The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church in the United States announced the boycott of companies that support the Israeli occupation and benefit from the violation of human rights in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza , and withdraw their investments from these companies.
These companies are Motorola, Caterpillar and Discontent, the council said in a statement, adding that this is a step similar to that taken by the churches: Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist and United Christ. According to the "official agency."
The Council explained that the criteria for boycott are: that the company works to provide or do business or provide goods or services in or to illegal settlements in accordance with international law, or to contribute to the construction or renovation of buildings or other facilities in such settlements or otherwise seek To take advantage of human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Church will also boycott companies that supply or do business directly or indirectly with or provide goods or services to the Israeli occupation army.
The total shares to be sold by the church are about $ 1.2 million in Motorola, $ 125,000 in Caterpillar, as well as shares in Discount Bank. The council said that although the investments are simple, it is a symbolic step, because the church "does not want to make profits from companies that contribute to the suffering of others."
The council said the move comes at a time when the prospects for a two-state solution are diminished, following recent actions by the US and Israeli governments, the Trump administration´s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel´s capital, Israel´s sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, and Israel´s adoption of the nation-state law.
"I appreciate the hard work that many have done for many decades to strengthen the Church´s commitment to justice for all the peoples of the Holy Land," said Episcopal Church Speaker Rev. Guy Clark Jennings.
The Episcopal Church Council also instructed the Church´s Social Responsibility Committee to continue with companies such as Facebook and Buking.com, urging them to address human rights violations through collusion with the occupation.
Commenting on this, the Secretary General of the National Initiative Movement, Mustafa Barghouthi, said in a press statement that "the boycott and divestment movement from Israel achieved a new victory by the decision of the Council of Episcopal Churches in the United States to withdraw its investments from any companies serving the Israeli occupation." In international and American public opinion, it is in favor of Palestine as a result of the exposure of apartheid and Israeli racial discrimination.
Barghouthi expressed appreciation to the Palestinian people for the bold decisions taken successively by many churches in the United States, despite attempts by the Israeli lobby to prevent it.
The Episcopal Church in America intersects the companies supporting the occupation
