United Methodist Church shuns calls for Israel divestment

The United Methodist Church, one of the largest Protestant denominations in the United States, has rejected proposals for divestment measures that would have applied pressure on Israel for its occupation of Palestinian territories.

The United Methodist Church, one of the largest Protestant denominations in the United States, has rejected proposals for divestment measures that would have applied pressure on Israel for its occupation of Palestinian territories. Delegates to the denomination’s General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, on 2 May rejected a call for the UMC "to review and identify companies that profit from sales of products or services that cause harm to Palestinians and Israelis and begin phased selective divestment from these companies", the United Methodist News Service reported.