Jewish leaders fight Caterpillar AGM resolution against Israel

Targeting a resolution set for a vote at the annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders of the bulldozer company Caterpillar Inc. today, Jewish leaders in the United States are mobilizing against efforts to deploy stock market pressure as a tool against Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. Groups such as the American Jewish Congress and StandWithUs plan to attend a meeting at Caterpillar's corporate headquarters to speak out today against a shareholder resolution that would direct the firm to investigate the use of its bulldozers by the Israeli army to demolish Palestinian homes. The resolution, brought by four Roman Catholic orders of nuns and the Berkeley-based group Jewish Voices for Peace, says that Israel has used the bulldozers to destroy thousands of homes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It asks for an investigation into whether such use conformed with the company's code of business conduct. Although the resolution is not expected to pass, supporters hope to get at least 6% of the vote; that would allow them to reintroduce it next year and continue their advocacy against the demolition of Palestinian homes. Supporters of the shareholder resolution include two major Protestant denominations, the 3.6-million-member Presbyterian Church USA, and the 8.4-million-member United Methodist Church.