Church of England considers divestment from Israel....

Here's the latest sad chapter in churches considering divestment from Israel.

The Church of England Ethical Investment Advisory Group has recently decided to consider whether to continue its considerable investment in an Israeli company - Caterpillar. The construction company was criticised by the United Nations for allegedly being involved in human rights abuses in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

According to the Church’s ethical investment policy, investment in arms companies or companies making "weapons platforms" such as naval vessels or tanks are strictly prohibited.

The UK think-tank Ekklesia commented that a report from an anti-poverty campaign group - War on Want - claimed that Caterpillar bulldozers have been used in the construction of Israel’s Separation Wall, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice in July 2004. In addition, thousands of Palestinian homes and vast swathes of agricultural land were said to have been destroyed by the Israeli military using armoured Caterpillar D9 bulldozers.

War on Want has welcomed the Church of England’s meeting to consider divestment from Caterpillar. John Hilary, Director of Campaigns and Policy at War on Want, said to Ekklesia, "Caterpillar continues to supply the Israeli army with its bulldozers in the full knowledge that they will be used as military weapons against the Palestinian people. By breaking links with Caterpillar, the Church of England can send a strong signal that corporate complicity in human rights abuses is unacceptable."

I don't believe Caterpillar is an Israeli company. But, it doesn't matter...what they don't get is that the fence has saved countless lives. Does the Church really believe that Israel shouldn't defend itself?