The lead article in Sunday’s business section of the San Francisco Chronicle warns HP’s role in Israel could lead to political pressure. Although never mentioning the Boycott Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement directly, the Chronicle informs its readers Hewlett-Packard, a local Bay Area company, is the target of “an international campaign” that has “emerged to pressure Israel by persuading investors to dump shares of companies that do business with the government or operate in the disputed territories.”
The article reads like a 101 boycott primer alerting Americans there’s a movement against Israel’s occupation of Palestine similar to the anti-apartheid movement against South Africa.
Unbeknownst to many Americans, the Palo Alto computing giant makes the high-tech identification cards Israel uses to operate checkpoints in the disputed West Bank, territory Israel captured in 1967 but Palestinians claim as their own country.
Until recently, none of this attracted much attention, partly because information technology is kind of boring but also because the United States is a strong ally of Israel…..
Ticking time bomb
Whether you side with Israelis or Palestinians, this much is true: A Silicon Valley titan has parked itself on top of a ticking public relations time bomb.
The divestment movement hasn’t really caught on in the United States, and studies focusing on South Africa during apartheid found little fiscal impact on companies that were the target of similar protests.
Perhaps HP, which generates about 64 percent of annual revenue overseas, thinks the risk is worth it.
The thought of anybody in America dumping stock to protest Israeli policies would have been absurd just a few years ago. That’s what makes the Presbyterian Church’s decision so momentous.
HP would be wise to take note.
(Hat tip Karen Platt)
Great article Annie, it brings our attention to what HP is directly doing over there.
I am one of those who never knew that HP makes the ID cards for use at check points. Corporate greed supersedes basic empathy, and doing the right and decent thing for long suffering human beings.
I am sure if we look hard enough, we would find many other mega companies, like Caterpillar and their cursed bulldozers, aiding the occupier, and making life difficult for those living under this occupation. We should also thank SF Chronicle for being brave enough to address this issue. The US is as usual very backward when it comes to boycotts and sanctions when it comes to Israel (quite speedy when it came to Iraq and Iran), and still unlike France, Spain, and Italy, have not warned it’s citizens to not have business dealings with companies in the illegal settlements, perhaps maybe our officials do not want to incur the wrath of Israel.
Have to admit I had no idea that HP was making ID cards for the IDF. Am ashamed to say that I have a HP computer. I’m in the market for a new printer soon, and have now crossed HP off the list.
Thanks for the info.
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Way to go PC(USA)!! Thanks for your courage and leadership.
Is this what the front-end of a tipping point looks like?
studies focusing on South Africa during apartheid found little fiscal impact on companies that were the target of similar protests.
It didn’t use to possible to prosecute or sue corporate officials for aiding and abetting human rights violations. There are laws on the books now that could make that possible.