The
resolution titled "Peace Not Wall" was adopted on Saturday on a 668-269
vote by members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at their
convention in Orlando, Florida, despite pleas from Jews to refrain from
the move.
The document that eschews overt condemnation of
either side in the conflict urges both Israel and the Palestinians to
renew their commitments "to self-determination and security".
It
reaffirms the church's support for UN Security Council resolutions that
call for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied as a result of
the 1967 war while upholding the right of every state in the Middle
East "to live in peace within secure and recognised boundaries".
'Breeds despair'
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The wall makes it almost impossible
for children to get to schools |
The
document endorses findings by Munib Younan, the church's bishop in
Jordan and Israel, who lamented that the barrier was splitting his
Jerusalem congregation into three sectors.
He said the wall had made it almost impossible for
the congregation to meet, for children to get to their schools and for
adults to reach their places of work.
"Our church believes in bridges, not walls; trust,
not fear; dialogue for justice and peace, not more reason for
division," Younan said in a emotional address.
"The wall does not create peace, it breeds despair."
Unlike a measure recently adopted by the Presbyterian
Church USA, a 2.4-million-member denomination, the resolution does not
contain "a policy on divestment", church officials said.
Companies lobbied
On 5
August, the Presbyterian Church began its drive for divestment from
companies whose practices it says support the Israeli occupation of
Palestinian land or facilitate violence against civilians.
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Bulldozers built by Caterpillar are
used to destroy Palestinian homes |
The
first five companies targeted by the church include Caterpillar because
it manufactures bulldozers used by Israel for demolishing Palestinian
homes, Citigroup because some of its financial channels may have been
used to pay families of Palestinian bombers, and ITT Industries, a
supplier of communications equipment for the Israeli military.
Motorola has also made the list as a result of its
contract with Israel to develop encryption machines, while United
Technologies was accused of supplying the Jewish state with combat
helicopters.
Support eroding
The parallel actions by the Lutherans and
Presbyterians are seen as sign of possible erosion of support for
Israel among American Christians, a major political constituency behind
President George Bush.
US Christian conservatives have been among some of
the strongest supporters of Israel in the United States because of
Israel's role as custodian of the most sacred biblical sites.
The Lutheran resolution came in spite of a passionate
appeal by Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism,
who implored delegates to "not demonise or isolate Israel".
"As
long as the terror continues, we believe that Israel cannot be denied
the right to a defensive barrier whose goal is to end the
indiscriminate murder of her civilians," Yoffie said.