Christian Presbyterian denomination backs divestment from Israel

Folks, just last week, the Catholic Church condemned anti-Zionism as a cover for anti-Semitism. Yet, this week, leaders of the largest Christian Presbyterian denomination have officially equated Israel with apartheid-era South Africa and voted to divest from Israel, according to a report in the New York Forward.

The decision by the Presbyterian Church was approved 431 to 62 in a vote at the 216th annual General Assembly of the church, which has a membership of 3 million and a foundation and pension fund of $7 billion.

According to the Forward, the Protestant group is the largest organization or institution to join the divestment campaign against Israel. They are also the first Christian denomination to join the divestment campaign being waged on campuses and elsewhere against the Jewish State. The church also voted to continue funding "messianic congregations," which target Jews for conversion.

At an international interfaith meeting in Buenos Aires last week, Roman Catholic officials signed a document that called for "the total rejection of anti-Semitism in all its forms, including anti-Zionism as a more recent manifestation equated anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.”

The Anti-Defamation League condemned the Presbyterian decision. “We were offended and distressed by the actions of the Presbyterian Church USA at your most recent General Assembly pertaining to Jews and Israel.” said ADL director Abraham Foxman. “Specifically, we cite the vote to continue funding the Avodat Yisrael Church [a church in Philadelphia that targets Jews for proselytization –ed.], and other missionizing churches targeting Jews, and the "overture" or resolution calling for divestiture from Israel.”

The Presbyterian Assembly also voted overwhelming to condemn Israel's construction of the separation/security fence and to officially disavow Christian Zionism as a legitimate theological stance. (Source)