West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign has learnt from Cllr Paul Tilsley, Deputy Leader of the Council, that Keith Riley will no longer attend the presentation. PSC supporters had written to all Birmingham City Councillors asking them to pressurise the organisers of this event to withdraw the invitation to the representative of Veolia. Palestine supporters had threatened to picket the Council House on Monday evening in protest against the speaker from Veolia.

The Veolia parent company is Veolia Environment, a French multinational. Veolia Transport, a subsidiary of Veolia Environment, is a leading partner in the CityPass consortium and has been involved in building the light rail tramway system linking West Jerusalem to illegal Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem. The rail system will cement Israel's hold on occupied East Jerusalem and tie the settlements even more firmly into the State of Israel.

A number of Local Authorities including Swansea and Edinburgh have recently decided to bar Veolia from tendering for Council contracts due to its involvement in the occupation of Palestine. WMPSC will continue with its campaign to press Birmingham City Council to review its multi million pound environment contract with Veolia.

Martin Sullivan, a spokesperson from West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign stated:
We called on Birmingham City Councillors to show their disapproval of the illegal practices of Veolia in Palestine. We believe this has resulted in Veolia withdrawing from the Green Monday event. We would congratulate Councillors for their continuing support for the people of Palestine and remaining true to their Joint Party Statement agreed on 13th January 2009 in opposition to Israel's invasion of Gaza.

For more information about Veolia go to  http://www.bigcampaign.org/veolia/

Palestine Solidarity Campaign supports the right of the Palestinian people for self-determination. We campaign for an end to Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine, for an end to the blockade of Gaza and for Palestine's right to East Jerusalem as the capital of a free state.