OU Retracts Support For Booklet Claiming Pope Works With Hezbollah To Kill Jews

Claims booklet was endorsed by an OU office in Israel, without permission from the OU in New York.

I spoke with  the OU's spokesperson David Olivestone about this yesterday. Olivestone declined to answer any questions related to the booklet or its distribution and referred me to the OU's written statement.

You can find that statement in its entirety printed below or in yesterday's update to the original post on this issue.

Rabbi Gil Student – normally a reliable matter in things related to the OU and its positions – left a comment on DovBear's blog saying he confirmed the OU had "nothing to do with" the pamphlet or it's distribution:

I've confirmed that the OU had nothing to do with this.
Gil | Homepage | 07.19.09 - 10:33 am | #

 Gil,

Who'd you speak to?
JS | 07.19.09 - 11:15 am | #

 Director of Communications. He's probably going to issue some sort of statement or clarification on this.
Gil | Homepage | 07.19.09 - 11:19 am | #

But then a bit later, Rabbi Student retracts and cites the OU's just-released statement.

This could reflect nothing more than a miscommunication between Olivestone and Student. More likely, it reflects confusion in the OU, either about whether or not the OU sponsored the pamphlet or whether to admit that sponsorship.

Whatever the truth is, in the end the OU did admit and disavow its sponsorship of this bizarre booklet.

Here is Ha'aretz's report on the OU's statement, followed by the statement in its entirety:

OU disavows pamphlet claiming Vatican-Hezbollah conspiracy
By Raphael Ahren, Haaretz

The Orthodox Union has apologized for the publication of a booklet its staff distributed to Israeli soldiers, implying that the Vatican organizes tours of Auschwitz for Hezbollah members to teach them how to kill Jews. 

The New York-based group said in statement that endorsement of the book was unauthorized and that it regretted its involvement. 

The OU has subsequently rescinded the endorsement and "disavow[ed] any connection to the views expressed in it." 
 
Monday's statement came on the heels of a Haaretz report about the book, which purports to be the testimony of "a Hezbollah officer who spied for Israel," and was published by the OU in cooperation with the chief rabbi of Safed, Rabbi Shmuel Eliahu. 

"Upon investigation," the group stated, "it has been ascertained that this endorsement was made by staff at the OU's Israel branch office, and was never submitted to, nor approved by, senior Orthodox Union management." 

While maintaining that the Haaretz report "sensationalized the book's contents," the OU admitted "there is no doubt that some of what it contains is antithetical to the well-known views of the OU regarding respect for other faiths and their leaders... The Orthodox Union expresses its sincere regret to those of other faiths who may have been embarrassed or offended by the publication of this work." 

The religious group's senior leadership has ordered an internal review to ensure ?that such a situation is not repeated," the statement continued. 

According to the book, "On Either Side of the Border," Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was invited to join a delegation touring France, Poland, Italy and the Vatican, as the narrator explained he knew the pope "identified with Hezbollah?s struggle." 

The booklet, which an Eliahu aid says is factual, also implies that European politicians and journalists ostensibly work against Israel. 

Here is the entire OU statement:

OU Regrets Unauthorized Link with Publication
July 20, 2009

A report in the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, dated July 19, 2009, discusses the distribution to members of the Israel Defense Forces of a booklet which asserts that the Pope and the Vatican identify closely with the ideals and purpose of the terrorist group Hezbollah. The report states that one of the booklet’s publishers was the Israel branch of the Orthodox Union (Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America). Upon investigation, it has been ascertained that this endorsement was made by staff at the OU’s Israel branch office, and was never submitted to, nor approved by, senior Orthodox Union management. 

While the Haaretz report certainly sensationalized the book’s contents, there is no doubt that some of what it contains is antithetical to the well-known views of the OU regarding respect for other faiths and their leaders. The OU rescinds the endorsement of the book and disavows any connection to the views expressed in it. The OU’s senior leadership has directed that an internal review of this incident take place, and that the organization tighten its procedures to ensure that such a situation is not repeated. The Orthodox Union expresses its sincere regret to those of other faiths who may have been embarrassed or offended by the publication of this work. 

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