NZ SuperFund: Divest from Israel’s war machine

PLEASE SIGN THE AVAAS PETITION & SHARE:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/NZ_SUPER_FUND_Divest_from_Israeli_Apartheid/

JOIN THE AUCKLAND PROTEST: At the NZ SuperFund office, this Saturday 23 August from 2pm, Queen Elizabeth Square, Downtown CBD.

The NZ Super Fund continues to invest in companies which supply Israel with the means to attack civilians, and in companies which profit from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These investments are an affront to international law and the principles of human rights.

The NZ Super Fund website claims that: “The [NZ Super Fund] Guardians are one of 27 founding signatories of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI). The UNPRI provides a framework for shareholders to work together to engage with companies and to improve investment analysis of ESG risks. The UNPRI conducts an annual assessment of progress against its six principles for responsible investment by signatories. From 2008 it was compulsory.”

WRITE to the Guardians of the NZ Super Fund: here is a suggested draft letter –

Adrian Orr, Chief Executive Officer

Matt Whineray, General Manager Investments

Gavin Walker, Chair

We acknowledge that you have already divested from three construction companies for breaking international law in Palestine. However, we urge the Super Fund to divest from the following corporations immediately and from all companies that profit from the occupation, so that New Zealanders can rest assured that their money is not paying for Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine:

United Technologies: produces Blackhawk helicopters used to attack cities, refugee camps and villages. ($7,290,126)

Boeing: sells Israel F-15A fighter jets and Apache AH 64 helicopters used in attacks on Gaza. ($6,579,342)

General Dynamics: manufactures diesel engines used in Israel’s Merkava battle tanks and produces bombs for Israel. ($1,967,381)

Raytheon: produces bombs used in attacking Gaza. ($1,797,902)

Caterpillar: produces militarised bulldozers used to destroy Palestinian homes.

Israel Chemicals: a manufacturer of white phosphorus, which, according to Amnesty International, the Israeli army has used as a smokescreen in Gaza City.

G4S: operates prisons holding Palestinian political prisoners from occupied Palestinian territory inside Israel in violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits the transfer of prisoners from occupied territory into the territory of the occupier. They are also involved in the detention of refugees seeking asylum in Israel.

Delek: supplies petrol to the Israeli military.

Bank Hapoalim and ‪Mizrahi Tefahot Bank: finance construction of settlements.