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MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC) NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blurb: The MCC U.S. board took unanimous action to respond to a call from partners,

including churches, by not knowingly supporting through its investments and purchases

violence against Palestinians, Israelis and other people groups.

MCC U.S. board acts for peace through its investments

By Cheryl Zehr Walker

March 26, 2013

AKRON, Pa. The board of directors of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) U.S.

unanimously decided that MCC U.S. will not knowingly invest in companies that benefit from

products or services used to perpetrate acts of violence against Palestinians, Israelis and other

people groups.

The action, taken at the boards March 16 meeting in Akron, grew from a call from partners in

Palestine and Israel, including churches there, and follows a discernment process with leaders

of the denominations that sponsor MCC U.S.

MCC staff in the Middle East delivered the message from churches and other partners in a

letter shared about a year ago. MCC has worked with partners in Palestine and Israel for more

than 60 years and more than 40 years, respectively.

The board agreed that all reasonable measures are to be applied immediately to not support

violence in the Palestine and Israel conflict, and also that staff should explore similar actions

in support of partners in other parts of the world.

The action means that MCC U.S. will not invest direct holdings in companies on the American

Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Israel/Palestine Investment Screen list, will choose to

invest in mutual funds that limit exposure to companies on the list and will join efforts to

encourage the mutual funds that it holds to adopt similar screens. Staff also will aim to align

MCC U.S. purchasing patterns with these investment principles.

MCC U.S. Executive Director J Ron Byler explained that while the list names only companies

that support Israels occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, perpetrating acts of violence

against Israelis is already illegal for Europe- and U.S.-based companies. We will take action if

we become aware of offenders against Israel, but our government ensures we do no harm toIsrael, while there is no such care for Palestinians. With our partners, we desire peace, justice

and reconciliation for all.

MCC U.S. investments traditionally have mirrored the organizations core Christian values,

using vehicles such as socially responsible funds.

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Byler said another aspect of the action included participating with sponsoring denominations

peacemaking and justice-seeking efforts as invited. He said opportunities for this exist now

with sponsoring denomination Mennonite Church USA.

Mennonite Central Committee: Relief, development and peace in the name of Christ

- END -

Cheryl Zehr Walker is MCC U.S. director of communications.

Photo available: MCC Palestine and Israel Partner Relations Director Bassem Thabet

facilitates a forum of Palestinian and Israeli partner organizations titled, Developing a Peace

Strategy. The group met at Hope Secondary School in the West Bank town of Beit Jala in

May 2011. (MCC photo/Ryan Rodrick Beiler)