Fact Sheet on OTPP Investments in Israel:  OTPP’s Five Worst Offenders

 

The Plan’s 2008 shares in companies with investments in Israel totaled over $3.7 billion, ranging from Israeli companies to multinationals with direct projects in Israel or with Israeli corporate partners. Five of the worst offenders, in terms of maintaining the occupation and the destruction of Palestinian life and property, with combined investments of over $582 million in 2009, are:

 

Cement Roadstone Holdings (CRH) Irish building materials company with 25% share in the Israeli group Mashav Initiating and Development Ltd., a holding company for Nesher Cement, the sole producer of cement in Israel. CRH has admitted that “in all probability” Nesher cement has been used in the construction of the Separation Wall, which has been condemned by the international community as a method of annexation of occupied land and found to be illegal under international law.

Siemens AG  Develops water treatment technologies with Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, which since 1967 has supervised drilling of wells for Israeli settlers in the West Bank while denying permits to Palestinians. In summer months Mekorot closes valves supplying Palestinian towns and villages to maintain Israeli supplies.

Macdonald, Dettwiler and Associates Canadian provider of electronic surveillance technology, has a joint project with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to build Unmanned Arial Vehicles in Canada.  IAI produces aircraft capable of targeted assassinations and has developed with Caterpillar a robotic D9 bulldozer used in house demolitions.

Lockheed Martin The world’s No.1 military contractor. On the verge of sealing a $20 billion deal with Israel for 25 F-35 fighter jets, approved in 2008 by the U.S. government. Awarded a $5.2 million U.S. Navy contract in 2006 to conduct combat ship feasibility studies for the Israeli Navy.  In the same year it won an $18 million contract from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to provide a Flight and Systems Trainer for Israeli F-16I pilot training.

Finning International Canadian company, the world’s largest distributor of Caterpillar products and support services. With the aid of Caterpillar`s D9 bulldozers IDF forces destroyed 1404 Palestinian homes in 2004, 560 homes in the Jenin refugee camp in 2002, and 120 homes in a single day in a camp in Rafah. International peace activists have called for a boycott of Caterpillar, and in 2006 the Synod of the Church of England divested itself of Caterpillar shares.