JCB failed to do checks over potential use of equipment in Palestine

JVL Introduction

JCB heavy machinery is used everywhere  in Israel’s home demolitions and settlement construction enterprises  in the occupied Palestinian territory.

So, hats off to Lawyers for Palestinian Rights (LPHR) for an important victory in a case they pursued on the extent of the obligations that OECD guidelines place on firms to ensure their products are not used in breach of international humanitarian law.

On 12th November LPHR reported:

“[T]he British construction equipment company, JCB, has been found by a UK Government body to be in breach of its human rights responsibilities under the government-backed OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

“The UK National Contact Point (UK NCP), that is part of the Department for International Trade, has found that JCB is critically failing to undertake human rights due diligence and to have a human rights policy, within the context of the frequent use of its heavy machinery products in Israel’s home demolitions and settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

Patrick Wintour reports in the Guardian; followed by the full LPHR statement after the victory.

This article was originally published by The Guardian on Fri 12 Nov 2021. Read the original here.