The Presbyterian Church (USA), which previously had called for divestment from companies profiting from the occupation of Palestine, adopted a different strategy of engagement in the Middle East today with a decision to back selective investment in companies committed to peace in the conflict between Israel and their Palestinian neighbors.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is meeting this week in Alabama.

Last summer the United Church of Christ adopted a similar policy to the one adopted this week by the Presbyterians and just this month the UCC and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) released a new guide book for churches committed to peace in the region.  Peter Makari told the United Church News: 

This resource is a tool to help pastors and lay leaders engage their congregations in implementing the resolution.  The positive contributions we make are a kind of investment: the return is the strengthening of the work and presence of people who are working to end violence and promote peace.

The UCC-resolution argues that divestment should be a last step and not an opening salvo.

The Anti-Defamation League has been critical of both strategies - divestment and investment - and some Jewish groups have accused Christians of being anti-Semitic for supporting divestment.

Jewish Voice for Peace, on the other hand, has joined with other Jewish peace groups and supported divestment and taken part in forums with representatives from Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, a non-violent Palestinian Christian group committed to human rights.