35 eurodéputés demandent à Ashton de décourager les entreprises à commercer avec les colonies

La Coordination Européennes des Comités Palestine (CECP) est une coalition européenne de plus de 45 organisations de solidarité avec le peuple palestinien qui encourage les institutions européennes à respecter le droit international par rapport à la question de la Palestine. Des contacts réguliers avec les députés européens ont abouti à l’envoi d’une lettre signée par 35 eurodéputés demandant à Catherine Ashton, Haute Représentante de l’Union pour les affaires étrangères et la politique de sécurité , de décourager les entreprises européennes à commercer avec les colonies israéliennes.

In a letter sent to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, 35 members of the European Parliament have called EEAS (European External Action Service) to take action to discourage European businesses from trading with illegal Israeli settlements.

Private european businesses play a major role in funding, facilitating and supporting Israeli violations of international law and illegal Israeli settlements by :

providing products and services that facilitate the existence of illegal settlements

importing and selling goods produces by companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements

investing in settlement companies and projects

In their letter to Ashton 35 Members of the European Parliament stated that :

“There are several examples of the many ways in which European businesses contribute to the existence and expansion of the settlements. Through their activities, they make direct and on-going contributions to Israeli violations of international law and to human rights abuses associated with the settlements.

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which were endorsed by the EU, make it clear that governments have an obligation to ensure that businesses domiciled in their territory do not contribute to human rights abuses in their overseas operations, including by providing advice and guidance. In cases where businesses are operating in conflict areas, the Guiding Principles urge governments to provide “adequate assistance to business enterprises to assess and address the heightened risks of abuses”.

We urge the EEAS to publish guidance discouraging European firms from maintaining economic relations with the settlements. Furthermore, the EU should use its presence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to educate European businesses about the problems and risks associated with such relations and to encourage Member States to take similar action.”

Read the full letter here

Source : http://www.eccpalestine.org/35-members-of-european-parliament-call-on-ashton-to-discourage-european-business-from-trading-with-illegal-israeli-settlements/