103 Ohio clergy send apology letter to Israeli Prime Minister

MANSFIELD – Clergy from North Central Ohio sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologizing for the Obama administration’s refusal to veto a United Nations’ resolution concerning Israel’s claims to the West Bank lands.

On Dec. 23rd, the United States allowed the United Nations Security Council to vote in favor of United Nations Resolution 2334. The resolutions states Israel’s claims to West Bank territory including East Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Golan Heights, have no legal validity. The Security Council vote was 14-0 with the U.S. abstaining.

“This clergy correspondence was written to draw a line in the sand,” says Benjamin Mutti, Coordinator of the Richland Community Prayer Network. “While this anti-Semitic dictate opposes Israel’s right to the Promised Land, the North Central Ohio faith community stands apologetically with Israel. We will not give up any ground on this issue.”

“We want to formally apologize to you, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the citizens of Israel for the shameful actions of the Obama Administration and his State Department that have jeopardized the security of Israel and betrayed its trust,” the letter stated.

Mutti said one hundred and three area clergy were cosigners of the letter.

Area pastors believe this letter can “help facilitate the reconciliation process between not only the nations of Israel and America, but also between the God of Israel and America.” They hope the Trump Administration will take a stronger stand supporting Israel, Mutti said.

The clergy correspondence was sent by certified mail and also hand-delivered to MK Yehuda Glick by Ohio residents John and Barb Fehl at the Israeli Knesset.

According to Fehl, who lives in Huron County, a friend had sent him the letter and his wife “miraculously” found the letter on their coffee table just one day before his departure to Israel.

“My wife and I discovered at that moment why we were going to Israel; GOD had given us a mission. I had never spoken to Mr. Mutti before but I contacted him the day before our flight and he was ecstatic that we would deliver the letter in person,” recalls Fehl.

From there the Fehl’s met Knesset Member Glick, a staunch Zionist activist and elected official, and gave the letter to an emotional Glick in front of the tour group.

The letter closed by saying, “For Zion’s sake, we will not remain silent, for Jerusalem’s sake we will not remain quiet. May the prime minister always know that his country will always have friends in North Central Ohio.”

Article updated March 13, 2017