UN Adds 61 Firms to Israeli Settlements List
Total now 214 companies from 11 countries, including France, Germany, China, and the US, that could face boycotts or divestment
The United Nations human rights office has expanded its list of companies linked to Israeli settlements, adding 61 new companies and bringing the total to 214 firms from 11 countries.
The list includes companies from various sectors, including energy, food, hospitality, transport, and agriculture. Newly added firms include Israeli pesticides maker ADAMA, part of Chinese-owned Syngenta Group, Israel-based real estate investment holding company Alony Hetz, and Spain’s Salvat Logistica.
The list also includes companies such as travel agency Expedia and home-rental company Airbnb. Around 60 companies were assessed but not included since they did not meet the UN criteria of involvement in activities that violate the Palestinian right to self-determination.
Companies like British-registered online travel company Opodo and Spanish-domiciled online travel agent eDreams have been dropped from the original list after submitting a reassessment request. The UN found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Opodo and eDreams were no longer involved in the activities that previously justified their inclusion.
## Why it matters The database is highly sensitive as firms could be targeted for boycotts or divestment to pressure Israel over settler expansion in the territory that is home to more than three million Palestinians. Israel has previously said the list unfairly vilifies companies working legally. The database was first released in 2020 and has been a point of contention between Israel and the UN.
The expansion of the list comes amid a surge in settler attacks against Palestinians as outposts proliferate, prompting Britain, France, and Canada to block imports from settlements in September. The UN rights office assessed companies active in various sectors based on confidential submissions to the UN rights office.
The list's impact on the companies involved and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the UN's efforts to highlight the activities of companies operating in Israeli settlements will continue to be a point of contention in the region.
