Presbyterians to divest as protest against Israel [View all]

[loudsue]

Source: Associated Press via WRAL



DETROIT — The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Friday became the most prominent religious group in the United States to endorse divestment as a protest against Israeli policies toward Palestinians, voting to sell church stock in three companies whose products Israel uses in the occupied territories.

The General Assembly voted by a razor-thin margin — 310-303 — to sell stock in Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions. Two years ago, the General Assembly rejected a similar divestment proposal by two votes.

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"Because we are a historical peacemaking church, what we have done is, we have stood up for nonviolent means of resistance to oppression and we have sent a clear message to a struggling society that we support their efforts to resist in a nonviolent way the oppression being thrust upon them," said the Rev. Jeffrey DeYoe, of the Israel/Palestine Mission Network.

The vote was the subject of intense lobbying both from within and outside the church. Rabbis and other members of Jewish Voice for Peace, which advocates for Palestinians, lined the halls of the meeting and prayed in vigils outside the convention center wearing T-shirts that read, "Another Jew Supporting Divestment." Other rabbis and their Presbyterian supporters held panel discussions and sent letters to delegates urging them to vote no.


Read more at http://www.wral.com/presbyterians-to-divest-as-protest-against-israel/13752764/#XVxR5R8QrV2yMxSZ.99

Read more: http://www.wral.com/presbyterians-to-divest-as-protest-against-israel/13752764/

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I'm glad to see the Presbyterians voting to do something. It's not a huge thing, but it sends a message that it's time for Israel's right wing government to stop being so, well, right wing.