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.