Swedish Pension Funds call on Alstom, Veolia, and Motorola to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territory
The Ethical Council of the four Swedish AP buffer pension funds (AP1, AP2, AP3 and AP4) is calling on US communications giant Motorola Solutions to pull out of the Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank.
The Ethical Council of the four Swedish AP buffer pension funds (AP1, AP2, AP3 and AP4) is calling on US communications giant Motorola Solutions to pull out of the Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank.
The Council wants the company, spun out of Motorola earlier this year, to cease delivery and maintenance of a custom-designed monitoring system for the settlements in the Palestinian territories. It states the settlements are located on occupied land and violate international humanitarian law.
It’s also calling on the Illinois-based firm to adopt a policy to prevent it contributing to human rights violations.
The AP funds – as well as other international investors such as the NOK 3trn (€385bn) Norwegian Government Pension Fund – already exclude Israel’s Elbit Systems for building a surveillance system for parts of the separation barrier on the West Bank. The Ethical Council is also calling on French engineering firms Alstom and Veolia to end their involvement in a tram project linking Jerusalem and the occupied territories.
The Council, which coordinates the environmental and ethical work of the AP funds – which have combined assets of SEK 875bn (€97.5bn) – revealed the new engagements in its 2010 annual report. It said it is in direct dialogue with 10 worldwide companies on various issues as at the end of the year. External consultants were in dialogue with up to 200 companies on behalf of the Council and other clients.
Original article can be found here: http://wedivest.org/2011/04/victory-swedish-pension-funds-call-on-motorola-to-stop-profiting-from-israels-occupation/