January 13, 2016 — New York, New York
AJC criticized the United Methodist Church (UMC) Pension Board decision to terminate its investments in five Israeli banks.
The action was requested and has been touted by supporters of the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanction) movement, which embraces rejection of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Targeting Israeli businesses is precisely what BDS activists seek, though this kind of action does nothing to bring about real Israeli-Palestinian peace,” said Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. “The Methodist Pension Board action against Israeli companies is deeply disappointing, and goes against the UMC’s rejection of BDS at its 2012 General Conference.”
The Israeli banks blacklisted by the pension board are Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, First International Bank of Israel, Israel Discount Bank, and Mizrahi Tefahot Bank.
