GA06072

Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues

2004 GA's Israel/Palestine language replaced

By Toya Richards Hill

BIRMINGHAM, June 18 — By a vote of 53-6, the Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues sent a recommendation to the General Assembly that language approved by the 2004 General Assembly calling for phased, selective divestment in multinational corporations operating in Israel be replaced.

The new language urges that "financial investments of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), as they pertain to Israel, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank, be invested in only peaceful pursuits, and affirm that the customary corporate engagement process of the Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) of our denomination is the proper vehicle for achieving this goal."

"We have affirmed the Presbyterian church’s historic commitment to corporate engagement," the Rev. Gretchen Graf, moderator of the committee, said after business was completed. "Our intent is to engage corporations, not to divest."

MRTI monitors socially responsible investing for the denomination. As part of its normal procedure, MRTI uses correspondence, direct talks, proxy voting, shareholder resolutions and — as a last resort — divestment in order to persuade corporations to change their business practices.

MRTI was instructed by the 216th General Assembly (2004) to begin the process of phased, selective divestment from corporations doing business in Israel that contributes to violence, and is now engaging five multinational corporations as part of that process.

Some committee members expressed pleasure at how unified the group had been in doing its work. "This report brings the kind of unity that is good for the whole church," said the Rev. Jan Armstrong from Santa Barbara Presbytery.

There was some disagreement, however, on the impact of the proposal.

"This document, were it to be adopted, allows MRTI to continue its process of corporate engagement" with regard to Israel/Palestine, said the Rev. Mark Davidson of New Hope Presbytery. He was a member of the writing group that drafted the recommendation.

"It doesn't prevent that from happening," Davidson said. "We all understand that … there could be a recommendation of divestment."

Others on the committee, however, felt the recommendation in fact stopped the process MRTI was charged with by the 216th GA.

Committee member Nabeel Saoud of San Fernando Presbytery countered.

"My understanding is that it did stop it," he said, referring to the phased, selective divestment process. "No action related to divestment will be done by this process."

The peacemaking and international issues committee also approved a recommendation that the GA give MRTI additional funds so it can add an additional meeting to its schedule in order to address its corporate engagement work related to Israel/Palestine.

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