[Peace-discuss] United Methodists Divest from Company Involved in Israeli Occupation

[Robert Naiman via Peace-discuss]

http://www.kairosresponse.org/PressRel_UMC_Divests_G4S.html


*United Methodist Church Divests from G4S*


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2014


*Largest Mainline Protestant Church in U.S. Divests from Company Involved
in Israeli Occupation *

*Amid concerns raised by church justice advocates, United Methodist Church
Pensions sells all stocks in G4S, a supplier of security services and
equipment for Israeli prisons, settlements, checkpoints and Separation
Wall.*


Los Angeles - The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits (GBPHB) of
The United Methodist Church, which manages an investment portfolio of over
$20 billion, has instructed its investment manager to sell immediately all
shares in G4S, due in part to concerns about the company's involvement in
human rights violations in the Israeli prison system and the military
occupation of Palestinian territories.

According to David Wildman, United Methodist Executive Secretary for Human
Rights and Racial Justice at the General Board of Global Ministries, "This
is the first time that a United Methodist general agency has included human
rights violations related to Israel's illegal settlements and military
occupation in a decision to divest from a company. We celebrate this strong
human rights message both to G4S specifically and to other companies whose
business operations support longstanding human rights abuses against
Palestinians."

In addition, the church agency has placed a moratorium on any future
purchases of G4S, the world's largest security company with operations in
over 120 countries, until a new investment screen is implemented that
addresses human rights violations such as those by the Israeli Defense
Forces against Palestinians.

A top executive of GBPHB contacted United Methodist Kairos Response (UMKR)
leaders this week about the sale of G4S stocks, informing them that this
decision was due in large part to the serious concerns about G4S activities
raised by United Methodists seeking a just and peaceful resolution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

UMKR, a church-wide advocacy movement focused on Israel-Palestine issues,
has raised questions within the church for several years about companies in
the denomination’s investment portfolio, including G4S, that are involved
in the Israeli occupation. "We greatly appreciate the news and we commend
the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits for taking this
groundbreaking action to address the concerns of many United Methodists
about human rights violations in Israel and the occupied territories,” said
Rev. John Wagner, UMKR Convener and a church pastor in Ohio.

G4S contracts with the Israeli Prison Service to provide management of
security systems at prisons within Israel and in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory. According to Amnesty International, B’Tselem an Israeli human
rights organization, and Defence for Children International-Palestine,
Palestinians held in these prisons, including hundreds of child detainees,
are routinely subjected to abuse and torture. G4S also provides equipment
and services for Israeli settlements and checkpoints in the West Bank and
for the Separation Wall, constructed in violation of international law in
Palestinian territory.

Last month, under mounting pressure from an international advocacy
campaign, the Gates Foundation also made a decision to sell its holdings in
G4S.

UMKR welcomes the church’s landmark divestment action as part of a larger
and long-term process in which United Methodists seek to address human
rights issues, including the 47-year-old Israeli occupation, more
comprehensively in the denomination's investment decisions.

For more information visit UMKR's website at www.kairosresponse.org.


===

Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898 x1
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