Act now: Tell BT to hang up on the Occupation


November 13, 2010
Richard Kuper
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BT_hang-up

Act now: Tell BT to hang up on the Occupation

A campaign launched and supported by A Just Peace for Palestine, War on Want, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, and Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

A new report from War on Want exposes how BT is complicit in Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people.

We must take action now to force BT to hang up on the Occupation.

War on Want’s new report, launched on 11 November, shows among many, many examples of collusion with the occupation (Veolia, Eden Springs, Elbit Systems etc), that BT gives Bezeq International, an Israeli telecommunications company, preferential access to its products, even though the company provides services to illegal Israeli settlements, checkpoints and army bases in the Occupied West Bank. You can download the full report, Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: Winning justice for the Palestinian people, from the War on Want website.

Take action now to email BT‘s Chief Executive and demand the company immediately cut ties with Bezeq International (see draft letter below).

[Added 25 November: BT is sending out a standard response to letters of complaint. War on Want provide a link to this standard letter and a suggested reply below.]

Thank you,

Yasmin Khan
Senior Campaigns Officer
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Here is a draft letter (available for sending directly on the War on Want website here):

Dear Ian Livingston,

I am writing to express my concern about the relationship between BT and Bezeq International whom you have recently allowed to join your prestigious BT Alliance programme with ‘Gold Partner’ status.

Bezeq International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bezeq, which provides telecommunication services to illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israel’s settlements are illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention, which forbids population transfer into territory occupied in war. They are widely condemned as obstacles to peace by the international community, including the British government, which has repeatedly called on Israel to halt its settlement expansion plan.

BT is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, which commits the company to ensuring that it is not complicit in human rights abuses. The company’s internal business principles also include specific commitments to upholding human rights.

By allowing Bezeq International into the BT Alliance programme, BT is supporting the infrastructure which enables illegal Israeli settlements to function. BT remains complicit in Israel’s breaches of international law unless it cuts all ties with Bezeq International.

As a supporter of War on Want, I urge BT to cut its partnership with Bezeq International and end its complicity in the illegal Occupation of Palestinian land.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely


Act Now: Keep up the pressure on BT!

25 November 2010

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On 11 November 2010 War on Want launched a new campaign targeting BT for its complicity in the human rights abuse of Palestinians living under Israeli Occupation.

BT has allowed Israeli firm Bezeq International into its exclusive BT Alliance programme despite Bezeq’s well know operations in the Occupited West Bank.

War on Want have yet to receive a formal response from BT, but supporters who have taken our e-action have received the following response.

Its time to communicate to BT through a medium they understand.

We are asking supporters to call BT headquarters on 0207 356 5000 with the following points.

  • BT’s standard reply completely ignores the central concern, namely the company is complicit in severe breaches of international law and the violation of human rights through its relationship with Bezeq International
  • BT has not addressed how its own policies relate to the relationship with Bezeq International. Specifically:
  • BT’s supposed commitment to “ensuring that we are not complicit in human rights abuses” and BT’s ‘Business Principles’ include a commitment to “use our values and principles” when “considering new and existing relationships”.
  • BT’s reply includes a reference to the fact that “PalTel, the Palestine Telecommunications Company, also has dealings with Bezeq”. But BT should be aware that Palestinian telecommunication companies are forced to use Israeli infrastructure because they are forbidden from installing infrastructure in 60% of the Occupied West Bank (Also know as ‘Area C’)

You can can also write to BT’s chief executive on ian.livingstone@bt.com

If you are a BT shareholder you can complain by calling 0808 100 4141

If you are a BT customer dial 152 from your BT landline

KEEP UP THE PRESSURE ON BT! FORWARD THE ACTION TO A FRIEND

This action is part of the ‘Disconnect Now’ campaign

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keyword: boycottBT

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