UN Review Lists 214 Companies Involved in Illegal Israeli Settlements

GENEVA, Sept 26 – At least 214 companies are contributing to the construction and maintenance of illegal settlements in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories, according to an updated review published by the United Nations on Friday.

The vast majority of the listed businesses are based in Israel, followed by eight companies headquartered in the United States, including major online travel platforms Airbnb and Expedia.

German building materials manufacturer Heidelberg Materials is also included in the database published by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on behalf of the UN Human Rights Council.

In addition to American firms, the list includes two companies each from China, France, and the United Kingdom, alongside enterprises based in South Africa, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Spain.

Israel sharply criticized the publication, claiming the database was established solely to persecute the Jewish state and advance a smear campaign against business enterprises that committed no wrongdoing.

According to a advisory ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law.

This marks the fourth update to the UN database, which previously listed 158 companies a year ago. The list continues to expand as the OHCHR systematically evaluates reports on 596 companies received through 2024, with reviews for 255 companies still pending.

The UN office assesses each entity to determine whether it is directly involved in settlement construction, conducts joint activities in occupied territories, or contributes to settlement operations through products and services.

While inclusion in the database does not impose immediate legal or financial penalties, member states that voted to establish the mechanism in 2016 aimed to foster transparency and encourage public pressure on listed firms to cease settlement-related operations.

–NMT