Methodists Reject Anti-Israel Divestment Proposal at 2012 general conference

"Despite an intense lobbying effort by seemingly omnipresent pro-divestment activists, United Methodists have opted to retain the church's existing policy of positive engagement with Israelis and Palestinians.”

Mark Tooley, Institute on Religion and Democracy President

From the IRD website:

"Delegates to the governing body of the global 12-million-member United Methodist Church strongly voted today to reject divestment from three companies doing business with Israel. The move follows a high profile lobbying effort by pro-divestment activists.

Backed by international anti-Israel groups, United Methodist Kairos Response (UMKR) argued that the United Methodist General Conference should instruct the denomination's pension board to sell investments in Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard and Motorola Solutions. UMKR argued that the three companies profit from Israel's military presence in the West Bank.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

"The decision of United Methodists against divestment rejects simplistic one-sided blame that characterizes so much anti-Israel advocacy.
Despite an intense lobbying effort by seemingly omnipresent pro-divestment activists, United Methodists have opted to retain the church's existing policy of positive engagement with Israelis and Palestinians.

Hopefully other churches, like the Presbyterian Church (USA), will follow United Methodists in resisting calls to pressure Israel alone into making concessions."

The official statement from the Divestment team, which spent tens of thousands of dollars on their efforts to push divestment on the conference delegates went something like "Even when we lose we win. So there." (I'm paraphrasing)

The BDS cru are planning on taking their anti-Israel dog and pony show on the road to Pittsburgh where the Presbyterian Church USA will also vote on a divestment measure at its General assembly on June 30.

Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church recently came out against divestment and boycotts, and instead urged Episcopalians to invest in development projects in the West Bank and Gaza.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination rejected divestment in 2007 and 2011.