Reporting Immediately After the Caterpillar Shareholders Meeting We are in Chicago, where the annual Caterpillar shareholders meeting has just ended. As expected, there were people sitting all over the room who kept raising their hands, asking to speak, and their questions and comments were anti-Israel. The chairman of the meeting Jim Owens, was gracious, giving each person three minutes (plus) to speak. He repeatedly asked people for business related questions until it became clear that the majority of the questions were sadly, going to be political in nature and more specifically anti-Israel.

Rachel Corrie's parents were in the room. Both of them spoke. Others brought up how caterpillar used bulldozers in Jenin and created rubble. Some talked about being "socially responsible..." which would necessitate that Caterpillar stop selling bulldozers to Israel. They came from a variety of different, manipulative angles. "I have come here out of LOVE for caterpillar. It is my love that motivates my request to you that you stop selling bulldozers to Israel."

I am sitting here at this computer completely grateful that we came here today, so that Israel's side of the story could be represented at this meeting. What follows are our two brief presentations that were made by us at the meeting. There was only one other person at this meeting who stood up during the hour and a half meeting, on behalf of Israel. He is a grandparent who said that his grandson had just returned from Israel and that Israel has a right to defend her citizens.

Roz Rothsteins speech at the Caterpillar shareholders meeting:

I commend Caterpillar for your continued growth and excellent management. Everyone who has Caterpillar stock is doing well. Congratulations to all of you. I came all the way here today from California because I knew in advance that this meeting would be hijacked by the people sitting all around this room. I knew that they would be making out of context statements that demonize Israel. I am with a group called StandWithUs, and I am here with my friend Allyson Taylor from American Jewish Congress. We are here because we wanted to make sure that Israel's side of the story would be represented. So please, give me two minutes of your time.

We realized that we had to come because we would very likely be the only voices in the room to counter the propaganda that you will be hearing this afternoon at today's shareholders meeting. We knew that the Corries, who are sadly grieving for their 23 year old daughter, Rachel, would be here to speak. And we knew that nobody in this room would mention that there are many other Rachels. . Other Rachels that were murdered in Israel by Palestinian suicide bombers while at cafes, supermarkets or shopping at a mall. We knew that nobody would mention that Israel, the size of New Jersey, has a duty to protect its citizens from suicide bombings. People in this room can certainly understand that when you go to a celebration, you expect to come home from that celebration, unlike some of the Rachels who were blown up by suicide bombers while at celebrations in Israel.

We also knew that while the people in this room who have hijacked this meeting would talk to you about Israel's security wall, that they would not tell you that the constant attacks against Israeli citizens build the wall. They wouldn't tell you that there was no wall prior to 2003. The people who keep speaking about Israel human rights violations will NOT TELL YOU about Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah. They will not tell you that Palestinian terrorist groups like this have charters that call for the destruction of Israel. So I would like to parrot the words of Mr. Corrie when he suggested that you become educated about the Middle East. I agree, and hope that you make sure that you become educated about BOTH sides of the story. Thank you.

Allyson Taylor's Remarks at the Caterpillar Shareholders meeting:

First of all, I would like to thank CEO Jim Owens for the magnificent performance of CAT. I have it invested in my retirement portfolio in Caterpillar. I would also like to thank the Board members and Mr. Owen for your amazing work, and how you have made every effort to avoid being drawn into a geopolitical situation under which you as manufacturers have no control. Singling out Israel is unjust, and if Caterpillar was forced to check out the use of all your equipment worldwide, it would create a conundrum. We must not forget the great work that CAT has done to building infrastructures worldwide including the Palestinian territories.

People came up to us following the meeting, and thanked us for our comments.

ANOTHER NOTE: We had a very nice turn out for the counter-protest prior to the meeting. We had approximately 35 people from a variety of organizations. The American and Israeli flags flew, and signs like: HAMAS Change your Charter, and Suicide Bombing is Mass Murder were held by participants. Thank you for helping to get the word out in such short notice. Across the street were very hateful signs about Israel, and it was critical that both sides were able to be represented.

Resolutions were presented by people who used the Caterpillar process to demonize Israel. Hopefully Caterpillar will find a way to avoid this unfortunate hijacking of their future meetings and save us the trip to Chicago.

...The Middle East figured in several questions put to Caterpillar Chairman James Owens at the annual meeting, held at the headquarters of Northern Trust Corp., 50 S. La Salle. Outside on La Salle Street, fewer than 100 people protested against Caterpillar while a smaller group of counter-demonstrators supported continued sales to Israel.

Owens, sometimes pleading for a question unconnected to politics, repeated that the company feels no responsibility for the end use of its products.

While expressing "heartfelt sympathies and concerns" for casualties in the Middle East conflict, "we corporately cannot resolve it," he said.

Arab nations rejected a boycott of Caterpillar, Owens said, because the Peoria-based company's products are used throughout the Middle East to abet construction and human progress.

He tried to redirect the focus to Caterpillar results, including a 20 percent increase in its dividend, 40 percent profit growth in 2005 and a growth outlook that would have the company nearly doubling its size since 2003. Owens said strong economies and low interest rates around the world have allowed the company to spend more than $1 billion a year in product development, strengthen a well-funded pension plan and consistently raise dividends...