Hevesi condemns Presbyterian divestment from Israel

Alan Hevesi, the comptroller of New York State, has received praise from Jewish groups for opposing Presbyterian divestment from Israel. In a letter sent to church leaders on Sunday, Hevesi said that divestment was unethical and misguided. “I am outraged that you would take actions against Israel after failing for decades to divest in companies that do business with the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia – countries that are known to support and/or harbor terrorists”, he wrote. The Presbyterian Church (USA)’s “selective conscience calls into question its moral integrity.” The church endorsed “selective divestment” from Israel at its 2004 General Assembly, comparing it to the campaign of divestment that led to the 1990 abolition of apartheid in South Africa.