Boycott Israel update

The International Middle East Media Centre reported yesterday that the General Assembly of the United Church of Christ has voted to selectively divest from companies involved in Israel's occupation of territory beyond its pre-1967 borders. Here's a cut from the Church's statement on the issue

The obvious initial candidate for selective divestment would be the Illinois-based Caterpillar Corporation. Their purpose-built machines have enabled, and are still enabling, the Israeli Defense Force to destroy increasingly more Palestinian homes and olive orchards. One of these machines was instrumental in the deliberate crushing to death of the young American peace volunteer (International Solidarity Movement) Rachel Corrie in Gaza on March 16, 2003. Rachel was the first non-Palestinian peace activist to be killed in the Occupied Territories by the IDF.

She [Rachel] shared the fate of some 2300 Palestinians (the vast majority of them civilians) who were killed by Israeli troops or settlers during the Intifada from September 2000 to March 2003.

The statement went on to express support for a Palestine state on either a one or two state basis, but also affirmed Israel's "right" to exist. I don't know if it siad what Israel's right to exist actually means.