Support Presbyterian Divestment from Israeli Occupation!

Next week, the Presbyterian Church (USA) is holding its biennial general assembly in Detroit where they’ll consider a resolution to divest $17 million from three companies—Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions, and Hewlett-Packard—that participate in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Just Foreign Policy will be in Detroit for this potentially historic vote—and we want to bring your messages of support with us!

Here are two things you can do right now:

1. Sign our statement supporting Presbyterian divestment. We’ll share your signatures with Presbyterian delegates in Detroit!
2. Use our “Presby Divest!” profile image. If you use Twitter, Facebook, or other social media, make our “Presby Divest!” image your profile picture.

When the Presbyterians last considered divestment two years ago, the resolution failed by only two votes. The view that prevailed was that Presbyterians should support Palestinian rights via investment instead of divestment.

But Palestinian business leaders and international economic institutions like the World Bank have made clear that the Israeli occupation itself, which is strangling the Palestinian economy, is largely to blame for the dire situation of Palestinians, and investment alone can’t reverse the consequences of occupation. There must be increased pressure on the Israeli government to change its policies.

The Presbyterian divestment vote is following in the wake of a number of other BDS victories. Several universities, including Wesleyan and DePaul, recently adopted divestment resolutions. And just a few days ago, after an international campaign, the Gates Foundation announced that it had fully divested from security company G4S, which provides equipment and services to Israeli prisons and checkpoints in the Occupied Territories.

Groups that oppose pressure on the Israeli government to change its policies are demanding that the Presbyterians vote against the divestment resolution. That’s why they need to hear from supporters like you!

If the Presbyterians vote to divest, it would be a huge win for Palestinian rights that would echo around the world. Show your support by adding your signature to our statement.

Thanks for all you do to support Palestinian rights,

Megan Iorio and Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy

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