"Unfairness against Israel" column in Kansas City Star

The Issue:

A November 29, 2005 "As I See It" column in the Kansas City Star shames the Presbyterian Church for taking a stand against the severe injustice experienced by Palestinians at the hands of Israel. As a motion of last resort, the Presbyterian Church has elected to review investments in corporations that profit from the occupation.

The "As I See It" column avoids discussing the reasons why Presbyterian Church has pursued this selective divestment. These reasons include: In defiance of many UN resolutions, Israel has refused to end its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. Further, Israel has settled 400,000 Israeli citizens in Palestinian territory. Additionally, Israel practices collective punishment by building hundreds of roadblocks throughout Palestinian territory, preventing civil movement to work, health facilities and schools, creating a virtual prison for Palestinians.

Please write a letter to the editor of the Kansas City Star. Send letters to letters@kcstar.com  or leave a comment for Voices in the Kansas City Star, call (816) 234-4493. Send an email to info@cjme.org mentioning if you followed up otherwise, either by sending your own draft of a letter or phoning the Star.

Remember: The Star does pay attention to the quality and quantity of letters on significant issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Please spend some time to write a letter.

Points you can make in a letter or call:

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA has "repeatedly spoken out against Israel's occupation, believing that it threatens the existence of both Israelis and Palestinians."

The "As I See It" article calls the divestment efforts a "negative choice." In the words of the Presbyterian Church USA: "The lives of all the people of the region are being devastated by violence and the occupation. By seeking to engage multinational corporations about support for the occupation, we are trying to help end the violence."

Other churches either support the Presbyterian moves or have started their own divestment efforts See "Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation Hails Presbyterian Decision to Divest," (August 9, 2004) and Anglican group calls for Israel sanctions: Campaigners inspired by boycott of apartheid South Africa, (9/24/04, Guardian) for more information.

New settlement construction on the West Bank continues in violation of the roadmap. According to Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! radio news program, 6400 units are being built on the West Bank.

Settlements are against international law and provoke violence. In addition, settlers were compensated up to $300,000 for the loss of their home in Gaza. Yet when the Israeli army demolishes Palestinian homes or uproots olive groves and diverts water supplies, Palestinians receive nothing and become homeless.

What You Can Do:
1. Write a letter to the Kansas City Star responding to the content of the article appearing in the Tuesday, November 29, 2005 issue.

Kansas City Star -- E-mail: letters@kcstar.com
Readers' Representative Phone: (816) 234-4487

2. Send an email to info@cjme.org and let us know that you wrote or called the KC Star on this issue.