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Religious Efforts for Peace in the Holy Land

Presbyterian Divestment – Still on the Table

Presbyterian Israel-Palestine Mission Network
Press Release
June 21, 2006

(BIRMINGHAM) June 21, 2006 – The Presbyterian Church (USA)'s 217th General Assembly retained the process known as "phased, selective divestment." The current resolution urges investments "only in peaceful pursuits" in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank including East Jerusalem; and affirms the "customary corporate engagement process" of the Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee (MRTI) charged with carrying out General Assembly policy.

Today's decision continues the call to end the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories. It further criticizes the separation barrier which "encroaches into Palestinian territory and fails to follow the legally recognized borders of Israel."

Palestinians are facing a humanitarian catastrophe. United Nations reports reveal that 60% of Palestinians are now living in acute poverty and that over half of all Palestinians are completely dependent on food aid. The rise in poverty is a direct result of Israel's policies of occupation. These include road closures, the construction of the separation barrier, checkpoints, and restrictions on the movement of Palestinian commerce in particular food.

Since the 2004 GA, the PC (USA) MRTI committee has focused upon corporations whose profits are derived from the sale of products and services used in illegal activities violating human rights. The church's socially responsible investment policy follows a process of corporate engagement to assure that its investment portfolio is in accordance with the church's social justice policies. After developing criteria specific to the pertinent human rights issues, the process involves four steps: identify target companies; engage management in dialogue, initiate shareholder action, and, if needed as a last resort: recommend divestment to a subsequent General Assembly.

Currently, the MRTI has identified five corporations whose products and services are used to harm civilians: Caterpillar, Motorola, Citigroup, ITT Industries and United Technologies.

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The Historic Role of
Religion in the Conflict
Multimedia

Video – British Film Crew Threatened by Jewish Settler in Hebron

Video – Speech by Shamai Leibovitz on Presbyterian Divestment

Video – Speech by Liat Weingart on Presbyterian Divestment

Discrimination & Fanaticism

Forgotten Christians

Rabbis forbid using books with map of pre-1967 lines

The Extremist Origins of 'Education and Sharing Day'

Muhammad’s Sword

Opinion: The End of Zionism

A Strange Kind of Freedom

More on Discrimination & Fanaticism

Religious Peace Efforts

An Open Letter to Evangelicals and Others: The People of God, the Land of Israel, and the Impartiality of the Gospel

Presbyterian Church – Divestment Still on the Table

From Jew to Jew: Why We Should Oppose the Israeli Occupation

Choosing to Act: Anti-Semitism is Wrong

Living with the Holocaust

More on Religious Peace Efforts

Religious Peace Groups

American Muslims for Palestine

A Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)

Sabeel – Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center

Friends of Sabeel, North America

More Religious Peace Groups

Resources

Book – Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years

Book – Jewish Fundamentalism In Israel

Book – Forcing God’s Hand

Radio – Jewish, Christian, & Muslim Fundamentalists Oppose ‘Road Map to Peace’

Book – Zealots for Zion: Inside Israel’s West Bank Settlement Movement

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