Last week, U.S. envoy George Mitchell met with PA Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in an attempt to persuade Abbas to engage in direct negotiations with Israel. The U.S. supports Israel's willingness to engage in direct negotiations, as well as the measures Israel is offering in order to encourage direct talks. However, Abbas and the Fatah government continue to place preconditions on their willingness to participate, in particular insisting on a full settlement freeze by Israel before any such talks can begin. Mitchell continues to meet with representatives from the Arab states in order to secure support for these negotiations - this, too, is proving challenging.

 

On the Iran issue, international sanctions have already shown to impact the country's infrastructure, in particular its energy sector. The European Union has agreed to its own sanctions - the toughest yet to come out of Europe - to similarly target Iran's energy and financial sectors. We will continue to monitor and advocate for a full and speedy implementation of these sanctions.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Obama at the White House on July 6, in a much more positive visit than when the two leaders met last March. During the meeting, President Obama and PM Netanyahu saw eye to eye in their discussion of issues, including Gaza, Iran, nuclear weapons, and Middle East peace - agreeing that the time is right for direct negotiations to begin between the Palestinians and Israelis.

 

Following the meeting, President Obama expressed, "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu wants peace. I think he's willing to take risks for peace. And during our conversation, he once again reaffirmed his willingness to engage in serious negotiations with the Palestinians around what I think should be the goal not just of the two principals involved, but the entire world, and that is two states living side by side in peace and security... I believe that the government of Israel is prepared to engage in such direct talks, and I commend the Prime Minister for that."

 

A recent reporting of a public opinion poll conducted earlier this year revealed that U.S. support for Israel is near its record high. "The poll, conducted in early February, was part of Gallup's annual World Affairs survey in which Americans were asked a series of questions about their opinions of 20 countries or entities, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Israel's ranking, at 67 percent favorable, was among the highest of the countries surveyed."

In recent years, several Mainline Protestant denominations have begun considering proposals to divest from Israel, or from companies doing business with the Jewish State, at their national organizing conferences. The United Methodist Church (UMC) and Presbyterian Church USA (PC USA) are two of the denominations with whom the JCRC and others in the Jewish community have been in dialogue, and discussions this summer have resulted in two hopeful outcomes.

 

In Southwest Ohio, the United Methodist Church created a task force to study whether or not to divest investment funds from select companies operating in the disputed territories of the West Bank. The task force heard several perspectives, including the Cincinnati JCRC's, and as a result their material on Middle East issues is much more balanced and inclusive of both Israeli and Palestinian concerns. The task force concluded that while the divestment option would remain on the table for them, "other means, such as dialogue" are necessary first steps. We appreciate the partnership and openness expressed by members of the UMC task force.

 

The Presbyterian Church USA held its General Assembly at the beginning of July, a weeklong event that involved Jewish organizations such as the JCRC's national umbrella organization, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, as well as the American Jewish Committee (AJC). The Jewish community was there to advocate in response to three problematic reports involving Israel - the Middle East Study Committee report that employed a highly selective use of facts and theology to delegitimize Israel, a proposal to withdraw the church's investments in the Caterpillar company for selling their building equipment to Israel, and an Interfaith Relations report about Christians and Jews.

 

As a result of this advocacy, which involved other Jewish organizations as well, PC USA adopted a more balanced policy on Middle East issues, and declined to adopt anti-Israel divestment or boycott policies. While the conversation will continue between the Presbyterian Church and the Jewish community, this allows for continued partnership on these issues. Local PC USA leaders - including Cincinnati General Presbytery Reverend Jim DiEgidio - have only been helpful to our community's concerns, and we owe a deep expression of gratitude to Barbara Glueck and our local AJC Chapter for their ongoing advocacy work with the local Presbyterian Church.