Church of Christ voted to divest from Israel

~comparto este comunicado~ Dear David, This is huge. By an incredible 80% margin, the United ’s nearly 50 year occupation of Palestine, and to boycott products made in settlements. This vote by the UCC, which represents almost one million Christians, sends a clear message: faith communities are standing up, speaking out, and taking action for peace and justice. If you’d told me last year that over 80% of UCC delegates would vote to divest from the occupation, I’d have said that was impossible. But that’s what happened -- thanks to the courage of UCC leaders and the growing grassroots interfaith movement we’re building together. We know the backlash will be fierce, and we can’t afford to be complacent. Our opponents will say that divestment harms interfaith relationships -- but we know that's not true. Supporting each other to align our values and actions is the very heart of what interfaith relationships should be.  Let’s make our voices heard, and show that we support this historic decision of our brothers and sisters in the UCC. I’m in absolute awe of the people I've met here in Cleveland: the UCC Palestine-Israel Network who organized their own communities for divestment, and the brave UCC delegates who debated how to best turn their belief that the occupation is unjust into concrete action that can support those living under it.  Their moral clarity, and their commitment to turn their faith into action are like nothing I’d ever seen before. The UCC Palestine Israel Network said it best: the days of “praying for peace and paying for occupation” are over. The time for action is now -- and taking action is exactly what the UCC did today. Last year, we talked and prayed with our allies in the Presbyterian Church as they aligned their values with their investments by divesting from Israel. This week, we did the same, and now another major religious body has made it clear that they won’t profit from the persecution of Palestinians. The UCC has taken a brave step forward for justice, and we need to have their back.  Some people say that progress is impossible. Some people say that the Israel lobby is too powerful. Today, we stood with the United Church of Christ, and we proved those people are wrong. Onward, Ilana Jewish Voice for Peace Ilana Rossoff Midwest Regional Organizer