PAX, together with Oxfam Novib, SOMO and The Rights Forum held the second of a two-part webinar on current developments in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The webinar focused on the human rights problems resulting from business activities with the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The discussion among experts in the field was divided into three subtopics:
- The UN database recording business activities related to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
- The lack of transparency on trade relations with the settlement economy
- The sale in the Netherlands of goods and services from companies that are part of the settlement economy.
“Businesses cannot continue to make massive profits and exercise leverage in Palestine while contributing to human rights violations and crimes. We need to work together to end corporate impunity for human and environmental violations and crimes in Palestine, just like everywhere else around the world.” -Maha Abdallah
The webinar provided insights into the human rights implications of doing business with the settlements. More importantly, participants learned ways to end the complicity of Dutch and European economic and political actors with the settlement economy. Experts gave concrete recommendations for how people can help achieve this.
There was a lively Q&A session after the speakers’ presentations. Canadian David Kattenburg’s of legal journey sparked particular interest.
Speakers
Maha Abdallah, International Advocacy Officer at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights
David Kattenburg, Canadian educator, journalist and activist
Valentina Azarova, International legal academic and practitioner, Visiting Academic at the Manchester International Law Centre (MILC), University of Manchester
Giovanni Fassina, Director of the European Legal Support Center (ELSC).
Introductions: Gerard Jonkman, Director of The Rights Forum and Pauline Overeem, Senior Researcher at SOMO.
Webinar Part 1
Fothcoming Annexation? Focusing on the consequences of potential annexation of parts of the West Bank