CCJ is committed to dialogue

Sir, Jeremy Moodey (Letter, 10 February) makes a host of criticisms of CCJ. May I limit my response to those directed at me? He says I go ‘off-piste’ when, in my article on Jewish-Christian relations, I accuse contemporary Christians in the UK of glorifying in Jewish powerlessness or wishing to push the Zionist entity into the Mediterranean. My only defence is that I did no such thing. Rather I said: ‘historically [sic] Christians have often gloried in Jewish powerlessness’. Does Mr Moodey deny that whole strand of Christian thinking, going back to Saint Augustine?

Again I carefully said that ‘others’ [sic] call for the removal of the Zionist or Jewish entity, using the language of violence. Again, does Mr Moodey deny that this rhetoric is out there, from Hamas and Iran, to mention only the most obvious sources? I respectfully suggest that Mr Moodey’s letter is a textbook case of what can happen when one’s expectation of what the other must be saying - because they are on ‘the other side’ - wins out over careful attention to what is actually said. It is downhill all the way!

This is sad, and brings no benefit either to Israelis or Palestinians. CCJ is a fallible human organisation – just as is Embrace the Middle East - but our orientation is clear: we are committed to real dialogue where all sides are heard and respected, on IsraelPalestine, and on the many other dialogical matters nearer to home. The Rev Patrick Morrow, Programme Manager The Council of Christians and Jews London, EC4