Anti-boycott bill, demo 3 July, new JCB report

Once the Bill becomes law, a government minister could remove any country from the effect of the Act, eg China in relation to its persecution of Uyghur Muslims. But the Bill states that just one country, Israel, and the territories it illegally occupies, could not be removed from the effects of the Act, which makes it clear that this is in essence an anti-boycott bill. It would even be illegal for someone, say the leader of a Council, to explain that they would have taken action (like banning illegal settlement goods) if the Act had not been in operation.

ICAHD UK is part of a wide coalition of civil society groups (for example churches, environmental campaigns, trades unions) which has been discussing and will now campaign against the Bill - Right to Boycott .

The second reading of the Bill (when it is first presented in the House of Commons, followed by a debate) will happen on Monday 3rd July. The Labour Party is proposing to abstain. MPs who are deeply concerned about the bill have urged us to flood MPs' inboxes with messages in opposition to the Bill. Please do this by Monday if you possibly can, and encourage others to do the same. It would be very helpful if messages came from a variety of causes, for example Friends of the Earth as well as ICAHD UK or PSC.

Report on JCB A Corporate Occupation report, supported by ICAHD UK Photo: Ahmad Tayem - Israeli bulldozers demolish two homes in al-Walaja - 2 Nov 2022

For the past five years, Corporate Occupation, run by researchers from the Shoal Collective, have collated statistics from every demolition and confiscation of structures, destruction of water systems, or razing of land that Israel has carried out against Palestinian people in both the West Bank and within Israel’s borders. It searched for photographic or video evidence of which company’s equipment (for example, JCB or Caterpillar) was used in each incident between 2018 - 2022. And for the past four years, it has also tallied up the number of people affected or displaced by JCB machines. In its new report on 2022, it shows the degree of carnage and anguish caused by JCB through allowing the use of its machines in Palestine.

ICAHD UK has been proud to support this important research which reports that during 2022 at least 8,050 people were either displaced or directly affected by JCB machines, including at least 344 children. The report also includes a summary of our campaigning activity that targets JCB and the NSPCC. This evidence-based report can be found on the ICAHD website. Use it to spread awareness and in calling JCB, owned by the Bamford family, to account for its complicity in war crimes in Palestine. STOP PRESS: JCB (J. C. Bamford Excavators Ltd.) have again been listed in the updated UN database of companies complicit in illegal Israeli settlements that was released on 30 June 2023 - download report here. No Way to Treat a Child Campaign

Photo: Family dispaced in Masafer Yatta in home demolished by JCB bulldozer - 11 May 2022

ICAHD UK, alongside PSC and other organisations, is part of the No Way to Treat a Child Campaign , which is led by Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP).

A particular target of the campaign as it develops is JCB; they knowingly supply Israel with the machines used to demolish schools and homes. JCB machines were used in the demolition of at least 150 Palestinian structures in 2022, which forced over 80 children from their homes.

Another target of the No Way to Treat a Child Campaign is the NSPCC, which accepts major donations from JCB. It is therefore helping to bolster JCB's reputation, despite the fact that JCB is complicit in destroying the livelihoods of Palestinian children.

Please write to your MP about JCB's destructive activities in the occupied West Bank, and about NSPCC's complicity in this by accepting JCB's donations. Please also email NSPCC with your concerns.

Dates for Your Diary Photo: Sulaiman Abu Srour. Israel destroys a structure in Jericho - 23 May 2022 Monday, 3 July 2023 - Demonstration on the anti-boycott bill - 2pm, outside the Houses of Parliament, London

Saturday 30 September 2023 - ICAHD UK Annual Conference - Amnesty International UK, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA - Times and programme to be announced.

From all at ICAHD UK. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Israeli-Committee-Against-House-Demolitions-UK/366423593418140 Facebook https://www.twitter.com/ICAHDUK/ Twitter http://icahduk.org Website mailto:info@icahduk.org Email