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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: June 22, 2006 |
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The Presbyterian Church national assembly has revised a 2-year-old policy on Mideast investments to avoid singling out Israel and also shifted more strongly against late-term abortions.
The new Mideast policy says that regarding both Israel and Palestinian territory, church assets should "be invested in only peaceful pursuits."
The 2004 assembly had vexed grass roots Presbyterians and Jewish groups by authorizing "phased selective divestment in multinational corporations operating in Israel" because of its policies toward Palestinians.
David Bernstein of the American Jewish Committee's Washington office, who is observing the assembly, said the new wording "subjects Israel to the same process as every other country in the world. That's what we wanted. Singling out Israel is not the way to approach peace in the Middle East."
Tackling another contentious social issue, delegates approved the shift in abortion policy by 77 percent, declaring that "viable unborn babies -- those well-developed enough to survive outside the womb if delivered -- ought to be preserved and cared for and not aborted." An amendment to add "based on the choice of the mother" was defeated by 71 percent.
The denomination's choice-oriented women's committee said the statement would "undo" years of effort on the issue. Several women, including youth delegates and a missionary physician, urged protection for viable fetuses during intense debate.
On the Mideast, Presbyterians haven't yet pulled any investments but talked with five corporations involved in Israel: Caterpillar, Citigroup Inc., Industries Inc., Motorola and United Technologies Corp.
Conservatives sponsored an off-floor talk by lay Presbyterian James Woolsey, a CIA director under former President Bill Clinton. He said the 2004 action put his church "clearly on the side of theocratic, totalitarian, anti-Semitic, genocidal beliefs, and nothing less."
The statement, approved 483-28, also urges an end to terror against both Israelis and Palestinians. It says a sovereign state has the right to protect its borders but the present location of Israel's security wall "illegally encroaches into the Palestinian territory." |
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