Israeli women expose companies complicit in occupation Adri Nieuwhof

Two years ago the Israeli Coalition of Women for Peace set up its project entitled, Who Profits from the Israeli occupation? The coalition has a track record of successfully mobilizing the Israeli public in protests against the occupation, for women's rights and social-economic justice. For instance, on the day Israel's onslaught in Gaza began, hundreds of protesters were demonstrating that evening in the streets of Tel Aviv. In January, the Coalition officially launched its on-line database, http://www.whoprofits.org/, listing companies directly involved in the occupation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Syrian Golan Heights. Dalit Baum, coordinator of the project, explains to The Electronic Intifada contributor Adri Nieuwhof how the project came about.

The Electronic Intifada: Can you please introduce yourself to readers?

Dalit Baum: Let me first of all emphasize that this database is not just the initiative of a small group of lefties, but of a broad coalition. The Coalition of Women for Peace was founded in the early days of the second [Palestinian] intifada, and represents thousands of women organized in nine organizations, including Machsom Watch, Women in Black, Bat Shalom and New Profile. I am one of the co-founders of the coalition. You can find more info about us on our website. The "Whoprofits" project is carried out by a group of activists in our coalition. It is mainly run by volunteers.

I work as an instructor of Women's Studies at the University of Haifa and at Beit Berl College. For many years I have been involved in direct action to oppose the occupation with Anarchists Against the Wall, Women in Black and Black Laundry.

EI: What motivated the coalition to take up such an ambitious project?

DB: We regularly analyze the role we can play as an Israeli organization in the global movement against the occupation. In the past the debate in Israel focused on the costs of the occupation and about how this money could be used in more constructive ways. The movement used slogans such as "money to the poor neighborhoods instead of to the settlements." In time, we learned this argument was not convincing to the public. People knew that the occupation is costly, but that there are also economic incentives. It is hard for us in Israel to dissociate ourselves from the economy of the occupation. The occupation gives Israel the benefit of cheap Palestinian land and labor and of a total control over the Palestinian economy to ensure it cannot compete with the Israeli economy....