Week 4 Sunday School

1. May 22, 2014
POSITIVE INVESTMENT IN PALESTINE

2.  Presbyterian mission context
 The call for positive investment
 Investment process
 Initial Investments
 Next Steps
WELCOME

3. PRESBYTERIAN
MISSION CONTEXT

4.  Middle East since 1823
 Education, health, peace, justice and interfaith
 Israel Palestine since 1948-1949
 Refugee relief and resettlement, vocation and self development,
education, peace and justice
PC(USA) MISSION CONTEXT

5.  Israel has right to exist as sovereign state within secure,
internationally recognized borders
 Right of Palestinians to self-determination, including right to
establishment of neighboring independent, sovereign state
 Establishing a just and durable peace – and an end of
occupation is essential to peace
CONSISTENT PC(USA) POSITION

6. In recognition of desperate situation caused by occupation
 2004 – phased selective process of corporate engagement,
including possibility of divestment as last resort
 2006 – investments only in peaceful pursuits
– Directed Mission Agency to identify alternative
investment
 2008, 2010, 2012 – refined instructions regarding
investments
CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT

7. THE CALL FOR
POSITIVE INVESTMENT

8. PC(USA) action will:
 make a difference in the lives of those most vulnerable
 preserve an effective witness to peace in the entire region
CALL FOR POSITIVE INVESTMENT

9.  support collaboration
 develop viable infrastructure
 engage West Bank Christians
 be invested in the West Bank
 not include Israeli products
 be duly vetted
 result in sustainable economic development
 be sponsored by Palestinians or
jointly by Palestinians and Israelis
INVESTMENT PROJECTS WILL...

10.  be identified by joint delegation
 confine business activity to peaceful pursuits
 refrain from supporting or facilitating violence against
civilians, construction of settlements or Israeli-only roads, the
military occupation, and construction of the Separation
Barrier as it extends beyond the 1967 “Green Line” into
Palestinian territories
 promote respect for human rights, peace-building, and equal
employment opportunity
INVESTMENT PROJECTS WILL...

11. INVESTMENT PROCESS

12.  Guided by General Assembly directives
 Directed by the voice of congregations
 Consulted with Cambridge Associates
 Engaged consultants recommended by Cambridge with offices
in Tel Aviv and Ramallah
 Dozens of calls and two site visits
INVESTMENT PROCESS

13. INVESTMENT PROCESS
Sectors investigated:
 Education
 Micro-finance
 Infrastructure
 Renewable energy
 Agriculture
 Information Technology
 Tourism/Hospitality

14. INVESTMENT PROCESS
Criteria:
 Investment in West Bank owned/sponsored initiatives or companies
 Economic development
 Job creation
 Peaceful pursuits
 Palestinian investments must minimize or eliminate dependence on
Israel or others
 Transparency of use and impact
 Direct engagement

15. INITIAL INVESTMENTS

16. Continuous Education Center
Dar al-Kalima University College,
Bethlehem
 Construction loan for new
building
 Job-skills training in culinary
arts and tour guiding
 Two restaurants and state-of-
the-art commercial training
kitchen
 Classrooms and offices
 Conference center
 $750,000 invested so far
INVESTMENT 1: EDUCATION

17. Microfinance Loan Facility
The National Bank, Ramallah
 Loans to start and grow small
businesses
 Primarily women borrowers
 Addresses high unemployment
 $250,000 invested, leveraged to
$500,000
INVESTMENT 2: MICROFINANCE

18. Solar Energy Plant
Arab Development Society, Jericho
 More reliable energy source
 Reduce energy expense
 R&D and manufacturing facilities
 $300,000 initial investment
INVESTMENT 3: RENEWABLE ENERGY

19. NEXT STEPS

20.  Report progress to General Assembly
 Open program to additional institutional investments
 Explore possibility of Phase II investments
 Connect Presbyterians with expertise to Palestinian
businesses
NEXT STEPS

21. DISCUSSION /
QUESTIONS