A British Palestine supporter won a battle this week to stop Southern Water company installing an Israeli-made water meter at her home.The “Morning Star” newspaper said in its online edition that Brighton resident, Caroline O’Reilly was so determined not to have an Israeli-made meter that she even sat in a hole in the road in protest against Southern Water’s use of the meter.
According to the paper, O’Reilly managed to force Southern Water to back down after her protest won her much support.
Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign have been fighting against installation of the meters in thousands of homes in Sussex.
The group said they are made by “Arad Technologies” – an Israeli company which the group claims profits from and is deeply complicit in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The group said it had been challenging Southern Water to explain ‘how a company that is so blatantly involved in ethnic cleansing and the appropriation of Palestinian water resources can have been awarded this lucrative contract, when the procurement process clearly contravened several of Southern Water’s own ethical and corporate responsibility policies.
The Morning Star added that ‘Following Caroline O’Reilly’s refusal to allow the Arad meter to be installed, she exchanged letters with Southern Water staff, resulting in a significant climb-down by the company.’
Other Palestine supporters in the area are following Caroline’s example and rejecting the Israeli-made meters by insisting Southern Water installs alternative equipment.
The Boycott movement against Israeli products, especially those made in Settlements or by companies complicit with and benefitting from the illegal Israeli settlements and the wall Israel is building in the West Bank are based on a request by the International Court of Justice non-binding ruling of July 2004.
