Committee 11   Peacemaking and International Issues

The 217th General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the recommendation of the Peacemaking and International Issues committee regarding Middle East issues.

By a vote of 483 in favor, 28 opposed and 1 abstention today, the Assembly set as church policy that "financial investments of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), as they pertain to Israel, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank, be invested in only peaceful pursuits." The recommendation was an alternate resolution to an overture that sought to repeal and rescind the actions of the 2004 General Assembly relating to "phased selective divestment in multinational corporations operating in Israel."   The full story >>

From the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, 6-21-06

The resolution that PPF wrote and got entered as a Commissioner Resolution was amended on the floor of GA. A minority report was offered and defeated, but then the same opponents recommended the referral to ACSWP for study item 5 that called for a variety of things to transform U.S. policy from military to non-violent aid. The objection was that the commissioners did not know enough about the situation to act on such a far reaching proposal. See the amended resolution at http://les-pcusa.org/Item.aspx?IID=502&

While we regret the referral, we celebrate that GA took action to commend the work PPF and others are doing with the churches in Colombia and that GA actually went on record with commendations for non-violent work of the Colombian church and for the many entities in the GA that work for peace and justice.

The General Assembly will be receiving a Commissioners' Resolution which praises efforts by the PC(USA), the Presbyterian Church of Colombia and the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship to provide volunteers to accompany church workers who are in danger because of their work for human rights in Colombia.

The resolution also calls for continued support for the accompaniment program, and urges changes in US policies and actions in Colombia.

The text of the resolution:

Commissioners' Resolution on the Presbyterian Accompaniment Program in Colombia

Resolved, that the 217^th General Assembly

1. Commend the General Assembly Council, the Worldwide Ministries Division, the Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia (Presbyterian Church of Colombia), and the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship for initiating and implementing a program to send U.S. Presbyterian volunteers to accompany church workers engaged in the social ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia and its ecumenical partners with the displaced and in defense of human rights.

2. Add its voice of support for the accompaniment program as it continues to be needed and requested by the Presbyterian Church of Colombia.

3. Commend the nonviolent efforts of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia for answering the call of Christ by joining with partners to bring peace to the nation and to minister to the poor and suffering and to stand for the human and civil rights of all. We especially commend our partners in Colombia for their fidelity to the mission of Christ in the face of constant threats, intimidation, and assassinations.

4. Commend and support the church entities and organizations, including the Washington Office; the Presbyterian News Service; the Worldwide Ministries Division; the Peacemaking Program; the General Assembly Council; the Presbyteries of Miami, Winnebago, and Tres Rios; Church and Society magazine; the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship; and the Colombia Mission Network, which encourage and equip Presbyterians to work for peace in Colombia and increase their solidarity with Colombian Presbyterians through advocacy, education, delegations, financial support, presbytery partnerships, hosting Colombian visitors, and especially prayer.

5. Call on the members and congregations of the PC(USA) to study the situation in Colombia, diligently pray for the work of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia, and advocate with senators, representatives, and the President of the United States to lay down the weapons of violence and support the nonviolent struggle of the churches and civil society of Colombia and those in the U.S. who stand beside Colombians to end the violence by

a. Withdrawing military support to the government of Colombia.

b. Reorienting U.S. policies toward Colombia in such a way as to encourage a more equitable distribution of that country's immense wealth, and to protect the rights of groups threatened by the interests of large corporations, including indigenous people, Afro-Colombians, labor leaders, human rights workers, and many campesinos.

c. Ending the aerial fumigation for coca crops and focusing on programs that provide higher levels of support for farmers to convert to alternative crops and that reduce demand for drugs in the United States.

d. Transferring U.S. support to the growing civil society committed to democracy and nonviolence.

e. Providing aid to strengthen health care, education, and nutrition, especially among the displaced.

f. Increasing aid for resettlement of displaced persons in their homelands.

g. Channeling aid through non-governmental organizations.

h. Supporting the commendable work of the United Nations in Colombia, especially the work of the High Commissioner on Refugees with internal refugees, displaced women, and threatened indigenous communities.

i. Ratifying, and urging Colombia to also ratify, the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
 

In September 2004, the General Assembly Council, responding to a request from the Colombian Presbyterian Church, approved an accompaniment program to provide a continuous presence with those in the Christian churches of Colombia who have committed to be an objective, nonviolent witness for Christ in the midst of the intense violence that grips Colombia.

Leaders and members of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia and other Christian groups in the Red Ecumenica (Ecumenical Network) have received death threats, been jailed on false charges, and been subjected to government surveillance because of their work to assist persons displaced by violence and their defense of human rights.

In 2006, new death threats against Presbyterian and other church workers have underscored the importance of and the continuing need for the accompaniment program and the many other Presbyterian initiatives for peace in Colombia.

Since the 216^th General Assembly in 2004, the armed conflict in Colombia has continued to grow, carried out by drug cartels, privately funded paramilitary self defense forces, rebel groups, and government forces. Many of the armed groups, both left and right wing, fund themselves through the production and sale of cocaine to the U.S. and Europe. The drug enforcement policy of the U.S. has been transformed in the last 26 years from a policy of U.S. demand reduction to a focus on the supply, mostly coming from South America. This has led to increased funding for the military institutions of the Andean nations and decreased funding for anti-drug use education and drug addiction treatment in the U.S. The program of aerial spraying carried out by Andean nations and U.S. contractors has failed to reduce the supply of drugs entering the U.S. but has resulted in the mass displacement of tens of thousands of innocent Colombians and the destruction of lives, livelihoods, communities, and the environment.

Fundamental to Colombia's violence are systemic problems, including maldistribution of Colombia's wealth, and pursuit of the interests of large, multinational corporations at the expense of Colombia's indigenous, Afro-Colombian, and campesino populations.

Numerous officials of the government of Colombia and its military and national police are known to collude with the paramilitary forces and the drug cartels, hindering the ability to govern effectively or to be an honest partner with U.S. interests.

The churches and human rights organizations of Colombia and the world have been seeking to end the armed conflict through nonviolent means, to minister to the needs of those who are suffering most because of the conflict, and to support the legal struggles of persons whose lands have been stolen and rights trampled. Such activity of the churches and human rights organizations leads to charges of subversion against them and threats and acts of intimidation against them that have even led to assassination. The growing movement of nonviolent resistance to the armed conflict in Colombia includes the Presbyterian Church of Colombia and the Ecumenical Network of Colombia, along with many faith-based and human rights organizations of women, Afro-Colombians, and indigenous people. Particularly important is the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This agency responds to the humanitarian crisis by coordinating international efforts to prevent displacement and protect the rights of Colombia's 3.4 million internally displaced people.

A survey carried out by the Colombian Government and the World Bank in 2001 shows that corruption is a problem in the country. Among other conclusions, the survey found that 70 percent of the public officers that were interviewed considered that corruption is one of the main characteristics of the political system in Colombia. The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) creates the opportunity to develop a global language about corruption, a coherent implementation strategy, and a set of benchmarks for effective anti-corruption strategies. The Convention Against Corruption was signed by the governments of Colombia and the United States on December 9, 2003, but has not yet been ratified by either nation.

Numerous examples in the 20^th and 21th centuries attest to the success of nonviolent struggle for peace, justice, and transformation of tyrannies to democracies. These examples are found in the histories of Poland, South Africa, The Philippines, Chile, Argentina, the Soviet Union and other nations.

Presbyterian Will McGarvey calls for continued support of divestment

McGarvey, a Presbyterian minister who has recently returned from last month's Steps Toward Peace conference, sees "the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza" as the real issue.   More >>

Middle East caucus urges reaffirmation of 2004 selective, phased divestment decision

Both investment and divestment needed, says group

Both investment and divestment must happen in order to end hostilities in Israel and Palestine, the National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus (NMEPC) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) said in a newly released statement.   More >>

We recently posted the text of a letter sent by Norman G. Finkelstein, who teaches political science at DePaul University in Chicago, to all GA commissioners.  In his letter, speaking as a Jew, he urges them to support the Presbyterian action on to consider "a phased, selective divestment from companies profiting from Israel's occupation."

We have received numerous critical notes from people who, also speaking as Jews, said that Finkelstein most definitely does not speak for them, or for the vast majority of Jewish people in America.  As a non-expert in this area, your WebWeaver will not pretend to judge between the very different points of view, but we present three anti-divestment opinions here.

Jewish groups cooperating to head off divestment

Here’s a report from The Jewish Week ("Serving the Jewish Community of Greater New York") giving their view on the current Presbyterian debate as it comes to the General Assembly.

The article quotes Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, inter-religious director for the Anti-Defamation League, as saying that the real issue should not be divestment, but "how to deal with the structural anti-Semitism that still exists in segments of the church that allows for divestment and for this de-legitimization of Israel." We’re not sure what that means, but it seems to be a pretty serious charge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another supporter of Israel directly criticizes Finkelstein.  She begins:

I was frankly surprised to find a letter from Norman Finkelstein featured with approval on the Witherspoon Society page.   Finkelstein is a sort of crackpot intellectual, the fact that some of his ideas are congenial is no excuse for mistaking describing him as a responsible scholar.

The rest of Ms. Appelbaum's note >>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter from 12 Jewish organizations urges commissioners to oppose divestment

Another letter has also been sent to commissioners, not by an individual, but by twelve large Jewish organizations. One friend tells us that this represents what the "real Jewish community" in the United States feels.

The organizations include the American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith International, and more.  The text of the letter >>

We recently posted the text of a letter sent by Norman G. Finkelstein, who teaches political science at DePaul University in Chicago, to all GA commissioners.  In his letter, speaking as a Jew, he urges them to support the Presbyterian action on to consider "a phased, selective divestment from companies profiting from Israel's occupation."

We have received numerous critical notes from people who, also speaking as Jews, said that Finkelstein most definitely does not speak for them, or for the vast majority of Jewish people in America.  As a non-expert in this area, your WebWeaver will not pretend to judge between the very different points of view, but we present three anti-divestment opinions here.

Jewish groups cooperating to head off divestment

Here’s a report from The Jewish Week ("Serving the Jewish Community of Greater New York") giving their view on the current Presbyterian debate as it comes to the General Assembly.

The article quotes Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, inter-religious director for the Anti-Defamation League, as saying that the real issue should not be divestment, but "how to deal with the structural anti-Semitism that still exists in segments of the church that allows for divestment and for this de-legitimization of Israel." We’re not sure what that means, but it seems to be a pretty serious charge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another supporter of Israel directly criticizes Finkelstein.  She begins:

I was frankly surprised to find a letter from Norman Finkelstein featured with approval on the Witherspoon Society page.   Finkelstein is a sort of crackpot intellectual, the fact that some of his ideas are congenial is no excuse for mistaking describing him as a responsible scholar.

The rest of Ms. Appelbaum's note >>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter from 12 Jewish organizations urges commissioners to oppose divestment

Another letter has also been sent to commissioners, not by an individual, but by twelve large Jewish organizations. One friend tells us that this represents what the "real Jewish community" in the United States feels.

The organizations include the American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith International, and more.  The text of the letter >>

Commissioners preparing for the coming General Assembly have received great heaps of letters and other communications from people and groups wanting them to hear their point of view. And there may be just a few among those commissioners who have not quite kept up with the paper flood.

But one letter in the flood is worth reading, whether you’re a commissioner or not.

Norman G. Finkelstein, who teaches political science at DePaul University in Chicago, has long paid attention to the Israel-Palestine conflict, and has worked for lasting peace between the two nations.

His letter reflects both his experience and his concerns, and explains why he supports the Presbyterian study of the possibility of what he rightly calls "a phased, selective divestment from companies profiting from Israel's occupation."

A quick survey of major issues relating to peace and nonviolence is provided by Marilyn White of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.

Items 11-01 through 11-16, and others:  Divestment and peace in the Middle East will be a major concern in this committee.

For a very helpful summary:  "So They Who Run May Read" is a brief statement prepared by some members of the Presbytery of Philadelphia who set out (in the words of one of them) to "present, as dispassionately as possible, the plain historic facts about Palestine/Israel -- and Presbyterian involvement in the Middle East --  which lay behind the PCUSA action to divest."    Read it here >>

This statement is also available in easy-to-print PDF format

The World Council of Churches has recently issued a statement on Israel/Palestine:  "The time is ripe to do what is right"

The World Council of Churches Executive Committee, meeting in Geneva, 16-19 May, 2006, issued a sober call to the nations and the churches for actions to bring some kind of peace to Israel and Palestine before the situation becomes far worse.   More >>

Breaking down barriers:  Israel/Palestine

By way of background for considering this issue, we present a report/reflection by Linda Bergh, of Syracuse, NY, following her visit to Israel and Palestine.  She discusses the need of both peoples for a homeland in Israel/Palestine; the effects of the Israeli occupation on the Palestinians; the significance of the "separation barrier" that is being erected by Israel; and efforts by both Muslims and Jews to bring some measure of peace to their land.

Presbyterian News Service provides a "backgrounder" on Middle East peace and divestment
 

Item 11-26, on expressing the church's concern for the people of Haiti

The Presbytery of New York City calls for support for the rights of the people of Haiti, with a resolution which (among other things) calls upon the U.S. government "to adopt a Haiti policy that is friendly toward the political empowerment of the vast majority of Haitian citizens, who are poor, often disenfranchised, and systematically excluded from participation in political life ..."     The text of the overture >>

The committee leaders include: moderator: M; vice-moderator: V; committee assistant: A; parliamentarian/recorder: P.

Leadership:  the Rev. Gretchen Graf, Northern Plains, M; Elder David Henderson, Milwaukee, V; the Rev. Judy Fletcher, Eastern Oklahoma, A; the Rev. Keith Geckeler, Whitewater Valley, P

Elder Amy Alexander, Trinity
Rev. Noel Anderson, San Joaquin
YAD Nicole Arme, Palo Duro
Rev. Jan Armstrong, Santa Barbara
YAD Kimberley Austin, Northern New England
Rev. Marielis Barreto-Hernandez, Noroeste
YAD William Bentley, Pines
Rev. William Borror, Philadelphia
Elder Norman Bumgardner, New York City
YAD Margaret Coggin, Ohio Valley
Rev. Charles Compton, Wabash Valley
Elder Lillie Cox, Chicago
YAD Michael Crankshaw-Bierce, Northern New York
YAD Anthony Damelio, The Western Reserve
Rev. Janice Devine, Susquehanna Valley
Rev. Mark Davidson, New Hope
Rev. William Evertsberg, Southern New England
TSAD Adam Fischer, Inland Northwest
Rev. Kenneth Foust, Redstone
Rev. Gretchen Graf, Northern Plains (Moderator)
Rev. Phillip Hagen, St. Augustine
Rev. Barry Hall, Upper Ohio Valley
YAD Cameron Hardin, Transylvania
Elder David Henderson, Milwaukee (Vice-Moderator)
YAD April M. Hess, Northumberland
YAD January Iman, Shenandoah
Rev. Phil Jamison, Pittsburgh
Elder Elizabeth Jernigan, National Capital
Rev. Isaiah Jones, San Jose
Elder Peter Jones, Seattle
Elder Helen Jordan, Western Kentucky
Rev. Kevin Keaton, New Covenant
YAD Rachel Kelly, San Diego
Rev. Keenan Kelsey, San Francisco
Elder Elizabeth Kennedy, Scioto Valley
Elder Tracey Koss, Utica
Elder Lilly Kwong, Newton
Elder William Kyle, Plains and Peaks
Elder Janet Lawrence, West Jersey
Rev. Chris Lieberman, Santa Fe
YAD Samantha Lowery, The James
Elder Patricia Lutz, Washington
YAD Rebecca Marquardt, Northern Waters
Elder Linda Matkins, South Dakota
YAD Erin Maughan, Utah
Rev. Wayne McDaniel, Savannah
Rev. Wade Meranda, Southeastern Illinois
Rev. Ray Mims, Salem
Rev. Julius Montero Jr., Chicago
Elder Rodney Nitz, Northern Kansas
Elder Bruce Ogden, Sacramento
Elder Bill Parish, Abingdon
Elder Barbara Phillips, Western North Carolina
TSAD Wilma Quinonez, San Juan
Elder Demoris Rhodes, Tampa Bay
Rev. Ron Richardson, St. Andrew
Rev. Doug Runyan, Shenango
Elder Nabeel Saoud, San Fernando
Elder Bob Siegmann, Greater Atlanta
YAD Alyssa Sittig, San Gabriel
Elder Carl Spiva, Stockton
Elder Jean Teal, Grace
Elder Gail Thornton, Peace River
MAD Elizabeth Turk
Rev. Betty Weidert, Prospect Hill
Not Assigned, Suroeste YAD
Not Assigned, Tropical Florida YAD