Statement of the Presbyterian Church on Israel and Zionism

Statement from the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Concerning actions of the 216th General Assembly (2004) of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) regarding Israel and Palestine and outreach to
Jewish people

July 20, 2004-One of the deep and abiding commitments of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is to reconciliation and good relationships with
people of all faith communities. In light of this, some people have raised
concern about certain actions taken by the 216th General Assembly, held
June 26-July 3 in Richmond, Virginia, related to both outreach to
Jewish people and Israeli and Palestinian relations. Therefore, I am sending
this message to both Presbyterian leaders and to ecumenical partners
and colleagues from other faith communities with the hope that it will
clarify the actions of this assembly and the ongoing commitments of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

As Christians, we experience the transforming power of God's love in
Jesus Christ. Therefore, we do not hesitate to make joyful witness to the
hope that is in us, and to work and pray for the restored and
reconciled creation to which we and all people are called. We make every effort
to discern God's presence in the world and to "let justice roll down
like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream" (Amos 5:24).
It is out of this faith and commitment, and with careful reflection,
that the commissioners to the 216th General Assembly took a number of
actions concerning our relations with the Jewish community, as well as the
situation of Israel and Palestine.


1. Presbyterians' concerns about appropriate forms of Christian witness
to Jewish people in general and to the new church development project,
Avodat Yisrael, in Philadelphia in particular led to a two-part action.

- First, in response to overtures from four of our
presbyteries-regional governing bodies-the General Assembly mandated a study to
"examine and strengthen the relationship between Christians and Jews and
the implications of this relationship for our evangelism and new church
development." The focus of this action is to re-examine our theological
understanding of Christian-Jewish relationship and to discern whether
this particular form of outreach contradicts that understanding or
violates our intention to do evangelism in a spirit of respect, openness,
and honesty.

- Second, the assembly did not adopt a proposal to suspend
the availability of national funding for any other such projects. Here
it is important to note that primary decisions regarding the funding of
new church developments are made at the presbytery (regional) level of
our denomination; in nearly all cases, national funding for such work
is made only to complement funds already committed by presbyteries and
synods with the understanding that presbyteries take the lead in
determining the appropriate projects.


2. The assembly declared that Christian Zionism is not consistent with
the basic values of Reformed theology because it makes use of
idiosyncratic interpretations of Scripture to undergird a certain reading of
current events, and to generate support for specific political goals that
do not bolster work toward peace and potentially endanger Palestinian
and Israeli people.


3. The assembly called for an end to Israel's construction of the
"separation barrier."

- While fully aware of our interest in Israel's security, the
major reason for this action was the assembly's concern of the impact
of the structure on the economic, social, and religious life of
Palestinians.

- The assembly action used the word "wall" because it has
become a general reference for the physical structure being put in place.

- It raised legitimate questions, corroborated by Israel's
Supreme Court and the International Court of Justice, regarding the route
of the wall.

- In previous assemblies, the church has called for an end to
the occupation, as the principal cause of the conflict.

Presbyterians are calling for an end to this barrier in the belief
"that the best hope for security for both Israelis and Palestinians may be
found in laying down all forms of aggression on both sides, ending the
Israeli occupation, and finding ways to build bridges of peace rather
than walls of separation. Good neighborly relations, rather than mutual
isolation and suspicion, are urgently needed between Israel and its
neighbors in Palestine and the Middle East."


4. The assembly authorized exploration of a selective divestment of
church funds from those companies whose business in Israel is found to be
directly or indirectly causing harm or suffering to innocent people,
Palestinian or Israeli. It did not approve a blanket divestment from
companies that do business in Israel, as is being reported in some places.
This action was taken in response to an overture from the Presbytery of
St. Augustine, representing the churches in northeast Florida.

- The assembly asked the Mission Responsibility Through
Investment Committee, the denomination's permanent committee that develops
socially responsible investment guidelines, to initiate a process to
look into companies investing in Israel and to bring recommendations re:
phasing in selective divestments to the General Assembly Council for
action in March 2005.

- Although the decision to "initiate a process of phased,
selective divestment in multinational corporations operating in Israel"
may be presumed by some to invite comparison of Israeli policies with
those of apartheid South Africa, the assembly has not asserted any moral
equivalency between the two. The two situations are distinct. The focus
of this action is to explore use of a proven tool of economic pressure
to motivate real change in Israeli policies and movement toward peace.

- Again, the assembly's action calls for a selective
divestment, and not a blanket economic boycott, keeping before us our interest
in Israel's economic and social well-being where these do not inflict
suffering on Palestinian or Israeli people.


5. These actions are rooted in a longstanding commitment to the secure
existence of Israel and the Israeli people, in a similar commitment to
the security and existence of Palestinians in their own state, and in a
passionate vision of negotiated peace as the only viable way forward.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has consistently supported the
existence of Israel within legitimate and secure borders, and prayed for its
security and well-being. It is, however, the conviction of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that "the security of Israel and the Israeli people
is inexorably dependent on making peace with their Palestinian
neighbors, by negotiating and reaching a just and equitable solution to the
conflict that respects international law, human rights, the sanctity of
life, and dignity of persons, land, property, safety of home, freedom of
movement, the rights of refugees to return to their homeland, the right
of a people to determine their political future, and to live in peace
and prosperity."


6. It should be noted that this action was taken as part of a larger
commitment of the PC(USA) to human rights and social justice all around
the world. It should be further noted that the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) is not singling out Israel and Palestine alone for observation and
critique. The PC(USA) regularly publishes an annual report regarding
human rights around the world, and has spoken specifically about issues
of justice related to North and South Korea, Rwanda, Taiwan, Central
American states, and many others, including the United States. Assembly
actions regularly make comment on issues of religious liberty in many
countries, including other Middle Eastern countries. The PC(USA) believes
that, through such actions, important perspectives and informed
glimpses of difficult situations are made available to the church and the
wider community to inform responsible engagement with the world.


7. All of these actions are consistent with the commitment of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) made in 1987 in A Theological Understanding of
the Relationship between Christians and Jews, "never again to
participate in, to contribute to, or (insofar as we are able) to allow the
persecution or denigration of Jews." That document also reminds us "both
Christians and Jews are called to wait and to hope in God. While we wait,
Jews and Christians are called to the service of God in the world."
This calling includes "ceaseless activity in the cause of justice and
peace."


As I made clear in a statement of May 28, 2002, "Palestinians are
called, once and for all, to cease striking terror in the hearts of Israeli
Jews by stopping attacks on noncombatants while they are carrying out
the activities of their daily lives or the celebrations of their
peoplehood. Israelis are called, once and for all, to cease striking terror in
the hearts of Palestinians by stopping military operations that assault
harmless people and disable Palestinian infrastructures. It is time to
stop activities that increase hatred and mutual recrimination and that
destroy hope, security and trust*. Acts of hate and terror inflicted on
innocent children and youth, women and men of Israel and the larger
Jewish community must be unequivocally condemned and vehemently abhorred.
This is in no way inconsistent with speaking out about the political
and military violence of the Israeli government or the militant
activities of Israeli settlers."



I encourage Presbyterians to maintain their relationships with people
of other faiths, with sensitivity to the fragility of trust in the
present climate of violence and terror. I also encourage all of us to seek
opportunities for respectful conversation with Jewish neighbors about
disagreements regarding Israeli policy and forms of public policy
advocacy for Israeli-Palestinian peace.



Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)


THIS STATEMENT CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON THE WEB SITE:
http://www.pcusa.org/oga/newsstories/israel.htm