The United Nations has revealed that 158 companies are conducting business transactions with Jewish settlers and their businesses who have seized and settled in Palestinian territories in the West Bank. According to a report released by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) after investigating this matter, the companies engaging in business transactions with settlers and their businesses in the West Bank include major corporations such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor. The list maintained by the OHCHR was last updated in 2023. However, the agency has now added the names of 68 more companies to that list. With this addition, the number of companies conducting business transactions with settlers in the West Bank has risen to 158.
Among the companies added to the list is Heidelberg Materials AG, a German cement manufacturing company. However, the company has stated that it has ceased operations in Palestinian territories occupied by Jewish settlers. While seven companies have been removed from the list, including UK-based tourism service provider Opodo and Spain’s eDreams. The OHCHR characterizes doing business with and providing assistance to settlers and their companies in occupied and settled Palestinian territories as an act of participating in the violation of the human rights of Palestinian people. The OHCHR has also called on companies that encourage and support such actions to stop and cooperate in efforts to resolve these issues.
Among the companies included in the agency’s list, in addition to those registered to do business in the Zionist state, there are many companies registered in Canada, China, France, the United States, and Germany. The issue of international companies doing business in territories seized by Jewish settlers has come into global focus at a time when Jews are carrying out a genocide to exterminate Muslims in Gaza, Palestine. And at a time when inhumane crimes are being committed under the name ‘E1’ to seize more territories in the West Bank. The OHCHR list mainly includes companies active in construction, real estate rental, and mining sectors. The agency said it is conducting studies on an additional 300 companies suspected of doing business with settlers in the West Bank.
