ECan wades into Middle East politics
Regional council Environment Canterbury (ECan) has stepped into international politics, voting not to work with companies that do business with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
The council decided yesterday to align its procurement policy with a 2016 UN Security Council resolution on the issue.
The resolution called for Israel to stop building settlements in occupied Palestinian land, which it described as “a flagrant violation under international law”.
The UN Human Rights Council subsequently created a database identifying companies trading with illegal Israeli settlements – 97 firms are currently listed.
A previous ECan vote in February paved the way for yesterday’s decision.
A staff report found ECan did not use any of the blacklisted companies, so alterations would only apply to future tenders.
Amongst other recommendations, the report noted advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) on implementing the UN resolution.
There was applause from the packed public gallery when councillor Grant Edge suggested the staff report was more concerned with possible financial risk than with MFAT’s guidance on the reputational and legal liabilities of “procuring goods provided by corporate involvement in gross human rights abuses”.
Edge said the “whole point” of the UN resolution was “to consider humanity over cost implications...”
“Not supporting a business that continues to engage in globally recognised abusive activity becomes the economic catalyst for the business to stop the practice.”
Councillor Ian MacKenzie said he was unable to support the recommendation “from an integrity point of view” because he used several of the blacklisted companies in his own businesses, naming Trip Advisor, Booking.com and JCB. “I can’t support a motion which tells this council not to trade with these companies when I do it myself.”
Deon Swiggs said he had also realised he used some of the listed companies.
But rather than not support the recommendation, having “opened up my eyes to who those companies are”, he would chose alternatives. “I hope it raises awareness to other people in the community that there are companies we use on day to day stuff that are on the list.”
Two councillors – David East and Ian Mackenzie – voted against the final recommendation to alter the council’s procurement policy, while councillors Byrnes, Edge, Southworth, Robinson, Davies, Dietsche, Ward, Cranwell, Korako, Pauling, Scott, McKay, Sunckell, Swiggs voted in favour.
A statement on the stance would be added to the council’s procurement policy.
Byrnes, who moved the initial motion following approaches from pro-Palestinian groups that pre-dated the current conflict in Gaza, said the vote showed council knew it had to be on the right side of history. He acknowledged it was largely symbolic in ECan’s case but hoped similar commitments would be made throughout local and regional councils and central government.
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Ōtautahi spokesperson Ava Mulla said the recommendations were a step towards “holding Israel to account for decades of flagrant breaches of international law.”
The group wanted to see the New Zealand government follow suit, she said.
“Now that ECan has done it, the question is why are other councils not doing it? Why has the New Zealand government not done it, given they not only supported Resolution 2334, but were actually a co-sponsor?
“They had the moral stance in 2016, but they haven’t followed through.”
Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teanau Tuiono said he hoped the government was taking note of the leadership being shown by local government on this issue. The Green Party wanted to see other urgent action from the Government in response to the crisis, including a humanitarian visa for Palestinians, and joining the case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, Tuiono said.