The Mennonite Church USA logo. Photo: Mennonite Church USA.

JNS.org – The Mennonite Church USA voted on Thursday to divest from any financial holdings of companies profiting from Israel’s “occupation.”

A divestment resolution, which received 98-percent support among the 550 delegates at the Church’s national convention in Orlando, Fla., said the Protestant sect “opposes the Israeli military occupation while taking a stand against antisemitism and affirming the need to build stronger relationships with Jewish communities.”

The resolution asked the Church’s financial agency, Everence, to “review investment practices for the purpose of withdrawing investments from companies that are profiting from the occupation.” It also called on individual adherents of the Mennonite denomination to review their investments.

Drawing its roots from the Radical Reformation of the 16th century in Germany and Switzerland, Mennonite Church USA was formed as a result of the 2002 merger between the Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church. Like other mainline Protestant movements, Mennonite Church USA has suffered substantial membership declines in recent decades. Mennonite Church USA stated its membership was 78,000 in 2016.

Earlier this month, another mainline Protestant church, the United Church of Christ, overwhelmingly approved a resolution condemning Israel for its alleged treatment of Palestinian children.