Ms. Ann Veneman
Executive Director
UNICEF
 
July 7 2009; Haifa, Israel
 
Dear Ann Veneman.
 
We are writing to you regarding the Partnership between UNICEF and Motorola.
 
We write to you on behalf of “Boycott from within”– a group of Palestinians, Jews, citizens of Israel (boycottisrael.info) who for many years have been making every effort and trying every method in bringing an end to our own society's and our government's longstanding campaign against Palestinians. Our government’s campaign includes the killing of thousands and destruction of civil infrastructure resulting in widespread malnutrition and poverty.i We joined the Palestinian call for boycott divestment and sanctions (BDS) when other measures proved insufficient to compel our government to cease its colonial and apartheid policiesii. We know Israeli society well enough to know that it will not change unless it is compelled from the outside to do so. To ignore this Palestinian call is to be complicit in condemning Palestinians to further oppression, dispossession and suffering. Although at a vastly different scale, Israelis are also condemned to endless conflict by the actions of our government.
 
Disregard for oppression and suffering stands in clear contradiction of UNICEF's mission. In particular, we find it unacceptable for UNICEF to be in partnership with Motorola or its subsidiaries while they play a crucial role in supporting Israeli aggression and colonialism. To quote an Israeli source on the involvement of Motorola with the Israeli military: “A subsidiary of the company, MIRS, is the Israeli army's cellular services provider, and it has an extensive infrastructure network erected in West Bank army bases and Israeli settlements.”iii Furthermore, Motorola Israel supplied radar detection systems (currently called MotoEagle Surveillance) to illegal settlements in the occupied Jordan Valley, and developed a specifically designed communication system for the Israeli army needs (Mountain Rose)..iv.
 
It makes no sense and is immoral for UNICEF to partner with a company which undermines UNICEF’s efforts by its actions. We ask that UNICEF end its partnership with Motorola until Motorola stops selling equipment used by the Israeli army to violate the rights of Palestinian children along with those of many others.
 
Signed
Kobi Snitz
Tali Shapiro
Rachel Giora
Naama Farjoun
 
On behalf of Boycott From Within
 
Cc: Mr. Bernt Aasen, Chief of Staff
Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Regional Director MENA
Mr. Christopher de Bono, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director
Mr. Peter Mason, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director
UNICEF Jerusalem
Mr. Philip O'Brien, Director Private Fundraising and Partnerships
 

ihttp://www.unicef.org/har09/files/har09_MENA_regionalreport.pdf

iihttp://www.hsrc.ac.za/index.php?module=pagesetter&type=file&func=get&tid...

iiihttp://www.whoprofits.org/Company Info.php?id=544

ivIbid.

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In response we received.
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Dear Mr Snitz,

Thank you for your letter of July 8th to Ms Ann Veneman, sharing your
concerns regarding UNICEF’s partnership with Motorola.

We do appreciate that you and others, bring these concerns to our
attention.

UNICEF  is  deeply  troubled  by  the situation in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory  and  the  harm  that  it is causing to children's lives.  We are
working  with  a  broad  range  of local and international partners to help
build  an environment that is fit for children, and our staff in Jerusalem,
Gaza,  Jenin,  Hebron  and Nablus are dedicated to protecting and promoting
Palestinian  child rights to health, education, equality and protection, so
please  be  assured that we take these issues seriously and confirm that we
will look into them.

Yours sincerely,

Larissa Schlotterbeck
On behalf of Philip O’Brien – Director, UNICEF Private Fundraising and
Partnerships

Larissa Schlotterbeck’
Communications Specialist - Corporate Fundraising Partnerships
Communications Section, Private Fundraising and Partnerships
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
5-7 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
phone: +41 22 909 5477 / Mobile: +41 7969 73348 fax: +41 22 909 5907
email: [email protected]
website: www.unicef.org
 
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Our reply
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Dear Ms. Schlotterbeck
Thank you for your reply and for UNICEF's concern for the welfare of children. It does indeed do an inspiring amount of work under what must be impossible conditions. I truly respect that and trust that the same decency will lead UNICEF to end its partnership with Motorola.
 
I would just add that the information we sent about Motorola was just a sample of their various types of involvement with Israeli crimes. We would be glad to supply more if you feel that it is needed.
 
Please keep us updated about your decision in this issue.
 
Best, Dr. Kobi Snitz.