United Church of Christ Votes to Divest from Israel

JERUSALEM, Israel -- The United Church of Christ announced its endorsement of the BDS movement against Israeli products produced in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) though it failed to secure the two-thirds majority vote needed to label Israeli policies "apartheid."

The Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor called the decision "a blow to morality and peacemaking in the Middle East."

"BDS is anti-peace as it promotes the destruction of Israel and opposes dialogue, cooperation, and developing peaceful ties between Israelis and Palestinians. The church's decision has made the UCC a participant in the conflict, the opposite of peacemakers," the group said in a press release.

Click here for NGO Monitor's BDS in the Pews.

The UCC follows the Presbyterian Church USA's earlier decision to divest from the Jewish state. The Episcopal Church and the Menonite Church USA are reportedly discussing similar resolutions.

The UCC called on its membership to divest from Hewlett-Packard, Caterpillar, Motorola, Ahava, and SodaStream -- companies it accuses of profiting from "the occupation of the Palestinian territories by the State of Israel."

A decade ago, the UCC accused Israel of human rights abuses arising from its occupation of Arab land, a theme it continues to endorse.