Invest In Peace

How unfair that Christians acting for reasons of conscience to divest from companies profiting from an illegal and immoral military occupation should face charges of anti-semitism! As a Jewish activist committed to campaigning for recognition of Palestinian rights, I believe it is self-evident that standing up for the human rights of everyone in the Middle East is the best antidote to all forms of racism in the region.

I sincerely hope Methodists will make a brave, historic decision at the General Conference to divest from companies which benefit from the occupation. Such a move, originating from many sections of Palestinian civil society and supported by a number of Israeli human rights organisations, would send a strong message to the Israeli government that illegality, militarism and refusal to acknowledge wrongs done to the Palestinians are obstacles to peace, creating enmity and standing in the way of the two communities ever being able to live side by side.

Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi
London, UK