Jewish Community Applauds Presbyterian Leaders Opposition to Divestment from Israel
(Boston June 15, 2006) The Jewish community leaders from JCRC, the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League thank local Presbyterian Ministers, led by Reverend Hurmon Hamilton, for their opposition to proposals by the Presbyterian Church USA to divest from Israel. In a letter released today the ministers call on the church to support "meaningful coexistence programs that are necessary to foster a generation of Israelis and Palestinians that will work and live side-by-side and move past the teaching of hate and the resort of violence." The following is the text of the letter:
Dear Commissioners and Advisors to 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA):
We write to express our grave concern about our Church's policy, adopted in 2004, calling for "phased, selective, divestment as a means of addressing the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians." We believe that the church should rescind this policy and consider other ways to witness for peace and justice in the Middle East.
We should suffer when any human being, in any place, suffers. Unless there is peace, prosperity and security for everyone in the Holy Land, Christian, Muslim and Jew alike, the Israeli - Palestinian conflict will never cease. We must marshal our efforts together to bring this peace about.
Economic action against Israel will do nothing to bring about peace; in fact it may exacerbate the conflict. By isolating Israel, our Church will adopt a policy that, for Jews, resonates in their consciousness with historic boycotts against Jewish companies and later Arab boycotts against the State of Israel; they are experienced by Jews as part of a pattern of singling out Jews for attack. To determine and continue policies that knowingly tap into the deepest fears and pain of another individual or people is, in our tradition, a serious mistake. It provokes such a strong response in Israel and within the Jewish community that constructive Christian involvement becomes less possible.
We are concerned that there are those within our church who believe that an economic lever should be employed in a discriminatory fashion specifically against the State of Israel. We believe that this policy undermines peace, promotes extremism, and damages the relationship between Jews and Christians that have been nurtured for decades.
In addition, divestment focused solely on Israel aligns us with those who, despite all of the human rights abuses in the world, shamefully paint only Israel as a pariah nation. As a church we stand powerfully in opposition to prejudice and discrimination against individuals and nations. Divestment efforts focused uniquely on Israel create a double standard and are simply wrong.
While divestment may be an appropriate strategy when faced with state-sponsored genocide, such as in Sudan, the conflict between Israel and her Arab neighbors is a complicated matter with responsibility on all sides.
The mantra of many of Israel's detractors has been to draw repeated parallels between Israel and apartheid South Africa. The purpose of the anti-apartheid divestment strategy was to de-legitimize and end the apartheid regime. Do we really want to advocate for a policy that will appear to call for the end of the democratically elected Israeli government?
At a time when politics in general have become so divisive here and abroad, our efforts should be aimed toward reconciliation. There are many meaningful coexistence programs that are necessary to foster a generation of Israelis and Palestinians that will work and live side-by-side - and move past the teaching of hate and the resort to violence.
Our voice can play an instrumental role in helping Israeli, Palestinian and other Middle Eastern leaders to pave a path toward the cessation of violence and a resumption of negotiations.
Divestment is a stumbling-block to all that we pray for in the Middle East. We urge you to rescind this policy and continue to witness for peace and justice in constructive ways.
Sincerely,
Reverend Hurmon Hamilton, Roxbury Presbyterian Church
Reverend Barton Kelso, First United Presbyterian Church in Cambridge
Reverend Robert Perkins, Newton Presbyterian Church
Reverend Alison John, First Presbyterian Church of Brookline
Reverend Kevin Ford, Specialized Ministry Member, Boston Presbytery
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
* Institutions are listed for identification purposes
