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List of companies operating in West Bank settlements

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This is a list of companies operating in West Bank settlements, compiled by the UN Human Rights Council and published by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).[1] Israeli settlements in the occupied territory of the West Bank, also called Judea and Samaria Area, including East Jerusalem, are considered illegal under international law.[2]

The report was requested by Human Rights Council resolution 31/36[3] in follow up to the International Fact-Finding Mission on Israeli Settlements, a 2013 investigation into the impact of Israeli settlements on Palestinian rights in the occupied territories,[4] and listed ten activities of concern, including the supply of construction equipment, materials, services and utilities to settlements, and to erect the West Bank wall; financial support for settlement activities; and, the supply of demolition equipment used to destroy property and agricultural assets.[5]

There were originally 112 business entities on the list for which, based on "a thorough review and assessment of all information available", there was considered "reasonable grounds to conclude, had been involved in one or more of those activities".[5] In 2023, an update was published, which removed 15 companies from the list, leaving 97.[6]

The list includes mostly Israeli companies, but also includes prominent international firms, such as the US-based travel companies Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia and TripAdvisor, US tech company Motorola Solutions, France’s Egis Rail and the British construction equipment manufacturer JCB.[7] Of the entities remaining on the list in 2023, 81 were domiciled in Israel, and 16 in five other states: the United States (5), the Netherlands (4), the UK (3), France (3) and Luxembourg (1).[5]

In its report, the UN Human Rights Council noted that the companies flagged by the list were all responsible for activities that “raised particular human rights concerns”.[7] Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the report was not a “blacklist”, while her office noted that it “does not provide a legal characterization of the activities in question, or of business enterprises’ involvement in them.”[8]

On 5 July 2021, Norway’s largest pension fund KLP, said it has divested itself of 16 companies that appeared on the list saying "There is an unacceptable risk that the excluded companies will contribute to the violation of human rights in war and conflict situations through their connection to the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank".[9]

List of companies operating in West Bank settlements

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Below are the 97 companies operating in West Bank settlements, and their home countries,[1][6][10] as listed in the updated report:

A) Business enterprises involved in listed activities

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International firms

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Israeli firms

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B) Business enterprises involved as parent companies

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International firms

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Israeli firms

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Database of all business enterprises involved in certain activities relating to Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank (A/HRC/43/71)". UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. ^ "UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (S/RES/2334(2016)". United Nations Security Council. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  3. ^ "UN Human Right Council Resolution 31/36 (A/HRC/RES/31/36)". United Nations Human Rights Council. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  4. ^ "UN rights office issues report on business activities related to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory". Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "UN lists 112 businesses linked to Israeli settlements". BBC. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs "OHCHR update of database of all business enterprises involved in the activities detailed in paragraph 96 of the report of the independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem" (PDF). Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). 30 June 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b "The blacklist: All 112 companies UN says are operating in settlements". Times of Israel. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  8. ^ Nebehay, Stephanie (12 February 2020). "U.N. report names 112 companies doing business with Israeli settlements". Reuters. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Norway fund excludes companies operating in West Bank". AP NEWS. July 6, 2021.
  10. ^ "112 companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements by the UN". Middle East Eye. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  11. ^ a b Katz, Michael (7 June 2021). "Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund Excludes 3 Firms for Rights Violations". Chief Investment Officer. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
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