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Stop supporting Israel’s occupation

West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign | 01.04.2012 13:14 | Palestine | Birmingham

Protest letter handed to Veolia’s Birmingham management

Thirty Palestine rights supporters gathered outside the gates of Veolia’s site in Tyseley on Friday afternoon, 30th March 2012. The rally was to draw attention to Veolia’s commercial activities in supporting Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem and Palestinian territories.

'Stop supporting the occupation' the message in letter handed to Veolia manager
'Stop supporting the occupation' the message in letter handed to Veolia manager


Flying Palestinian flags the protesters heard speakers from Stop the War Coalition, Friends of the Earth and Birmingham Trades Union Council. A speaker from Palestine Solidarity Campaign called on Birmingham City Council to urgently review its waste contract with Veolia. Members of the public visiting the tip were handed leaflets by the protesters.

During the rally a letter from West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign was formally handed to a representative of Veolia’s management, which invites the company to review its commercial activities in constructing and providing infrastructure for illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian territories.
The letter calls for the company to uphold international law and United Nations resolutions prohibiting the building of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian territories and for an end to Israel’s occupation.

Veolia Environmental Services is a partner in the construction and development of a light railway system in East Jerusalem connecting illegal settlements with Israel. It also runs a number of bus routes between settlements on the West Bank and Israel.

Veolia ES is a French multinational company and is contracted by Birmingham City Council to incinerate and recycle the Birmingham’s waste under a 25 year contract which started in 1994. A copy of the letter has been sent to the Cabinet member responsible for the city council’s waste management contract with Veolia.
This local event was part of an international day of action, the Global March for Jerusalem, held on 30th March 2012, which aims to draw attention to the impact of Israel’s policies of annexing and ethnically cleansing East Jerusalem.

Martin Sullivan for West Midlands PSC speaking at the rally stated:

Birmingham City Council Contract has a multi-million pound waste management contract with Veolia. As Council Tax payers it is right that we question the City Council doing business with a company which ignores international law and human rights standards in Occupied Palestine.

We await a response from Veolia but if this company continues with its support for Israel’s occupation we vow to continue our campaign to ‘Bin Veolia in Birmingham.’

West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign
- e-mail: pscwm@yahoo.co.uk
- Homepage: http://www.westmidspsc.org


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