US Presbyterians Say No to Israel Divestment

The AP reported that on Thursday night, the largest Presbyterian group in the United States rejected by a razor-thin margin a proposal to divest from three companies that do business with Israel.

According to AP, the Presbyterian General Assembly voted 333-331, with two abstentions, against the divestment plan. The assembly voted instead in favor of a policy of investment in support of peace in Israel and the Palestinian territories. That proposal passed by a margin of 369-290 with eight abstentions.

The targeted companies — Caterpillar Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Motorola — were accused of profiting from the Israeli "occupation" by providing bulldozers, surveillance technology and other products to the Israeli military.

The Israel Palestine Mission Network, a pro-Palestinian Presbyterian group, announced that they were "disappointed," but insisted that they would persist in their efforts to "alleviate the suffering of Palestinians and to help bring peace and justice to Israelis and Palestinians alike."