There is Palestinian Blood on Our Motorola Cell Phones

To whom it may concern:

I am deeply disappointed in Motorola’s response to the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre’s invitation to respond to the US Campaign to End the [Apartheid] Israeli Occupation allegations that Motorola’s products and services to Israel are in breach of international law and violate human rights.

Rather than refute any of their carefully documented allegations, outlined in a letter to CEO, Greg Brown (dated February 26, 2008), of your corporation’s profiteering from [apartheid] Israeli military occupation and human rights abuses, you choose to shroud yourself in empty, moralistic pieties of “ethical business conduct”. A corporation which is truly committed to human rights and ethical business conduct would take these allegations seriously, not sweep them under the rug as you did in your letter. You have made clear that your corporation has chosen to continue its morally bankrupt position of profiteering from and supporting Israel’s illegal military occupation and human rights abuses rather than acting to prevent future ill-gotten profits. Failure to act once a corporation becomes aware of immoral corporate practices and behavior in this case at the very least constitutes support for violence and at worst, complicity in practices of apartheid and military occupation, collective punishment of an entire group of people, and the destruction of any viable attempt for a sustained peace in Palestine.

I ask Motorola to respond to the allegations outlined below:

Fuses for aerial devices and munitions-Motorola [apartheid] Israel:
a fully-owned subsidiary of Motorola Incorporated—produces the 980 Low Altitude Proximity Fuse for the MK-80 series of high explosive bombs. On July 30, 2006, during its war on Lebanon, the [apartheid] Israeli Air Force dropped an MK-84 high-explosive bomb on an apartment building in Qana, Lebanon killing at least 28 civilians, many of whom were children.

Can you explain how this does not violate Motorola’s Human Rights policy?

Communication devices for military occupation:
The $100 million contract used to develop and supply the ‘Mountain Rose’ secure cell phone communication system to the [apartheid] Israeli military directly enhances the coordination and monitoring capabilities of the occupying forces in their illegal military operations in the Palestinian territories. [Apartheid] Israel routinely engages in gross patters of human rights violations in its military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, including but not limited to the killing and injuring of civilians, torture, extra-judicial assassinations, the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, acts of collective punishment and economic warfare.

Can you clarify how this does not violate Motorola’s own Code of Business Conduct www.motorola.com/code?

Radar detection devices for [apartheid] Israel’s illegal Wall:
Motorola Israel supplies Israel with the Wide Area Surveillance System (WAAS) to monitor and maintain the illegal wall/fence barrier it has constructed in violation of the July 2004 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion.

How does this honor the spirit of Motorola’s own Human Rights Policy www.motorola.com/humanrights policy?

Radar Detection devices for [apartheid] Israel’s Illegal Settlements:
Motorola Incorporated set up advanced radar detection devices and thermal cameras in 47 [apartheid] Israeli settlements. According to the Fourth Geneva Conventions, Article 49, it is considered a war crime for an Occupying Power to transfer its civilian population into an Occupied Territory. Motorola Incorporated provision of these systems helps to entrench Israel’s illegal settlements on expropriated Palestinian territory, in direct violation of international law.

Finally, can you describe how Motorola’s Code of Business Conduct Expectations for Suppliers Policy www.motorola.com/supplierexpectations- is not being violated?

It is clear from the US Campaign’s research and findings that Motorola [apartheid] Israel, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Motorola Inc, profits from human rights violations. And although we welcome Motorola’s proactive efforts to review policies for corporate responsibility and accountability, your company’s support for Israel’s human rights abuses negates attempts to establishing a just and lasting peace.

If Motorola is serious about serving as a responsible corporate citizen, then all of Motorola’s activities both in the United States and abroad, including [apartheid] Israel/Palestine, must adhere to a human rights policy that promotes human rights and international law, not contribute to their violations.

In your response, Motorola stated that your Code of Business Conduct is currently under review and the process includes studying internationally recognized human rights standards. Can you give us a specific date as to when you plan to complete your review?

Furthermore, how does your corporation plan to change your practices should your internal investigation reveal that your corporate practices enable the violation of internationally recognized human rights standards?

I request that Motorola respond substantively to allegations of war profiteering and financially benefiting from [apartheid] Israel’s illegal military occupation.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Zahra Billoo

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