Key facts
- The UN human rights office added 61 companies to its list of firms operating in Israeli West Bank settlements.
- The updated list now includes 214 companies, with most based in Israel.
- The UN considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal.
- Companies on the list could face boycotts or divestment campaigns.
- New additions include Israeli pesticides maker ADAMA and real estate firm Alony Hetz.
- Israel views the West Bank as disputed territory and has criticized the UN list.
The United Nations human rights office on Friday expanded its database of companies involved in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, adding 61 new firms to the list. The global body considers these settlements illegal under international law. The updated database now comprises 214 companies, predominantly Israeli but also including firms from France, Germany, China, and the United States.
Among the newly added companies are Israeli pesticides maker ADAMA, part of China's Syngenta Group, and Israeli real estate firm Alony Hetz. They join previously listed entities such as travel agency Expedia and home-rental company Airbnb. Israel has previously stated that the list unfairly targets companies operating legally and views the West Bank as disputed territory, not occupied.
Israel's diplomatic mission described the database as a "distorted mechanism" created by a "deeply flawed body" to "persecute" the Jewish state. The UN rights office assessed companies across various sectors, including energy, food, hospitality, transport, and agriculture, based on confidential submissions. Companies were excluded if they did not meet the UN criteria for activities violating Palestinian self-determination, such as supplying demolition equipment or providing surveillance for settlements.
Some companies, like British-registered Opodo and Spanish-domiciled eDreams, were removed from the list after reassessment, with eDreams stating it had withdrawn and would continue to block listings in illegal Israeli settlements. Palestinians seek the West Bank for a future independent state, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has supported settlers, increasing construction since the Hamas attack in October 2023 and the subsequent Gaza war. Expedia has previously stated that listings in "disputed areas" are clearly labeled and comply with international laws.