United Methodists Reject Divestment at General Conference

TAMPA, May 2, 2012 -- This afternoon, by a margin of two-to-one, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church defeated a move to divest from three U.S. companies doing business with Israel in the occupied Palestinian Territories.  The Rev. Alex Joyner, spokesperson for United Methodists for Constructive Peacemaking in Israel and Palestine (UMCPIP), said his group "had been actively opposing divestment and encouraging the more productive approach of negotiations and positive investments."

By a margin of two-to-one, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church defeated a move to divest from three U.S. companies doing business with Israel in the occupied Palestinian Territories.

A group called United Methodist Kairos Response had been among those lobbying aggressively for months to persuade United Methodists to vote for divestment. This approach was first rejected by the legislative committee that reviewed the petition.  They removed language directing divestment, opting instead for positive investment in Palestine as a strategy for peacemaking.

United Methodist delegates defeated two attempts in plenary to reintroduce divestment.  A third effort to single out Israeli behavior, when considering applying economic sanctions to companies, was defeated by a similar margin.  

Debate about a separate petition passed earlier, which called on "nations to prohibit...the import of products made by companies in Israeli settlements," was accompanied by confusion among delegates.  After an initial vote, one delegate informed the General Conference that delegates at his table were confused and did not know which way they were voting.  Additionally, an amendment which would have removed boycott language was not allowed and never came before the plenary for a vote.

Despite the confusion about the earlier petition, United Methodists ultimately made a very strong statement at their General Conference refusing to single out the state of Israel for economic sanctions.

Episcopal Presiding Bishop favors positive investment, rejects divestment

Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the US, has endorsed positive investment in Palestine as part of a constructive path to peace and has rejected punitive measures such as divestment and boycott.  Speaking at a "Middle East Peacemakers" breakfast in Los Angeles March 25, the bishop called on her denomination to "invest in legitimate development in Palestine's West Bank and Gaza."

As reported in the Episcopal News Service, Jefferts Schori said, “The Episcopal Church does not endorse divestment or boycott...It’s not going to be helpful to endorse divestment or boycotts of Israel.  It will only end in punishing Palestinians economically.”

"It’s not going to be helpful to endorse divestment or boycotts of Israel.  It will only end in punishing Palestinians economically.” -- Katharine Jefferts Schori

The presiding bishop went on to call for engagement for peace: “It takes living out of the deep place of hope. Out of the deep and soul searing sort of hope, the kind that is borne of rejecting fear. What can we do here?

“We can urge our legislators and government to encourage dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. We can urge them to refrain from de-funding hopeful initiatives. We can urge Israel to freeze the settlement activity. We can urge the Palestinian Authority to recognize Israel’s right to exist. We can condemn violence everywhere.”

The Episcopal News Service article on Jefferts Schori's presentation can be found here: http://t.co/L9BKEuAu.

UM Pensions Board Comes Out Against Divestment Resolutions

At its meeting on March 2, 2012, the UM General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits approved a resolution communicating its stance with regard to divestment resolutions coming before the General Conference.  GBPHB considered the rationale of groups advocating divestment from Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard, and Motorola because their equipment has been used in activities related to the occupation of the West Bank.  In the end the board voted unanimously to retain its current investment strategy.

The GBPHB resolution says, in part, "[D]ivestment would have limited impact on the companies listed or the human rights issues being raised and therefore that the securities of each of the three companies should be retained as eligible for purchase as investments for the General Board’s plans; we believe divestment is generally an ineffective strategy to impact a company’s policies or practices."

"Divestment is generally an ineffective strategy to impact a company’s policies or practices"

The full text of the press release with a link to the resolution can be found here: http://www.gbophb.org/news/releases/pr20120307.asp?tr=y&auid=10412416. 

New Mailing Introduces UMCPIP Goals to GC Delegates

On February 24, 2012, the following mailing was sent to General Conference delegates introducing the goals of United Methodists for Constructive Peacemaking in Israel and Palestine.  The text of the suggested language can be found on the resolutions page.

Dear General Conference Delegate,                                                                                     

We are writing you in anticipation of General Conference discernment around faithful responses to the longstanding Israeli/Palestinian conflict. We remain hopeful about how the United Methodist Church can best support steps toward peace and stability for those living in the midst of this conflict.  We support positive investment in Palestine, while opposing divestment in the region.

We remain hopeful about how the United Methodist Church can best support steps toward peace and stability for those living in the midst of this conflict.

The United Methodist Church has a long heritage of commitment to a role of peacemaking and reconciliation.  We understand and anticipate that the General Conference will discuss strategies to bring about change for the Palestinians in the Middle East.  The North Carolina and Virginia Annual Conferences have prayed, wrestled with, and acted in a manner we wish to share with you.

Action was taken this summer by these two annual conferences to adopt resolutions discouraging divestment and advocating positive investment in this region.  These actions by Virginia and North Carolina commit to a strategic response that supports current Palestinian efforts, an action that is in keeping with our Social Principles, and that targets economic justice.  We believe that this action will help move the Palestinian people in the Middle East closer to economic independence.  We, as United Methodists for Constructive Peacemaking in Israel and Palestine, are asking you to join us in prayer, discernment, and support of positive targeted investment in Palestine.

We...are asking you to join us in prayer, discernment, and support of positive targeted investment in Palestine.

Enclosed with this letter you will find proposed alternative language which we encourage you to consider for adoption at General Conference.  The proposed language was adapted from and is substantially the same as the resolutions adopted by the Virginia and North Carolina Annual Conferences last summer (copies of which are also enclosed).  We believe this would help move the UMC squarely into the role of peacemaker and reconciler and away from a punitive approach.

Again, our request is for your support at General Conference for legislation that calls for financial investment in the Palestinian economy.  We are asking your support for a resolution that calls for financial investment in Palestine and for the Palestinian people, rather than divestment from any party in the region.  For more information we invite you to visit our website at umpeace.squarespace.com.

Faithfully yours,

Darlene Amon, lay delegate, Virginia Conference

Clarence R. Brown, Jr., clergy delegate, Virginia Conference

Kenneth H. Carter, Jr., Waynesville (NC) District Superintendent, clergy delegate

Alex Joyner, clergy reserve delegate, Virginia Conference

Eric Lindblade, clergy, NC Conference, Secretary of Conference Church and Society Team

Theodore Smith, Fredericksburg District Superintendent, Virginia Conference delegate

Chappell Temple, clergy delegate, Texas Conference

W. Clark Williams, Jr., Associate Dean and Professor of Law, University of Richmond School of Law

UMCPIP Announces Plans for Upcoming GC

Our first news release has now been issued.  In it we announced our group's existence and talked about our goals for the upcoming General Conference.  Some of the text is below:

A group of United Methodists is advocating for its General Conference to adopt a constructive stance on peacemaking in the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.  United Methodists for Constructive Peacemaking in Israel and Palestine (UMCPIP) was created recently to support positive investment in Palestine while opposing divestment in the region. 

"The issues are obviously complex, but the answers can't be found by assigning blame only to one side as the divestment attempts of some might suggest," says C. Chappell Temple, clergy delegate from the Texas Conference 

"We recognize, as do many Israelis, the negative effects of Israel's ongoing occupation of the West Bank," adds Virginia pastor Alex Joyner, "but in an atmosphere in which both sides are genuinely fearful, our gospel call is to work towards laying the groundwork for peace, security, and strong economies for all involved."

In 2011 both the North Carolina and Virginia Annual Conferences passed resolutions discouraging divestment by United Methodists and advocating positive investments in the Palestinian economy. The new group will be proposing alternative language for delegates to consider in adopting any action regarding peacemaking efforts in Israel and Palestine. 

"We believe this would help move the United Methodist Church squarely into the role of peacemaker and reconciler and away from a punitive approach," says Joyner.