State Involvement with the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
Germany
Company / Address / Description of Activities in OPT /German Companies Involved in the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
Bomag / Hellerwald D-56154
Boppard
Germany / Bomag is a private-owned manufacturer of compaction equipment, headquartered in Boppard, Germany. It is part of the Fayat Group, a French conglomerate.
Bomag equipment was used to pave roads leading to settlements in the West Bank, including Israelis-only roads, and roads at West Bank checkpoints, including the Jaba and Huwara checkpoints.
Bomag rollers have also been used in the construction of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train line (A1), near the West Bank settlement of Mevo Horon. The new train’s route crosses into the occupied Palestinian territory in two areas. Because of its illegal route, Deutsche Bahn (German Railways), which was advising Israel Railways on the line’s construction, withdrew from the project.
H+E Logistk / Josef-Baumann-Strasse 18
D-44805 Bochum
Germany / H+E Logistk is a private Germany firm that specializes in the planning, construction, supply and assembly of tunnel belt and conveyor systems.
The company provided a conveyor belt system for transporting excavated material during the construction of Tunnel No. 3 of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train line (A1). The new train route crosses into the occupied Palestinian territory in two areas (see above).
Heidelberg Cement / Berliner Strasse 6
69120 Heidelberg
Germany / Heidelberg Cement, a publicly-traded German company, is the world's largest producer of cement and aggregate composites.
In 2007, the company bought Hanson UK and became the owner of three plants in West Bank settlements and one Israeli aggregates quarry in the occupied West Bank through Hanson Israel. The quarry exploits the occupied Palestinian natural resources for the Israeli construction industry.
Herrenknecht / Schlehenweg 2
77963 Schwanau
Germany / Herrenknecht is a private German manufacturer of mechanized tunneling equipment.
The company supplied 3 tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for the excavation of Tunnels Nos. 1 and 3 of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train (A1), which crosses into the occupied Palestinian territory in two areas. Tunnel No. 3 lies partly within the OPT. Because TBMs are custom-made for each tunnel project, Herrenknecht would be well-aware that the tunnel boring would span into the OPT. Further, Herrenknecht representative are on-site to oversee the TBMs’ operation.
Liebherr / 45 Hans-Liebherr Strasse
D-88400 Biberach an der Riss
Germany / Liebherr is a private German manufacturer of appliances, machinery and tools.
The company's heavy machinery have been used in the construction of the Separation Wall in the occupied West Bank.
Schwing / Heerstrasse 9-27 D-44653 Herne Germany / Schwing is a privately-held German manufacturer of concrete pumps.
Its concrete pump vehicles are used in the construction of West Bank settlements, and in the construction of the Jerusalem Light Rail, which connects Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem with the city center.
Siemens / Wittelsbacherplatz 2
Munich, 80333
Germany / Siemens is a publicly-traded engineering conglomerate.
Through its Israeli representative, Orad Group, Siemens installs traffic control systems on Israelis-only highways in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Road Nos. 5 and 443.
Through its fully owned Israeli subsidiary, Siemens Israel, the company sold 118 passenger coaches to Israel Railways for use in the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train (A1), which is currently under construction. The new train’s route crosses into the occupied Palestinian territory in two areas.
Wirtgen Group / Hohner Strasse 2
Windhagen, 53578
Germany / Wirtgen is a privately-owned German manufacturer of road construction, and mineral mining equipment. Its Joseph Vögele brand develops and manufactures asphalt pavers for road construction.
Joseph Vögele pavers have been used for Israeli road construction in the occupied West Bank, including an expansion of the Israelis-only Road No. 433.
Israeli Companies Involved in the Settlement Enterprise and Operating in Germany
Bank Leumi / Wöhlerstrasse 5
Frankfurt am Main 60323 Germany / Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. is Israel’s largest commercial bank by total assets, with 278 domestic branches and 60 foreign branches in 17 countries. It has German representative offices in Frankfurt and Berlin.
Leumi supports the settlement enterprise in various ways. It provides financing for housing construction projects within the settlements. It supplies mortgages to settlers through Leumi Mortgage Bank. It provides loans and financial services to the settlements’ local authorities (e.g.. as an investment consultant to the Maale Adumim settlement in East Jerusalem). It financed the Jerusalem Light Rail project, which was designed to connect East Jerusalem settlements with the city center. And it operates branches in settlements throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Mizrahi Tefahot Bank / Mizrahi Tefahot Bank
German Representative Office
Woehlerstrasse 5
60323 Frankfurt am Main
Germany / Mizrahi Tefahot is an Israeli commercial bank with a German representative office in Frankfurt.
The Bank provides financing for constructing housing projects in the settlements of Modi'in Ilit, Ariel, Har Homa, Ramat Rachel, Maale Adumim and Pisgat Zeev in the occupied West Bank (including East Jerusalem). Additionally, the Bank provides loans and financial services to settlement municipal authorities, settlement businesses, and has four branches in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Companies Involved with the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
France
Company / Address / Description of Activities in OPT /French Companies Involved in the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
Alstom / 3 avenue André Malraux
92300 Levallois-Perret
France / Alstom is a publicly-traded French-based multinational corporation in the power generation and transport markets.
The company is involved with the Jerusalem Light Rail, which was designed to connect Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem with West Jerusalem. Alstom manufactured the system’s trains. It formerly owned 80% of EPC, the Light Rail’s engineering, procurement and construction contractor, and fully owned Citadis Israel, its maintenance contractor. In 2013, Alstom sold its 20% stake in Citypass, the consortium that built and operates the Light Rail, but it retains shares in EPC and Citadis Israel.
Egis Rail / 25 Cours Emile Zola
69100 Villeurbanne
France / Egis Rail is a French transport infrastructure engineering company. It is part of the Egis Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts.
The company won a €11.9-million contract with Jerusalem Transportation Master Plan to assist in the construction and expansion of the light rail project in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem light rail is designed to connect Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem to West Jerusalem.
Veolia Environnement / 36-38 avenue Kléber
75116 Paris
France / Veolia Environnement is a multinational French provider of water, waste management, energy and transport services. It fully controls its subsidiary, Veolia Environnement Services Israel.
Veolia Environnement owns and operates the Tovlan Landfill in the occupied Jordan Valley. The waste transferred to the landfill originates from recycling factories within Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The company uses captured Palestinian land and natural resources for the needs of Israeli settlements from both side of the green line.
Another subsidiary, Veolia Water Services Israel, operates the Ayalon sewage treatment plant, which collects sewage from the settlement of Modi'in Illit.
Veolia Transdev / 32 boulevard Galliéni CS 50002
92442 Issy-Les-Moulineaux Cedex
France / Veolia Transdev is a French transportation services provider owned in equal shares by Veolia Environnement and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations(CDC), a French state-owned financial institution.
Through its subsidiary, Connex Israel, Veolia Transdev operated bus services through the occupied West Bank, serving settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The company stopped operating the Modi’in bus network (which services West Bank settlements near Modi’in) in July 2013, and sold Connex Israel to the Israeli company Afikim in September 2013.
Mehadrin International S.A.R.L (France) / 696 Chemin du Barret
13160 Châteaurenard
France / Mehadrin International S.A.R.L (France) is a fully-owned subsidiary of Mehadrin Group, an Israeli agricultural conglomerate.
Mehadrin owns and operates at least three orchards in the occupied West Bank.
The company is engaged in planting various vegetable and fruit groves, processing, packing, marketing and exporting agricultural products in Israel and abroad.
Israeli Companies Involved in the Settlement Enterprise and Operating in France
Delek Israel Fuel / Delek Europe
Princenhagelaan 9,
4813 DA Breda
The Netherlands / An Israeli fuel distributor. The company owns and operates a chain of Delek gas stations and Menta convenience stores in West Bank settlements of Alfei Menashe, Ariel and Givat Ze'ev and in the Neve Ya'akov and French Hill settlements in East Jerusalem. Additionally, the company supplied fuel for construction projects in the settlement of Carmel.
Subsidiaries include the British Roadchef and Delek Europe, which activates gas stations and convenience stores in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg.
As of October 2010 Delek Europe B.V has purchased the retail activity of BP France SA mainly located in northern France (including Paris) and at the South Corridor, which includes 401 fuel stations, 356 convenience stores and 235 car wash facilities. The BP branded network consist of 55 fuel motorway stations, which are approximately 12% of all highway stations.
NaanDan Jain Irrigation / NaanDan Jain France
2, rue d’Oc
31200 Toulouse / Provider of irrigation solutions for agriculture. The company provides services to farms of settlers in the occupied Jordan Valley, Mount Hebron and the Golan Heights.
The company has an French subsidiary, NaanDan Jain France.
Companies Involved with the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
Belgium
Company / Address / Description of Activities in OPT /Belgian Companies Involved in the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
Dexia Group / Dexia Tower
Place Rogier 11B
1210 Brussels
Belgium / A European bank which specializes in public sector banking. In 2001 the bank bought the Israeli Municipality Treasure Bank and established Dexia Israel.
The bank is the major shareholder of Dexia Israel, holding 65.3% of its shares. Dexia Israel has been giving long-term loans and other financial services to municipalities of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.
In 2009, Dexia Israel issued a 6.8 million NIS loan for waste management systems in the settlement of Bat Ayin. The loan is given from state funds through the administration for sewage infrastructures.
Dexia Israel provided a guarantee for a project of the Israeli Ministry of Defense to purchase and install lighting around Kdumim settlement.
Dexia Israel provides fund management for several settlements: Gush Etzion settlements' regional council receives all of its state funds through Dexia Bank; The bank operates the account of Katzerin settlement in the Golan Heights. Katzerin receives funds from the different government offices through Dexia Bank.
Following public campaigns led by the Belgian Intal group the bank announced in June 2009 that financing Israeli settlements is contrary to the bank’s code of ethics, and that since September of 2008 it has not provided new loans to West Bank settlements. However, contrary to this announcement, it has continued providing loans to local and regional councils of settlements after September 2008. The group has announced its intention to sell Dexia Israel, but as of August 2013, the sale had not been finalized.
Israeli Companies Involved in the Settlement Enterprise and Operating in Belgium
Delta Galil Industries / Manufacturer of textiles for undergarments. The company has a warehouse in the Barkan industrial zone, which is an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. Delta also has shops in two Israeli settlements in the West Bank: Ma’aleh Adumim and Pisgat Ze'ev.
Through Delta Textiles (London), the company fully owns Delta Galil Europe and Sport Socks Company (Belgium and Ireland) and Delta Galil Germany.
Delek Israel Fuel / Delek Benelux
Princenhagelaan 9
4813 DA Breda
The Netherlands / An Israeli fuel distributor. The company owns and operates a chain of Delek gas stations and Menta convenience stores in West Bank settlements of Alfei Menashe, Ariel and Givat Ze'ev and in the Neve Ya'akov and French Hill settlements in East Jerusalem. Additionally, the company supplied fuel for construction projects in the settlement of Carmel.
Subsidiaries include the British Roadchef and Delek Europe, which activates gas stations and convenience stores in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg.
In May 2007, Delek Benelux, a subsidiary of Delek Europe, acquired Chevron’s retail operations in the Benelux (Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands). These operations consist of various fuel stations under the Texaco brand and other stations, under private brands.
Electra Ltd. / Devis Group Benelux
Herentalsewag 48
B-2440 Geel
Belgium / Electra is a conglomerate of Israeli and international companies.
A subsidiary of the company, Katzenstein Adler, has a site in the Barkan industrial zone, which is an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. Another subsidiary, Electra Construction, has been involved in the construction of housing projects in West Bank settlements.The company also owns Ariel Properties whose subsidiary, Ariel Promol Malls Management, markets and manages a shoping center in Ramot, a settlement neighborhood of Jerusalem.
Belgian electromechanical company Devis Group Benelux is an Electra subsidiary.
Companies Involved with the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
The Netherlands
Company / Address / Description of Activities in OPT /Dutch Companies Involved in the Israeli Settlement Enterprise
CNH Global
(Fiat Kobelco) / CNH Global
World Trade Center Amsterdam
Airport Tower B 10th Floor Amsterdam, 1118 BH
Netherlands / Manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment. Tools of the company were used for the construction of West Bank settlements, of the Separation Wall and of military checkpoints in the West Bank. Additionally, tools of the company were used for uprooting trees from Palestinian land in the West Bank.
Fiat Kobelco is a brand name of CNH Global, a majority-owned subsidiary of Fiat Industrial. Additional brand names of the company include: New Holland Construction, Kobelco, Steyr and Case.
Kardan N.V. / Claude Debussylaan 30
Vinoly Building,13th Fl.
Amsterdam, 1082
Netherlands / A Netherlands-based investment group, focused on three sectors: Real Estate, Water Infrastructure and Retail Landing.
The company holds 54% of Tahal Group International - an Israeli engineering company specializing in water and waste-water systems. Tahal has developed the master plan for Jerusalem's waste-water treatment system. When completed, this system will serve the north-eastern settlement neighborhoods of Jerusalem (Neve Ya'akov and Pisgat Ze'ev), and settlements in the city's surroundings, such as: Giv’at Ze’ev and Beithar Iilit, Ma’aleh Adumim, Adam, Anatot and Mitzpeh Yericho.