150 trade unions, parties, NGOs and faith groups call on EU to stop funding Israeli arms companies

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Thursday April 19, 2018 22:27

by ipsc - Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Posted belatedly
Today (17th April), on the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian Political Prisoners, more than 150 European trade unions, political parties, human rights organizations and faith groups from over 16 European countries issued a call urging the EU to uphold its legal responsibilities and exclude Israeli military companies from EU Framework Programs.

This call – accompanied by an explainer video – comes at a time when at least 35 unarmed Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli snipers during three weeks of protests at Gaza’s border with Israel.

The 150 strong list of signatories includes 20 signatories from Ireland, including political parties Sinn Féin, Solidarity, People Before Profit and the Communist Party, trade union organisations like TSSA and Dublin and Derry trades unions councils, NGOs like Afri, the Africa Centre and Centre for Global Education, solidarity groups like the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Sadaka and Academics for Palestine, and other anti-war, anti-racist and social justice organisations.

From the rest of Europe, it includes the European Network Against Arms Trade – a network of 18 organisations from 13 European countries, the National Federation of Railway Workers, Transport Workers, Officials and Employees of Luxembourg, Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees, Comisiones Obreras and CGT in the Spanish State, La Centrale Generale FGTB in Belgium, UNISON in Britain and the north of Ireland, the Belgian Workers Party, Podemos in the Spanish State, déi Lénk in Luxembourg, a global Catholic peace movement Pax Christi International, Friends of the Earth Finland, Human Rights League in France and Kairos Sabeel in the Netherlands and UK among others. See below for letter and full list of signatories.

The signatories stress that “European taxpayers’ money is being channeled to military companies, among them many Israeli corporations, under the disguise of research and a promise that the technologies and techniques developed will be used solely for civilian purposes.”

The call states that “one of the ways in which arms and military companies have gained access to EU funding is through the current EU Program for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020. This includes many Israeli military companies. Although the EU claims that research funds have gone only to projects with civilian applications, many of the projects approved are of dual-use nature serving military interests as well. Many others serve policies that curb or violate refugees’ rights and militarise our societies”

The signatories call on the EU to immediately exclude all Israeli military and security companies from the EU framework programs, given that an analysis of past projects has shown that their participation in these programs inherently involves EU support for the development and legitimisation of, and profiting from, technology and methodology used by Israel in the commission of war crimes and human rights violations.

Already in 2015 a coalition of 30 Palestinian trade unions and civil society organisations have called ( http://www.eccpalestine.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Letter-on-Israel-in-Horizon2020.pdf ) on the EU to exclude Israeli military companies from Horizon 2020. Also in 2015, Members of the European Parliament issued similar call. -see: https://www.euractiv.com/section/innovation-industry/news/meps-denounce-eu-funding-of-israeli-defence-firms/

“Public and governmental bodies must respect their obligations under international law and their own constitutions. It is time for European citizens to demand that not a penny more of their tax money be gifted to Israeli military and security corporations and institutions. It’s also beyond time for national governments to pressure the EU on its political and ethical inconsistencies, and for the EU to respect its own legislation” – said Ana Sanchez, international campaigns officer for Palestinian Boycott National Committee, one of the signatories of the call.
Aneta Jerska from the European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine concluded: “It is empowering and heartening to see so many European trade unions, civil society organisations and representative bodies publicly demanding the end of EU’s support for Israel’s violations of international law and human rights abuses. This is a powerful sign that European public opinion is well aware that Israel has been occupying and colonising Palestine by military means in breach of UN resolutions and International Law, and by speaking out like this clearly conveying the message that we refuse to remain complicit.”

To find out more about the ways the EU is funding Israeli military companies watch our video embedded here. Link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4el-iEXI2pE

FULL STATEMENT:

No EU money to the Israeli Arms industry

A call to stop the EU’s role in militarisation and profiteering from human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territory

The EU has been funding security-industrial research for many years. The overall EU budget for security research has tripled from €1.4 billion, under the previous budget period, to €3.8 billion from 2014 to 2020*. This European taxpayers’ money is being channeled to military companies, among them many Israeli corporations, under the disguise of research and a promise that the technologies and techniques developed will be used solely for civilian purposes. * https://www.tni.org/en/publication/market-forces-the-development-of-the-eu-security-industrial-complex

One of the ways in which arms and military companies have gained access to EU funding is through the current EU Program for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020. This includes many Israeli military companies. Although the EU claims that research funds have gone only to projects with civilian applications, many of the projects approved are of dual-use nature serving military interests as well. Many others serve policies that curb or violate refugees’ rights and militarise our societies.

The EU’s cooperation with Israeli military companies is proof that dual-use projects are inherently serving military purposes as well. Isaac Ben-Israel, Chairman of the Israel Space Agency, put it bluntly: “because we are a small country, if you build a small-satellite production line, say at IAI, it will be used for military and for commercial purposes.” The ECCP and Stop the Wall undertook a thorough analysis of EU projects which involve Israeli military companies; the analysis shows how public European funds are currently being used to develop, legitimise and profit from technology that is “field-tested” by Israel in the commission of war crimes and human rights violations.

There are many indications that the EU’s ‘border control’ policies are built on concepts and technologies that violate human rights. From the Transnational Institute and StopWapenhandel a well-documented report shows how Israeli companies have a unique selling strategy, capitalising on the fact that Israeli technology is ‘battle proven’ during illegal actions and policies of ‘border control’ and ‘population control’ in the context of occupation and colonisation, such as the Wall in the occupied West Bank, the siege and military attacks on Gaza, and many more examples.

Israeli military and homeland security companies, such as the Israel Aerospace Industries, have played a role in fortifying the borders of Bulgaria and Hungary, in the EU maritime surveillance programmes, and in the EU Frontex programme in general.

The EU refuses to take into account the grave misconduct of companies as well as the origin and possible destination of such technology thereby violating its own rules and regulations.

In July 2017, 25 international law experts published a legal opinion regarding the case of the Horizon 2020 LAW TRAIN project, which is based on cooperation with the Israeli police, which have a track record of torture and other human rights violations. The experts’ report highlights the need to exclude such actors demonstrably involved in systematic violations of human rights. By funding such projects, the EU simply turns a blind eye to grave violations of international law and human rights carried out within or outside its borders.

Therefore we call on the EU:

To limit EU Framework programs strictly to civilian security and peace research, excluding also research in border surveillance and dual-use technologies, and to avoid any link between Framework Programs and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), in particular the EU Defence Agency (EDA);
To immediately exclude all Israeli military and security companies from the EU framework programs, given that an analysis of past projects has shown that their participation in these programs inherently involves EU support for the development and legitimisation of and profiting from technology and methodology used by Israel in the context of war crimes and human rights violations;
To ensure transparency and democratic control over EU research programmes’ annual calls for proposals.

Signed:

European and international platforms: 1. European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine
2. Pax Christi International
3. European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT)
4. Corporate Europe Observatory
5. Decolonial International Network (DIN)
Austria:
6. Women in Black (Vienna)
7. Antiimperialistische Koordination (AIK)
8. Society for Austro-Arab Relations (SAAR)
9. Styrian Peace Platform (Steirische Friedensplattform)
Belgium:
10. La Centrale Generale FGTB – trade union
11. Socialist Union for Cultural Workers and Media (ACOD Cultuur) – trade union
12. Belgian Workers Party (PVDA – PTB) – political party
13. LEF-FGE – NGO
14. 11.11.11 – NGO
15. Belgian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (BACBI)
16. Plateforme Watermael-Boitsfort Palestine
17. Palestina Solidariteit
18. Association Belgo-Palestinienne
19. Hand in Hand tegen Racisme
20. Partij van de Arbeid
Finland:
21. Communist Party of Finland – political party
22. Friends of the Earth Finland – NGO
23. Finnish-Arab Friendship Society
24. Finnish Peace Committee (Suomen Rauhanpuolustajat)
25. Physicians for Social Responsibility, Finland
26. Spartacus Foundation
27. Women for Peace, Finland
28. Women Against Nuclear Power, Finland
29. Amandamaji rf, Finland
30. Committee of 100 in Finland
31. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions Finland
France:
32. The French Communist Party (PCF) – political party
33. The Party of the Indigenous of the Republic (PIR) – political party
34. Pax Christi France – NGO
35. Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH) – NGO
36. Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine – NGO
37. Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS) – NGO
38. Union juive française pour la paix (UJFP) – NGO
39. Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente (MAN)
40. Comité de Vigilance pour une Paix Réelle au Proche-Orient (CVPR PO)
41. Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (AURDIP)
42. Sciences Citoyennes
43. REF – Réseau Euromed France
44. BDS France,
45. Collectif Judéo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine
46. Mouvement International de la Réconciliation-France
47. Association Jumelage Palestine France
48. La Cimade
49. Réseau Sortir du colonialisme
50. Mouvement contre le Racisme et pour l’Amitié entre les Peuples (MRAP)
51. Forum Palestine Citoyenneté
52. Le Mouvement de la paix
Germany:
53. Jewish Voice for Peace (Jüdische Stimme für gerechten Frieden in Nahost) Germany
54. Deutsch-Palästinensische Gesellschaft NRW Süd
55. BDS Berlin
56. BDS-Gruppe Bonn
57. Institut für Palästinakunde e.V.
Ireland:
58. Derry Trades Union Council – trade union
59. Dublin Council Of Trade Unions – trade union
60. Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland – trade union
61. Sinn Féin – political party
62. Communist Party of Ireland – political party
63. Solidarity – The Left Alternative – political party
64. People Before Profit – political party
65. Sadaka – NGO
66. Centre for Global Education – NGO
67. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign – NGO
68. Action from Ireland (Afri) – NGO
69. Africa Solidarity Centre Ireland – NGO
70. Trade Union Friends of Palestine – campaigning group
71. Peoples Movement – Gluaiseacht an Phobail – campaigning group
72. Peace and Neutrality Alliance – campaigning group
73. Irish Football Fans Against Israeli Apartheid – campaigning group
74. Shannonwatch – campaigning group
75. Academics for Palestine – campaigning group
76. Students for Justice in Palestine (Dublin) – campaigning group
77. United Against Racism – campaigning group
Italy:
78. New Weapons Research Group – NGO
79. Salaam Ragazzi dell’Olivo – Comitato di Milano – NGO
80. Salaam Children of Olive Tree – Milan Committee – NGO
81. Rete della Pace – network of 60 organisations – involved in peace, disarmament, noviolence, human rights.
82. Associazione Amici della Mezzaluna Rossa Palestinese
83. Casa Terra
84. Cultura è Libertà
85. Comitato ”Nessun M346 a Israele” (Varese)
86. Donne in nero (Women in black)
87. Rete Disarmo (membro ENAAT)
88. Rete Ebrei contro l’occupazione (ECO)
89. Rete Romana di Solidarietà con il Popolo Palestinese
90. Reti di pace (Laboratorio Monteverde)
91. WILPF Italia (Women’s international league for peace and freedom)
92. BDS Italia
93. Rete Disarmo
94. Tavolo TerraCorpiTerritori&SpaziUrbani in Non Una Di Meno, Italy
95. AssopacePalestina
Luxemburg:
96. The National Federation of Railway Workers, Transport Workers, Officials and Employees of Luxembourg (FNCTTFEL) – trade union
97. déi Lénk – political party
98. SOS Faim – NGO
99. Cercle de Coopération – NGO
100. Comité pour une paix juste au Proche-Orient
101. Action Solidarité Tiers Monde
The Netherlands
102. Socialist International
103. Kairos Sabeel Nederland – NGO
104. Diensten en Onderzoek Centrum Palestina (DocP) (DocP)
105. Transnational Institute – think tank
106. Nederlands Palestina Komitee
107. SAP/Grenzeloos
108. EMCEMO
109. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Dutch section
110. Vredesbeweging Pais
Scotland:
111. SNP Friends of Palestine
112. Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
113. Scottish Friends of Palestine
Spanish state
114. Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT), trade union
115. Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), trade union
116. Basque Workers Solidarity – ELA (Basque Country), trade union
117. Confederacion Intersindical Galega – CIG (Galicia), trade union
118. Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya (IAC), trade union
119. Podemos – political party
120. SODePAZ – NGO
121. Internazionalistak Auzolanean – social movement
122. Unión de Juventudes Comunistas de España
123. BDS País Valencià – social movement
124. Unadikum- social movemnet
125. Paz con Dignidad
126. Associació Punt d’Interacció de Collserola
127. Centre Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau
128. ISM en el Estado Español
Slovenia:
129. Proja Pro Justice through Action
130. Society for Human Rights Humanitas
131. Mirovni Institut
Sweden:
132. The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden
Switzerland:
133. Communist Party – political party
134. Collectif Urgence Palestine-VD
135. Urgence Palestine Nyon La Côte (Suisse)
136. BDS Switzerland
137. Alternative refugee center
138.Women and development
UK
139. UNISON – trade union
140. abeel-Kairos – NGO
141. UK-Palestine Mental Health Network – NGO
142. Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK – NGO
143. War on Want
144. Red Card Israeli Racism campaign
145. British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP)
146. Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR)
147. Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG)
Norway
148. LO i Oslo – trade union
149. Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees (Fagforbundet) – trade union
150. The Association of Norwegians NGOs – NGO
151. The Palestine Committee of Norway
152. The Norwegian Committee for Academic and Cultural boycott of the state of Israel – (AKULBI)