Euro-wide welcome for Dublin decision to boycott a French company which supports illegal settlements

The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) has welcomed the decision taken by Dublin City Council to boycott a French company which has a role in Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements. The Council of Ireland’s capital city has recommended that it will not “enter into any contracts with this company [Veolia] due to its role in operating the transport network between the settlements in Jerusalem and Israel”.

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In a written statement, Anwar Algharby of the Brussels-based ECESG said, “This step is very important, stating clearly that the people of the free world oppose the [Israeli] occupier’s practices, and comes in the wake of Israel’s accession to membership of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.” He added: “Accepting Israel for membership of this international organization is a reward for its illegal occupation, massacres and war crimes.” We need, said Mr. Algharby, to isolate Israel until it ends its unjust siege of Gaza and the rest of its crimes in Palestine.
 
According to the ECESG, the decision of the Dublin City Council is a clear message to all international companies which contribute to the consolidation of the illegal settlements on occupied territory in contravention of international laws and resolutions.

Mr. Algharby called upon the Members of the European Parliament to follow Dublin’s example by standing up for human rights and declaring a boycott of companies involved in Israel’s violations of the Palestinians’ human rights. In particular, he called for pressure to be put on Israel to lift the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip for four years; it is, he said, “considered as a war crime under international law”.