Israel/Palestine
Related: About this forumFrance warns citizens: Don't invest in Israeli settlements, Golan Heights
France's Foreign Ministry says West Bank settlements, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights are built on occupied land, which is illegal according to international law.By Barak Ravid | Jun. 25, 2014
The French government issued a warning to its citizens not to engage in financial activity or investments in the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. The French Foreign Ministry wrote in its warning that the settlements are illegal according to international law, and so doing business with them involves legal risks.
A French diplomat said that the warning is part of a joint act by the five largest countries in the European Union Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. The United Kingdom and Germany issued such warnings several months ago, and now, in light of the failure of the talks between Israel and the Palestinians and the European protests over the recent wave of construction in the settlements, three more countries joined them. Italy and Spain are expected to publish similar warnings over the next several days.
The warning was published on the French Foreign Ministrys website as part of a broader document of recommendations for French people traveling to Israel. Due to the fact that the settlements are illegal in international law, the performance of financial activity in the settlements such as money transfers, investments, acquisition of property, provision of supplies or the performance of any other economic activities that benefit the settlements involves risks, the statement read in French.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.601148
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)The French warning and the coordination among the five largest countries in the European Union has taken place against the backdrop of discussions that have been held in recent weeks in EU institutions in Brussels about issuing a general warning of the European Commission to businesspeople throughout the EU not to engage in economic activity in the settlements.
A week ago, Israels Foreign Ministry told Israeli ambassadors throughout the EU to contact the foreign ministries of the countries where they were serving and ask that that warnings against conducting financial activity in the settlements not be issued to businesspeople.
One Israeli diplomat said that the ambassadors were asked to say that at the present time, particularly in light of the kidnapping of the three teenage boys in Gush Etzion, issuing such a warning could heighten tensions between Israel and European countries and cause real damage to relations.
But the French did not grant the Israeli ambassadors requests. Foreign Ministry officials believe that once the European Commission issues a similar statement, the EU will be flooded with a wave of warnings against financial activity in the settlements throughout all the European countries.
Our assessment regarding the warnings is that a decision was made [in the European Commission] to publish them very soon, read a telegram sent from an Israeli embassy in the EU institutions in Brussels to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem. This could happen from this coming Thursday to the next several weeks. Afterward, each country will decide how and when to issue the statement.
The new warning from the French Foreign Ministry against financial activity in the settlements is non-binding. A French person who conducts financial activity in the settlements will not be breaking the law in France. But similar cases over the past year, similar warnings have led to an increase in boycotts by members of Europes private sector of the settlements and of Israeli businesses that operate in the settlements.
For example, after the Dutch government issued a similar warning to its citizens alongside recommendations that products from the settlements sold in supermarkets be marked, the largest water company in The Netherlands announced that it was canceling a contract with Mekorot. At the same time, another Dutch company canceled a contract with the Jerusalem municipality to build a sewage-treatment plant over the Green Line. Also, the largest pension fund in The Netherlands announced that it was divesting from several Israeli banks that operate over the Green Line. .
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.601148
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)In the next few weeks a number of European countries will likely warn their citizens against doing business in the settlements, following the publication of just such a warning Tuesday on the French Foreign Ministrys web site, diplomatic officials said Wednesday
This move is neither constructive nor surprising, one senior Foreign Ministry official said, acknowledging -- though -- that Paris will not be the last to issue such a warning.
In the Travel Advice section of their web site, the French Foreign Ministry -- under an entry for Israel/Palestinian territories entitled useful info -- warned that the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, Gaza and the Golan Heights are occupied by Israel since 1967. Settlements are illegal under international law.
As a result, the statement warned, there are risks related to economic and financial activities in Israeli settlements. Financial transactions, investments, purchasing, supplies and other economic activities in the settlements or benefiting the settlements, entail legal and economic risks related to the fact that Israeli settlements under international law are built on occupied lands and are not recognized as part of the territory of Israel.
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/France-warns-against-doing-business-in-settlements-more-European-states-expected-to-follow-360551
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)actually good for France and sadly as usual the US lags behind
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)azurnoir
(45,850 posts)sort of OT but I found this interesting too
IPMN @IPMN · 3h
NGO Monitor hacks into IPMN's private facebook group, accuses us of anti-Semitism after losing divestment vote.
https://twitter.com/IPMN
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)King_David
(14,851 posts)Would of been really embarrassing had they not found evidence of AntiSemitism.... No surprise that they did tho...
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)is it legal to hack into a private facebook page and publish the findings as NGOMonitor claims to have done?
King_David
(14,851 posts)This ain't a court room and I don't care what methodology is used to expose fucking bigoted Jew hating antisemites... Good for them for exposing the POSs
France? Wiki leaks
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)against an American organization for divesting from American companies, in their pdf there strangely are no screen shots just a bunch of supposed quotes with additional links some more than 10 years old to other sites that we're told back up NGOMonitors claims
King_David
(14,851 posts)azurnoir
(45,850 posts)their claims
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)their malice before...that OP posted in this group, in all CAPS, pitiful.
No screen shots, and no acceptance of the fact they have a disclaimer..just like Ma'an and
so many other publications. Yet it is only pro-settlement publications that are to be believed.
You have to laugh, it is that pathetic.
Bottom line, their message is not one inch of land will be ceded to the Palestinians...not one inch.
Who the fuck they think they're kidding is beyond me.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)and occupation of the West Bank equated to Israel's very existence
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)horrid things..see what sticks.
Not one inch of land, that is the message they're trying to drive home.
King_David
(14,851 posts)It's these Presbyterian group antisemites he admires and it seems from their Facebook pages they have a mutual philosophy.
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)King_David
(14,851 posts)The few bigots who made the decision , were exposed on Facebook and praised by KKK Duke. ... Despise is correct.