Page 2 - CUFI Update - Autumn 2021

VICTORY!
UK bans Hamas in its entirety
CUFI has welcomed November’s announcement by Home Secretary, Priti Patel, proscribing the so-called political wing of Hamas under the Terrorism Act.
It means that anyone who expresses support for the Islamist group or arranges meetings for them could face up to 14 years in prison.
Thousands of CUFI supporters contacted their MP in recent months, joining calls for Hamas to be banned in full.
In 2001, the UK Home Office proscribed only its military wing as a terror group, leaving its so-called political wing operating freely. Consequently, the UK has become a safe harbour for Hamas to operate in, spreading its hateful ideologies of anti-Semitism, anti- Zionism and radical Islam.
CUFI’s Executive Director, Des Starritt, says, “We are encouraged by today’s news that the UK will ban Hamas in its entirety. This sends a clear message that Britain will not tolerate any form of support for a terror group that vows to wipe Israel off the map, murders Jews and continually rejects attempts to maintain peace and stability in the region.
“Hamas does not differentiate between its military and political wings when it indiscriminately targets civilian populations with rockets, uses human shields, recruits children and conducts hostage- taking. Nor does it differentiate when it oppresses Christians and other minorities.
“Last May, during the 11-day conflict between Israel and Gaza, we saw a very concerning trend among pro-Palestinian support in Britain in which sympathy for Hamas was commonly expressed. We
hope that this new legislation will help suppress these expressions which are the cause of an unwelcome hostility towards Israel and an increase in anti-Semitic incidents directed towards Britain’s Jewish community.
“We commend the Home Secretary for making this important decision. We also thank her for heeding the concerns of thousands of CUFI supporters who have written to their Members of Parliament over the course of the past year.”
Announcing the UK government’s decision, Priti Patel said, “Hamas is fundamentally and rabidly antisemitic.
“Antisemitism is an enduring evil which I will never tolerate. Jewish people routinely feel unsafe – at school, in the streets, when they worship, in their homes, and online.
“This step will strengthen the case against anyone who waves a Hamas flag in the United Kingdom, an act that is bound to make Jewish people feel unsafe.”
Making a difference
One way we bless Israel is by standing up against the evil forces that are intent on its destruction. Through this decision, close to home, Britain has made a small step in demonstrating its support for Israel in its fight against terror. But we know that there is still much more the UK can do. With your help and support, CUFI can make an impact in the UK through even more targeted and bigger campaigns, ensuring that this nation remains faithful to Israel and the Jewish people. Please consider how you might be able to support CUFI further, for Zion’s sake.
explained that despite the scenes around her, she felt very safe, and her family continues to feel safe in London. Importantly, the ambassador has vowed she will not be silenced by the haters.
“I will continue to speak in every British campus,” Ambassador Hotovely said, “I will not allow those radical groups to shape the discourse in academia.”
This antagonism towards pro-Israel voices is nothing new. We have experienced it ourselves here at CUFI and have reported on dozens of occasions when anti-Israel activists have shut down free speech about Israel. In contrast, when the Palestinian envoy to the UK spoke at LSE the following day, there were no scenes of hatred from pro-Israel activists. We believe this is a perfect illustration of the difference between the two sides. We have the truth on our side and are willing to speak it, whereas the enemies of Israel have no answer to the truth, so they instead try to silence it.
At CUFI, we believe passionately about shining the light of God’s truth. One way in which we shine a light in the darkness is through our aptly named Torch magazine. You should have received your copy in the previous postal mailing (online copies available at www.cufi.org.uk/torch). You may be encouraged to know that this latest issue of Torch has been hand delivered to every Member of Parliament in Westminster, including the Prime Minister.
We felt the themes of this latest issue were very important to share with our political leaders and follows requests by some of our supporters to ensure this magazine reaches those in the halls of power. Our prayer is that MPs will take the time to read the magazine and that the articles inside will encourage and challenge those who do.
Additionally, our hope is that this kind of interaction between CUFI and MPs will help to reinforce the hard work by our supporters, who regularly contact their MP through our campaigns and in other ways. It is important we keep reminding our politicians that
a strong Christian Zionist voice remains in this country, and that we are a united voice.
This united voice was heard when, in November, the Home Secretary announced that the UK will ban Hamas in its entirety. Thousands of CUFI supporters joined calls to demand the full proscription of this terror group. We would like to thank all those who wrote to the UK government and their MP. It once again shows that advocating for Israel is both vital and effective.
Raising awareness of the Holocaust is another way to speak truth and counter the lies from those who deny it ever happened. This is why we’re campaigning for the Holocaust memorial to be built in Westminster. This memorial will educate future generations and act as a constant reminder to our government not to forget the atrocities of the past.
Everything we do is made possible by the generosity of our supporters who donate to fund this ministry. If you would like to donate to CUFI to support our work, please see our contact details on the back page. If you have not done so already, you may also consider becoming a member by giving a monthly gift.
Now, more than ever, we are required to stand up and speak the truth about Israel and the Jewish people. We will not keep silent. We must challenge the lies and shine the light of truth into the darkness.
We are called to love Israel, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, bless the Jewish people, and defend the Judeo-Christian roots of our nation. And together we are doing just that.
Thank you for enabling Christians United for Israel to speak the truth in Great Britain today.
For Zion’s sake, we will not keep silent!
Des Starritt
Executive Director, CUFI UK