Holy Land Principles: American principles following American investments

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Holy Land Principles are based on a simple, very American belief: American principles ought to follow American investment. This same belief provided the springboard for the Mac Bride Principles (for Northern Ireland) upon which the Holy Land Principles are based.

Fr. Sean Mc Manus— the Irish-born priest who launched both sets of Principles said:  "Whatever Americans may think about Northern Ireland or Palestine-Israel, surely all Americans expect American companies to practice fair employment? That — and that alone— is the only request of the Holy Land Principles campaign. However, while stressing the limited nature of the Holy Land Principles, one must not underestimate or diminish the importance of fair employment, which goes to the very heart of equality, human rights and human respect. Nothing goes more against human respect than to refuse to employ a person because of his/her national, racial, ethnic or religious identity."

POTENTIAL POWER
Fr. Mc Manus continued: "For the same reason, one should not underestimate the potential power of the Holy Land Principles (as some initially did the Mac Bride Principles). The 545 American companies doing business in Palestine-Israel have huge potential for good. They do not have to get involved in politics; they do not have to take sides; they do not have to come up with political solutions. All that investors, stakeholders and Americans of conscience demand of American companies in the Holy Land is that they practice fair employment. A perfect way for these companies to demonstrate their commitment to fair employment is for them to sign the Holy Land Principles, which are pro-Jewish, pro-Palestinian and pro-company."

Fr. Mc Manus concluded by explaining: "The recent ruling by the SEC— that Intel, GE, and Corning could not exclude our Holy Land Resolutions from their 2015 Proxy Material — has effectively and in principle removed all specious arguments against the Holy Land Principles. I, therefore, look forward to all those companies signing the Holy Land Principles. And I believe I will be joined by all Americans who support corporate social responsibility."

WHAT YOU CAN DO
GE—Annual Meeting, April 22; Corning—Annual Meeting, April 29;and Intel—Annual Meeting, May 21, 2015.
Please email the Investor Relations Contact (IRC): GE ([email protected]); Corning ([email protected]); and Intel ([email protected]) urging the company to sign Holy Land Principles. Just address them as "Dear IRC."

CONTACT: Sean Mc Manus, 202-488-0107, [email protected]

SOURCE Holy Land Principles, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.HolyLandPrinciples.org