Skip to content
June 25, 2022
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Telegram
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn
Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond

Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond

From Venezuela and made by Venezuelan Chavistas

Primary Menu
  • News
  • Opinion
  • About us
    • About us
    • Who we are – Becoming a Volunteer
    • Editorial guidelines for contributors
    • Our Sources
      • Venezuelan Sources
      • International Sources
    • Contact us
  • Categories
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Security and Defense
    • International
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Europe
      • Oceania
      • US/Canada
    • Latin America and ALBA-TCP
      • South America
      • Central America and the Caribbean (+Mexico)
    • Ideology-Commune-Labor
    • Health-Education-Sport-Culture-Technology
    • Solidarity and Social Movements
    • OT Originals
  • Support Us
    • Tax Deductible Donations: AfGJ Fiscal Sponsorship Program
    • Patreon (recurrent donations)
    • PayPal and Credit Cards
Light/Dark Button
YouTube Channel
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • Palestinians Accuse JCB of Complicity, as Israeli Army Demolishes Homes for the Third Time in One Week
  • Asia
  • International
  • Opinion

Palestinians Accuse JCB of Complicity, as Israeli Army Demolishes Homes for the Third Time in One Week

February 11, 2021

By Tom Anderson – Feb 10, 2021

On Monday 8 February, heavily armed Israeli soldiers entered the Palestinian Bedouin village of Humsa, and forced people to leave their homes.They used a bulldozer manufactured by British company JCB to flatten people’s tents and possessions while the villagers looked on.

The Canary has also been shown photographs showing that JCB equipment was used to destroy houses in the nearby village of Yarza on the same day. The use of JCB’s equipment has led to Palestinians accusing JCB of complicity in the demoitions.

Third time in one week

This was the third time in one week that soldiers had come to demolish homes in Humsa. Local Palestinian residents have been left without shelter after the demolitions and forced to sleep outside.

The entire community was also demolished in November 2020, but residents rebuilt their homes, refusing to move

The demolitions are part of the Israeli state’s colonial policy, aimed at stealing Palestinian land.

Demolitions must end

Over 600 Palestinian homes and structures were demolished in 2019 alone. And during 2019, almost 30,000 Palestinians were affected by demolitions carried out by the Israeli state using JCB equipment.

Officials from the United Nations visited the community last week to speak to the villagers. After their visit, they made a statement that West Bank demolitions must be halted.

RELATED CONTENT: Israel Went on Demolition Spree in 2020

Aisha, one of the residents, told journalists from Middle East Eye:

The community has become rubble. The Israeli army came and destroyed all of our homes and tents. We are now in the open, between the ground and the sky…

She also said:

We have no alternative but to remain here on our land. They will continue to demolish, and we will continue to build and remain steadfast here.”

Jamal Jumaa of Palestinian campaign group Stop the Wall told The Canary:

The destruction of Humsa community in north of the Jordan Valley is part of a wider ethnic cleansing plan targeting over 70 communities like Humsa.

This is to enable [the Israeli forces] to steal the land without it’s people. They would never do it to a Jewish community or colony. This is a war crime, a crime against humanity, against poor people living in tents like their ancestors, destroying their future their culture, their homeland.

And for those companies [whose] bulldozers were used in these crimes, like JCB. Shame on you! You should stop selling your machines for Israel, you are complicit with these crimes.

The Canary contacted JCB for comment on the destruction of Humsa with JCB machines. We had not received a reply by the time of publication.

RELATED CONTENT: Why is the EU Helping Israel Treat Its Waste in the West Bank?

Profits for a wealthy Tory donor

JCB is owned by the Bamfords, one of the wealthiest families in the UK. Anthony Bamford has donatedmillions of pounds to the Tory party and to campaigns in support of Brexit.

JCB is facing an investigation after a UK government body found that a complaint against it by UK charity Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR) is “material and substantiated”. LPHR allege that JCB’s supply of construction equipment used in the demolition of Palestinian homes and property by Israeli forces is in breach of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) guidelines on human rights.

According to LPHR, if its complaint is successful, then JCB may be expected to sever relationships with Israeli company Comasco, which distributes JCB machinery in Israel.

Grassroots action

UK campaigners have been taking action against British company JCB, which provides equipment used in Israel’s demolitions. In October 2020, The Canary wrote:

Palestine solidarity organisers across the UK have launched grassroots campaigns against the company. Two groups of activists from campaign group Stop the Demolitions locked themselves in the road to shut down JCB’s UK premises. Campaigns have also been launched against the company’s franchised dealerships in Sheffield and Farnham.

Students at Sheffield Hallam University protested against the university’s partnership with JCB. …

All these campaigns are part of a grassroots network dedicated to forcing JCB to end its supply of equipment to Israel.

Campaigners are also calling on the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to stop accepting donations from JCB.

“Violating international law”

Jumaa told The Canary how he thought people should take action against JCB and companies like it:

We should gather our efforts to boycott them, to isolate them, and to tell them: ‘What you are doing is violating international law. What you are doing is horrible’. These are crimes against humanity used by this criminal state.

JCB has been informed time and time again that its equipment is being used in Israel’s home demolitions. These demolitions are currently being used as a weapon to try and wipe the community of Humsa off the map. Its time for JCB’s directors to distance themselves from state sanctioned racism, and to prevent JCB equipment being used by the Israeli army.

 

 

Tom Anderson is part of Shoal Collective, whose research is referenced above. He is also part of the Stop the Demolitions campaign.

Featured image:  via Stop the Wall (with permission)

(The Canary)

Want More?

Don't want to be a victim of the Algorithm?

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER WITH ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VENEZUELA

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Editor2
+ posts
  • Editor2
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/yullma/
    Japan urged to scrap law forcing transgender people to be sterilised before they can transition
  • Editor2
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/yullma/
    South Africa: Parliament Votes in Favor of Land Expropriation Without Compensation
  • Editor2
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/yullma/
    Haiti suspends fuel price hike after deadly protests
  • Editor2
    https://orinocotribune.com/author/yullma/
    US only country in the world to vote against work of UN refugee agency
Tags: Boycott divestment sanctions Israel JCB Jordan Valley Palestine resistance

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Continue Reading

Previous Previous post:

PDVSA Gas Comunal Case: Jacob Gray’s Alleged Accomplice Arrested

Ordinary Venezuelans are the ones suffering the lack of domestic gas, due to US blockade and sanctions but also due to corruption. File photo.
Next Next post:

Assange Prosecution, Launched by Trump Justice Department, will Continue Under Biden

Tax deductible donations

One time donations

Recurrent donations

Calendar

June 2022
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« May    

NEWS: Most Viewed 72 Hours

Categories

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

We keep your data private and share your data only with third parties that make this service possible. Read our Privacy Policy.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

OPINION: Most Viewed 72 hours

We are on Telegram


Receive our news directly in your cellphone or PC, join us on our TELEGRAM channel: https://t.me/OrinocoTribune1

Download TELEGRAM, click the link above and then press the JOIN button.

We are Copyleft not Copyright


Creative Commons License
All Orinoco Tribune's work is free to use and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

We are on Reddit


If you are more into REDDIT, join our Orinoco Tribune Community.
Just click below and then click JOIN
https://www.reddit.com/r/OrinocoTribune/

 

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Telegram
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn
Copyleft, No rights reserved.