in August 1972, a very strong resolution in support of Palestine was passed by the church membership at its national general council meeting in Saskatoon.

Senior leaders of the church engaged in talks with B’nai Brith following the 1972 General Council, but did not include Forrest in these discussions.

The result was an agreement for B’nai Brith to withdraw its law suit against the United Church, the Observer and Forrest, a counter suit that B’nai Brith filed after Forrest had launched a defamation suit against B’nai Brith. The church pushed Forrest to withdraw his case against B’nai Brith, but did not tell Forrest about the actual agreement they had struck with with B’nai Brith until they were about to enter the press conference for the joint B’nai Brith and United Church of Canada signing.

The United Church made it publicly look like Forrest supported the agreement, but the archives with Forrest’s correspondence show his heart break. He in particular was concerned this made it look like he had abandoned the Palestinian people, including the those in the Canadian Arab community.