PCUSA votes to divest from Israel bonds
In-person attendees at the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Video screengrab)
The general assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted Monday to divest from Israel bonds and begin the process of encouraging two companies it believes are contributing to human rights abuses against Palestinians in the occupied territories to quit their practices.
Both votes were wrapped up in other legislation that passed unanimously as part of the biennial gathering of the denomination meeting online and in person in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The PCUSA, with about 8,800 churches and 1 million members, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US. It has been sharply critical of Israel and its policies over Palestinians for decades. Two years ago it voted to declare Israel an apartheid state, angering the US Jewish establishment.
