A grass-roots Presbyterian group this week urged the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. (PCUSA) to reverse its June decision to divest church funds from certain companies which do business with Israel.

The group, Presbyterians Concerned for Jewish & Christian Relations (PCJCR), issued a statement in reaction to a July resolution issued by PCUSA's governing body, the General Assembly Council, to "initiate a process of phased selective divestment in multinational corporations doing business in Israel."

"While we believe that divestment can be a useful tool for social change, it is wrong to single out Israel as the object of a divestment policy when other states and parties in the region are also guilty of serious human rights violations that can and must be addressed," the group said, adding that the decision has created tension between and among the Presbyterian and Jewish communities.

"It is well known that the General Assembly's action created a great deal of anger in the Jewish community. What is not as well known is the anger the action created within the PCUSA," said John Wimberly, a PCJCR steering committee member...