Episcopal Bishop Objects to Economic Boycott of Israel

An Episcopal Bishop will speak at press conference on Thursday at the historic Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York against the Anglican Communion’s call for an economic boycott of Israeli businesses and companies that will profit from Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

Episcopal Bishop Mark S. Sisk, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, along with Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the NY Board of Rabbis, are attending the press conference to voice their strong opposition to the recent call by the Anglican Communion to consider divestment from Israel.

Bishop Sisk said it was a time "to invest, not divest."

The Anglican Consultative Council, including the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, voted unanimously in favour of divestment from Israel at the Anglican Consultative Council meeting held in England last month.

The Council issued a resolution last month, saying that the Council "commends the resolve of the Episcopal Church (USA) to take appropriate action where it finds that its corporate investments support the occupation of Palestinian lands of violence against innocent Israelis."

The decision by the Church of England came after moves by the USA Presbyterian Church to consider selling holdings in companies that profit from the occupation and a statement by the World Council of Churches (WCC), a global ecumenical body that also backs divestment.