Danish funding for illegal Jewish settlements

Pension funds invest billions in companies working in settlements declared illegal by the UN and the US

People saving for their pensions in this country are indirectly giving billions of kroner to firms that work in illegal Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and on the West Bank, reports Berlingske Tidende newspaper.

The largest Danish pension funds such as PensionDanmark, PKA, Nordea Liv & Pension and Danica Pension have together invested about 2 billion kroner in companies delivering building materials, machines and financing to the settlements, which Denmark, the US and UN consider illegal.

‘These companies are making money on the occupation of Palestine. It must stop,’ said Merav Amir, a coordinator at Who Profits, an Israeli peace organisation.

Helle Lykke Nielsen, a researcher at The University of Southern Denmark’s Centre for Middle East studies, said she would be moving her pension savings to another fund, ‘just as I would if I found out my pension fund was investing in companies making profits from child labour or trading weapons’.

Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller said the government shouldn’t get involved in regulating the business activities of individual companies.

Danica and Nordea are, according to Berlingske Tidende, considering pulling out of their deals with the dubious companies but PensionDanmark and PKA do not see a problem with the activity.

'It isn’t PKA’s role to conduct foreign policy,’ a statement from the company reads.

Comments

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npandjmclay - A classic case of ........

|2009-12-02 11:38:32

Nelsonism. 'I see no signals......' This is the only kind of financial pressure which will persuade the illegal settlers to give up their mission.

damestjernelys - ...

|2009-12-02 22:49:34

PensionDenmarkand PKA should pull out of their deals now. It's not their role to conduct foreign policy, but it's also not their role to fund companies that have dealings with settlements Denmark deems illegal.

JoeThePlumber - There is NO country called 'Palestine'

|2009-12-03 08:51:53

First of all, there is no country called 'Palestine', the country is called The State of Israel. It is the homeland of the Jewish people.

And just because the 'UN' and USA deem it 'illegal', is a load of crap! What right does the UN have to tell people where they can live? No other country in the world would this be acceptable. What if we told all Arabs in Denmark that they can only live on Bornholm and can't build anymore housing either.

Such hypocrites!

The 'Settlements' are anything but an obstacle for peace, it's just a load of crap and another thing for the 'palestinians' to complain about. If they spent less time being terrorists and actually improving themselves, maybe there would be a chance for peace?

There is no 'Occupied' land, the land belongs to Israel, the Jewish State. Like it or not, it's here to stay! And I will most certainly be happy to put my pension funds into investments there!

'Am Yisroel Chai'!

Jon_Casey - Actually Joe

|2009-12-03 17:02:46

Where as you are right in saying that there is no actual country called Palestine, the issue of illegal Jewish settlements in occupied Arab land (in the area known and recognized as Palestine) is a little bit more complicated than you make out, and not everyone shares your polar views.

As I am sure that you know, it was in November 1947 that the United Nations decided on the partition of Palestine (formally under the control of Great Britain since WW1) into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and a UN-administered Jerusalem. So it was actually the actions of the United Nations that lead to the formation of the State of Israel. Since then, Israel has fought a series of wars with its neighboring Arab states, and as a consequence, now controls territories beyond those delineated by the United Nations.

It is these occupied territories, and Israel’s continued refusal to halt development on land that does not belong to it that this article refers to, and the UN, USA and the rest of the world is quite entitled to voice their outrage and condemnation of these illegal actions.

With statements like “If they (the Palestinian people) spent less time being terrorists and actually improving themselves, maybe there would be a chance for peace” I’m sure that you won’t let the actual complexity or facts of the situation get in the way of your opinion, but please don’t try and push your views onto other people, especially since they only represent one side of the coin.

damestjernelys - Being against illegal settlements

|2009-12-04 12:49:22

Does not make one an enemy of Israel or against the existence of the nation of Israel either.

Furthermore, not every individual living in the area we refer to as Palestine is a terrorist or supporter of terrorism.

It is, on the Palestinian side, difficult to improve your situation when you don't have ample access to water, food, medical care education and all of the other things we in the Western world consider the 'basics,' when unemployment is rampant, when your 'government' is essentially factionalised and one faction is hellbent on destroying your neighbour and the other isn't but the side that is hellbent on destroying your neighbour is also pushing for a stricter interpretation of Islam and Islamic law in your area and doesn't think twice about offing people who don't agree with them, when law enforcement is inadequate, when corruption is rampant, aid isnt allowed to get through and people honestly don't know if their home (if they have one) will get bombed tomorrow because of something someone did (or is accused of doing)... exactly how are they supposed to improve their area to the level you'd like see? Do you have any productive suggestions you could send to the people of Palestine other than 'stop sending rockets into Israel and stop hurling stones at the checkpoints?'

On the Israeli side.. they (meaning the military and government) need to stop engaging in well-documented human rights abuses and they need to stop violating international law.

BOTH sides need to grow the hell up and realise that bombing the crap out of each other and provoking each other by any possible means isn't the answer.

The situation is far too nuanced to have black and white views of it.

I sincerely hope that we are able to see a free and prosperous Palestine existing peacefully beside Israel in our lifetime; that tourists will be able to travel to both nations without fear and without difficulty in order to experience the hospitality and culture of these two peoples. We aren't going to get here by supporting violence... on either side.

mhusary - let's put some facts here.

|2009-12-09 21:00:02

damestjernelyse
I am sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think you will see a Palestinian state coming out anytime soon. Simply because the one in control of the scenes there has an unquenchable thirst for Arab Blood and land, and what make is it sad and frustrating for others is that the entire world watching helplessly tied with a phobia called Anti-Semitic ready to be on the necks of whoever dare to try to talk some sense into Israelis.

Not to while ago the entire world watched 1300 civilian women, children, journalists, Etc getting chopped off by Israeli Phosphoric bombs in the completely besieged Gaza strip and as usual they got away clean with it. Don’t ask me how; somehow they always manage to control the entire world's will and turn it to their favor. All I can tell you about them is that they are organized; work in groups, powerful, wealthy and well educated. They have one of the smartest minds, but one of the hardest hearts ever and trickiest attitude.

Sorry again to disappoint you.

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Danish funding for illegal Jewish settlements

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