Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center

The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (sabeel is Arabic for 'the way' and also 'a channel' or 'spring') is a Christian liberation theology organization based in Jerusalem. It was founded by Palestinian Anglican priest, Rev. Naim Ateek, the former Canon of St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem. An official partner of the Presbyterian Church USA, Sabeel has Friends of Sabeel chapters in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia. According to its official website, Sabeel "strives to develop a spirituality based on love, justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation and reconciliation for the different national and faith communities." In particular, the group aims to "promote a more accurate international awareness regarding the identity, presence and witness of Palestinian Christians as well as their contemporary concerns." Sabeel, which advocates "morally responsible investment," has been described by its critics as promoting an anti Israel agenda, including divestment from Israel. It has also been accused of using anti semitic rhetoric. The Rev. Canon Dr. Richard K. Toll, the Chair of Friends of Sabeel—North America denies those allegations, writing that "the state of Israel is not above criticism and needs to be challenged when its policies are wrong. And its policy of occupation is wrong." Toll also says that Sabeel "consistently condemns anti Semitism in all its ugly forms."

Sabeel has sent representatives to several denominational gatherings in the United States and has advocated for divestment resolutions, which it sees as a non violent approach to resisting the occupation. All of the major mainline denominations, including the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Church, have discussed divestment and the possibility of using the money in their pension funds and endowments to exert pressure for peace in the Middle East. Salpy Eskidjian Weiderud, former special consultant to the Geneva based WCC General Secretary on Palestine and Israel, has noted that support for divestment by the WCC governing body came in the backdrop of a history of "bold statements since 1948 on its Israel/Palestine policy", and was a way of ensuring "that it is not in any way contributing financially to what it says is illegal or immoral." He also accused "an ad hoc group made up of Sabeel representatives and UCC officials" of becoming unduly involved in the resolution process. The PCUSA resolution also created much controversy, leading to a 2006 Synod renouncing the resolution that was made under the consultation of Sabeel.

In addition to the mainline opposition groups that have formed as a result of Sabeel's activity, there have been other groups that have opposed either Sabeel's goals or their manner of speaking their message. In some cases, groups have accused Sabeel of extremism and antisemitism. Sabeel's most vocal critics are listed below with their most significant criticisms also listed.

The chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Coe College (Iowa), which had co sponsored a campus conference with a group of American supporters of Sabeel, acknowledged in a letter to a local rabbi that anti Semitic remarks had been made at the conference. The chair wrote "We regret any harm that may have been caused by such anti Semitic statements", but later told journalists covering the story that his letter was not an apology, and that it was deliberately vague because he was unsure exactly which comments could be considered anti Semitic.

The Israeli Stephen Roth Institute claimed that Sabeel "commonly engages in blatant propaganda seeking to isolate and demonize Israel, while delegitimizing the right of the Jewish state to exist." Sabeel responded that "It accepts the presence of Israel in the land that was once Palestine and asks that the two peoples be allowed to live together in this land as equals with full rights for people of both groups. ".

Sabeel has posted responses to questions about its policies and theology at http://fosna. org/faq. In October, 2010, the Anti Defamation League issued its list of "the top 10 anti Israel groups in America" and included Friends of Sabeel–North America (FOSNA) and Jewish Voice for Peace among them. Friends of Sabeel– North America posted a response to the Anti Defamation League saying that Fosna did not consider its criticism of Israeli government policies "anti Israeli" and that to the extent those policies are unjust and violate international law, they jeopardize Israel's future.

A Protestant church in the Netherlands supported organization, Kerk in Actie, employs a representative in Israel, who is working at Sabeel in Jerusalem, promoting the Kairos Palestine document and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. The synod of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, in regards to the Gaza Flotilla supported by Sabeel, said, "We are not responsible for the political views that Sabeel or their employees promote, but we are engaged in a dialogue with them on this issue."