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Joint talk by Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity and Corporate Watch
Volvo and Caterpillar machinery carried out the illegal demolition of a historic building in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday 9th January 2011[1] (see photo here http://www.presstv.ir/detail/159400.html and video at http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/topics/jerusalem/3165-video-shepherd-hotel-demolition-)[1]
The Shepherd Hotel before the demolitions - Picture by Corporate Watch April 2010
The demolition of the Shepherd Hotel - Photo from activestills.org
The Shepherd Hotel in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, constructed in the 1930s, was once the home of the grand mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini. It was confiscated by Israel in 1967.[2] The demolition was carried out on behalf of American millionaire, and supporter of the Judaization (the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in favour of Jewish colonisation) of Jerusalem, Irving Muskowitz, of the Muskowitz Charitable Foundation (http://www.moskowitzfoundation.org/).[3] Israeli and Palestinian activists have been protesting against the planned demolition since March 2010. Read the rest of this entry »
Demolitions using Volvo machinery in the Jordan Valley village of Abu al Ajaj- Photos from Jordan Valley Solidairty
Volvo machinery was used to demolish houses of bedouin in the Palestinian village of Abu al Ajaj on Wednesday 24th November 2010. The same week a wave of demolitions occurred across the West Bank and Israel, including the demolition of the village of Al Araqib in the Naqab (Negev).
Abu al Ajaj is situated in the Al Jiftlik area of the Jordan Valley, in the Israeli occupied West Bank, next to the Israeli colony of Massua. At 5am two Volvo bulldozers and 200 soldiers raided and demolished one house and three animal shelters in the Abu al Ajaj. Three tin buildings and one tent were also destroyed, two men were arrested and several injured. Several baby goats were killed and many were injured in the destruction. The estimated cost of the damage stands at around 120,000 NIS.[2]
Goats killed during demolitions in Abu al Ajaj
On 9 June 2010 activists in Al-Walaja lock themselves to Volvo equipment to disrupt Israel's illegal activities.
by Adri Nieuwhof,
Photos by Activestills: Keren Manor, Anne Paq and Oren Ziv
Over the past few years the use of Volvo equipment in Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes and the construction of the wall has been documented. Mr. M. Wikforss, Vice President of Media Relations & Corporate News of Volvo Group, response to an article in The Electronic Intifada of 2 July 2007, was that Volvo Group does not condone the destructive use of Volvo equipment and would regret the use of its products for destructive purposes. Wikforss claimed, “we do not have any control over the use of our products, other than to affirm in our business activities a Code of Conduct that decries unethical behavior.”
In its advisory opinion on the wall of July 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reaffirmed the illegality of the construction of the wall and Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. According to the ICJ construction activities should stop immediately and the wall and settlements should be dismantled. Palestinians who lost property because of the illegal construction activities should be compensated for their loss.
The Volvo Group Code of Conduct states that “within its sphere of influence, the Volvo Group supports and respects the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights and ensures that it is not complicit in human rights abuses.” Read the rest of this entry »
Corporate Watch - Tracking Corporate Complicity in the Occupation of Palestine 