Gary Fitleberg, October 24, 2004

Israel's Foreign Ministry canceled a meeting with a delegation from the American Presbyterian Church because it had met with Hezbollah.

Gadi Golan, head of the ministry's religious affairs bureau, said the meeting, scheduled for Sunday, was canceled because of the Presbyterians' meeting with a Hezbollah sheikh. One member of the delegation, Rev. Ronald Stone, told Hezbollah's television network as saying that "relations and conversations with Islamic leaders are a lot easier than dealings and dialogue with Jewish leaders," in a quote translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute.

Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, head of the Presbyterian movement, said the Hezbollah meeting and the reported comments do not reflect the church's official position. The group came on a two-week Middle East fact finding trip to Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Israel, paid for by the church and the Palestinian Authority, shortly after the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted this summer to divest from Israel and proselytize Jews.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2004 Gary Fitleberg