Canadian Christian leader warned of divestment “dangers”
TORONTO, ON—A group of U.S. clergy representing mainline denominations joined with B'Nai Brith Canada for a recent news conference in Toronto to warn their Canadian counterparts about the "dangers inherent" in divestment from Israel.
The news conference occurred in the midst of a growing move by some U.S. Protestant groups to withdraw financial investment from companies that benefit from Israeli control of the Palestinian territories.
A campaign by the Jerusalem-based, pro-Palestinian organization Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre is calling on churches worldwide to consider "morally responsible investment." The organization cites international law and human rights violations on the part of Israel, and recommends divestment from targeted companies "that benefit from the violation of human rights."
Last February, the World Council of Churches labelled such strategies "commendable," and endorsed the example of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.), which previously voted to implement phased, selective divestment from multinational corporations in Israel.
But Ruth Klein, B'Nai Brith's national director of advocacy, called the plan "a blow to the advancement" of Jewish-Christian relations.
The news conference at which Klein spoke was staged in response to a three-day conference that took place in Toronto at the end of October dubbed "A Call for Morally Responsible Investment: A Non-Violent Response to the Israeli Occupation."
The conference was organized by Canadian Friends of Sabeel (www.sabeel.ca) and supported by a long list of co-sponsors including World Vision Canada, The United Church of Canada, The Canadian Arab Federation and The Muslim Canadian Congress.
Klein opened the news conference stating that the group wanted to send a message to Christians in Canada "to stop and reconsider who you're opening your doors to," calling the Sabeel group "morally irresponsible" and "intellectually disingenuous."
"It is prudent to be wary when Sabeel calls," said Ruth Latt, national director of churches for Witness on the Middle East, who provided a historical context for the Israeli-Arab conflict.
Calling divestment "unworkable," Hart said the policy has sewn "very deep divisions" in the Presbyterian Church south of the border and has resulted in "disaffection" and "decline in support" for that church in the U.S.
He said it has "minimized if not completely eliminated" the possibility of the Presbyterian Church participating in peace discussions, and called any policy of divestment bad for Jews, Palestinians, Israelis and for the peace process.
According to the Sabeel website, the group's mission is to reach out to those "interested in learning about economic strategies as they pertain to ending the Israeli occupation, and to promoting a just peace for Israel and Palestine," but Latt says what they're advocating would lead to "the annihilation of the state of Israel."
Following the news conference, Van Zile said he was most concerned about the "long list" of churches and Christian organizations that had signed on as co-sponsors of the Sabeel conference, adding they had "signed on to a false narrative."
But Chris Derksen-Hiebert, policy analyst in World Vision Canada's advocacy department, says World Vision's concern is not with the politics but with the people of the Middle East, and they decided to co-sponsor the conference (at a cost of $600), because while they don't yet have a position on divestment, they "felt it was important to explore that issue."
He points out that both the Palestinian and Israeli people at a grassroots level have said they want their leaders to negotiate a just peace to the conflict, and adds, "We connect that kind of push with this kind of initiative [divestment]."
World Vision has been working in the Middle East for more than 30 years, says Derksen-Hiebert, and is very concerned with the impact of violence on the people there.
"We're interested in supporting initiatives that focus on non-violent [solutions]."
Derksen-Hiebert says World Vision's position on Israel is that the nation "has a right to exist with security and secure borders and with peace and justice," but that the organization will continue to explore divestment. "I would say it's an issue we will need to explore; the conversation will need to continue within World Vision."
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
