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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in an opinion issued on July 19 that “Illegal» Israeli Colonial Rule Palestinian Territory Since 1967.
In this context, many French companies operating in the occupied territories are at risk of violating this decision of international justice.
In its investigation of the subject, Le Monde cited specific examples of French companies that could be accused of complicity in the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
In 2020, the United Nations High Council for Human Rights developed a Directly and indirectly contribute to, promote and benefit from the construction and development of settlements“.
According to Le Monde, of the 97 companies on the list, three are French groups.
These groups include Alstom, the world’s second-largest railway construction company, Egis, which specializes in construction projects, and Altice, the owner of telephone operator SFR.
Altice, controlled by French-Israeli businessman Patrick Drahi, has two subsidiaries in Israel: Hot Mobile and Hot T communications Systems.
It has installed numerous relay antennas in the occupied territories and provides Internet access to television channels.
Alstom and Aegis accused by the United Nations “The maintenance and existence of settlements“.
Alstom also facesUtilization of natural resourcesReal, especially water and land“.
The mass distribution giant Carrefour is also indirectly involved, as it has signed a contract for the opening of five stores with the Israeli group Electra, which already has eight stores in the occupied territories.
In an interview with Le Monde, the famous French brand defended itself and said that it did not authorize “Neither its brand nor its branded products» In the occupied Palestinian territories.
All other French groups concerned refused to participate in colonization, but none expressed a willingness to change policy.
Apart from the legal consequences, their existence Palestine There is also the risk of a boycott by customers around the world.
Carrefour was also the target of this action under the call of the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), as it took the initiative to deliver food parcels to the Israeli army.
Occupied Palestinian Territory: French companies caught in international legal dilemma
Another impact is that international investors withdraw capital from the companies involved.
In July 2021, KLP, Norway’s largest private pension fund, withdrew from Alstom and Altice, French newspapers recalled.
His explanation was that the two groups were at risk of becoming complicit in human rights violations committed by Israeli settlements.
The KLP also pulled out of the US company Caterpillar last June, whose equipment is used by the Israeli army in the ongoing war against the Gaza Strip.
The newspaper quoted legal experts as saying that on a legal level, the ICJ’s ruling could change everything.
«When the International Court of Justice says the law, we can regard it as the law, so it is an important opinion.“If we pursue the relevant companies,“The French courts will inevitably seizeAlain Pellet, a law professor and former chairman of the United Nations International Law Commission, believes this view.
Although corporations are not bound by international law, “Duty of Care” can be invoked to initiate recourse against them.
Le Monde explains that this principle was introduced into French law in 2017 and is applied by a European directive that provides for fines for violations.
this”Duty of Care“Major companies are required to ensure that their activities do not violate human rights and respect the environment around the world.
The EU can also decideSanctions Program“, since”ICJ invites countries to adapt legislation to prevent colonization”, explains criminal lawyer Philippe Valente.
He also stressed that the ICJ’s opinion “Other forms of violations, such as discriminatory practices, have been noted“, which could open the way for lawsuits against companies, which would be brought in the name of individuals who inhabit the occupied territories consider themselves victims of discriminatory practices.
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