For Immediate Release

13 February 2020

 

Alkidwa Calls for Broad, Urgent Palestinian Action Following the Release of Bachelet’s List of Business Enterprises Involved in West Bank Settlements

Dr. Nasser Alkidwa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yasser Arafat Foundation and member of the Central Committee of Fatah, saluted the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for releasing a preliminary list of business enterprises involved in Israeli settlements.  Dr. Alkidwa extended his appreciation to Michelle Bachelet, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, for publishing the list in implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 31/36, adopted in 2016, and pursuant to international law and for her determination in resisting the legitimate and illegitimate pressures of the “known miserable parties” against her. 

Dr. Alkidwa condemned the hysterical reactions of some Israeli officials and their attempt to malign the Human Rights Council, as well as their attempt to confuse the international measures and practices against settlements in accordance with international law, as illegal on the one hand and the issue of boycotting Israel on the other hand.

Dr. Alkidwa expressed his hope to consolidate a serious and fast Palestinian action, expressing our appreciation to the High Commissioner at the highest level, as well as to address all the listed companies and request their cessation of their activities in and with the settlements so that they are not partners in the Israeli war crime.  This should be followed by clear resolutions to prevent these companies and their affiliated companies from operating in the Palestinian territory, prevent any Palestinian from being involved in their activities, and ask regional organizations, starting with the Arab League, to push in the same direction with all Arab, European and world nations in general.  Countries where these companies hold their “corporate citizenship” should be required to abide by International Humanitarian Law, which is also the local law of these countries, in addition to the relevant provisions of international law.

Dr. Alkidwa added, “We should encourage all judicial moves everywhere and at all levels to force these companies to withdraw and therefore be removed from the list.”  

Finally, Dr. Alkidwa affirmed the need to have a Palestinian position commensurate with the importance of the issue as part of the Palestinian struggle against Israeli settler colonialism in our country to dismantle and end it.