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Purveyor

(29,876 posts)
Mon Dec 17, 2012, 12:53 PM Dec 2012

New Zealand Government Fund Divests From Israeli Firms Over Settlement Construction

A New Zealand government fund divested from three Israeli companies because of their involvement in the construction of West Bank settlements.

Elbit, Lev Leviev's Africa Israel and its construction subsidiary Danya Cebus, and Shikun & Binui were excluded from the 23.5 billion dollars New Zealand Superannuation Fund, the New Zealand Herald reported last week.

--CLIP

In a statement, Anne-Maree O'Connor, the fund's manager for responsible investment, said, "Findings by the United Nations that the separation barrier and settlement activities were illegal under international law were central to the fund's decision to exclude the companies. The fund also factored in votes by New Zealand for U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding the cessation and dismantling of the separation barrier, and the cessation of Israeli settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories."

MORE...

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/new-zealand-government-fund-divests-from-israeli-firms-over-settlement-construction-1.485197

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New Zealand Government Fund Divests From Israeli Firms Over Settlement Construction (Original Post) Purveyor Dec 2012 OP
About damn time. I wish more would do this. PDJane Dec 2012 #1
I seriously think that the world is finally onto Netanyahu, and his slimy games. teddy51 Dec 2012 #2
Kudos to New Zealand n/t Violet_Crumble Dec 2012 #3
Its sort of like a pension fund... shaayecanaan Dec 2012 #4
I wouldn't have ever imagined that the Kiwis were anti-Semites! R. Daneel Olivaw Dec 2012 #5
Good for New Zealand n/t azurnoir Dec 2012 #6

shaayecanaan

(6,068 posts)
4. Its sort of like a pension fund...
Wed Dec 19, 2012, 08:21 PM
Dec 2012

NZ superannuation is a bit different to elsewhere - the government runs the scheme and takes contributions from people's taxes. Starting from 2009, the government has begun to draw down on the fund to pay retirement benefits to people over 65. However, the fund is entitled to invest in the private sector in order to try and maximise the use of its resources. Its a bit of a public-private hybrid model.

Its worth noting that New Zealand's current Prime Minister is of Jewish heritage, and New Zealand has had two previous Jewish Prime Ministers, including one observant, Orthodox Jewish PM.

 

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)
5. I wouldn't have ever imagined that the Kiwis were anti-Semites!
Wed Dec 19, 2012, 09:46 PM
Dec 2012



It's getting harder and harder for Israel to keep up with the pretense that any land outside of its borders belongs to it or its colonialist settlers.

I only hope that for Israel's sake that more countries show the resolve and common sense of the Kiwis and explain that they will not tolerate this expansionism into Palestinian lands.
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