Connex has won a $500 million 30-year contract from Israel to operate a light rail system on land stolen from the Palestinians.
The light rail will connect Jewish settlements that are being illegally built inside the Palestinian West Bank to Israel, bypassing the 2.6 million Palestinians who are living under Israeli military occupation.
The light rail will run across almost 14 km of Palestinian land and will be constructed parallel to the Apartheid Wall that Israel is building in defiance of an International Court of Justice ruling which says the Wall must come down. Israel calls the Wall a security fence, but in fact, the Wall is stealing more Palestinian land to allow for expansion of the illegal Jewish settlements while at the same time isolating the Palestinians in disconnected ghettoes.
While Jewish settlers will have the choice of Israeli-only roads or Connex’s light rail system to travel to and from Israel, the Palestinians are prohibited from using either. In this way Israel is creating a system of apartheid that further imprisons the Palestinians.
Connex’s contract breaches international law
65 United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions condemn Israel’s actions.
The Geneva Convention prevents any state from transferring a part of its population on to territory it occupies and requires that all signatories stop any entity from assisting a state that acts contrary to its laws. As a signatory, Australia is so obligated.
By agreeing to a contract with Israel, which facilitates the transfer of foreigners into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank, Connex will be helping to sustain and support Israel’s illegal Occupation in defiance of international law.
Illegal Settlements
Connex has been contracted by Israel to operate a light railway between the illegal Israeli settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev and Israel. This settlement and others are being constructed by Israel inside the Palestinian West Bank, which has been militarily occupied by Israel since 1967.
Whole Palestinian neighbourhoods have been demolished for these settlements, as well as the Israeli-only roads connecting them to Israel, despite near universal condemnation of Israel’s expansionism. Connex has ignored the legal and moral objections and intends to proceed with running a light rail system across illegal territory.
No comments:
Post a Comment