How much time would you need to evacuate your house? What would you take with you if you only had a few minutes to leave? I’ve asked myself this question many times, ever since I read a report from Amnesty International that said this:
“The destruction of homes is mostly carried out at night, with no prior notification. Usually, the only warning for the inhabitants is the rumbling of armored bulldozers and tanks approaching and beginning the destruction… The occupants of the targeted houses are almost without exception given no opportunity to salvage their possessions.” (1)
This was written in 2004 and the bulldozing of Palestinian homes has not stopped. Many of the bulldozers used by the Israeli army are made by Caterpillar. The company has refused to accept any corporate responsibility for the products it sells, despite knowing full well how they are used. And while a temporary halt in the sale of bulldozers to Israel was announced last month, Caterpillar refuses to acknowledge any change in its corporate policies.
TIAA-CREF is one of the largest pension funds in the U.S., and it prides itself in doing “the right thing.” Their motto is “financial services for the greater good.” And yet, they invest heavily in Caterpillar. They even include Caterpillar in their socially responsible funds.
