Swansea (UK) bans contracts with Israel collaborator company

Swansea bans contracts with VEOLIA

So what is important about this and what does it have to do with the Middle East?

First who are VEOLIA

Veolia Transportation is the largest private sector operator of multiple modes of transit in North America, providing bus, rail, paratransit, shuttle, sedan and taxi services.

So why have Swansea banned contracts with them?

Swansea City Council approved the following resolution on Thursday June 17th 2010:

"The UN not only does not recognise Israel’s annexation and occupation of East Jerusalem, but has repeatedly stated its view that the Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank contravene international law, and it has demanded that Israeli settlement activities and occupation should not be supported.

The international trading company, Veolia, is a leading partner in a consortium seeking to build a light railway system linking Israel to illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, a project that clearly not only contravenes UN demands but is in contravention of international law.

Veolia Transport trades under the brand names of Veolia Transportation in North America and Israel.

Source

The article goes on to say that this is a unique situation - a first in the UK - not for the ban as:

other authorities have discontinued contracts with Veolia, but have not specified this reason. Swansea City Council is therefore leading the way with what is now seen as a landmark decision.

I notice that things are afoot in Australia with regard to boycotts (an Irish word) - the campaign is beginning to hot up a bit and here we have a US company which is now losing work because of it's affiliations and contracts with Israel.

This company not only has huge transport connections but is also into water and the environment and employs about 84,000 people (Source: Wikipedia) so I don't suppose Swansea's small stand against them will make the blindest bit of difference to Veolia, but I applaud Swansea for adopting the stance.