Law assisted divestment

The landmark ruling of the ICJ stated on 19 July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Gaza and the West Bank is unlawful and Israel's legislation amounts to racial segregation and apartheid. Furthermore, it specifically warns:

“... all States, international organizations, specialized agencies, investment corporations and all other institutions not to recognize, or cooperate with or assist in any manner in, any measures undertaken by Israel to exploit the resources of the occupied territories” p75-75. 

Just in the Netherlands, there are yearly over 16 billion euros invested in the illegally occupied territories by financial institutions, thereby facilitating the maintenance and expansion of the settlements. In Europe, this is a staggering 160 billion euros every year...

So we are not only witnesses to what is going on, but most of us are made complicit against our knowledge and our will by the investments of our pension funds, our banks, our insurance companies, and our universities. Who all continue to invest and cooperate with the illegal occupied territories despite the clear condemnation by the ICJ (International Court of Justice).

The highest court in the world has spoken and confirmed what we could all witness with our own eyes. But change will not come without action. We have pleaded, we have reasoned, we have marched, we have petitioned, but enough is enough!

Care for Palestine is currently pursuing a strategy of Law Assisted Divestment: to force institutions through legal actions to obey international law. We are in the preparation phase where together with a legal team we will assess the most advantageous legal strategy to achieve a legal procedure against financial institutions violating the ICJ ruling by their investment policy. If the outcome of the exploratory fase is favorable this has the potential to be a landmark procedure, serving as jurisprudence for other proceedings in other countries where the legal context is almost the same. 

This will by no means be an easy fight and there is no certainty that there will be a trail or that if we do go to court, the outcome will be favorable. But if we are, even partially successfull, the impact could be extremely significant and enduring. 

This cannot be attempted without an experienced and committed legal team. Prakken d'Olivera Human Rights Lawyers, led by Liesbeth Zegveld, is willing to look into legal strategies to attempt this challenge. This is the same legal team that managed to win the case at the Dutch high court and force the Dutch government to stop delivering parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel.