The United Nations human rights office has officially expanded its database of companies involved in operations linked to illegal Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. An These entities are spread across 11 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Luxembourg, and Israel, which hosts the majority of the listed companies. The United Nations human rights office has added 61 more companies to its database of businesses engaging in activities linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. The inclusion of new companies brings the total to 214 businesses based in 11 countries.
The latest update also saw five of the 158 previously listed companies removed. According to the report, a total of 126 businesses underwent assessment. To qualify for inclusion, a company must be shown to have contributed to or caused direct adverse human rights impacts through at least one of 10 prohibited activities. These activities include facilitating settlement construction, supplying surveillance or identification equipment, and providing banking or utility services. Which includes the rationale behind the companies’ inclusion, adding that a total of 126 businesses were assessed, the UN published an 18-page report on Friday.
Regarding the evidentiary threshold, the UN stated that its findings rely on reasonable grounds to believe a firm is engaged in prohibited acts. This standard, common among UN fact-finding bodies, is less stringent than the standard of proof required in a criminal court, where guilt must be established beyond a reasonable doubt. Once the UN determines a company meets the criteria, the firm is given a 60-day window to provide clarifications or submit additional information. The recent assessment saw responses from 14 of the reviewed companies, though it remains unclear exactly how many of the 126 firms were contacted. Clarification or update on the situation, the firms are then given 60 days to provide any additional information.
Among the newly added names are the Spanish logistics provider Salvat Logistica and the Israeli real estate investment firm Alony Hetz. These join a pre-existing list of global corporations that includes Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Motorola. The expansion comes against the backdrop of heightened international scrutiny surrounding the status of Israeli settlements, which are considered unlawful under international law.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark advisory opinion, formally declaring Israel’s settlement activities “unlawful.” The court further asserted that Israel holds an obligation to cease the establishment of new settlements and must withdraw from all occupied Palestinian territories as quickly as possible. While the ICJ ruling is not legally binding, it carries significant political weight as global pressure mounts following the escalation of conflict in Gaza.
