Today, Al-Haq and Just Peace Advocates submitted a report to the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, calling for WSP Global Inc. (WSP), a Canadian company, to be included to the UN database of businesses operating in illegal Israeli settlements (‘the database’). The submission is endorsed by 105 organistions from all over the world, in addition to esteemed individuals, such as former Canadian Member of Parliament Libby Davies; former UN Special Rapporteurs Michael Lynk, John Dugard, and Richard Falk; and Noam Chomsky.
WSP, whose major shareholder is the Canadian Public Pension Investment Board, has been contracted to plan, design, maintain, and extend the Jerusalem Light Rail (JLR),[1] an Israeli public tramway system that contributes to the maintenance of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied and annexed Eastern Jerusalem. WSP facilitates the practice of forcible transfer of settlers into the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT), through its construction and servicing of the JLR, while deepening the physical, social and economic integration of the settlements. Through its active maintenance of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise[2] in occupied Eastern Jerusalem, WSP is involved in gross and systematic violations of fundamental human rights against the protected Palestinian population.
Dr. Susan Power, Al-Haq’s Head of Legal Research and Advocacy, explains, “By operating rail services connecting settlements in the OPT, on land appropriated from the occupied Palestinian population, WSP is complicit in aiding and abetting the commission of war crimes, and agents for the company may be held individually criminally liable.”
The appropriation of Palestinian land and destruction of Palestinian property executed for the construction and maintenance of the JLR violates Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. In accordance with international law and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, WSP, as a corporation operating in a conflict-affected area, must comply with international humanitarian law and human rights law, by means of establishing policies that seek to prevent human rights abuses during its operations and trade. Moreover, WSP is expected to act with enhanced due diligence when conducting business at home and abroad.[3]
“Canada, as the home state of WSP,” explains Karen Rodman, Executive Director of Just Peace Advocates, “is the primary duty bearer in ensuring that WSP is held to account, for its maintenance of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise, and must fulfill its obligations to facilitate measures and remedies for the compensation of the affected Palestinian communities, whose rights to movement, property, livelihood, and family have been severely violated due to WSP’s activities.”
Considering WSP’s Code of Ethics stating its commitment to respect, support and safeguard human rights, as well as its status as an active participant of the UN Global Compact, its complicity with Israel’s extensive destruction and appropriation of Palestinian property, through the construction of the JLR, is of grave concern. WSP must cease its activity in the OPT, in accordance with its internal policies and values, and international law.
The database remains a powerful tool for assuring transparency of business enterprises that are involved in, and profit from, Israel’s apartheid regime. Yet, without annual and comprehensive updates to the database, corporations, such as WSP, remain unlisted. It is essential that the HRC fulfils the duty of its mandate to resolution 31/36 (2016) and annually update of the database to ensure it remains an effective mechanism for accountability and transparency.
As Israel’s occupation and apartheid regime is further entrenched by corporations who continue to profit from, and reinforce, Israel’s grave breaches of international law, which deny the Palestinian people their inalienable right to self-determination, including permanent sovereignty over their land and other natural resources. Accordingly, the joint-report calls on the Office of the High Commissioner for OHCHR to:
- Update the UN database annually, Human Rights Council resolution 31/36 (2016) in its entirety, reaffirming its independence and impartiality to fulfilling its mandates, and demonstrates its commitment to uphold human rights standards, and the rule of law and justice.
- List WSP in the upcoming update and report of the UN database on the grounds that its activities raise human rights concerns and that are explicitly addressed by the UN database.
- Continue to exert the necessary efforts to ensure transparency and promote accountability for business activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, to counter the pervasive impunity stemming from corporate- related violations and grave breaches of international law in such contexts.
Endorsing Organizations:
ECOSOC Organizations are designated with an asterisk.
- Academics for Palestine- Concordia
- Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
- Africa4Palestine
- Al Dameer Association for Human Rights
- Al Mezan Center for Human Rights *
- American Association of Jurists (Asociación Americana de Juristas) *
- Americans Committed to Justice and Truth
- Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ)
- Arab Cause Solidarity Committee (CSCA)
- Artists for Palestine UK
- Asociación Venezolana de juristas
- Associação Portuguesa de Juristas Democratas
- Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS)
- Atlantic Canada Palestine Society
- Australian Palestinian Professionals Association
- Australians for Palestine
- Baltimore Nonviolence Center
- Barmard-Boecker Centre Foundation
- Bathurst Street United Church
- BDS Vancouver/Coast Salish Territories
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies *
- Canada Palestine Association
- Canadian Council of Muslim Women Montreal
- Canadian Foreign Policy Institute
- Canadian Voice of Women for Peace *
- Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
- Canadians for Peace and Justice in Kashmir
- Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem
- Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid Victoria, British Columbia
- Comité de Solidaridad con la Causa Árabe
- Defense for Children International - Palestine
- Early Childhood Development Intercultural Partnerships
- Edmonton Small Press Association
- Episcopal Peace Fellowship Palestine Israel Network
- European Legal Support Center
- Free Palestine Halifax
- Free Palestine Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Freedom Flotilla Coalition
- Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
- Gaza Action Ireland
- Global Peace Alliance Society
- Good Shepherd Collective
- GreaterToronto4BDS
- Green Mountain Solidarity With Palestine, Vermont
- Hamilton Coalition to Stop The War
- Housing and Land Rights Network – Habitat International Coalition, Egypt
- Human Rights for All ( HR4A) Saskatchewan
- Human Without Borders Organization
- ICAHD Finland
- Independent Jewish Voices Canada
- International Association of Democratic Lawyers *
- International Service for Human Rights, Switzerland *
- Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC)
- Jewish Network for Palestine (JNP), UK
- Jewish Voice for Peace - Bay Area Chapter
- Joining Hands for Justice, Palestine/Israel, Atlanta
- Justice For All Canada
- Justice for Palestinians Calgary
- Kairos Sabeel Nederland
- Kashmir Law and Justice Project
- Knowledge Track Inc.
- Kumi NOW
- Land Research Center, Palestine *
- Local Alliance for Mideast Peacen Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Midislanders for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, British Columbia
- Montreal for a World BEYOND War
- National Association of Democratic Lawyers of South Africa (NADEL)
- National Lawyers Guild International Committee
- Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel (NMJPI)
- Oakville Palestinian Rights Association
- Palestine House (Mississauga, Canada)
- Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network (PIEN), Australia
- Palestine Solidarity Campaign, South Africa
- Palestine Solidarity Network - Edmonton
- Palestine Solidarity St, John's Newfoundland
- Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU), Montreal
- Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), Palestine
- Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, Vienna
- Peace Alliance Winnipeg
- People for Peace-London
- Quebec Public Interest Research Group - Concordia
- Regina Peace Council, Saskatchewan
- Rosette Network Ltd., Canada
- Rumbo a Gaza, Spain
- Sabeel Jerusalem
- Sadaka The Ireland Palestinian Alliance
- Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
- Social Justice Centre UBC
- Socialist Action/Ligue pour L'Action socialiste, Canada
- Solidarité populaire Estrie, Sherbrooke
- SOMO (The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations), the NetherlandsDS
- SPHR-McGill
- StandWithKashmir
- Students for Justice in Palestine at Rutgers - New Brunswick
- The Canadian BDS Coalition
- The Community Action Center / Al-Quds University
- The Israel Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
- The Muslim Youth Movement of South Africa
- The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy - MIFTAH *
- Union of Agricultural Work Committees, Palestine
- United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel, Canada
- Victoria Peace Coalition, British Columbia
- Winnipeg Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid
- Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling, Ramallah *
- World BEYOND War
Endosments from Individuals:
- Ali Sbeiti, Imam, Montreal
- Alisa Gayle-Deutsch, Musician, Tkaronto, Canada
- Alroy Fonseca, Activist, Ottawa
- Annette Lengyel, Human rights organizer, Calgary, Canada
- Art Jaszczyk, Retired Public High School Teacher in Toronto
- Barry Heselwood, Human Rights Activist
- Bill Walton, Leeds UK
- Bruce Katz, Retired teacher. Co-president Palestinian and Jewish Unity, Montreal
Bruce Lofquist, Human rights advocate, Oakville - Bruce R. Allen Paralegal, St. Catharines
- Carol Sanders, Retired legal services attorney, Berkeley, CA
- Cathy Gulkin, Filmmaker, Toronto
- Chris Hedges, Former Middle East Bureau Chief, The New York Times and author Princeton, New Jersey
- Cindy Shamban, CA
- Clyde Leland, Legal Ethics Professor, Berkeley, CA
- Cory Greenlees , Activist, Victoria BC
- Hadley Finke, Clerk of Peace Building and Justice, local congregation, Oberlin, Ohio, USA
- Dan Maitland, Canada
- David L. Mandel, Human rights attorney Sacramento, CA, USA
- Deborah Jackman, Artist, St. John’s, NL
- Desmond Sequeira, Activist, Multi-Faith Chaplain (Retired), St. Catharines ON
- Diana Chaplin, Advocacy for Palestinian rights, London Ontario
- Diane Norman, Mother and Grandmother, Montréal
- Dr. Dwyer Sullivan, Retired Social justice high school teacher, Kitchener, Ontario
- Carlyle, Union advocate, Winnipeg, Canada
- Eliot Helman, San Francesco, CA
- Elizabeth Block, Member of Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto, Canada
- Elizabeth Lee, St. Anthony, Newfoundland
- Enver Domingo, Activist, Oakville. Canada
- Eric Mills, Editor, Toronto
- Eve Hershcopf, Attorney
- Frances Combs, Clergy, Toronto
- Frank Holden, Human Rights Activist, St. John's, NL
- Genie Silver, Activist, retired professor, US
- Georgina Kirkman, Senior, activist, concerned citizen, Victoria, B.C. Canada
- Gordon Doctorow, EdD, Adjunct Nova Southeastern University, Toronto
- Haim Bresheeth-Zabner, Professor, London
- Helga Mankovitz, Kingston, Canada
- Jacob Ecclestone, Former journalist and trade union organizer, United Kingdom
- Jalal Kawash, Human Rights Advocate
- James Deutsch, Assistant Professor University of Toronto, Toronto
- James Dickins, Professor, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Jane Collier, Clinician, United Kingdom
- Jean Gagne, Supporter, Independent Jewish Voices Canada, Montreal
- Jennifer Whitfield, Activist, St. John's, NL
- Joe Modeste, Retired teacher, Ajax
- John Coates, Professional Engineer, England
- John Darling, Member Toronto New Democratic Labor Party, Toronto
- John Dugard, Professor of Law, The Hague, Netherlands
- John Grant, Citizen, UK
- Jordan Samolesky, Musician, St Francis-Xavier, MB
- Judith Goldschmidt, Jewish activist for Palestinian human rights, British Columbia
- Karen Platt, Jewish Voice for Peace member, Albany
- Karen Rodman, Retired civil servant, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario
- Kate Chung, Grandmother, Toronto
- Kay Von Riesen, Activist, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Khaled Loutfi Mouammar, Former Member, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Richmond Hill,
- Larry B Harder, Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture (Retired), Guelph
- Larry Hannant, Academic and author, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Lawrence Sutherland, Human Rights Activist, Winnipeg,
- Libby Davies, Former MP 1997-2015, Vancouver
- Lilian Patey, Clergy, Windsor, Ontario
- Lisa Rofel, Professor Emerita and Research Professor, San Francisco
- Lynette Bondarchuk, Artist; NPO Administrator; Legal Observer, Edmonton, AB Canada
- Marco Castillo, Writer and poet, Toronto
- Marlena Santoyo, Social justice activist, Philadelphia, PA
- Marny Kittredge, Washington, USA
- Martha Larsen, Member of Jewish Voice for Peace, San Francisco, CA
- Martin Fontaine, agent de pastorale, Montréal, Québec
- Michael A. Lebowitz, Professor emeritus of economis, Vancouver, Canada
- Michael Lynk, Law Professor, Western University, Canada
- Michal Sapir, Writer and musician, Tel Aviv
- Mike Cushman, Retired academic and Palestinian Rights activist London, UK
- Miriam Meir, Jewish-Israeli Human rights activist. Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Mounir Zaccak, North York, Ontario, Canada
- Murray Lumley, Retired teacher Toronto
- Nadege Couamin, Activist of human rights, Montréal, Québec
- Noam Chomsky, Professor, Tucson AZ USA
- Omer Aijazi, Academic, Canada
- Paul Salvatori, Journalist, Toronto
- Paul Tetrault, Retired lawyer, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Penny Oyama, Retired nurse, Burnaby, British Columbia
- Peter Eglin, Professor Emeritus, Wilfrid Laurier University, Kitchener, Ontario
- Peter Purich, Technical Writer (Retired), Ottawa
- Phyllis Creighton, Human rights activist, Toronto
- Ralph Carl Wushke, Pastor, Toronto
- Rev. F. Mark Mealing, Ph.D., Anglican Priest, Meadow Creek, British Columbia
- Richard Falk, Professor of International Law, Santa Barbara, CA
- Richard Seaford, Professor Emeritus, University of Exeter, UK
- Robert Fantina, Author, journalist, Kitchener, Ontario
- Roger Waters, Musician & activist
- Rosemary Brown, Community activist, Calgary, Alberta
- Roxanna Sabir - Barrister & Solicitor, Human Rights and Immigration Lawyer, Abbotsford, BC
- Sally Regan, Company Director, Devon, UK
- Sara Sheriff, Education, UK
- Seth Morrison, Antizionist activist, El Cerrito, CA
- Sherry Ann Chapman, Engaged citizen, Canada
- Shirel, Teacher, Mississauga
- Sumi Hasegawa, Retired Faculty Lecturer, Canada
- Susan Shawl, Concerned Jew, Oakland, CA
- Sylvat Aziz, Professor, Kingston, Ontario
- Thomas C Brown, Professor Emeritus. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver
- W. T. Beckett, Human Rights Activist, St. John's, NL, Canada
- Wolfe Erlichman, Activist, Godfrey, Ontario, Canada
- Yann Martel, Writer, Canada
- Yves Engler, Author, Montreal
- Zvi Gaster, Toronto, Canada
[1] The JLR, which services the illegal settlements, also provide services to the A1 train line project between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which crosses the Green Line into occupied Palestinian territory (OPT).
[2] The establishment of which, is internationally condemned under UN Security Council as having “no legal validity” and constituting “a flagrant violation under international law,” UNSC Resolution 2334 (23 December 2016), p.1. Canada also recognizes the illegality of Israel’s settlements and understand that they “constitute a serious obstacle to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.” Government of Canada, ‘Canadian policy on key issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’ (Government of Canada, 19 March 2019)
[3] Ibid. See also See also, United National Development Programme, Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence for Business in Conflict‑Affected Contexts (UNDP, 2022).