By Joe McVeigh
Allianz is an Israeli owned Insurance company which should be boycotted in protest against the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. We know about the campaign by some members of the GAA to get that organisation to cut all ties with the Allianz Insurance Company because it is Israeli owned. It is thought by some members of the GAA to be one way of sending a strong message to the Israel government of Netanyahu – Stop the Genocide!
Perhaps, not many are as yet aware of the Irish Catholic church’s connection with the Allianz Insurance Company. The Irish Catholic Church at national and diocesan level is deeply connected with the Allianz Insurance Company. Most of the Catholic clergy have their car Insurance with Allianz which used be known as Church & General. Most Catholic Church property in Ireland is insured with Allianz. The leadership of the Irish Catholic Church should immediately cut all ties with Allianz if they are serious about their opposition to the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.
It is time for the Catholic Church to stand up for justice for the oppressed people of Gaza. Words are not enough. Prayers are not enough. It is time for action. Boycott Allianz which proudly boasts in Catholic publications that it has been ‘protecting Dioceses, Parishes and Religious Orders since 1902’. Between the GAA and the Catholic Church this Israeli owned outfit is taking large sums of money out of this country.
These are some reasons why it must be ended.
1. Allianz & the Holocaust: Allianz was complicit in the Holocaust. They insured Concentration camps, denied claims of Jewish customers and funnelled proceeds into Hitler’s Third Reich
2. In 2008 the New York Giants and the Jets refused to enter a lucrative deal with Allianz amounting to $30 million per annum for the naming rights for the new stadium. They refused because of Allianz being complicit in the Holocaust
3. Allianz claimed it had ‘atoned’ for its past! The Allianz parent company made human rights commitments which bind all the companies in the group including PIMCO and supply chain. Allianz PLC (Ireland) is a part of the parent group.
4. Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine Allianz conducted due diligence in accordance with its human rights commitments. They issued a statement and scaled back their business in Russia. This enabled the Allianz boss in Russia to take up the position of CEO of Allianz Ireland
5 Allianz has directly funded the genocidal Israeli regime through the purchase of ‘war bonds’ –in direct breach of their own human rights commitments and UN Guiding principles and International Law.
6. Allianz is the largest private investor in Israeli Bonds (almost $1 Billion) which President Herzog of Israel states is ‘critical to the war effort.’ The United Nations report on the economy of Genocide identified Allianz as an ‘enabler’ and recommended corporate bodies to terminate relationships directly linked with contributing to and casing human rights violations and international crimes.
7. Allianz has almost doubled investments in 16 complicit defence companies supplying Israel in 2024 including Elbit, Caterpillar and Thyssenkrupp. It holds $7.3 Billion in shares and bonds implicated in the genocide.
Use your Power to Stop the Genocide in Gaza!
Are we complicit in large-scale death and destruction in Gaza? To remain silent (and do nothing) when faced with the genocide and injustice is to be complicit in that serious sin against humanity. To be complicit in war and genocide is the greatest sin of all.
All concerned people should contact bishops, priests and Religious Orders to ask them to cease using Allianz for Insurance purposes.
Priests and Religious who are willing to act in response to this appeal are asked to contact me this week.
No comments yet.