Solomonia has an extensive post summarizing the situation. In it, he links to Jim Berkley’s report, which examines the committee vote in-depth, and summarizes it:
In all, the Peacemaking Committee’s solution appears much more even-handed, reasonable, balanced, and diplomatic than what the 2004 Assembly produced—the product of coming together to reason, rather than squaring off in opposition. The committee rejected all outside “solutions”—especially the plan brought by the General Assembly Council—and carefully produced its own plan. That example may just show the rest of the commissioners what Presbyterians at their best can accomplish.
It does seem like Sabeel has been stopped cold for the moment, but the General Assembly has yet to vote on the issue.
This was good to know:
Earlier that day, former CIA Director James Woolsey spoke forcefully against divestment from companies doing business in Israel. He warned that such a one-sided action targeting only Israel would amount to siding with the Palestinian Authority, now controlled by the theocratic totalitarian Hamas movement. Woolsey actually spoke twice—in a public lecture co-sponsored by Presbyterian Action and in the committee open hearing about divestment.
Nice to see that not everyone from the Carter era hates Israel. (Okay, so I’m exaggerating, but still—Brzezinski and Carter come immediately to mind on the anti-Israel front.)
I’ll wait to see what the General Assembly does before heaving a sigh of relief. But I’m thinking many Presbyterians are extremely unhappy with their leadership’s decision on divestment, judging from comments on my blog, other blogs and news articles popping up, and emails I have received.
Stay tuned.