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Three Palestinian and one US-based civil society organization have
urged Norway’s Ministry of Finance to reinstate a prohibition on
investment by Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global in two Israeli
companies – Africa Israel and its subsidiary Danya Cebus – due to their
ongoing construction of illegal units in Jewish settlements, a press
statement by the groups said Thursday.
The call was made in a letter signed by representatives from the
Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC),
Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel, The Civic
Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, and The Palestinian
Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, and emailed to Norway’s Council on Ethics
on Wednesday.
The organizations believe that Norway’s August 2013 decision to lift
the ban was based on misleading information provided by Africa Israel,
denying current settlement construction.
“We are writing to express our concern that
Norway’s Ministry of Finance has lifted its 2010 ban on investing funds
from Norway’s Global Pension Fund in the Israeli company Africa Israel
and its construction subsidiary Danya Cebus,” said the letter.
“The lifting of the ban was based on April 2013
statements by Lev Leviev’s company Africa Israel falsely suggesting that
the company was not involved in the construction of illegal Israeli
settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.
However, as the Israeli civil society Coalition of Women for Peace’s
Who Profits project yet again documented with photos, video and a
pamphlet immediately after learning of Norway’s decision, Africa Israel
and Danya Cebus are currently building homes in the illegal Israeli
settlement of Gilo.
They have been doing so for more than two years,” it added.
Additionally, another Leviev-owned company, Leader Management and
Development, continues to develop the Israeli settlement of Zufim on the
land of the Palestinian village of Jayyous in the West Bank, and Leviev
has donated to settlement organizations.
The groups called on Norway’s Ministry of Finance “to swiftly re-impose
the prohibition on investment in Africa Israel and Danya Cebus".
They said the Norwegian Council on Ethics has failed to consult with
Palestinian civil society organizations before making its decision
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