THE Church of Scotland has set itself on an international collision course with Jewish leaders after rejecting outright a call to rethink its Israel stance.
The Church and Society Council, the committee responsible for a report that stated Jews' claim to the "promised land" could be invalidated by the Israeli state's treatment of Palestinians, addressed the issue again after rewriting its position.
But the group rejected a call for more discussion that would lead to a new report on the troubles in the Middle East by next year's annual gathering of Kirk leaders.
Scottish Jews said the changes were not enough and Rev David Randall backed their call in the bid to have a 12-month period for talks at the General Assembly at The Mound in Edinburgh.
However, the council convener, the Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, strongly resisted the move, saying dialogue had been ongoing and would continue to be so.
Mr Randall said he wanted the Kirk to engage in further dialogue with the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) before reporting back next year. "We should find out what is is that is troubling the Jewish community."
However, Ms Foster-Fulton said the council would strongly resist the amendment on the strength that Jewish communities in Scotland and the UK had already entered into discussions over the report.
She said the Kirk had listened and revised the language causing concern, but insisted the subject of the report is robust. "This is primarily a report highlighting the continued occupation by the state of Israel and the injustices faced by the Palestinian people as a consequence," she said. "It is not a report criticising the Jewish people."
Ephraim Borowski , director of SCoJeC, said that "though the excesses of language in the original report have been modified, the unacceptable underlying message remains unaltered".
He added that "sadly the revised report will still contribute to the climate in which Jewish people in Scotland ovewhelmingly report to us that they feel uncomfortable, alienated and unsafe".
The revised report says the country of Israel is a recognised State and has the right to exist in peace and security but "there should be a Palestinian State, recognised by the United Nations, that should have the right to exist in peace and security".
It adds: "We have been reminded of some important issues in preparing for this assembly. When we are discussing sensitive issues we should be careful how we define words and take care to unpack ideas fully, to avoid confusion or misunderstanding.
"The Church of Scotland is increasingly disappointed at the current situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
"We are especially concerned at the recent actions of the Government of Israel in its support for settlements, for the construction of the security barrier or 'the Wall' within Occupied Territory, for the blockade of Gaza and for the anti-boycott law."
Ms Foster-Fulton said: "This is a report about standing up for Palestine and not primarily about relationships with the Jewish community."
Her stance was overwhelmingly supported by the Kirk's 850 commissioners in a standing vote.
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