Caterpillar: Rowan Williams writes to Chief Rabbi
Friday, 10 February 2006

Lambeth Palace SE1 7JU, Friday 10th February 2006

Dear Jonathan, There has been much adverse comment on the resolution passed last Monday by the Church of England Synod to review its investment in certain companies involved in the Palestinian territories, and much distress has been caused, especially to our Jewish friends and neighbours here and elsewhere. This distress is a cause of deep regret; as one who was present, it may be helpful for me to clarify what this resolution did and did not say and, even more importantly, what it did and did not imply.

The Synod has not, by this action, resolved to disinvest; although the resolution was a response to a call from our sister church in the region to disinvest, our response took the form of deciding (in accordance with the resolution of the international Anglican Consultative Council last June) to continue to examine our policy, to engage with companies about whom we had concerns and, specifically, to encourage a fact-finding visit to the Holy Land. This, of course, is in line with the existing advice from the Church’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group. The rest