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Presbyterians to justify Israel divestment
World Net Daily ^

Posted on 02/03/2005 10:27:28 PM PST by hope

Israel divestment

This is a WorldNetDaily printer-friendly version of the article which follows.
To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42709

Friday, February 4, 2005



Presbyterians to justify
Israel divestment

Denomination sets meeting to answer questions about financial action


Posted: February 4, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern


© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

In an attempt to justify what some have called an anti-Semitic move, the Presbyterian Church USA will hold a three-day conference to explain to denomination leaders why action was taken to divest from companies doing business with Israel.

As WorldNetDaily reported, the denomination's General Assembly voted 431-62 in July to divest from Israel. The PCUSA is believed to be the largest organization or institution to join the divestment campaign against the Jewish state. It was the first Christian denomination to do so.

The move set the stage for the church to divest itself from companies that receive $1 million dollars or more in profits per year from investments in Israel or have invested $1 million dollars or more in Israel. Apartheid South Africa is the only other nation the denomination has similarly sanctioned.

Scheduled for Feb. 10-12 in Louisville, Ky., home to the denomination's administrative offices, the meeting is meant to let synods and presbyteries "know what we did and why we did it," Marthame Sanders, missionary-in-residence at the PCUSA offices said in a statement.

The meeting is expected to draw 200 participants representing every synod and presbytery in the nation.

The church's statement characterized last summer's move as part of a "process of 'phased selective divestment' in companies supporting the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and in corporations profiting from either Israeli or Palestinian violence."

Said the denomination: "The action is also directed at engaging corporations or financial institutions who benefit from the ongoing creation and expansion of Israeli settlements on the West Bank."

The statement confirmed that Jewish leaders were especially upset with the General Assembly's action.

"Presbyteries and synods … have been getting asked a lot of questions about this," stated Sanders, saying the middle governing bodies needed and wanted information about what the assembly did "to be equipped to have a debate" on the subject.

Included on the meeting's agenda is a discussion of Presbyterian theology, "particularly related to Christian Zionism," the statement said.

Subsequent to the church's July action, a petition drive began to protest the move.

The petition says the church's resolution is "anti-Semitic because NO OTHER nation is being singled for divestment, not even those whose violations of human rights are truly egregious."

"Only the moral blindness of Jew-hatred could lead the church to compare Israel's multi-racial democracy to apartheid South Africa," the petition says. "Only anti-Semitism could lead the church to condemn democratic Israel, while not voting divestment from Saudi Arabia, where women have virtually no rights and non-Muslims are not even permitted to enter the country without special permission, from Sudan, where race-based genocide is occurring even as we speak, from Iran, where Bahai are murdered for their faith, or from the many other countries where human rights are violated as a matter of routine."

During the same time period this month, a PCUSA seminary in Austin, Texas, is hosting an event entitled, "To Loose the Chains of Injustice: American Churches and the Palestinians." The denomination is one of the participating churches in the Feb. 11-12 meeting.

"The focus of this conference is on the work of the churches for a just peace in Israel-Palestine," states a flyer advertising the confab.

A group of Presbyterian elders and ministers are circulating a petition among the PCUSA membership to call the General Assembly back into special session to rescind the Israel Divestment Resolution.

Related stories:

Presbyterian: Muslims easier to deal with than Jews

Are mainline churches anti-Semitic?

Episcopal Church next to shun Israel?

Petition condemns church for 'hatred' of Israel

Presbyterians to divest from Israel




TOPICS: Culture/Society; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: divestment; pcusa
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To: Montrose1688
I am not an anti-Semite. However, I believe people have a right to choose what they do with their monies.

If I choose to not invest my monies in a given country out of my concern for their policies, that does not mean I hate the people of that country. I don't invest in Russian stocks and I don't hate them, either. If one must prove love by buying things, it's not love, Montrose.

As for total aid to Israel over the years, add up the numbers. It's a heck of a lot.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/U.S._Assistance_to_Israel1.html
21 posted on 02/04/2005 6:06:44 AM PST by ScottM1968
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To: ScottM1968
If I choose to not invest my monies in a given country out of my concern for their policies, that does not mean I hate the people of that country. I don't invest in Russian stocks and I don't hate them, either. If one must prove love by buying things, it's not love, Montrose.

Then don't. That's not the same as pressuring American companies not invest their money as they see fit. This comes very close to cooperation with the Arab boycot.

22 posted on 02/04/2005 6:54:15 AM PST by SJackson ( Bush is as free as a bird, He is only accountable to history and God, Ra'anan Gissin)
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To: ScottM1968
... I don't invest in Russian stocks ...

They will not divest from Israeli companies, they did not invest there. They will divest from US companies doing business with Israel.
23 posted on 02/04/2005 8:07:46 AM PST by chukcha
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To: Montrose1688
How can it be valid to single out Israel? Why haven't they boycotted China or Russia both of whom have been guilty of mass-murder if not genocide.

Your post unintentionally implies that Israel is as bad as China or Russia. Which of course we know is not the case.
24 posted on 02/04/2005 8:11:02 AM PST by chukcha
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To: hope

I am an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and can not be more fed up with the way denomination that was once critised as too conservative has been hijacked by these people.

I'm currently reading the History of Scotland by Magnussen. Tens of thousands of people died to establish Presbyterianism; perhaps the leaders of our church should give it read.


25 posted on 02/04/2005 8:23:49 AM PST by HonorInPa
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To: chukcha
They're simply taking over from the Arabs.


The Arab Boycott

By Mitchell Bard


The Arab boycott was formally declared by the newly formed Arab League Council on December 2, 1945: "Jewish products and manufactured goods shall be considered undesirable to the Arab countries." All Arab "institutions, organizations, merchants, commission agents and individuals" were called upon "to refuse to deal in, distribute, or consume Zionist products or manufactured goods." As is evident in this declaration, the terms "Jewish" and "Zionist" were used synonymously by the Arabs. Thus, even before the establishment of Israel, the Arab states had declared an economic boycott against the Jews of Palestine.

The boycott, as it evolved after 1948, is divided into three components. The primary boycott prohibits direct trade between Israel and the Arab nations. The secondary boycott is directed at companies that do business with Israel. The tertiary boycott involves the blacklisting of firms that trade with other companies that do business with Israel.

The blacklisting process is capricious; it is unclear whether boycott officials collect any evidence at all before placing an individual or company on the blacklist. No two countries have identical lists, and six countries — Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Somalia, the Sudan and Tunisia — do not enforce the secondary boycott. Egypt's policy changed from strict enforcement to unofficial complicity after the signing of the peace treaty with Israel, despite the provision whereby Egypt agreed to the "termination of economic boycotts and discriminatory barriers to the free movement of people and goods. . . ."

Once on the list, it is sometimes difficult to get off, since the company or some Arab sponsor must initiate the request. A firm might be required to supply proof that it no longer has any business with Israel and/or might be asked to make investments in Arab countries equal to those made earlier in Israel. Bribery is another means of becoming "de-listed."

The objective of the boycott has been to isolate Israel from its neighbors and the international community, as well as to deny it trade that might be used to augment its military and economic strength. It has undoubtedly enhanced Israel's isolation and separated the Jewish State from its most natural markets, but the boycott failed to undermine Israel's economy to the degree intended.

America Fights The Boycott

In 1977, Congress prohibited U.S. companies from cooperating with the Arab boycott. When President Carter signed the law, he said the "issue goes to the very heart of free trade among nations" and that it was designed to "end the divisive effects on American life of foreign boycotts aimed at Jewish members of our society."

The Arab League threatened to take a decisive stand against the new law, which was regarded as part of "a campaign of hysterical laws and bills . . . which Israel and world Zionism are trying not only to enforce on the U.S.; but also in some countries of Western Europe."

Contrary to claims that the bill would lead to a drastic reduction in American trade with the Arab world, imports and exports increased substantially. Broader diplomatic and cultural relations also improved. Nevertheless, certain U.S. companies were blacklisted for their relations with Israel. In addition, few other nations adopted anti-boycott laws and, instead, complied with the boycott. For example, the Military Aircraft Division of British Aerospace sent a purchase order to an American supplier in connection with the British agreement to sell Saudi Arabia Tornado aircraft and other weapons in the late 1980's. It guaranteed none of the items "are made in Israel directly or indirectly either in whole or in part and such items are not reshipped from Israel for Israeli account or by proxy for or on behalf of or with any persons or organizations resident in Israel. The supplier moreover warrants not to dispatch any of the items on any Israeli carrier."

Israel's capacity to reach its full economic potential was hindered for decades by the actions of Great Britain, Japan and other countries that cooperated with the boycott.

The Boycott Begins To Crack

On September 30, 1994, the six Gulf Cooperation Council states announced they would no longer support the secondary boycott barring trade with companies doing business with Israel. At a meeting in Taba, Egypt, February 7-8, 1995, Egyptian, American, Jordanian and Palestinian trade leaders signed a joint document — the Taba Declaration-supporting "all efforts to end the boycott of Israel."

Since the signing of peace agreements between Israel and the PLO and Jordan, the boycott has gradually crumbled. The Arab League was forced to cancel several boycott meetings called by the Syrian hosts because of opposition from countries like Kuwait, Morocco and Tunisia. The primary boycott — prohibiting direct relations between Arab countries and Israel — has slowly cracked as nations like Qatar, Oman and Morocco have begun to negotiate deals with Israel. Furthermore, few countries outside the Middle East continue to comply with the boycott. Japan, for example, has exponentially increased its trade with Israel since the peace process began. Still, the boycott remains technically in force and several countries, most notably, Saudi Arabia, continue its enforcement.

Update

Representatives from 19 Arab countries met in Syria in late April 2004 for the 72nd conference of the Arab League’s Bureau for Boycotting Israel to discuss tightening the Arab boycott against Israel. Mohammed al-Ajami, who heads the Syrian regional office of the Central Boycott Office, said the meeting was aimed at implementing Arab summit resolutions that approved reviving the Arab boycott of Israel. He said it was “a direct and practical response to the policy of the criminal escalation adopted by Israel.” Mauritania, Egypt and Jordan, which have diplomatic ties with Israel, stayed away from the meeting. Syria subsequently banned a Greek, a Danish and two Maltese ships from its ports because they'd made stops in Israeli ports, and has placed nine Israeli companies on a black list. And Libya, which had pledged to provide entry visas to all qualified participants, announced that it would not allow any Israelis to participate in the World Chess Championships scheduled for Tripoli in June 2004.


26 posted on 02/04/2005 8:31:03 AM PST by SJackson ( Bush is as free as a bird, He is only accountable to history and God, Ra'anan Gissin)
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Antiboycott Regulations


During the mid-1970's the United States adopted two laws that seek to counteract the participation of U.S. citizens in other nation's economic boycotts or embargoes. These "antiboycott" laws are the 1977 amendments to the Export Administration Act (EAA) and the Ribicoff Amendment to the 1976 Tax Reform Act (TRA), [which is found in Section 999 of the Internal Revenue Code].

Objectives:

The antiboycott laws were adopted to require U.S. firms to refuse to participate in foreign boycotts that the United States does not sanction. They have the effect of preventing U.S. firms from being used to implement foreign policies of other nations which run counter to U.S. policy.

Primary impact:

The Arab League boycott of Israel is the principal foreign economic boycott that U.S. companies must be concerned with today. The antiboycott laws, however, apply to all boycotts that are unsanctioned by the United States.

Who is covered by the laws?

The antiboycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) apply to all "U.S. persons," defined to include individuals and companies located in the United States and their foreign affiliates. These persons are subject to the law when their activities relate to the sale, purchase, or transfer of goods or services between the United States and a foreign country. This covers U.S. exports and imports, financing, forwarding and shipping, and certain other transactions that may take place wholly offshore.

Generally, the Tax Reform Act applies to all U.S. taxpayers (and their related companies). The TRA's reporting requirements apply to taxpayers' "operations" in, with, or related to boycotting countries or their nationals. Its penalties apply to those taxpayers with DISC (Domestic International Sales Corporation), FSC (Foreign Sales Corporation), foreign subsidiary deferral, and/or foreign tax credit benefits.

What do the laws prohibit?

Conduct that may be penalized under the TRA and/or prohibited under the EAR includes:


TRA does not "prohibit" conduct, but denies tax benefits ("penalizes") for certain types of boycott- related agreements.

What must be reported?

The EAR requires U.S. persons to report quarterly any requests they have received to take any action to comply with, further, or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.

The TRA requires taxpayers to report "operations" in, with, or related to a boycotting country or its nationals and requests received to participate in or cooperate with an international boycott. The Treasury Department publishes a quarterly list of "boycotting countries."

How to report:

EAR reports are filed quarterly on form BXA 621-P, available from the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration and Bureau of Export Administration field offices or from the Office of Antiboycott Compliance in Washington, D.C.

TRA reports are filed with tax returns on IRS Form 5713. This form is available from local IRS offices.

Penalties:

Violations of the antiboycott provisions of the EAR carry the same penalties as those for export control violations. These can include:

Criminal:

Administrative:

Where to get more information:

U.S. Department of Commerce
BXA/Office of Antiboycott Compliance, Room 6098
Washington, D.C. 20230
(202) 482-2381

Department of the Treasury
Office of the General Counsel, Room 2004
14th & Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20220
(202) 622-1945


Source: Office of Antiboycott Compliance


27 posted on 02/04/2005 8:33:43 AM PST by SJackson ( Bush is as free as a bird, He is only accountable to history and God, Ra'anan Gissin)
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To: 1bigdictator; 1st-P-In-The-Pod; 2sheep; A Jovial Cad; A_Conservative_in_Cambridge; a_witness; ...
FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel ping list.

WARNING: This is a high volume ping list

28 posted on 02/04/2005 8:39:26 AM PST by Alouette (Learned Mother of Zion)
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To: Penner
"Rank-and-file Presbyterians didn't vote for this; it was the leftist activists who have embedded themselves in leadership positions."

These same activists resorted to the big lie in assuring the General Assembly that Jews would not be upset by the vote to divest.
29 posted on 02/04/2005 10:56:20 AM PST by octavianaugustus (american caesar)
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To: hope

will these tight ass phonies sell MSFT,INTC etc etc etc??lets see


30 posted on 02/04/2005 11:06:10 AM PST by rang1995 (They will love us when we win)
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To: chukcha; Montrose1688
Then my comments hold for businesses that seek business in Russia.

Frankly, I don't see what is wrong with choosing to invest in the US for the US. But, I don't see what is wrong with people choosing to invest in companies that work overseas if they want to.

Neither means you become and "Anti-American" or and "Anti-Other Country's people" and therefore a racist.

Montrose can't understand that. So he calls people slurs instead.
31 posted on 02/04/2005 11:07:58 AM PST by ScottM1968
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To: ScottM1968

Funny that you singled out Israel though. Israel is one of the few countries that stands with us and helps us in the WOT.


32 posted on 02/04/2005 11:11:10 AM PST by AppyPappy (If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.)
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To: AppyPappy

"Funny that you singled out Israel though. Israel is one of the few countries that stands with us and helps us in the WOT."

Russia and Pakistan are both allies in the war on terror, but there are a lot of things to critique in both countries. There is nothing wrong with being an ally to a country and pointing out policies that are unliked at the same time.


33 posted on 02/04/2005 12:23:03 PM PST by honest2God
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To: All
If you want to boycott Israel fine but be sure to fully boycott Israel by not using any medication from prominent Israel pharmaceutical companies such as Agis and Teva. Be sure to check you labels, it may mean you have colds and flus but you dont want to be using Zionist drugs that can brainwash you.

Boycott the simple Bloodtest for MS it was developed in Israel. Avoid devices the restore the use of limbs to stroke victims because they also were developed in Israel. Avoid the new breathing device for asthmatics coming out soon that helps asthmatics breath at night.

Avoid the new vaccine for Samllpox and Anthrax! Also there is a good chance that if someone you know has alzheimers or Parkinsons their drugs were developed in the Zionist State.

Also please stop using computers because Microsoft Israel is deeply involved in Microsoft operating systems. Also the new intel chips are being developed in Israel . Also dont use AIM or ICQ. Israel has the highest amount of high tech companies outside the US.

So if you are going to boycott Israel be sure to do it right because you never know where the Jews are. They can be anywhere!

I know how hard it is to boycott the so called Palestinians because they have developed so much such as????????

34 posted on 02/04/2005 12:27:00 PM PST by M 91 u2 K (Kahane was Right!)
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To: honest2God
There is nothing wrong with being an ally to a country and pointing out policies that are unliked at the same time.

What policy of Israel dont you like?

I strongly dislike how Israel is a socialist country.

35 posted on 02/04/2005 12:27:56 PM PST by M 91 u2 K (Kahane was Right!)
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To: GeronL

Don't confuse these anti Christian losers with Presbyterian Christians.


36 posted on 02/04/2005 12:29:19 PM PST by Protagoras (Putting government in charge of morality is like putting pedophiles in charge of children.)
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To: Montrose1688

Funny, it seemed to me that the church's policy was to divest from the STATE of Israel, and not the glbal population of Jewish people. Conflating Israel with the Jewish population is intellectually dishonest.

As for singling out Israel, there aren't many organizations or states that hold all other states to a consistent standard. As long as they can point to the policies that they do not agree with, there is nothing wrong with singling out a state for divestment. They have that right, whether you or I or anyone agrees or not.


37 posted on 02/04/2005 12:30:06 PM PST by honest2God
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To: Gamecock

There are so few of churches of any size left in the PCUSA, this will not even make a ripple in the scheme of things.


38 posted on 02/04/2005 2:36:30 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: honest2God
They have that right, whether you or I or anyone agrees or not.

Please don't confuse their right to do it with my right to call them anti-Semitic for doing so.

39 posted on 02/04/2005 5:46:08 PM PST by dervish
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To: hope

I always confuse the PCUSA with the CPUSA.


40 posted on 02/04/2005 5:49:04 PM PST by Wilhelm Tell (Lurking since 1997!)
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