The following is the text of letter from Kairos Ireland to Kairos Palestine
Rifat Kassis
General Coordinator, Kairos Palestine
4thJune 2019Dear Rifat and all Kairos Palestine Leaders
We, Kairos Ireland viewed with sadness the German Bundestag’s resolution condemning the International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) and equating it with anti-Semitism. We respectfully recognize the Palestinian BDS movement logic of peaceful resistance against the indiscriminate violations of human rights violations and discriminatory measures under the brutal occupation. We express our unequivocal solidarity with the Kairos Palestine Movement and join in condemnation.
We note that the Bundestag resolution tacitly puts Israel above the law by justifying and legalising its unjust measures against Palestinians and by doing so, distances the day when a peaceful and just resolution can be found. We are saddened to see that the Bundestag has closed its eyes to the many atrocities of the Israeli regime.
We endorse the question Kairos Palestine poses as to what other reasonable avenue Palestinians could take in order to overcome these historic injustices. We affirm the Palestinian conviction that they have the right to criticize the unjust actions of a state and a corporation that benefits the Israel State’s capacity to oppress the Palestinian population.
We deem that the German Bundestag has adopted an illogical posture by characterizing BDS as anti-Semitic. It is our conviction too that Israel needs friends who can pressure and advice it to take the road of real peace and reconciliation. BDS has been very successful in exposing Israeli crimes committed regularly.
It is clear to us that by passing a resolution equating the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel with anti-Semitism, Germany is letting its Nazi past lead to support for an apartheid regime.On the other hand, this is an opportunity to give up its prolonged guilt of its Nazi past, and do so by refusing to support Israel’s current crimes against the Palestinian people.
We join Kairos Palestine is urging the German Bundestag to review its faulty and racist resolution and, instead, issue a call for peace with justice that restores their long-lost justice.
Signed on behalf of Kairos Ireland Committee
Kairos Ireland 