The Bin Veolia Australia campaign has contacted all local government councilors in NSW and called for them to reconsider their association with the company, Veolia in light of its ongoing investment in infrastructure for the illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
In recent months, Veolia has sold most of its businesses in the occupied Palestinian territories due to the significant impact of the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. However, justice and peace movements around the world, including the Bin Veolia Australia campaign, are still calling on Veolia to be fully compliant with international law and its own ethical commitments, as a signatory to the UN Global Compact, by withdrawing from its interests in and ongoing profits from the Jerusalem Light Rail.
Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law and are in direct contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Veolia is directly profiting from its business in the Jerusalem Light rail which links these illegal Israeli settlements to West Jerusalem.
This Australian campaign is part of a large international movement against Veolia and other companies that are complicit in human rights abuses and breaches of international law.
The global campaign has been supported by many governments, universities, major pension funds and religious groups and most recently some 12 additional European governments have published online guidance warning their citizens and businesses about the risks involved in trade and other economic links with illegal Israeli settlements.[1]
Between 2006 and 2015, the campaign has cost Veolia almost US$24 billion in lost contracts.[2]
BIN VEOLIA AUSTRALIA strongly urges Australian businesses, non-profit organisations including academic institutions and local/ state/federal government authorities to:
Recognise that Veolia is involved in business activities which support and extend the illegal Israeli occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and which make Veolia complicit in Israel’s violations of United Nations Resolutions and international law;
Ensure that good corporate citizenship principles are not compromised by rewarding Veolia’s complicity in human rights abuses.
Act to ensure that no new contracts or renewal of any existing contracts are signed with Veolia whilst this company is complicit in Israeli breaches of international law, so long as refusing to enter such contracts would not be in breach of any relevant local or national legislation.
Further information: Dr Peter Slezak
PH: 0400 442 644
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-palestinian-territories/overseas-business-risk-palestinian-territories
[2] Veolia Campaign Victories – Global Exchange http://www.globalexchange.org/economicactivism/veolia/victories
Bin Veolia Campaign Australia 