[The following, by Will Spotts, is crossposted from The PC(USA) on Israel and Palestine.]

The following presbytery overtures that concern Israelis and Palestinians are scheduled to come before the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This list only reflects the situation as of yesterday - May 14, 2010.

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Item 14-01 and 14-02 "On Divestment from Caterpillar, Inc." - from the Presbyteries of Newark and San Francisco.

The Presbyteries of Newark and San Francisco have overtured the General Assembly to "Instruct the Presbyterian Foundation and the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to begin the process of disinvestment from Caterpillar, Inc. and to not reinvest in this corporation unless the Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is fully satisfied that Caterpillar, Inc. no longer engages in the selling of equipment to Israel that is used to build illegal Israeli settlements, construct walls that illegally encroach upon Palestinian lands cutting Palestinians off from their own property and natural resources, destroy Palestinian life and property, and otherwise continue to support the occupation of Palestinian territories." The wording of much of these two overtures is identical, but they part company on a couple of points.

The San Francisco overture (14-02) calls on the PC(USA) to affirm that, "...the occupation needs to end ... to prevent the extinction of Christianity in Jerusalem and the West Bank." It is important to note that this is NOT a part of the rationale for the overture, but is an actual item to be voted on by the GA. If it succeeds, the PC(USA) will be declaring that it is the occupation that threatens the extinction of Christianity in Jerusalem and the West Bank. No mention is here made of any other threats or difficulties encountered by Christians in those areas. The effect, of course, is to place blame on Israel alone.

The San Francisco overture (14-02) also calls on the PC(USA) to affirm that "actions of corporate divestment, when other shareholder engagement has not succeeded, are based both in the church's own integrity and in the likelihood of greater continuing witness and effective influence from the outside, as was the case in the worldwide ecumenical campaign against South African apartheid. ..." If this passes there can be no coy evasions - as happened in 2004 - where Presbyterians try to claim that divestment was not meant to indicate an equivalency between the situations in apartheid South Africa and present day Israel. The equation is contained within the overture.

These two overtures, while distinct, share a word-for-word rationale. Presbyterians who want to evade some criticism will tell you (with some very limited justification) that rationales are not what the General Assembly actually votes to affirm. Rationales are, however, the arguments presented to the GA, they have been used to attempt to discern the intent behind some past GA actions, and they tend to be very instructive. This verbatim rationale offered by both Newark and San Francisco has a rehearsal of recent PC(USA) history that is creative at best, one might argue completely false, but at the very least, not to be taken literally. The rationale's first line, the one that demonstrates how these presbyteries seem to view themselves, is quotable: "In July 2004, the 216th General Assembly (2004) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), meeting in Richmond, Virginia, took the ecumenical world by storm in its decision to begin the process of engaging in selective divestment..."

[The Presbytery of San Jose concurs with the Presbytery of San Francisco on 14-02.]

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Item 14-04 "On Recognition that Israel's Laws, Policies, and Practices Constitute Apartheid against the Palestinian People" - from the Presbytery of San Francisco.

The Presbytery of San Francisco overtures the General Assembly, asking them to "Direct the Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) to send this overture to the United Nations, encouraging them to find that the state of Israel is committing the crime of apartheid and to take the appropriate actions..."; and to "Direct the General Assembly Mission Council to prepare study resources, and urge presbyteries to provide opportunities for study and discussion to further educate church members about the Israeli occupation of Palestine."

If passed, this overture would, of course, clear up the PC(USA)'s stance on whether or not it is labeling Israel apartheid. In one sense that might be a positive development: it would no longer allow representatives of the PC(USA) to deny the full import of their statements. I am curious, however, what the Presbytery of San Francisco believe they have indicated by encouraging the UN to "take the appropriate actions".

The Presbytery of San Francisco, naturally, provides a litany of crimes attributed to Israel. These range from legitimate complaints to the false, to the absurd. It is, however, absolutely silent on the actions of other nations or of Palestinians in this situation. By way of example, the Presbytery of San Francisco accuses Israel of "Denying Palestinians the right to work". The Presbytery of San Francisco accuses Israel of "Denying Palestinians the right to education." The Presbytery of San Francisco accuses Israel of "Denying Palestinians the right to a nationality." The Presbytery of San Francisco accuses Israel of "inflict[ing]...serious bodily or mental harm ... [and] inhuman or degrading treatment... on Palestinians."

The Presbytery of San Francisco does provide a tortuous rationale for some its charges; were it not for the outright bias they are asking the PC(USA) to embrace, this might provide some entertainment value. As is, it is more like a dangerous form of propaganda than anything else.

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Item 14-05 "On Commending, 'A Moment of Truth: A Word of Faith and Hope from the Heart of Palestinian Suffering,' as an Advocacy Tool" - from the Presbytery of San Francisco.

The Presbytery of San Francisco also overtures the 219th General Assembly to "receive "A Moment of Truth: A Word of Faith and Hope from the Heart of Palestinian Suffering," commending it to use by our presbyteries and congregations as an advocacy tool..." and to "call on the Interfaith Office to include in its discussions with American Jewish and Muslim groups a careful study of the Palestinian Christian Kairos document." Apparently not content with the other two overtures, divesting from Caterpillar (14-02) and finding Israel guilty of the crime of Apartheid (14-04), the Presbytery of San Francisco felt that it could be even more helpful. It is calling for the PC(USA) to endorse a highly flawed document.

The Kairos document has a number of theological quirks - which do merit a closer look. However its chief flaws are three. First, it places blame for the difficulties of the region squarely and solely on Israel. While this perspective is common enough these days - it continues to be a falsification of the history of the state of Israel, of the actions of neighboring states, and of the actions of Palestinians. Second, it is not a call for non-violence - it does not reject terrorism - in some senses it honors it. And third, it positively rejects the identity of Israel as a Jewish state.

Ironically - within the same paragraph - the Kairos document at once calls for a rejection of "the principle of "'double standards'" AND "the beginning of a system of economic sanctions and boycott to be applied against Israel."

[The Presbytery of San Jose concurs with the Presbytery of San Francisco on 14-05.]

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Item 08-09 "On Referring 'Christians and Jews: People of God" and "Understanding Christian-Muslim Relations'" - from the Presbytery of San Francisco.

The Presbytery of San Francisco overtures the 219th General Assembly to "Postpone the reports from the Offices of Interfaith Relations and Theology and Worship entitled: "Christians and Jews: People of God," and "Understanding Christian-Muslim Relations" until such time as funding is provided by the General Assembly for the appointment of a special committee of the church, to be appointed by the moderator, to rewrite both reports after broader consultation to include the National Middle East Presbyterian Caucus, PC(USA) partner churches and agencies in the Middle East, relevant mission networks of the PC(USA), the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns, and the Advisory Committee for Social Witness Policy."

This overture references other business items coming before the General Assembly. Until we more carefully consider the reports mentioned, it will be difficult to make complete sense of this overture. A couple of things are immediately evident. First, the Presbytery of San Francisco is calling for the involvement of specific groups within the PC(USA) that ALL have records of bias. The ACSWP prepared the biased and flawed report that was accepted by the 2003 and 2004 General Assemblies. That report's histories were one-sided and inaccurate. The former publication of the ACSWP, Church and Society, presented articles that at times crossed into the overtly anti-Jewish. It appears that the Presbytery of San Francisco intends to include the Israel/Palestine Mission Network among its "relevant mission networks of the PC(USA)". Unfortunately, the IPMN's work has been more biased, more flawed, and has had more overtly anti-Jewish elements than has the ACSWP. Noticeably lacking, however, is any call to cooperate with Jewish or Muslim groups.

Appended to this overture is a communication from the Israel/Palestine Mission Network - that is, at best, giving it every possible benefit of the doubt, alarming. Amid its many problems, three things are very important to note:

First, the IPMN displays a strong animosity toward the existence of a Jewish State. This may or may not conflict with PC(USA) policy - but if that animosity is a reflection of that policy then the PC(USA) needs to come out and clearly say this. The IPMN letter states it in this way:

Second, the IPMN clearly places blame on Judaism rather than Israel or "Zionists" only.

In their footnote, the IPMN says (in offensive and patently false terms):

Third, in the same appended letter, the same IPMN that the Presbytery of San Francisco would have helping write a theological paper on Christianity and Judaism, says:

This chilling assessment - that antisemitism proceeds from Israeli actions - is brought to you by the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the PC(USA), and is intimately tied to this overture from the Presbytery of San Francisco. Commissioners would be well advised to seriously consider the role they want such a Network to play in the formulation of Presbyterian theological statements.

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Item 14-09 "On Seeking Compliance to U.S. Government Policy in the Use of Military Aid by All Parties in the Middle East" - from the Presbytery of Chicago.

The Presbytery of Chicago overtures the GA to "express its support for the U.S. government policy of carefully vetting the funds distributed to foreign countries in ways that ensure peaceful development and are consistent with international law, human rights protections, and U.S. foreign policy," and to "Express its extreme disappointment with the U.S. government that while the State of Israel has been found not to comply with the above statutes, it continues to be the recipient of U.S. military aid."

On its surface the title of this overture tips its hat toward balanced treatment. However, it is immediately clear - even to a cursory reader - that the title is, at best, a polite fiction. This overture has one purpose, and only mentions a change in policy toward one party: drum roll please .... Israel.

Having noted the apparent one-sidedness, the Presbytery of Chicago has offered a disclaimer within the rationale for this overture:

I note without comment the attempt by the Presbytery of Chicago to use a statement from Jewish Voice for Peace as an example of "many Jewish individuals [that] agree with the arguments presented in this overture."

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Item 14-10 "Toward Peace and Reconciliation in the Middle East" - from the Presbytery of Baltimore.

The Presbytery of Baltimore overtures the 219th General Assembly to, "Call upon the government of Israel to establish an independent commission, whose findings it could accept, to investigate the allegations of inappropriate behavior contained in the Goldstone Report regarding actions of the Israeli Defense Force in Operation Cast Lead, and to report its findings to the government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the Hamas authorities in Gaza, and the secretary general of the United Nations." To, "Call upon the Hamas authorities in Gaza to work together to establish an independent commission, whose findings it could accept, to investigate the allegations of inappropriate behavior contained in the Goldstone Report regarding actions of Hamas and its military, and to report its findings to the Hamas authorities in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority, the government of Israel, and the secretary general of the United Nations." To, "Call on the United States government, its president and Congress, to actively engage with all authorities involved in the Gaza conflict to initiate and sustain the proposed independent investigations." And to, "Urge the U.S. government to continue to work actively through the presence of its special envoy to further peace negotiations between the Palestinian Authority, the Hamas authorities in Gaza, and the government of Israel."

This is, of course, a call to deal with Hamas. It is, however, significant to note that the Presbytery of Baltimore implicitly recognizes the flaws (or at least the possible existence of flaws) with the Goldstone report. And more significantly, this overture is relatively unique among this year's crop of overtures because the Presbytery of Baltimore is treating both parties in the same fashion. The Presbytery of Baltimore is not starting with the assumption that Israel is automatically in the wrong, and the version of events most critical of Israel is not automatically credited with veracity.

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Item 14-06 "On Middle East Peacemaking" - from the Presbytery of San Joaquin

The Presbytery of San Joaquin takes a different approach when it overtures the 219th General Assembly of the PC(USA) to answer all overtures concerning Israel and Palestine with the following statement:

This is a call to refrain from making the statements and taking the positions the PC(USA) and its representatives have consistently taken. Unlike ALL the other overtures coming before this General Assembly, this is a call to resist unilateral support for one side. It is a recognition of the inherent complexity of the conflict. It is a call for fundamental fairness. The Presbytery of San Joaquin goes farther, however, when it urges the 219th General Assembly to instruct "the General Assembly Mission Council to ensure that staff, council members, entities, affiliated organizations, and networks abide by these directives."By this statement the Presbytery of San Joaquin indicates that the staff, council members, entities, affiliated organizations, and networks of the PC(USA) have not displayed the basic fairness for which it calls. It also acknowledges that these have historically failed to abide by prior General Assembly decisions. In fact, the instruction would be entirely unnecessary if the staff, council members, entities, affiliated organizations, and networks of the PC(USA) customarily did abide by GA decisions.I suspect it will be difficult for most commissioners to acknowledge the problems of systemic bias, lack of fundamental fairness, occasions of outright anti-Jewish statements, and the failure of some staff, council members, entities, affiliated organizations, and networks of the PC(USA) to abide by GA decisions - without essentially re-writing those decisions in ways more favorable to their pre-existing agendas. It will be difficult - but if commissioners value fundamental fairness, if they think that accuracy and lack of bias are courtesies that should be accorded to everyone, if they think that Judaism and the Jewish people deserve equal treatment, then they will be find a way to address the full scale of the problem within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Will Spotts