The fate of the Palestinians in the West Bank will be decided in the coming weeks: Since 1 July, Israel has expressed its intention to annex a number of West Bank lands. However, annexation is not done only with arms; strengthening the infrastructures between the colonial force and the colonized territory is an essential duty for any occupying Power. For tanks and soldiers to be useful, they must have the ability to transport them to the place where they want to be kept under control. The invasion is not worth it if people and goods cannot be brought to the occupied territory. Mobility, agility and efficiency. These are the three strategic points that Israel has set for getting more land out of the West Bank region. The Jerusalem Light Train is an instrument for these purposes. For Sergio García, member of the international campaign Israel Boikot, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), the objectives of the train are three: The connection of the East Jerusalem colonies with the Zionist centre, the definitive integration of the territories through which the train will run in Israel and the abandonment of the Palestinians.

The members of the BDZ have stressed that this is a geostrategic movement, and have asked the company CAF, which has a direct intervention in the construction of the train, to suspend construction works. In fact, the drilling and construction of railways began next October, in collaboration with the Israeli company Shapir. However, in the emergency situation caused by COVID-19, the Zionist authorities have seen a great opportunity to speed up work and try to go unnoticed.

Hot potato

A company from the Basque Country is directly involved in this project: Company CAF. As García has informed us, the agreement between the company of Beasain and Shapi was awarded the construction of the railway line in August 2019, specifically the construction of the second line. By then, CAF was no longer the first candidate, but it was the result or final wager of the contest that came from 2017. In fact, as García explained, since the Israeli Government and the mayor of Jerusalem opened the competition for the project, several major companies decided to withdraw for fear of soiling their public image in a project that would violate international law. Siemens, German Alsthom and French Systra, Canadian Bombardier and Australian Maquarie are some of them. In 2015, the French corporation Veolia also had to withdraw all its investments in Israel, as a result of the pressures. In addition, García recalled that CAF member Shapir, the Israeli company Shapir, has been on a United Nations blacklist since February 2020. This list includes companies with businesses in illegal colonies.

BDS wager

The aim of the BDS movement is for CAF to withdraw like all other companies and leave the “infrastructure of apartheid”, and to this end they have launched the CAF campaign, which leaves the train of apartheid in Israel. García has made it clear that the campaign is supported by many political and social actors in Euskal Herria, as well as by the CAF workers' commission. On February 22, a joint declaration was presented in Ordizia by 70 social agents from Euskal Herria, including the PNV. Garcia explained that there are many individuals who are joining the campaign and are helping to spread the call through social networks, for example. Several journalists have also transferred their commitment to the campaign. But in addition to providing formal support, there are many who are calling CAF by telephone to request “compliance with international law and its removal from the project”. The CAF General Shareholders’ Meeting will be held on 13 June, where BDZ members want their requests to be on the table.

Breaking the silence

Faced with the state of alarm caused by COVID-19, García has denounced that some media outlets have had the perfect excuse to divert attention. Israel has taken advantage of the same alibi, as the work began last month, for which "crisis coverage" has been used to draft a project against international law. Another challenge for the BDS is: “making the media clear”, because the mainstream media has so far ignored it. The boycott, divestment and sanctions movement emerged following the Palestinian civil society’s call for assistance to international solidarity, in order to dismantle the Palestinian oppression, to denounce it and to demand that the administrations and companies of western countries cease their cooperation with Israel. The campaigns focus on ending all agreements with the Zionist State “as long as it does not comply with international law and does not guarantee the rights of the Palestinians”.

Institutional participation

Garcia warned that CAF’s shareholders include the Basque Government, which does not rule out any proposal. The Basque institutions, shareholders and members, ask them to “act responsibly”, otherwise they will themselves be responsible for the damage that the train will cause to the Palestinians.