JCB’s complicity in Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people War on Want is a movement of people committed to global justice. Our vision is a world free from poverty and oppression, based on social justice, equality and human rights for all. Our mission is to fight against the root causes of poverty and human rights violation, as part of the worldwide movement for global justice. We do this by: • working in partnership with grassroots social movements, trade unions and workers’ organisations to empower people to fight for their rights • running hard-hitting popular campaigns against the root causes of poverty and human rights violation • mobilising support and building alliances for political action in support of human rights, especially workers’ rights • raising public awareness of the root causes of poverty, inequality and injustice and empowering people to take action for change Join us! The success of our work relies on inspiring people to join the fight against poverty and human rights abuse. There are three easy ways for you to donate and join the movement: Call 020 7324 5040 Visit www.waronwant.org/support-us Post write to: War on Want 44-48 Shepherdess Walk London N1 7JP Preface 01 Palestine is in crisis. A third generation organisations fighting for the rights of the of Palestinian children is now being Palestinian people. We have run hard-hitting brought up in refugee camps inside campaigns to challenge government support and outside Palestine, living in chronic for Israel’s policies of aggression, and we have poverty and denied the right to taken action to expose corporate complicity return to their family homes. In the in Israel’s illegal Occupation. War on Want is West Bank, the expansion of Israeli proud to support the call from Palestinian settlements, the continued construction civil society to build a global movement of of the Apartheid Wall, the military boycott, divestment and sanctions against closure of the Jordan Valley and the Israel until it complies with international law. annexation of East Jerusalem are creating an irreversible reality of This briefing explores JCB’s activities permanent Occupation. And Israel’s in Palestine, and details the use of JCB siege of Gaza has condemned its 1.5 equipment in Israel’s human rights abuses. million inhabitants to a humanitarian New evidence uncovered by War on Want disaster with no end in sight. has exposed the direct sale of JCB military equipment to the Israeli army .War on Want is All of these actions are illegal under calling for people to contact JCB to demand international law. Yet no Western government that the company ends its arms sales to Israel has been willing to call Israel to account for and takes steps to ensure its equipment is not its crimes. Instead, the US, UK and other used by Israel to commit war crimes against governments have consistently rewarded the Palestinian people. Only popular pressure Israeli aggression with economic benefits and can hold governments and corporations to closer political ties. Official support for Israel account, and end the crisis in Palestine. has taken precedence over Palestinian rights at every turn. This is why it is up to ordinary people around the world to take action. War on Want has worked in Palestine John Hilary for over 30 years, building partnerships Executive Director with popular movements and workers’ War on Want JCB in Palestine 02 e l JCB is best known for its iconic p o e yellow bulldozers. The family-owned p n a i company is one of the world’s n i t top three manufacturers of s e l a construction equipment, and a P e P h h symbol of British manufacturing t o t t o s strength. But new evidence uncovered : n W i a a g by War on Want has exposed the d a i H s direct sale of JCB military equipment i e l w m e i r to the Israeli army for use in the h c C s e ’ violation of Palestinian human l n t e r a e r rights, and to support the illegal s I n Israeli Occupation. i y t i c i l p In September 2011, the Israeli military m JCB equipment arrives in Silwan for o c announced that JCB had supplied its s ’ a demolition, protected by the Israeli B armoured bulldozer, the High Mobility C J military, February 2012 Engineer Excavator (HMEE), to be used by : s r e the paratroopers’ division of the Israeli army’s z o d Central Command. JCB’s equipment has l l u B already been documented in use on illegal JCB equipment has been widely documented e h t projects such as the construction of the in use not only in the demolition of p o t Apartheid Wall, Israeli settlements and the Palestinian property, but for construction S demolition of Palestinian homes. By moving of illegal settlement infrastructure by Israel. 3 from supplying civilian machines to military For instance, JCB equipment has been used vehicles, JCB has entered a new phase of in building the Jerusalem light railway complicity with Israeli war crimes. which connects West Jerusalem to illegal settlements on Palestinian land. According to the Who Profits? website entry on JCB JCB equipment has been used by Israeli by the Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP): forces to target the homes and land of Palestinians in Occupied East Jerusalem, Gaza, “Company trucks are used in the the Jordan Valley and across the West Bank. construction of settlement and checkpoints. This ranges from the use of JCB equipment For instance, they were used in the in the construction of illegal settlements and construction of homes in the West Bank settlement infrastructure to the demolition of settlements of Alfei Menashe and Zufin, at the Palestinian homes, mosques and olive trees. 1 checkpoint in Qalandia and at the checkpoint near Ofer prison, and in the Ariel West JCB’s main partner and distributor is the settlement industrial zone. Their excavators Israeli company Comasco. JCB dominates the and other equipment are used in the Israeli market with a 65% market share of all construction of the A1 train line between excavators, and a 90% market share of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which is being commonly used loading vehicles. 2 constructed on Palestinian land in Lathrun.” 4 03 JCB Licence JCB make a range of DIY tools and include Hamleys, Amazon, household equipment. However, JCB’s John Lewis, B&Q, The Early Learning best known consumer products are Centre, Boots, Mothercare , Argos children’s toys, which are manufactured and Halfords. under license in China by Golden Bear Toys. In addition to die-cast models JCB branded items for sale in the for older children and the collectors UK include: market, toy versions of JCB’s iconic • Children’s toys and clothing diggers and bulldozers are available. These range from ‘My 1st JCB’ toys for • Adult clothing and footwear ages 1+, to ride-on diggers, plastic toys • DIY hand tools and power tools for older children, and a range of JCB branded merchandise. • Lawnmowers and gardening tools • Mobile phones JCB consumer products are stocked by many well-known high street stores. • Batteries Stores stocking JCB branded products • Vacuum cleaners JCB equipment demolishing part of the Madaa children’s centre Case study in Silwan, February 2012 04 P h o t o : W a d i H i l w e h C e n t r e JCB EQUIPMENT USED TO DESTROY CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND The Palestinian town of Silwan lies on the filmed and photographed carrying edge of East Jerusalem, just outside the out the demolition of Madaa’s walls of the Old City. Many Palestinian playground and sports field, which families in Silwan live in fear of imminent was carried out illegally on the eviction by the Israeli authorities in order instruction of the Jerusalem to make way for a new tourist attraction. municipality without warning As part of the resistance to the planned and without a demolition order. evictions, residents have established two community centres in central Silwan, the Silwan is one of East Jerusalem’s most Wadi Hilweh community centre and the impoverished areas, and faces a chronic Madaa children’s centre. lack of schools and public areas. The playground had helped to keep Silwan’s But on 13 February 2012, Silwan young residents off the streets, where residents awoke to the sight of bright they face intense harassment from yellow JCB equipment demolishing the Israeli settlers and police. Only a few only children’s playground in their town. hours after the demolition, children The playground and sports field at the gathered for a game of football on the Madaa creative centre was used as a rubble of their old sports field. The football pitch and recreation ground by community is defiant, and now plans local children. JCB’s machines were to rebuild their shattered playground. JCB military sales to Israel 05 JCB started to produce military army’s Combat Engineering Corps. 8 The vehicles in 1984, and has supplied over Central Command unit of the Israeli army 3,500 vehicles to the military forces has responsibility for much of the Occupied of 57 countries. 7 These range from West Bank, including some of Israel’s largest machines produced especially for illegal settlements and occupied Palestinian military use to the full spectrum of over land in East Jerusalem. The sale, which 300 JCB commercial products modified was announced by the Israeli military in to suit military requirements. JCB September 2011, coincided with a UN Defence Products Limited was listed as report which found that 2011 had seen a separate UK company in 2006, and is a 40% rise in illegal demolitions of also registered with the Aerospace, Palestinian homes and property.