It has already begun: control of the Middle East Committee (Update) (New Update)

The Middle East Committee, which like all committees, must finish their work by Tuesday night is already under control of those who will frustrate every attempt the committee takes towards fairness. Last night when the agenda for the committee was voted on a member made a motion to allow Presbyterians For Middle East Peace  thirty minutes to speak from a different perspective than the three Presbyterian entities, which includes Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI).

In the midst of debate the resource person for that committee was asked by the committee’s moderator to explain how the open hearings work. And although only ninety persons will be allowed, (There was almost double that amount signed up)  each having 90 seconds to speak, some having the same anti-Israel perspective as the three Presbyterian entities, the resource person made it seem as though this was a sufficient way of allowing different perspectives. She failed to note that the committee will not be allowed to ask any of them questions. There can be no dialogue with them.

The resource person should not have been asked in the middle of the debate. She gave more than information, she gave advice. That is just one way of controlling the committee.

The motion lost 25 to 33. If you want to know more about the PFMEP they have just posted the videos of their General Assembly breakfast speakers on their web site. It begins with Rev. John Wimberly speaking and introducing the main speakers, Ghaith Ai-Omari, a Palestinian, R. Gustav Niebuhr a professor and journalist and Rachel Lerner of J. Street.

Pray that the dark forces (and here I am referring to the spiritual powers of wickedness) that seek to separate the Jewish community from the Presbyterian community will themselves be thwarted and banished. Pray that sensibleness and fairness will invade the hearts of those who have the power to destroy relationships, and the Presbyterian Church itself, with their actions. Pray that the truth will prevail.

Update: There is now more control happening in the committee. These people listed have been chosen to speak against Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions when they are for BDS: (See second update below)

04-03 - Sydney Levy -  chosen to oppose Apartheid overture

Author of Op-Ed calling for "divestment from Israeli Apartheid": 

http://www.caldivestfromapartheid.com/tag/sydney-levy/

Director of Campaigns for Jewish Voice for PEace - supports divestment by PCUSA: 

http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/blogs/sydney-levy

04-05 Susannah Nachenberg - chosen to OPPOSE Boycotting HP

Listed as a Jewish Voice for Peace "Resource:

http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/taxonomy/term/259%20258%20232%20223%20227

Part of a JVP crowdfunding campaign http://www.gofundme.com/8w9p5w

Giving an interview highly critical of Israel  

http://vimeo.com/24186882 

04-06 - Seth Morrison - chosen to OPPOSE occupation free investment

Pro-BDS activist, Described on pro-BDS website MondoWeiss as an activist with 

Here visiting congressman with JVP Jewish Voice for PEace https://www.facebook.com/JewishVoiceforPeace/photos/a.10150889013204992.521060.186525784991/10152663248594992/?type=1&relevant_count=1 

Mondoweiss: Seth Morrison is a longtime activist for Israeli Palestinian peace. An active member of Jewish Voice for Peace and volunteers for a variety of Jewish and secular non-profit organizations. Professionally he is a consultant in marketing and strategic planning for nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

04-07 - Michael Davis - chosen to OPPOSE MRTI report overture

Member JVP Rabbinic Cabinet

http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/campaigns/jvps-new-rabbinic-council-4

Here he writes in Tikkun that he is coming to Detroit in support of divestment 
http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2014/06/15/perspectives-on-presbyterian-divestment/

04-08  MARILYN BORST -chosen to OPPOSE MRTI report overture

signed onto pro BDS petition http://kmaw.net/bds/signatories.htm

longtime member of Sabeel (Sabeel annual report 2006): 

http://sabeel.org/datadir/en-events/ev184/files/2006%20Narrative%20Report.pdf

Second update: The Scheduling people have stated that there was a clerical misunderstanding of the sign up sheet.