Moderator Rada & Ali Abunimah of the radical Electronic Intifada (Update)

The Office of the General Assembly has published, on the Presbyterian News Service site, a column by Moderator Heath K. Rada “Experiencing the breadth and depth of the PC(USA).” Rada writes about his many activities as moderator. One was his meeting with the founder of the TheElectronic Intifada, Ali Abunimah. Rada does not state that Abunimah is the founder of the Electronic Intifada, instead he writes:

When I returned to my home in Montreat I was offered the privilege of meeting with Ali Abunimah, a well-known Palestinian author and journalist and frequent guest on CNN and other news programs. Ali was in Asheville to speak at a gathering of Quakers, and to hold a book signing. Ali shared with me the gratitude of the Palestinian people for the help Presbyterians have given with interpreting their pleas for peace and justice. He understands we are a divided church over the best way to be involved, but said our historical stand for justice for all of God’s children is admired throughout the world.

Perhaps the Moderator does not know about the book Abunimah wrote, One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse, insisting that there be only a one state solution which should not be a Jewish state.

The Moderator fails to acknowledge that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), while attempting to assure the Jewish people of the United States and Israel that we will hold to a two state solution, nevertheless, are looking at the possibility of changing that policy. And Rada’s visit with Abunimah is just a push in that direction. Remember a one state solution means that the Jewish safe haven would no loner exist; there would then be just one more Arab state.

Rada earlier wrote of his visit with Jewish leaders and Presbyterian pastors in New York City. He writes:

Next we headed to New York, where I had the privilege of meeting with several outstanding Jewish rabbis, as well as some equally outstanding Presbyterian ministers. The objective of the meeting was to hear concerns of those gathered who have been devoted partners over the years. As my mail and conversations have indicated, so many Jewish people were hurt by our decision to divest from certain companies doing business that supports war efforts in Israel. Those gathered listened carefully to a brief overview of Presbyterian polity (so they would know the Moderator has little power to influence or change votes) and to hear how our church discerned and deliberated decisions.

Oh, but the Moderator does have the power to influence and change votes for the next General Assembly. And he does so by whom he lifts up and praises. He also does so when he too easily accepts and uses praise as that given by Abunimah that the PC (U.S.A.)’s “historical stand for justice for all of God’s children is admired throughout the world.” What truly counts is God’s regard, concern and sorrow over his people. May we walk humbly before the Lord not allowing those who do not lift up the biblical God to influence us or our mission.*

*(Update) There is another side to both Abunimah and those who work with him that is applauded by some in the Presbyterian Church but is somewhat of a contradiction when it is aligned with biblical Christianity and that is his connection to Marxism. Just this June he was a featured speaker at Socialism2014. His lecture was on the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement that the PC (U.S.A.) insists they are not connected to although they have divested from three companies doing business with Israel. The Socialist conference supported by Haymarket Books in part of their description states:

"Socialism 2014 is a four-day conference bringing together hundreds of socialists and radical activists from around the country to take part in discussions about Marxism, working-class history, and the debates and strategies for organizing today."