Products made in Israeli West Bank Settlements
Individuals can decide to avoid purchases that support the economic
viability of these unlawful enclaves. The settlements are key obstacles to
peace, commandeering land and water, destroying olive groves, impeding
PalestiniansÕ freedom of movement with settlement-related roadblocks and a
network of Israeli-only roads that connect West Bank settlements with
Israel. Share your concerns with
the store manager. Organize an
information campaign. Distribute
leaflets outside the store describing the suffering of residents in the West
Bank and Gaza and asking shoppers to avoid settlement products.
Support the Palestinian economy
1. Buy Fair
Trade Palestinian olive oil. Olive oil is a vital source of income for many Palestinian
farmers. 65% of Palestinian families derive vital sustenance and/or income from
agriculture. In many areas Israeli curfews and movement restrictions, as well
as acts of severe violence from Israeli settlers, have resulted in olive trees
going unharvested. Many olive trees have been destroyed by the Separation Wall
and settlement building. Support Palestinian farmers by purchasing excellent olive oil at: www.palestinefairtrade.org/
and www.zatoun.com/ and www.canaanfairtrade.com/products.
2. Buy Fair Trade Palestinian
organic sun-dried tomatoes, olives, olive oil soap, and cous cous at: www.palestinefairtrade.org/
3. Specialty grocery stores
carry tinned pickles, tahini, olive oil, etc. from the West Bank, sold under Ziyad and other
labels. Spread the word about
these local outlets.
4. Send micro-grants or loans
to mini-cooperatives producing organic sun-dried tomatoes, olives, olive oil soap and
cous cous in the West Bank. These 5-woman coops are supported by the Palestine
Fair Trade Association: www.palestinefairtrade.org/
5. Buy T-shirts made in
Bethlehem at:
www.nosweatshop.com
Other Economic Actions for Peace
Contact
companies whose products or services are used In violence against Israelis or
Palestinians. Urge them to change
their practices. Investors can
avoid such firms and Israeli State Bonds, as well, instead seeking enterprises
that help the cause of peace. Investment advisors can be enlisted in this
process. Shareholders may join stockholder
resolutions that ask companies to stop enabling violence in
Israel-Palestine. All may join in
the growing boycott movement aimed at companies that profit from or support the
Occupation.
A)
Support Israeli, Palestinian, and international human rights organizations that
call
for a global boycott of companies profiting from or aiding the Occupation.
For information about wide-ranging approaches, see Global
Actions to End Israel's Occupation at www.interfaithpeaceinitiative.com/globalactions.pdf. Companies are listed at
www.whoprofits.org/ and at interfaithpeaceinitiative.com/resources/profiting.pdf.
B) Avoid Israeli State Bonds
Israel pays for its military armaments and the
Occupation with funds raised from the sale
of its bonds as well as millions per day from the US
government.
Investors find Israeli State bonds attractive because
the US guarantees them through the
Agency for International Development (USAID). The US
guarantees no other foreign
governmentÕs public debt. Some experts believe Israel is unlikely ever to redeem these
bonds, making them in effect a gift from US
taxpayers.
Take action:
1. US
state governments and union pension funds often carry a sizeable portfolio of
Israeli State bonds. Contact your
state government or union.
2.
Fidelity Mutual Funds. Fidelity Investments includes
Israeli State bonds in some of its
mutual bond funds. This data is available
at www.fidelity.com/
Ask Fidelity and your broker to avoid
such investments or stay invested and join
shareholder resolutions urging
Fidelity to divest from these bonds
C)
Adopt an Investment Screen or Divest: Here is the 20-company divestment list of United Methodists/New
England: Lockheed
Martin, Blockbuster, Alliant Tech Systems, Boeing, Caterpillar, Cement
Roadstone Holdings, General Dynamics, General Electric, Globecomm Systems,
Magal Security Systems, Motorola, Northrop Grumman, Oshkosh Truck Corp,
Raytheon, Silicon Graphics, TEREX, United Technologies, Veolia Environnement, ITT,
Volvo. (Information: Ecumenical Action Group:
Investment for a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine <Bill.Somplatsky-Jarman@pcusa.org>)
D)
Write a letter: Here is a sample:
James W. Owens,
Chair and CEO, Caterpillar Inc.
100 NE Adams Street,
Peoria, IL 61629-1425
Dear Mr. Owens,
As a (concerned citizen/stockholder/member of X group)
I/we ask Caterpillar Corp. to cease
sending equipment to Israel that is used in violence
against Palestinian civilians.
We ask in
particular that you stop providing the specially
fitted D9 bulldozer that is used by the Israeli
army to destroy Palestinian homes and olive
groves. This destruction has
caused untold
physical, psychological, and economic hardship to
thousands of Palestinian families.
E)
Sign a petition: US Campaign to End the
Occupation asks Motorola to stop providing
products and services that support the
Occupation. See:
<www.endtheoccupation.org/downloads/Motorola%20Petition.pdf>
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Some websites used in this research: http://www.pcusa.org/mrti/companies.htm;
http:www.gush-shalom.org.
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/publish/article_19.shtml
http://alawda.rso.wisc.edu/links.htm;
http:www.cjpp.org; www.bigcampaign.org/
http://www.qumsiyeh.org/boycottsanddivestment/;
www.quakerpi.org/Activism
http://www.palestinesolidaritymovement.org/resources.htm; http://www.dukedivest.org/