From economy of occupation to economy of genocide: The latest report from Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, lays bare the critical role that corporate actors have played in human rights violations, international crimes and environmental destruction in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
Today, the Corporate Justice Coalition, and partners, have released a joint statement reinforcing the key messages from this critical report and calling for urgent action from the UK Government and UK Corporations.
Albanese’s report makes it crystal clear that any corporation following international human rights standards, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, should have ended its involvement with the Israeli occupation long ago. Furthermore, companies and individual executives can and should be held legally liable for their complicity in violations of humanitarian law.
In light of this, we call on the UK Government to urgently deliver:
- An immediate arms embargo on Israel.
- A ban on trade and investment in illegal Israeli settlements;
- The suspension of the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement;
- Expanded sanctions on entities and individuals involved in endangering the Palestinians.
- Legal consequences for corporate entities and executives within UK jurisdiction that are complicit in serious violations of international law.
- Legally binding corporate due diligence legislation through a new Business, Human Rights and Environment Act.
We also call for all corporate entities to promptly cease all activities that cause or contribute to human rights violations and international crimes against the Palestinian people.
“It is inconceivable that UK companies are able to continue doing business and seeking profits in Gaza and the OPT without being held to account. The UK government must now take a stand, ending any contracts or partnerships with companies named in the report and ensuring UK companies and companies listed on the UK Stock Exchange cease reaping profits from business activities in occupied Palestine and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.” – Dominique Muller, Director, CJC
Click here or below to read our full statement and please share widely.
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Joint Statement: UK corporate accountability network reiterates UN call for legal consequences for companies involved in human rights violations against the Palestinian people