Weekly Update | Israel/OPT: US firm proposes biometric screening to access aid in Gaza
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Middle East Eye, ynet, Reuters
US private logistics and security firm Global Delivery Company (GDC) is allegedly in talks with Israel regarding plans to implement biometric screenings for Palestinians in Gaza seeking humanitarian aid.
Reports claim the initiative would aim to create gated communities described as ‘humanitarian bubbles’ for which aid would be provided contingent on the absence of armed groups.
Despite ongoing humanitarian crises in the region, entry to these compounds would reportedly be available only to those who receive permission via biometric identification. This could mean anyone refusing to accept the identification methods would be cut off from receiving vital aid.
The plan has reputedly been approved by the Biden administration and White House National Security Advisor. The Israeli war cabinet is expected to approve a pilot program within the next 2 months.??
In a press release, GDC stated that it has ‘developed a strategy to securely deliver humanitarian relief to civilians in Gaza’ and claimed that it has ‘extensive experience in operating overseas with the highest standards of integrity, respect for human rights, and cultural sensitivities’.?
See also: Norwegian investor Storebrand Asset Management has divested from US-based Palantir Technologies due to concerns over the company's involvement in Israeli surveillance activities in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT). Storebrand, managing approximately USD92b in assets, cited the risk of violating international humanitarian law as a reason for excluding Palantir, which it claims provides AI-based predictive policing systems used to support Israeli surveillance of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. According to Storebrand, Palantir has not replied to any of its requests for information regarding the matter since April 2024.?
BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS IN FOCUS
MIGRANT WORKER FATALITIES IN ASIA: A series of fatal workplace incidents has raised concerns for the safety of migrant workers in the manufacturing sector across Asia.
In India, an ammonia leak at Jain Ice Factory in Punjab led to the death of a migrant worker. The chemical compounds were allegedly provided illegally to the factory. Several people, including officials from Punjab State Power Corporation and the owner of the factory, have been arrested for alleged negligence and criminal conspiracy.
? We invited Punjab State Power Corporation to respond to the allegations; it did not.
In Thailand, a zinc factory explosion killed 2 Burmese workers and injured 28 others. Local officials from the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command confirmed that all victims are migrant workers from Myanmar. Reports indicate that inadequate hazard signage may have contributed to the accident.
In Singapore, a Chinese worker died after being crushed by an unsecured steel gate on a worksite, prompting the Ministry of Manpower to halt operations.?
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WORLD CUP RIGHTS RISKS: FIFA has once again been accused of failing to engage with concerns over human rights risks in Saudi Arabia, 2 months before the Gulf state is expected to be confirmed as the 2034 men’s World Cup host.
The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) union says its attempts to discuss the exploitation of foreign workers in Saudi Arabia with the football association have been ignored after they submitted a complaint in June to the International Labour Organization that claimed ‘an epidemic of abuses’ against migrant workers in the Gulf kingdom. BWI’s claim comes less than 2 weeks after a group of lawyers said FIFA failed to engage with their report on human rights concerns in the country. The group warned of potential abuses related to Saudi Arabia’s restrictive labour, free speech, and women’s rights laws, and urged FIFA to include ongoing assessments and termination clauses in its hosting contract.
Human Rights Watch also highlighted ‘grave labour violations’ against migrant workers, who comprise nearly 40% of Saudi Arabia's population and would play a central role in constructing World Cup infrastructure. A FIFA spokesperson said it was implementing ‘thorough bidding processes’ for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, and that they have made all relevant reports, including the independent human rights context assessments and the human rights strategies of all bidders, available on their website.?? ?
FASHION BRANDS UNDER FIRE: The plight of garment workers in Bangladesh, who are facing?exploitation, poor working conditions and low wages, highlights the urgent need for brands to take meaningful action to protect workers in their supply chains.
Leading brands including H&M, Zara, Primark, and Calvin Klein are facing criticism from campaigners and unions for allegedly failing to support Bangladeshi garment workers arrested during the 2023 minimum wage protests. Labour advocates say?that despite their influence, none of the brands have taken action to call for dropping the charges against the workers, undermining their ethical commitments. Brands' responses to the campaign can be read here .
Meanwhile, campaigners are urging Levi Strauss & Co to expand its newly signed commitments to worker protections in Pakistan to its supply chain in Bangladesh. Levi recently signed the International Accord for health and safety in the textile and garment industry following a series of fatal workplace incidents in Pakistan. A Levi spokesperson stated that the company would ‘continue to work to enhance our building, fire and electrical safety efforts in all sourcing countries’.
As the conditions of garment workers continue to deteriorate worldwide, fashion brands face mounting pressure to engage in responsible sourcing practices. In Australia, a new report finds that almost all (89%) major fashion brands are failing to pay garment workers a living wage .?
See which brands' purchasing practices have been linked to labour rights issues in factories around the world with our Who Pays For The Crisis? Tracker .
AROUND THE WORLD
INTERNATIONAL
Spotlight:
Corporate Europe Observatory
A report by the Corporate Europe Observatory accuses the agrochemical giant of working to ‘derail the original ambitions of the European Green Deal’ by lobbying against pesticide reduction targets, advocating for the reapproval of glyphosate as a herbicide despite its carcinogenic risks, pressuring governments to retract glyphosate bans, and exporting toxic products to countries with weaker regulations.??
?? We invited Bayer to respond to the allegations; it pointed to its Code of Conduct for Responsible Lobbying, and stated that leading health regulators have concluded that its glyphosate-based products can be used safely. Read its full response here .??
AFRICA
Spotlight:
GlobalVoices
Locals travelling along public roads through the farm allegedly faced violent attacks from security guards, including an alleged incident in which a community member was beaten, stripped, and threatened after being mistaken for a thief. G4S took over Del Monte’s security operations after the company dismissed more than 200 guards in March following the alleged killing of accused pineapple thieves by the farm's security forces.?Del Monte told journalists is has initiated a ‘full and urgent’ investigation into the allegations.
?? We invited G4S to respond to the allegations. It said its guards have undergone comprehensive training including de-escalation techniques, and said it is fully cooperating with the police to investigate the matter.??
Other news from the region:
AMERICAS
Spotlight:
Alliance News, Agência Brasil
The 2015 collapse of the dam at the iron ore mine owned by Samarco, a joint venture between Vale and BHP, killed 19 people, left hundreds homeless, flooded forests and polluted the length of the Doce River. The long-awaited agreement builds on the existing remediation and compensation work already performed, totalling about USD7.9b. The government's solicitor general said the remediation provided in the agreement will allow local authorities to repay the financial losses of families hit by the tragedy and pay for environmental recovery actions. BHP and Vale face other class action lawsuits in Australia, the UK, and the Netherlands.
Other news from the region:
ASIA & PACIFIC
Spotlight:
Justice for Myanmar, Info Birmanie
领英推荐
A report by Justice for Myanmar and Info Birmanie highlights Airbus’ ties to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), alleging that AVIC and its subsidiaries have supplied military aircraft and arms to Myanmar’s military junta, which has been accused of committing war crimes against its own citizens.
The report states that Airbus, as a shareholder of AVIC subsidiary AviChina, has ‘significant influence over AVIC’s strategic business decisions.’?Several other companies were also linked to AVIC in the report, including China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation, and Harbin Aircraft Industry Group.?
?? We invited all named companies to respond to the allegations. Only Airbus responded, stating it has a minority (5%) investment in AviChina that is ‘not related to military aircraft or weapons’ and is ‘exclusively focused on civil aviation and services’. Read the full response here .
Other news from the region:
EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA
Spotlight:
NL Times
The grower allegedly neglected to register 219 workers with the Employee Insurance Agency, and unlawfully deducted housing costs from wages while failing to maintain accurate records of working hours. ‘Just like other employees in the Netherlands, migrant workers are entitled to fair wages and work,’ said the Dutch Labor Inspectorate. The total amount of the fines is still being calculated.?
Other news from the region:
MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA
Spotlight:
Middle East Eye, ITV
One worker claimed to regularly work 16-hour shifts for 14 days straight to build ‘The Line’, the 170km straight-line city being constructed in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Workers also claimed to endure a 3-hour unpaid commute to the construction site, leaving them with only 4 hours of sleep, with a significant number of accidents attributed to sleep deprivation.
‘There is little time to rest. We get tired. We suffer from anxiety day and night,’ said a worker interviewed by ITV. NEOM told journalists that it was assessing the claims and would take appropriate action where required. ?
Other news from the region:
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Catch up on company responses & non-responses to key stories from previous weeks:
Defence Intelligence of Ukraine
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has launched a database cataloguing foreign equipment used by Russia in weapon production, identifying 961 machine tools from 225 companies across multiple countries.??
??? We invited 218 of the companies whose equipment is listed in the database to respond to the allegations. We were unable to approach the remaining 7 companies due to a lack of publicly available contact information. We received responses from just 21 (10%) of companies. Their responses and further analysis can be read here .
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