This was the letter handed in to the management of Glinwell PLC, who own 20% of the shared in Edom UK. They claimed to know nothing about that, but admitted that they did grow produce in Israel.
22/11/2011
To whom it may concern,
We are here today because of Glinwell's 20% share in the Israeli company
Edom UK. The purpose of our visit is to request that your company divests
from Edom UK and the Israeli economy. Trading with Israel inevitably
entwines your business with the business of occupation, segregation and
ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Another British company with a 20% stake in Edom UK, Valley Grown Salads,
have previously denied that Edom trade from Israeli settlements. However,
Edom UK's official packing house is located in the town of Sappir, in the
Arava region on the Israeli side of the Green Line. Sappir is partly built
on land funded by the Jewish National Fund, which reserve the land they
control for Jews only. Hence, by operating there, Edom UK and Glinwell are
complicit in the implementation of Apartheid policies inside Israel
itself.
Edom UK are known to have worked with a grower in Tomer settlement in the
Jordan Valley in the past. IN 2010 the research group Corporate Watch found
Edom boxes and labels inside a packing house there which still used Edom
signage. After some research, Edom's chairman accepted that this
settlement grower had been used by the company for a shipment to Russia as
late as January 2010. As this episode confirms, any trade with Israel is
likely to involve some involvement with the settlement economy.
Tomer settlement is located in the Jordan Valley, next to the Palestinian
village of Fasayil. As a group with close links to the area, we know the
situation there well. The village comes under frequent attacks by the
Israeli army. Part of Fasayil is located in Area C and are therefore
prevented from doing any building work or house repairs and are forbidden
access to running water or electricity by Israel. Structures in Fasayil
Wusta are frequently demolished. A video of the devastating demolition
carries out in June this year can be seen on
http://bit.ly/sxOnTR .
Most workers in Tomer settlement are Palestinians, many of whom are from
Fasayil. Often under age, they work for around half of the minimum wage.
The grower that Edom UK used in Tomer have confirmed that the Palestinians
working in his fields get paid around NIS 100 a day, which equals around
60% of the Israeli minimum wage to which they are entitled by law.
We urge you to divest from your investment in Israel and focus on more
positive parts of your business.
Unless Glinwell officially distance themselves from practices of
exploitation and occupation profiteering, you should expect increased
scrutiny of your business practices.
Sincerely,
Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign
To whom it may concern,
We are here today because of Glinwell's 20% share in the Israeli company
Edom UK. The purpose of our visit is to request that your company divests
from Edom UK and the Israeli economy. Trading with Israel inevitably
entwines your business with the business of occupation, segregation and
ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Another British company with a 20% stake in Edom UK, Valley Grown Salads,
have previously denied that Edom trade from Israeli settlements. However,
Edom UK's official packing house is located in the town of Sappir, in the
Arava region on the Israeli side of the Green Line. Sappir is partly built
on land funded by the Jewish National Fund, which reserve the land they
control for Jews only. Hence, by operating there, Edom UK and Glinwell are
complicit in the implementation of Apartheid policies inside Israel
itself.
Edom UK are known to have worked with a grower in Tomer settlement in the
Jordan Valley in the past. IN 2010 the research group Corporate Watch found
Edom boxes and labels inside a packing house there which still used Edom
signage. After some research, Edom's chairman accepted that this
settlement grower had been used by the company for a shipment to Russia as
late as January 2010. As this episode confirms, any trade with Israel is
likely to involve some involvement with the settlement economy.
Tomer settlement is located in the Jordan Valley, next to the Palestinian
village of Fasayil. As a group with close links to the area, we know the
situation there well. The village comes under frequent attacks by the
Israeli army. Part of Fasayil is located in Area C and are therefore
prevented from doing any building work or house repairs and are forbidden
access to running water or electricity by Israel. Structures in Fasayil
Wusta are frequently demolished. A video of the devastating demolition
carries out in June this year can be seen on
http://bit.ly/sxOnTR . Most workers in Tomer settlement are Palestinians, many of whom are from
Fasayil. Often under age, they work for around half of the minimum wage.
The grower that Edom UK used in Tomer have confirmed that the Palestinians
working in his fields get paid around NIS 100 a day, which equals around
60% of the Israeli minimum wage to which they are entitled by law.
We urge you to divest from your investment in Israel and focus on more
positive parts of your business.
Unless Glinwell officially distance themselves from practices of
exploitation and occupation profiteering, you should expect increased
scrutiny of your business practices.
Sincerely,
Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign
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