Item 11-1 of the Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues is currently under debate. A presbyter from New York Presbytery moved substitute language that would back away from apologies on the grounds that there is no precedent for apologies to groups that are hurt by prophetic statements of previous assemblies, including fellow Presbyterians. The question was called, and debate ended. The amendment failed 120-383.
4:49pm CDT: A second amendment would add language to assure Palestinian Christians that we are not abandoning them in this time of trial for all sides. A call for all pending questions was moved, and the Stated Clerk is explaining the ramifications of this. The advisory delegates voted to end debate and the commissioners voted 403-91 to end debate. The amendment lost narrowly with the advisory delegates and likewise lost narrowly with the commissioners.
5:00pm CDT: The main motion is now up for a vote. The advisory delegates voted in favor, and the commissioners voted 483-28-1 in favor of the recommendation.
We had an opportunity to correct our mistakes of 2004, and we took it. Our policy is more just, recognizes that the problems are not limited to one side, and allows our denomination to be agents of healing and pastoral concern rather than agents of punishment.
Our commissioners are to be commended.
Several additional items were moved in a group, as they were answered by the action on 11-1. and they passed with a margin similar to the action on 11-1.
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