The United Church of Canada’s General Council, which meets every two years, sets policy for the Church. In the course of its 2014 meeting, held in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, the Council voted to strengthen the Church's opposition to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land.

Headlines in the news trumpet the fact that the Prime Minister has taken a group of 208 (!) supporters to Israel, many at Canadian taxpayers' expense.

Reading through the list is an eye-opener. It includes 21 Jewish rabbis and more than 56 representatives from various Zionist lobbying groups and private Jewish schools. In addition, there are ten representatives from evangelical Christian groups which unconditionally support the most extreme Israeli positions.  The delegation includes members of these groups: the Christian Missionary Alliance of Canada, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Trinity Bible Church, Crossroads Christian Communications, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.