Firm halts rail work for Israel settlers

War on Want

Campaigners’ breakthrough on Veolia hailed

The anti-poverty charity War on Want today welcomed reports that French company Veolia has abandoned the $500 million rail project linking Jerusalem and illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

War on Want hailed the news as a significant victory for campaigners who have exposed companies that are complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.

Yasmin Khan, senior campaigns officer at War on Want, said: “The end of Veolia’s involvement is an important victory for the International campaign to win justice for the Palestinian people. It sends a clear message to other companies profiting from Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine that their complicity will be challenged.”

The charity’s report Profiting from the Occupation in 2006 exposed the role of Veolia in the rail project.

Veolia has waste management contracts with local governments and university across the UK.

The rail project, due for completion by 2020, is set to run from west Jerusalem to the major Israeli settlements of French Hill, Neve Ya’akov and Pisgat Ze’ev, with further lines to settlements such as Gilo, near Bethlehem, and Ramot.

The Israeli government has openly stated that the project will help complete the annexation of East Jerusalem.

The Veolia move comes only days after US president Barack Obama called on Israel to cease building settlements, which, he said, violate earlier agreements and undermine peace efforts.

Next week UK foreign secretary David Miliband will join other ministers for Brussels talks on European Union proposals to upgrade political and trade links with Israel.

Miliband faces heavy pressure to oppose the upgrade after Israel’s onslaught on Gaza.

War on Want has repeatedly called for an end to the EU-Israel ugrade.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The European Council meeting which Miliband will attend takes place on Monday (15 June) and Tuesday (16 June).