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Investment in Palestinians, Not Divestment from Israel
Rev. John Buchanan - The Presbyterians gathered this week in Pittsburgh are grappling with the complexity of the political challenges in the Middle East. I am fairly certain that the decision of an American denomination to divest from corporations that do business with Israel has no effect on Israeli policy and no effect on the corporations involved. BDS adds to Israel's sense of isolation and perplexes and angers American Jews. A rabbi who is a vocal critic of the current Israeli government and a strong advocate for Palestinians' rights made this point to me: "When you Christians start talking about divesting from Israel, it sounds to us as if you are undermining Israel's economy and thus Israel's existence. We close ranks, and even progressive, sympathetic Jews become adamant Zionists." The writer, pastor emeritus of the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, is editor/publisher of The Christian Century.