AJC Commends Episcopalian Distancing from Divestment against Israel

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Jul 11, 2012, 02:16 ET

NEW YORK, July 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC welcomed approval by The Episcopal Church of a resolution at its General Convention in Indianapolis calling for "a negotiated two-state solution" and "positive investment" as responses to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The church tabled a resolution urging "corporate engagement" by the church and dissemination of "information on products" made in the West Bank. The tabling of the resolution distanced the church from the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement.

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"The Episcopal Church has demonstrated its commitment to a negotiated resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and a rejection of unhelpful one-sided judgments aimed at Israel that do not advance the cause of peace," said Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC's director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations, who attended the church's General Convention Assembly as an invited interreligious guest. "The path toward peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis is the return without preconditions to direct negotiations for a two-state solution."

This is the third major American Protestant church in the past three months to reject the path of divestment from companies doing business with Israel. Last week the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in May the United Methodist Church eschewed divestment initiatives.

"We look forward to working with our Episcopalian partners in their affirmation of 'the importance of interfaith dialogue in the resolution of the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict,'" added Marans.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee