Rev. Thomas spoke at Elmhurst College on October 27th about the background and rationale for the decision of the 2015 General Synod of the United Church of Christ that calls for boycotts of products from Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Territories and targeted divestment from corporations that profit from business which supports the Occupation. “There is a radical imbalance of power in the region, and therefore to stand with those who are in many ways to powerless in resistance to those who have all the power, need to move (the) question of balance (off) of the table,” Thomas said.
Thomas went on to talk about how the church has worked with many partners in Israel who share this same hope along with their Jewish allies in the United States. He emphasized that The United Church of Christ (UCC) took this step not to shame or to isolate Israel, but to seek a third way that responds to a Palestinian Christian plea that submission or violence not be the only option available to them. The UCC is also going to continue to invest in projects aimed to improve the situation of the Palestinians.
“This lecture opened my eyes to the realities of the conflict. It has everything to do with religion and the political aspect stemmed from that. Despite this face, we all need to come together to end this occupation.” said an Elmhurst College student.