UNIBAM Criticizes Churches’ Position on Israel

On Thursday, the religious community joined the public discourse surrounding Belize’s decision to severe diplomatic ties with Israel.  The Belize Council of Churches and the National Evangelical Association of Belize issued their respective statements, chiding the Government of Belize for taking stringent diplomatic measures against Israel, as the war in the Middle East continues.  Today, the United Belize Advocacy Movement, UNIBAM, led by executive director Caleb Orozco also joined the fray.  While the issue, at first, was of a diplomatic nature, religion has since been introduced to the ongoing conversation.  This afternoon, Orozco took aim squarely at NEAB and the Council of Churches.

Caleb Orozco

Caleb Orozco, Executive Director, UNIBAM

“In reading both statements we realize that their messaging not only dehumanizes the pain and trauma of Palestinians, but it normalizes genocides and crimes against humanity in incredibly inaccurate and petty ways.  For the NEAB statement, it’s shocking to me that they’re concerned about access to a trip but not concerned about their core value of right to life.  How does that work that you’ll be selective in which life you will value?  So, point one.  Point two: the bishop, Bishop Benguche spoke of the Israeli war in his statement.  It is not a war, it is a slaughter of women and children which amounts to over four thousand children in the bombing of Gaza.  It also amounts to, when you add women to it, over eight thousand women and children being murdered, but they dare call it a war.  How can the Catholic Church say they value life when they are erasing the trauma of these people?  What I will say in the normalization of crimes against humanity and the normalization of genocide occurring against these people is that the religious sector has had a long history of saying sorry after they’ve killed millions and millions of people.”