UN Identifies Companies Involved in Illegal Israeli Settlements
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, The United Nations Human Rights Office has published an updated database on companies involved in activities related to the construction of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, according to Al Mayadeen, citing Mehr News Agency.
The list comprises 214 companies from 11 countries, including the occupied territories, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, Luxembourg, China, and South Africa.
These companies are engaged in various sectors, including agriculture, transportation, warehousing, waste management, energy, food, and hospitality. The report indicates that 200 of the 214 companies contribute to negative impacts on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
The report, issued as part of the Human Rights Council’s activities, calls on countries with companies operating in the occupied Palestinian territories to adhere to international law and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on July 19, 2024.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that this report serves as a “final warning to companies regarding their responsibilities in relation to human rights.” He emphasized the necessity for these companies to take the required measures to ensure they are not complicit in human rights violations or abuses.
Earlier, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, announced in July the commencement of a “settlement revolution” in the occupied territories, stating that this policy would extend beyond the West Bank to include the Negev and Galilee.
Conversely, Ed Miliband, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, announced a package of sanctions against settlers and settlements in the occupied West Bank, emphasizing that his country would impose “the toughest legal sanctions” on settlements and those involved in them.
It is noteworthy that the West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, and the majority of the world’s nations consider the Israeli settlements built there to be illegal under international law, a position reiterated by the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion.
