CODEPINK, in partnership with Palestinian Youth Movement’s campaign #MaskOffMaersk, is applying pressure on Maersk, the multinational shipping company sending military cargo to Israel. In unmasking Maersk, we’ve learned that Zurich Insurance insures Maersk’s weapons shipments to Israel for its genocide in Gaza.
No one should insure Maersk’s weapons shipments, either to military contractors in the United States or to the Israel Occupation Forces (IOF). Zurich Insurance, based in Switzerland, and Maersk shipping, based in Denmark, both violate obligations under international law, effectively operating outside the law to ensure the slaughter of innocent Palestinians. As international accountability for Israel’s U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza catches up, Zurich Insurance will inevitably have to speak to the crimes it facilitated.
On May 15, Nakba Day, we attempted to speak with Zurich Insurance in Chicago — they responded by kicking us out of the building. That same day, Israel killed at least 136 people in 24 hours with weapons delivered to them with Zurich’s help. The outcome of Zurich’s facilitation of genocide? As it reaches its final, most brutal, stages, people in Gaza are taking to X to say their goodbyes. We ask Zurich: Is your commercial success more valuable than the people of Gaza?
Zurich can try to ignore the consequences of their actions, but we’re going to make it hard for them. That’s why we’re taking it a step further and sending letters directly to Zurich’s leadership.