Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-413-5639, jwalton@theird.org

TAMPA, May 2, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Delegates to the governing body of the global 12 million-member United Methodist Church voted today 685 to 246 to reject divestment from three companies doing business with Israel. The move follows a high profile lobbying campaign by pro-divestment activists.

United Methodist Kairos Response (UMKR) argued that the United Methodist General Conference should instruct the denomination's pension board to sell investments in Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard and Motorola Solutions. UMKR argued that the three companies profit from Israel's military presence in the West Bank.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly will consider a similar anti-Israel divestment proposal in June.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

"The decision of United Methodists to forgo divestment is a rejection of simplistic one-sided blame that characterizes anti-Israel advocacy.

"Despite an intense lobbying effort by seemingly omnipresent pro-divestment activists, United Methodists have opted to retain the church's existing policy of positive engagement with Israelis and Palestinians.

"Hopefully other churches will follow United Methodists in resisting calls to pressure Israel alone into making concessions."