Author Rev. Shane Webb
To divest or not to divest? Now that the vote on marriage is over, it’s the elephant in the room.
To be clear, I will likely offend some people with what I have to say, so I must state that these views are not reflective of my congregation, presbytery, or my denomination. The long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine is a complicated matter with no easy solutions, yet that does not mean we get to give up and go home.
At the 2012 General Assembly, the vote to approve divestment in Caterpillar, Motorolla Solutions, and Hewlett Packard lost by only 2 votes. As a social justice junkie, I was sad to see the overture compromise, which included divestment, lose by such a close margin.
This year the committee on Middle East Issues took a similar route of compromise. For the most part, the committee environment was not hostile, though there were some very passionate opinions expressed on all sides. Concerns about harming interfaith dialogue with our Jewish colleagues arose multiple times. Another major concern was anxiety about Presbyterians being labeled as supporting a one-state solution, largely due to assertions that came out of the Zionism Unsettled study guide, even though our current social witness policy advocates for a two-state solution.
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Ultimately, our committee discerned that the time has come to do more than just help the vulnerable; we must also cry out to Israel and name the injustices that we see.
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These obstacles were hurtled by the Middle East committee through the use of language affirming a two-state solution and clarifying that possible divestment from these three companies with which we have engaged in shareholder advocacy for the past 10 years to no avail does not align with the international Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This language was incorporated into overture 04-04, to which our committee then added a call for divestment from Caterpillar, Motorolla Solutions, and Hewlett-Packard.
Countryside year the village of Battir
Photo Credit: Erin Dunigan
Our committee was also careful to approve the commissioner’s resolution distancing the denomination from the controversial study guide Zionism Unsettled without seeking to directly censor the document or prohibit its continued sale and distribution. This in no way will keep the media from saying what they want, but it does give the church a place to stand and clarify the language in order to avoid misinterpretations. We desire to declare that the PC(USA) is not taking an anti-Semitic stance nor do we deny Israel’s right to statehood.
It was interesting for me to see how much energy there was around divestment as a way to be a prophetic voice challenging current power dynamics in Israel/Palestine. After the days we spent together in committee, I truly believe that everyone in the committee cared about the oppression of Palestinian people – Muslim and Christian alike. We just have different ideas about the best way to actively support our brothers and sisters who are suffering from systemic injustice. At the same time, I felt uplifted that everyone expressed a desire to not lose our partners in dialogue from the various Jewish communities. These were the common values held by all in the room. I appreciated that as a committee, we did our best to really listen to everyone. In that spirit, we tried to come up with a compromise that addressed the major concerns of our group.
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I appreciated that as a committee, we did our best to really listen to everyone. In that spirit, we tried to come up with a compromise that addressed the major concerns of our group.
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I call the work of our committee a compromise because some people were opposed to any kind of divestment, while others felt that this compromise of positive action plus divestment was not strong enough. (The original language of 04-04 without divestment will come forward as a minority report.)
Graffiti on Separation Wall in Israel/Palestine
Photo Credit: Bryce Wilson
Ultimately, our committee discerned that the time has come to do more than just help the vulnerable; we must also cry out to Israel and name the injustices that we see.
Interestingly enough, the closest vote we had in committee was not over divestment but rather the vote to disapprove the overture 04-03 On Engaging Presbyterians to Witness for Palestinian Human Rights and for Ending the Occupation of Palestine. Many among us were concerned about the strong language of apartheid being applied to the Israeli people, again raising concern about the reaction this might cause in our Jewish interfaith relationships.
I absolutely affirm that this is a valuable and valid concern, but I believe that the intent of 04-03 was to raise the prophetic witness that, according to international law, the behavior of the Israeli government meets the definition of the crime of apartheid. To me, making such a statement is not name-calling, but rather, in the interest of both Israel and Palestine, a recognition that the conditions need to be drastically improved in Gaza and the West Bank for there to be any chance for peace and a viable two-state solution. That being said I am willing to let this overture go, if that is what it takes for people to be more easily get behind divestment.
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It is because of our interfaith relationships, and not in spite of them, that I can express my disapproval of attacks on Israelis by Palestinians, as well as my disapproval of the way the Israeli military and Israeli settlers regularly abuse Palestinian people.
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Opponents of both divestment and any sort of critical denouncements of Israeli actions often say that those who support such measures are demonizing and vilifying the people of Israel. I find this extremely offensive. There is much that I love about Israel, including the ways in which it is open and affirming of LGBTQ expressions. That said, I am a supporter of divestment and boycott as means to end the occupation of Palestinian lands. I understand the need for protection and safety of the Jewish people, especially in light of the current tragedy in which three Israeli students where abducted. I care about Jews, Muslims, Christians, and all others who live in this area of the Middle East. It is because of our interfaith relationships, and not in spite of them, that I can express my disapproval of attacks on Israelis by Palestinians, as well as my disapproval of the way the Israeli military and Israeli settlers regularly abuse Palestinian people.
Steps at the Church of the Beatitudes in Ibillin
Photo Credit: Bryce Wilson
I wish there were another way, but until the Palestinians have a fair chance to live and work, I believe Christians are called to use all non-violent forms of resistance in order to bring about restoration and reconciliation. Jesus himself sided with the oppressed in word and in deed throughout his ministry, whether he was reading in the synagogue in Luke 4, pronouncing the beatitudes from the hillside, or sitting down to meals with people the rest of society rejected. As followers of Jesus Christ, I believe we are called to do the same.
It is critical, as we continue to engage with this issue, that we strive to see Christ in all who are involved. The time for the end of occupation has come. I believe it is time for us to practice tough love toward our Israeli brothers and sisters, to take a firm stand against the Israeli occupation. I believe we must do this so that reconciliation, peace, hope, and joy can abound for both Israelis and Palestinians. May God calm our fear and fill us with compassion as we engage in this work.
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AUTHOR BIO: Shane is pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Mount Pleasant, TX. He was schooled at Austin College and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Shane also was a YAV in Peru and an Accompanier/Peacemaker in Colombia. He is at the 221st General Assembly as a commissioner for Grace Presbytery and served on the committee for Middle East Issues.
Check out the business before the General Assembly from the Middle East Committee.
Read more articles about the 221st General Assembly, including other live blogs from young adults!
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