Why is New Castle County being asked to support illegal Israeli settlements?
Mike Abel and Mary-Lee Lutz
Delaware Voice
It may seem strange that the New Castle County Council should be involved with Israel’s internal policies.
Nevertheless, on Sept. 29, 2015, Councilman Robert Weiner introduced Ordinance 15-093 asking the New Castle County Pension Board to “demonstrate its commitment to responsible investing by refusing to invest in companies that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement and the boycott of the State of Israel.”
Going further, Councilman Weiner defined “Israel” to include “territories controlled by the State of Israel,” even though such territories are not considered a legitimate part of Israel’s territory by the United States and international community. Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law, in particular under the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
Although the ordinance failed to pass the New Castle County Pension Board, it still must go to the county council for a vote.
So what is going on? Why is the New Castle County Council considering the adoption of an ordinance that supports Israel’s illegal settlements on Palestinian land?
The ordinance claims that investing in companies that support the BDS Movement is not “responsible investing.” This is a smoke screen. The issue before the council has nothing to do with responsible investing and fiduciary principles. In fact, investing in companies involved in violations of the law carries fiduciary liabilities. Israel’s policies are rapidly turning the State of Israel into an apartheid state reminiscent of the South African model that ultimately collapsed in the 1990s under domestic and international pressure. As the former Israeli Ambassador to South Africa Alon Liel said in 2013, “In the situation that exists today, until a Palestinian state is created, we are actually one state. This joint state…is an apartheid state.”
Palestinians live under Israeli occupation and Israeli military law. They are not allowed to vote in Israeli elections and Israel continues to confiscate Palestinian land and water, demolish homes, and deny Palestinians’ basic human rights. Such is the reality of an apartheid state.
In view of the worldwide condemnation of Israeli policies in the occupied territories, Councilman Weiner is fighting an uphill battle to protect Israel from the ethical consequences of it actions. Indeed, the BDS Movement is growing in strength as Israel’s violations of human rights and international law continue to be exposed.
In addition to active support for the BDS Movement, several trade unions have recently passed pro-boycott resolutions. The United Electrical Workers union in August adopted a resolution supporting the boycott movement and calling for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. In October the Connecticut AFL-CIO called on its national federation to boycott and divest from companies “profiting from or complicit in human rights violations arising from the occupation of the Palestinian territories by the State of Israel.”
Delaware Neighbors Against the Occupation (DelNATO), a local group advocating for peace and justice in Palestine/Israel, urges citizens of New Castle County to oppose Ordinance No.15-093 and to write to their Councilperson expressing their objections. Firms should not be blacklisted for refusing to be complicit in the creation of an apartheid state. On the contrary, such firms should be supported for furthering the cause of human rights and respect for international law.
Source: www.delawareonline.com