Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Wednesday, September 25, 2013 Major Victory Shows the Power of BDS Organizing! Dear Romi, Big news! We just received confirmation that Veolia Transdev -- a long-standing target of boycott and divestment Palestine solidarity campaigns worldwide along with its partial owner Veolia Environment -- has sold off all bus services in Israel/Palestine! Until last week, Veolia Transdev, through its Israeli subsidiary Connex, operated bus lines for settlers on segregated roads in the Palestinian West Bank, and other lines throughout Israel. Today it operates none. This marks one of the most significant, tangible victories to date for the international boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. Veolia represents the global flagship BDS target, having lost more than $16 billion in contracts following campaigns across continents citing Veolia's complicity in Israel's gross violations of Palestinian human rights. LA activists highlight Veolia bus segregation, now a thing of the past. Click above to learn how you can start your own campaign! In the U.S., member groups from Los Angeles to Boston have taken Veolia to task in their city councils and municipal departments. Peace-seeking Quakers and United Methodists achieved divestment from Veolia, while member groups in Yolo and Sonoma Counties, CA, and St. Louis, MO celebrated local victories and major breakthroughs catching the attention of Israeli officials, Veolia headquarters, mayoral candidates, and popular media. These activities, combined with parallel campaigns across the world, have imposed a significant cost to Veolia for its ongoing participation in Israel's occupation and apartheid policies -- a cost that Veolia can no longer ignore, as evidenced by the recent news. St. Louisans at City Hall connect Veolia injustices in Palestine with its labor and environmental abuses. Click above to learn more. Nonetheless, Veolia remains an important target. It continues to own and operate the Tovlan landfill in the occupied West Bank, which collects and dumps refuse from Israeli settlements using illegally captured Palestinian land and natural resources -- a form of pillage; it provides wastewater services to settlements; and Veolia Transdev still operates the Jerusalem Light Rail, which deeply entrenches and normalizes Israeli illegal settlements in East Jerusalem. Beyond Palestine, Veolia is also infamous for labor abuses, privatizing public resources, and disastrous environmental practices. This recent victory illustrates the power of local organizing and the importance of redoubling our efforts to hold Veolia accountable until it ends all complicity in Israel's abusive practices once and for all! Do you want to start a Veolia campaign? Check out the new, improved Dump Veolia Campaign section of our website, featuring: • Step-by-step "How to Start Your Own Veolia Campaign" guide • New resources, like logos, fact sheets and a free toolkit • Much more! As always, the US Campaign is here to serve member group organizing so let us know if you're planning a campaign! We can connect you with organizers and resources to build on the great work already happening. Onward! Anna Baltzer National Organizer Romi, please take action today: 1. Click to spread the word via Facebook & Twitter instantly! 2. Learn how to start your own Veolia campaign. 3. Sign up for a Veolia BDS Campaign Toolkit. Growing BDS Support We can only support boycott and divestment campaigns with support from people like you. Help us by making a tax-deductible donation, or by joining our Olive Branch Club to make a recurring tax-deductible donation. --Anna Baltzer, National Organizer Support Palestinian farming families. Shop our fair-trade store: Follow Us: Facebook Twitter YouTube Blog Vimeo Back to Top The US Campaign aims to change U.S. policies that sustain Israel's 46-year occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, and that deny equal rights for all. ABOUT| TAKE ACTION | GET INVOLVED | STORE | DONATE | RESOURCES | MEDIA | | FORWARD TO A FRIEND US CAMPAIGN TO END THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION | PO BOX 21539 | WASHINGTON, DC 20009 202-332-0994 | [email protected]| WWW.ENDTHEOCCUPATION.ORG
