The United Methodist Church voted to withdraw from an anti-Israel coalition just days after rejecting four divestment resolutions targeting the state.

The Methodists approved a petition to withdraw from the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation by a vote of 478-318.

The petition described the group a “one-sided political coalition,” citing its stated goals “to isolate Israel economically, socially, and culturally” and encourage “comprehensive divestment” from Israel, all “while overlooking anti-Israel aggression.” It called on the church to withdraw contributions and stop staff participation in the campaign.

“Blaming only one side while ignoring the wrongdoing of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran will not advance the cause of peace,” the petition concluded.

The non-binding vote was viewed as a defeat by delegates who were seeking to increase pressure on Israel.

In an open letter last week, which may have been directed at her church, leading Democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton called the campaign to boycott Israel “counterproductive to the pursuit of peace and harmful to Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Similarly, in her speech at the AIPAC Policy Conference in March, Clinton said that “we have be united in fighting back against BDS,” particularly “at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise across the world, especially in Europe.”

[Photo: United Methodist Videos / YouTube ]