From April 24-May 4, the United Methodist Church’s top legislative body, the General Conference, will meet in Tampa, Florida and address the proposed resolution “Aligning United Methodist Church Investments with Resolutions on Israel/Palestine.” The resolution supports prompt divestment from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola (cited as companies that perpetuate the Israeli occupation – which Methodists are on record opposing). The resolution further proposes engagement with similarly implicated companies, followed by divestment should they refuse to change their policies. Nine hundred and eighty-eight Methodists (lay and clergy delegates) will attend the conference to set policy and direction for the church. Every four years, the General Conference, with delegates from around the world, revises The Book of Resolutions, “a volume declaring the church’s stance on a variety of social justice issues.” The book contains more than 300 such resolutions.
This event is only ten days away.
Time to act is now!
Help in these ways:
1) As an individual, read and endorse the resolution here.
2) Act to have your organization read and endorse the resolution here.
3) If you participate in services provided by the UMC General Board of Pension & Health Benefits, read and sign the petition here.
4) If you are Palestinian and support church divestment, click here to sign this letter written by Palestinian Christians but open for signature by all Palestinians.
5) Lend help reaching out to voting delegates and commissioners by emailing to us at [email protected].
For background on the major Methodist and Presbyterian votes on divestment this year, see info from the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. A victory in either of these campaigns would be a major step forward for divestment in the U.S., empowering other institutions to take similar steps.
