FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO — B'nai Brith Canada is appealing to Pope Francis not to succumb to Palestinian attempts to rewrite history with propaganda.
"Lacking their own national narrative, some Palestinians are now attempting to rewrite history by appropriating the person of Jesus," said Frank Dimant, CEO, B'nai Brith Canada. "Manipulating Christian art and portraying Jesus as a Palestinian spreads anti-Israel hatred — the new antisemitism — and is also an offense to Christianity. This is their attempt to erase the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel — a connection dating back to G-d's covenant with Abraham in which He promised the land to the Jewish people.
"The Jewish people have suffered from the misuse of Christian theology for over a thousand years. This is why it is vital that His Holiness the Pope speak out publicly against the appropriation of any Christian symbols for propaganda purposes and ensure that none of his remarks give aid and comfort to those seeking to destroy the Jewish people and the Jewish homeland.
"The Pope has the ability to influence the Palestinian leadership to abandon the use of antisemitic propaganda and fully recognize Israel as the Jewish Homeland once and for all."