Coalition of Women for Peace Supports Israeli Occupation

The Coalition of Women for Peace launched a campaign on January 9, 2009 entitled “Who profits? Exposing the Israeli industry occupation” that is intended to execute “economic activism against the occupation”.[1] Activists of the Coalition have built an online updated database documenting all known financial and commercial activity of Israeli companies, cooperates and institutions in the “occupied territories.”

Economic activism against the occupation

The motives for launching the campaign are explained in the “Who Profits?” website as follows:

“This database reflects an on-going grassroots investigation effort by activists in The Coalition of Women for Peace, a leading Israeli feminist peace organization dedicated to ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights and reaching a just peace in Israel/ Palestine. In exposing companies and corporations involved in the occupation, we hope to promote a change in public opinion and corporate policies, leading to an end to the occupation.”[2]

The Coalition’s goals are not limited to providing general information to the public. Their goal is to spur “economic activism” that in turn will bring about international sanctions against the Israeli companies forcing them to cease any activity related directly or indirectly to the occupation.

Letter to the Norwegian Government Pension Fund

On May 14, 2009, the Coalition of Women for Peace along with other left-wing organizations sent a letter to the Norwegian Government Pension Fund asking them to withdraw all investment in Israel that may support the occupation of Arab territories:

“We, Israeli organizations, comprised of Jewish and Palestinian women and men and dedicated to building a just peace and to promoting human rights and equal civil rights in Israel/Palestine, call upon the Norwegian people to join us in our efforts and to stop investing in the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.

“It has come to our attention that the Norwegian governmental Pension Fund, as of December 31st 2008, is heavily invested in corporations whose activities continuously support and maintain the Israeli occupation, in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. These companies, both Israeli and international, build illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory or provide vital services to them provide specifically designed equipment for the surveillance and repression of the Palestinian population through restrictions of movement and collective punishments or take part in the illegal exploitation of Palestinian non-renewable natural resources for the needs of the Israeli market.

“We see the Norwegian Pension Fund’s investments in these corporations as contradicting the Norwegian government’s commitment to international law, the Norwegian people’s longstanding commitment to peace, justice and democracy in our region, and the Pension Fund’s own ethical guidelines. We therefore urge the Council on Ethics to remove from the fund’s investment portfolio all corporations that support and maintain the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.”[3]

Israeli banks targeted by the Coalition of Women for Peace

A research paper prepared by the Coalition of Women for Peace, entitled “A Case Study: The Norwegian Government's Pension Fund”, mentions 41 Israeli companies and 11 other companies that allegedly support the Israeli occupation and whose names appear in the investment portfolio of the Norwegian fund. The list includes the following Israeli banks:

“Bank Hapoalim (Israel) – Provides mortgage loans for the construction of housing in West Bank settlements, and has several branches in the occupied territory.

“Bank Leumi (Israel) – Provides mortgage loans for the construction of housing in West Bank settlements, and has several branches in the occupied territory.”[4]

Coalition of Women for Peace possesses account at Israeli bank blamed of supporting the occupation

The Israel Discount Bank, the third biggest bank in Israel after Leumi and Hapoalim, is also targeted by the Coalition of Women for Peace. On its website “Who Profits?” a special entry is dedicated to exposing the bank’s complicity in supporting the Israeli occupation:

“Israel Discount Bank - The bank has branches in the settlements of Beitar Illit and Ma'ale Edomim in the West Bank. The bank financed the construction of some of the building projects in the settlements of Har Homa, Beitar Illit and Ma'ale Edomim. Additionally, the bank is the second major shareholder of Mul-T-Lock, whose factory is located in the industrial zone of Barkan, which is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. The bank also receives computing services from Matrix IT. It is a call center located in the settlement of Modi'in Illit. The services the bank receives from Matrix IT include the operation of the trading room of the bank.”[5]

It seems that the Coalition of Women for Peace does not practice what it preaches. In spite of its open call and intensive campaign to withdraw international investments from Israeli banks allegedly “supporting the occupation”, the Coalition supports the Israeli occupation in its own way. A public appeal, published by its official websites, calls for donations to the Coalition via transferring money to the offices of the New Israel Fund in the US, Britain and Switzerland and by direct wire transfer to the Coalition’s bank account at the allegedly “supporting the occupation” Israel Discount Bank, as demonstrated in the following excerpts:

“Make a Contribution:

Ours is a not-for-profit independent activists' project of the Coalition of Women for Peace, it is sustained thanks to the support of foundations and individuals committed to the struggle for a just peace in Israel/Palestine.

Your support is greatly needed and appreciated.

If you choose to make a donation, you can use any of the methods below, and please remember to write to us and let us know of your contribution.

How to Give?

The Direct Method:

You can make an on-line donation via a secure website

Or write a check (€, $ or £) to "The Coalition of Women for Peace" and mail it to: P.O Box 29214 Tel Aviv 61292, Israel. Write on the memo line: “For the Who Profits Project”.

Or make a wire transfer to our bank account: Israeli Discount Bank, Hamoshava Branch #062, 21 Emek Refaim St., Jerusalem, Israel. Account number: 967017-512400, Swift Code: IDBLILIT 062,From Europe: IBAN No. IL 011062 967017 52400.”[6]

Refrences

[1] http://coalitionofwomen.org/home/hebrew/events/whoprofits_launch200109

[2] http://whoprofits.org/About.php

[3] http://coalitionofwomen.org/home/english/articles/norway-fund/

[4] http://whoprofits.org/Newsletter.php?nlid=41

[5] http://whoprofits.org/Company%20Info.php?id=558

[6] http://whoprofits.org/Donations.php