The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), which represents the political arm of Quaker sect, has subsidized a boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS)- themed summer camp in upstate New York, promoting dis-investment from the Israel Training Institute. This camp is a haven for anti-Israel college students who wish to learn how to weaken the state of Israel by boycotting Israeli businesses and any entities that contribute to the growth of the Israeli economy.
It is ironic that the AFSC, whose website proclaims a strong opposition to violence and war, based on Quaker ideals, would align themselves with those who have no true desire for a just peace at all. In the CAMERA article Friends of Gilad Atzmon, Robert “Bo” Lauder is quoted as saying, “…the Quaker belief in the Inner Light – that of God in every person. “Guided by the ideals of integrity, peace, equality and simplicity, and by our commitment to diversity, we do more than prepare students for the world that is: we help them bring about the world that ought to be.” Yet, the AFSC has fully endorsed the “Palestinian Right of Return”, code for ending the Jewish State by making Jews the demographic minority. In addition, the AFSC has never condemned the Palestinian media or Palestinian government for educating their children to hate Jews and to deny the Jewish people’s ancestral right to a homeland. This is not a recipe for true, lasting, and just peace.
The AFSC has betrayed its own ideals by aligning itself with those who are fervently fighting against the rights of the only Jewish state in the world.
Contributed by CAMERA Intern Josh Arons
Learn More: Read Asaf Romirowsky’s and Alexander H. Joffe’s article, “When Did the Quakers Stop Being Friends?”
Learn More about Asaf Ramirowsky