Film at EP Library to counter RI BDS movement

On June 26 at 7 p.m., the East Providence Library and a number of community groups will be co-sponsoring the film “Muslim Zionist.” The community groups, coming together as the Rhode Island Coalition Against BDS, include the East Bay Citizens for Israel, the Jubilee Sisters of Wakefield, and StopIranNow-RI. Also co-sponsoring is the national organization CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America).  The Eastern Regional Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), Pastor Victor Styrsky, will attend.

The film tells the story of how Kasam Hafeez, a Muslim born in Great Britain, of Pakistani descent, was raised in a virulently anti-Semitic environment but followed his intellectual curiosity to ultimately become pro-Zionist. It was produced by CUFI.

“The impulse to show this movie came from a film shown earlier in April which falsely painted Israel as an apartheid state,” says Ken Schneider, East Providence resident and acting coordinator of the ad hoc coalition.

“It galvanized the pro-Israel community because the community groups behind the earlier film are active supporters of BDS [the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement],” he explained.

Said Luann Pezzullo of Bristol, speaking for the East Bay Citizens for Israel, “Our concern isn’t just about that one film. Rather, we see this as a bold move by the local BDS movement, which needs to be countered.”

The movie is free and open to the public. More information is available on-line at www.muslim-zionist.eventbrite.com.

Submitted by RI Coalition Against BDS