Caf Defends Its Involvement In Jerusalem Light Rail Project Amid Rising Criticism Of Foreign Companies In Israel

Published on September 28, 2025

Spanish shaper CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) has responded robustly to expanding scrutiny complete its engagement successful nan Jerusalem ray obstruction project. The company, which is supplying 114 Urbos LRVs (light obstruction vehicles) to Jerusalem, has been facing mounting disapproval for its domiciled successful a task connected to nan ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The institution issued a elaborate connection defending its operations and outlining nan extended owed diligence it conducted earlier and during nan execution of nan project.

As world unit connected overseas companies operating successful Israel increases, peculiarly complete their engagement successful nan ongoing conflict successful Gaza, CAF emphasized its committedness to ethical business practices and quality rights. The institution is alert of nan disapproval directed astatine its information successful infrastructure projects successful Jerusalem, particularly regarding nan effect of nan ray obstruction lines that link Israeli settlements to West Jerusalem. These projects person been criticized for allegedly contributing to nan Israeli government’s perceived forbidden annexation of East Jerusalem. This disapproval is portion of broader world concerns astir nan ongoing business successful nan region, pinch quality authorities organizations and governmental groups denouncing nan Israeli government’s policies.

CAF’s Commitment to Legal and Ethical Standards

CAF holds a 50% liking successful CFIR Light Rail, alongside Israeli patient Shapir Civil & Marine Engineering. The business won a statement successful 2019 worthy €1.8 cardinal to conception a 22km hold to nan Green Line, on pinch a 6.8km hold to nan Red Line successful Jerusalem. The task is scheduled to beryllium completed by 2027. Additionally, nan companies are contracted to run and support some lines for a play of 15 years, pinch an action to widen nan statement for up to 25 years.

CAF has besides been responsible for providing nan 114 Urbos LRVs for nan Green Line, alongside different basal components specified arsenic signaling, communications, and powerfulness proviso systems. The institution is besides refurbishing 46 Alstom Citadis LRVs operating connected nan existing Red Line. Despite nan company’s important contributions to nan improvement of Jerusalem’s ray obstruction system, it has faced backlash successful Spain and different countries, pinch critics accusing CAF of indirectly supporting Israel’s policies successful East Jerusalem.

Due Diligence and Risk Assessments

In consequence to this increasing criticism, CAF released a connection connected September 25 defending its domiciled and emphasizing nan thorough owed diligence procedures it followed earlier engaging successful nan project. CAF highlighted that it conducted a elaborate ineligible study of nan task anterior to signing nan contract. The analysis, performed pinch nan assistance of independent experts, confirmed that location were nary breaches of world rule aliases quality authorities arising from CAF’s involvement.

CAF besides pointed to its soul consequence assessment, which concluded that nan Jerusalem ray obstruction task would person a positive, non-discriminatory impact, peculiarly by offering improved entree to basal societal services and providing a sustainable, eco-friendly infrastructure solution for each citizens of Jerusalem, including nan Arab minority. The institution reiterated its committedness to conducting business ethically and ensuring afloat compliance pinch quality authorities standards crossed its operations.

Commitment to Ethical Business Practices

CAF has emphasized that it afloat complies pinch world regulations and is committed to maintaining nan highest standards of integrity, accountability, and transparency. To guarantee ethical practices, nan institution has implemented a robust compliance strategy that covers its full worth chain, including third-party contractors. This strategy is designed to forestall immoderate unethical behaviour and to show immoderate imaginable violations of quality rights.

As portion of its heightened owed diligence process, CAF has adopted a three-tiered attack to measure nan risks associated pinch nan Jerusalem ray obstruction project. These stages—general, enhanced, and intensified owed diligence—are successful accordance pinch nan United Nations’ Guide connected Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence for Business successful Conflict-Affected Contexts. This broad process ensures that CAF identifies and mitigates immoderate adverse impacts connected quality authorities during nan execution of nan project.

CAF’s connection underscores its dedication to monitoring imaginable issues related to ethics, quality rights, and regulatory compliance passim nan lifecycle of nan project. The institution has besides committed to remaining transparent and accountable, continuously prioritizing nan monitoring of immoderate important issues related to its operations successful Israel.

Political and Ethical Implications

The ongoing statement complete CAF’s engagement successful nan Jerusalem ray obstruction task highlights nan analyzable intersection of world business, quality rights, and politics. As companies for illustration CAF proceed to run successful conflict zones, they are progressively faced pinch questions astir firm work and their domiciled successful situations wherever quality authorities violations whitethorn beryllium occurring.

CAF’s stance, arsenic outlined successful their statement, highlights nan challenges faced by world companies successful balancing economical and business interests pinch ethical considerations. The institution has many times stated that its operations successful Jerusalem, including nan building of nan ray obstruction lines, do not break quality authorities but alternatively connection tangible benefits to nan population. However, critics stay unconvinced, pinch calls for greater scrutiny of overseas companies operating successful Israel.

Conclusion

CAF’s defense of its domiciled successful nan Jerusalem ray obstruction task comes astatine a clip of heightened world scrutiny complete overseas companies operating successful Israel. While CAF maintains that its engagement adheres to ineligible and ethical standards, critics proceed to situation its information successful infrastructure projects connected to nan ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The company’s committedness to transparency, owed diligence, and quality authorities monitoring will beryllium tested arsenic nan task progresses, and nan broader statement surrounding firm work successful conflict zones is apt to intensify successful nan coming years.