Peacemaker Trust face antisemitism complaint

Allegedly antisemitic photographs published on the Peacemaker Trust website have led to a complaint to the charities regulator by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA).

The charity, founded by Stephen Sizer, a well-known critic of Christian Zionism, says it is ‘dedicated to peacemaking’. But a spokesperson for the CAA said: ‘At a time when 80% of British Jews identify as Zionists, according to our polling, the publication of such images is not only the complete opposite of “peacemaking”, but actively adds fuel to the fire of Jew-hatred in Britain, which is currently at an all-time high. Such actions are contrary to what we should expect from a registered charity.’

The photographs, taken during several pro-Palestine marches in London formed part of larger photo galleries published on the peacemakers.ngo website. Sizer has since removed several of the pictures, but rejected claims that publishing the photos of a public event amounted to antisemitism. He added that the photo gallery includes a disclaimer, that publication does not infer ‘the director or trustees necessarily endorse all of the statements appearing on all the placards appearing in these photos’. He said: ‘I would of course remove any photos shown to be antisemitic or deemed to be promoting terrorism as this would be a breach of the law.’

In removing several pictures, Sizer said he was following the guiding principle in Romans 12:18: ‘If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone’.

He added: ‘I have removed not just two but about a third of the photos found in the article being criticised…not because I believe they in any way promote terrorism or racism, nor to avoid yet another investigation by the Charity Commission (which has exonerated the charity on every previous occasion when Zionists have made complaints), but because I want to live at peace with my critics, and also want to give greater prominence to the photos of Jewish colleagues protesting against the continuing genocide in Gaza.’