Gaza war victims take legal action against BP over oil supply to Israel
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Palestinians accuse UK firm of breaching human rights laws by piping oil allegedly used by Israeli army. Palestinian victims of the war in Gaza are taking legal action against BP for running a pipeline that supplies much of Israel’s crude oil. The claimants have sent the British oil company a letter before claim, alleging it is breaching its stated commitments to human rights under international law.
BP owns and operates the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, through which Azerbaijan supplies Israel with crude oil. The pipeline, which runs through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, from where the oil is then transported by ship, provides 28% of Israel’s crude oil supply.
Oil supplies are critical for Israel’s military operation, and it has been reported that oil from this pipeline is being sent to a refinery that produces jet fuel for military planes which are dropping munitions on Gaza. The letter states: “Israel relies heavily on crude oil and refined petroleum imports to run its large fleet of fighter jets, tanks and other military vehicles and operations, as well as the bulldozers implicated in clearing Palestinian homes and olive groves to make way for unlawful Israeli settlements. Some fuel from refineries goes directly to the armed forces, while much of the rest appears to go to ordinary gas stations where military personnel can refuel their vehicles under a government contract.” It asks that any case is heard in a British court as BP and the claimants are based in England.
