US Presbyterians and Jews fail to settle argument over divestment

The heads of several major US Jewish organizations have condemned a decision by the Presbyterian Church to begin selective divestiture in companies operating in Israel. After a meeting in New York, Presbyterian officials and leaders of the Reform and Conservative branches of Judaism promised to continue their dialogue. But neither side gave any ground. The controversy stems from policy statements that the Presbyterian Church USA's general assembly passed at its biennial meeting in the summer. One called for Israel to halt construction of its security barrier in the West Bank, another statement authorized the church's investment committee to initiate possible divestment in companies "whose business in Israel is found to be directly or indirectly causing harm or suffering to innocent people, Palestinian or Israeli". A third resolution not related to Israel upset Jews because it continued the national church's financial support for a church in Philadelphia, Avodat Yisrael, that Jewish leaders say evangelizes among Jews under false pretenses. Recent news reports also indicated that international Anglican groups are considering not only divestment, but also an active boycott of Israeli products and those of companies doing business there.