This section of Investigate includes companies that provide military and security forces in Palestine/Israel with weapons and tools consistently used in war crimes or attacks on civilians in violation of international law.
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) investment policy precludes investment in any company that provides products or services to military bodies, organizations, or groups that are used to facilitate or undertake violent acts against civilians or violations of international law. Hence, AFSC policy responds to human rights violations by both Israelis and Palestinians. However, this list contains only companies involvement in Israeli violations. This apparent asymmetry is a consequence of the asymmetry of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The provision of any form of support to a Palestinian armed group or political party is illegal under U.S. anti-terrorism laws. In other words, existing legal structures enforce strict sanctions and prevent meaningful involvement of public corporations in Palestinian violations of international law, while not imposing comparable restrictions on Israel.
The companies included in this section are:
- Companies that supply the military with the main weapons platforms consistently used in attacks of the a civilian population.
- Companies that provide security forces with equipment and services specifically used in illegal collective punishment of the civilian population under military occupation, such as home demolitions.
This list is limited to companies with significant, ongoing contracts, and focuses on cases with a proven direct link to war crimes, violations of international humanitarian law or human rights law. It is not intended as a general list of all weapons manufacturers or military contractors.
The American Friends Service Committee supports disarmament processes and the cessation of military sales and assistance to all parties. In 2012, AFSC joined 14 other church groups in calling on the US Congress to condition the provision of US military aid to Israel on Israel’s respect for human rights.
Related databases and resources
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) - databases of the top arms-producing and military services companies in the world and of international transfers of major conventional arms
- Defense News - annual ranking of the top 100 global defense companies
- Don’t Bank on the Bomb - database of publicly traded companies involved in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons
- Divest from the War Machine - a Code Pink campaign