The Episcopal Church, its website featured in the image, rejected a resolution to divest from Israel. Photo: Screenshot.

JNS.org – The Episcopal Church on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a resolution to divest from Israel, while Mennonite Church USA voted to delay a decision on divestment until its next general assembly two years from now.

The Episcopal House of Bishops nixed the divestment measure in a lopsided voice vote at its 78th General Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Mennonite Church, meanwhile, decided to table a divestment resolution in a 418-336 vote.

The Episcopal resolution was put forth by the Episcopal Committee for Justice in Israel and Palestine, which called on the church to investigate whether it is “complicit in Israeli human rights abuses through investments in companies that profit from Israel’s illegal occupation and colonization of Palestinian lands, and to advance the process to divest from such companies if we are found to be doing so.”

After the rejection of the divestment resolution, Rabbi Noam Marans—director of interreligious and intergroup relations for the American Jewish Committee—said, “The Episcopal Church is a significant partner in bringing the Abrahamic faiths together in support of Israeli-Palestinian peace.”

Earlier this week, the United Church of Christ had passed a resolution to divest from Israel at its General Synod in Cleveland.