Adri Nieuwhof, The Electronic Intifada, 24 November 2009
"Despite mounting pressure to withdraw from the light rail project in Jerusalem designed to serve the needs of Israel's illegal settlements, the French transportation giant Veolia is set to be highly involved in the project for the next five years.....
Recently, the "Derail Veolia and Alstom Campaign" was given a boost at a press conference in occupied East Jerusalem by the Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC). The BNC was supported by the chairman of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's office, Dr. Rafiq Husseini, Jerusalem Mufti Mohammad Hussein and Orthodox Archbishop Attallah Hanna. At the press conference, several Arab states including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, were called on to end their ties with Alstom and Veolia, until the companies withdraw their investments from and end their involvement in the Jerusalem light rail project. For example, Saudi Arabia awarded multi-billion dollar contracts to Alstom to build the Haramain Express railway, connecting the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina via Jedda. Dr. Husseini criticized the Arab countries for continuing to work with Veolia and Alstom despite repeated requests by the Palestinians and the Arab League.
BNC Member Jamal Juma stated that the organization sent letters to Arab governments requesting that they exclude the two French companies from bidding on contracts were "met with silence." He indicated that it was possible that the Arab Gulf states were not aware of the role Alstom and Veolia are playing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Juma stated that "it is unacceptable that Arab states don't take a stand on this.""
"Despite mounting pressure to withdraw from the light rail project in Jerusalem designed to serve the needs of Israel's illegal settlements, the French transportation giant Veolia is set to be highly involved in the project for the next five years.....
Recently, the "Derail Veolia and Alstom Campaign" was given a boost at a press conference in occupied East Jerusalem by the Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC). The BNC was supported by the chairman of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's office, Dr. Rafiq Husseini, Jerusalem Mufti Mohammad Hussein and Orthodox Archbishop Attallah Hanna. At the press conference, several Arab states including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, were called on to end their ties with Alstom and Veolia, until the companies withdraw their investments from and end their involvement in the Jerusalem light rail project. For example, Saudi Arabia awarded multi-billion dollar contracts to Alstom to build the Haramain Express railway, connecting the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina via Jedda. Dr. Husseini criticized the Arab countries for continuing to work with Veolia and Alstom despite repeated requests by the Palestinians and the Arab League.
BNC Member Jamal Juma stated that the organization sent letters to Arab governments requesting that they exclude the two French companies from bidding on contracts were "met with silence." He indicated that it was possible that the Arab Gulf states were not aware of the role Alstom and Veolia are playing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Juma stated that "it is unacceptable that Arab states don't take a stand on this.""
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