Not ‘one word or statement’ from Stephen Sizer produced at a special church hearing ‘has been shown to be anti-Semitic,’ the QC representing him has asserted.
Stephen Hofmeyr QC said that the retired evangelical church minister had ‘repeatedly, unreservedly and very publicly’ said that ‘ anti-Semitism must be repudiated unequivocally.’
Hofmeyr was speaking during a Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal, the result of which is expected at any time, following complaints made by the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BDBJ).
Sizer faced 11 allegations, including that he ‘provoked and offended the Jewish community and/or engaged in anti-Semitic behaviour.’ Among them is a meeting with a leader of terrorist group Hezbollah, and also posting an article on Facebook entitled: ‘9/11: Israel did it.’ Alongside the article he wrote that it ‘raised so many questions’.
Nicholas Leviseur, presenting the case for the Board, said Sizer’s behaviour went ‘far beyond’ normal political commentary or activities.
He added: ‘Dr Sizer does not appear to deny that the 11 events … occurred. But he says in some cases what he said or did has been misunderstood or misrepresented.’
He also said that the clergy were held to a higher standard than lay people and should therefore demonstrate ‘prudence, caution and sensitivity’.
Addressing the issue of Sizer’s interaction with Hezbollah, Leviseur said: ‘Hezbollah is a parastatal organisation with its own army which exists for the extermination of Israel and the Jews within it, but its use of language is what makes it so serious. They never speak of Israel, it is always Jew, Jews and Jewry.
‘Many years ago, a very little-known former serviceman with a gallantry award wrote a book in which he set out his views facing the world and in particular Germany.
‘People failed to believe what he said. Hitler said quite clearly that the Jews were a very significant problem and in due course people were terribly surprised when it became clear he meant it and when he took power he did it.
‘In that context, no Jew can possibly be blamed for taking Hezbollah at its word. Extermination of the Jewish state. That is what they say.’
The president of the Board, Marie van der Zyl, also spoke. She said a church minister should not have attended events with any Hezbollah figure or Holocaust denier and alleged that there was a ‘concerning pattern of behaviour’.
She said of the allegations: ‘It’s all really distressing. It’s so shocking that it comes from somebody in the Church of England … You need to understand the emotion, upset and distress caused to the [Jewish] community.’
Hofmeyer said that the minister had written that: ‘Legitimate criticism of Israeli policies towards the Palestinians must not be used as an excuse for racism or attacks against Jewish people.’ This was in 2008, writing about a new book by Denis MacShane, the Labour MP for Rotherham.
He added: ‘[Sizer’s] case is that he is not anti-Semitic and that his words or conduct never have been anti-Semitic.’
Sizer was accused of speaking at a conference in Indonesia in May 2006 alongside an alleged Holocaust-denier, Fred Tobin. But Hofmeyr said that Sizer spoke to provide ‘a Christian perspective on how the Arab-Israeli conflict could be resolved peacefully and diplomatically’. Further, together with a rabbi and a Palestinian priest, Sizer disassociated himself from Tobin, Hofmeyr said.
‘There is no evidence to show that Dr Sizer defended the views of those with whom he shared a platform. It is significant that not one word or statement from Dr Sizer has been shown to be anti-Semitic. There are none.’
In relation to meeting a Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, Hofmeyr said Sizer had called on him to release imprisoned Israeli soldiers. He said the vicar had met with Kaouk because he was asked to by his hosts while in Lebanon for the launch of a translation of his book. ‘Imagine if he had refused. Instead, he used the opportunity for good. He went to proclaim freedom for the captives,’ Hofmeyr declared.
In 2015, Dr Sizer posted a link to a website that also suggested Israel was behind 9/11. This prompted intervention from the Bishop of Guildford and sanctions being imposed on Sizer and his ministry. Hofmeyr told the tribunal it would be an abuse of process to punish him again for this.
He also said it would be inappropriate to judge Dr Sizer using the definition of anti-Semitism set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) as this post-dated most of the events for which Sizer had been criticised, had received significant criticism, and was still being debated.
Quoting from a prominent human rights lawyer, Hofmeyr said: ‘The IHRA working definition “is not fit for purpose for anyone who seeks to use it as an adjudicative standard”. One cannot determine what words or conduct are anti-Semitic without knowing the full context. Association with others who are recognised to have anti-Semitic views is by itself insufficient, as is where the association is for good reason such as challenging or presenting views.’
Hofmeyr said that there was no evidence before the Tribunal suggesting that, throughout his 35-year career as a cleric, Dr Sizer had ever made any anti-Semitic pronouncements.
He told the hearing: ‘The impact of anti-Semitism on Jewish people is as profound as the impact of racism on black people. Of this there can be no doubt. Dr Sizer has written a book in which he says that ‘racism is a sin and without excuse and must be repudiated unequivocally’.’
