PRESS RELEASE: Chicagoans to hold a vigil for divestment from the Israeli occupation of Palestine

For Immediate Release

Chicago Divests, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), The Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine (CJPIP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and the Chicago Movement for Palestinian Rights (CMPR) are holding a vigil this Friday at the corner of Lake and LaSalle. They are recognizing TIAA-CREF's recent divestment from Caterpillar, and are urging the financial firm to continue divesting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

TIAA-CREF, one of the nation's largest retirement fund providers, invests $2.3 billion in corporations profiting from human rights abuses in occupied Palestine. After years of grassroots campaigning and shareholder pressure, TIAA-CREF removed Caterpillar from its Social Choice Accounts last Thursday. Caterpillar provides bulldozers to Israel military and civil authorities for the systematic destruction of Palestinian homes, orchards, and businesses. Caterpillar used to enjoy $73 million of financial support from TIAA-CREF's social choice accounts, which are designed to "favor companies with a 'best-in-class' record on environmental, social and corporate governance issues". Now, TIAA-CREF can no longer claim that Caterpillar's facilitation of ethnic cleansing is compatible with "financial services for the greater good". We applaud TIAA-CREF for recognizing Caterpillar as an ethically irresponsible investment and for giving its clients the option of a Caterpillar-free Social Choice fund.

See our facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/422290831134874/

What: Vigil for socially responsible investment in Israel and Palestine

When: Friday, June 29th 12:00PM noon

Where: TIAA-CREF Illinois office, 200 N LaSalle Street (Northwest corner of Lake and LaSalle)

Why: To recognize TIAA-CREF's recent divestment from Caterpillar and oppose their continuing investment in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

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Chicago Divests demands that TIAA-CREF divest from all corporations profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Chicago Divests specifically targets six corporations–Veolia, Motorola Solutions, Hewlett-Packard, Elbit, Caterpillar, and Northrop Grumman–for providing weapons, surveillance systems, and segregated services to enforce the occupation.

Contact:
Chicago Divests Campaign Organizer Daniel Kaplan, chicagotccampaign@gmail.com, 847.903.4895
Jewish Voice for Peace Chicago's Lynn Pollack, lynnpollack@gmail.com, 847.902.4455