sanctions may violate European and international trade agreements. It also disputes the legal basis for such sanctions, noting that the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion on the "illegal occupation" is not binding. The organizers, representing Christian Zionists, affirm the legitimate historical claim of the Jewish people to these areas, which they state were secured in a defensive war after decades of serving as launchpads for attacks. They also reference the Oslo Accords, which granted Israel civil and security control over parts of these territories.
Furthermore, the article questions the practical enforcement of these boycotts, highlighting the difficulty in distinguishing products and the absurdity of criminalizing certain purchases. The organizers believe these sanctions are an attempt by European politicians to impose a two-state solution that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas have not genuinely accepted.
