UCC church to divest over Israeli treatment of Palestinians

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By RACHEL ZOLL

NEW YORK (AP) — The top legislative body of the United Church of Christ voted Tuesday to divest from companies with business in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, in a sign of the growing momentum of a U.S. protest movement against Israeli policy.

The denomination's General Synod endorsed the action on a vote of 508-124 with 38 abstentions during its meeting in Cleveland.

The liberal Protestant group is the latest to take such action. Last year, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted to sell stock in a few companies whose products are used by Israel in the territories. The United Church of Christ resolution was broader. Delegates are calling on the denomination's financial arms to sell off stock in any company profiting from what the church called human rights violations arising from the occupation. The church also voted to boycott products made in the territories.

Peter Makari of Global Ministries, an agency that is part of the United Church of Christ, said the resolutions "reflect our urgent concern for the worsening effects of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian people and lives, including the disparity in rights and power." The church affirmed Israel's right to exist, along with a "sovereign, independent" Palestinian state.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ec75269d15414c0188fe76ac5eb58899/ucc-church-divest-over-israeli-treatment-palestinians

[Purveyor]

1. I thought congress inserted language in the recently passed/signed "trade bill" that made this

illegal?

[sulphurdunn]

2. Nobody cares

what language congress inserts in anything anymore.

[Recursion]

4. No

What language were you thinking of?

[Purveyor]

5. This: U.S. trade bill with EU includes landmark anti-BDS provisions

U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday signed into law the fast track trade bill – known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – that also contains landmark legislation combating the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement in Europe.

“We still have some tough negotiations that are going to be taking place,” Obama said at a signing ceremony. “The debate will not end with this bill signing.”

The Trade Promotion Authority legislation also contained the anti-BDS provisions, which will discourage European governments from participating in BDS activities by leveraging the incentive of free trade with the United States.

The amendment mentions specifically “politically motivated actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel and to seek the elimination of politically motivated nontariff barriers on Israeli goods, services, or other commerce imposed on the State of Israel.” It also seeks “the elimination of state-sponsored unsanctioned foreign boycotts against Israel or compliance with the Arab League boycott of Israel by prospective trading partners.”

more...

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.663743

It appears from this article that this mainly pertains to the EU but I haven't read the exact language included in the bill.

[Recursion]

6. Is the UCC a European government or company?

As it reads that would allow US trade sanctions against the UCC, which doesn't seem very meaningful

[Purveyor]

7. Have you read the actual text regarding this in the legislation that was passed. I haven't and

would appreciate a link if you have one.

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. Good for the UCC and the Presybterians. Drip, drip, drip...

[6chars]

8. UCC was the President's church back in Chicago!

[Deuce]

9. Good...