United Nations has included almost 70 additional companies in a blacklist of businesses from 11 states that it asserts assist in the violation of Palestinian human rights by their business relationships with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which many regard as being illegal under international law. The new list identifies businesses that engage in commerce that is supportive of the settlements. Recent reports on the news reveal that the list covers businesses such as the providers of construction materials and earth-moving machinery, security, travel, and financial services.
Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesman for the UN human rights office, said companies operating in conflict regions have an obligation to ensure that their operations do not contribute to human rights violations. The list includes 158 companies, the majority of which are Israeli. The remainder are from the United States, Canada, China, Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Israel Dismisses List While Some Companies Complain About Being Listed
Israel stated that it totally rejects the publication of this list. The Israeli delegation in Geneva stated in a release that this list is to be used as a blacklist against companies that have done nothing wrong. They appealed to friends not to succumb to what they described as an ugly move to blacklist Israeli companies. The UN office stated that it had informed the companies of their listing and provided them with the right to respond to the allegations.
New additions to the list are German construction materials firm Heidelberg Materials, Portuguese railway systems company Steconfer, and Spanish transportation engineering company Ineco. Among those remaining on the list are travel companies such as US-based Expedia Group, Booking Holdings Inc., and Airbnb. Heidelberg Materials said that it and its subsidiary Hanson Israel were not engaged in the occupied Palestinian territories and had found that their inclusion was not warranted.
List Drawn Up to Name and Shame Companies Operating in Settlements
The blacklist was conceived after the UN Human Rights Council voted, which has no legal authority to oblige companies to act. Its primary intention is to name and shame the businesses with interests in the settlements. There is no clear indication of what effect being listed on the blacklist has had on the profits of companies. While 68 new entities were added on Friday, seven were removed from it, including French transport company Alstom and British and Spanish travel service providers Opodo and eDreams.
The rights council adopted a resolution close to a decade ago for formulating the list, and Israel has vocally condemned it ever since. The update would also further isolate Israel, as some of its European allies have acknowledged an independent Palestinian state in response to Israel’s conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza. This is the first update to the list since 2023, when 97 firms were on the list, compared to 112 in the initial list released in 2020.
FAQs
1. How many firms are currently on the UN blacklist?
The list presently has 158 firms, with 68 added and 7 dropped.
2. Which countries are the firms from?
The firms belong to 11 nations, such as Israel, the US, Canada, China, Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
3. What businesses are listed?
Businesses that sell construction material, earth-moving machinery, security services, travel services, and financial services to Israeli settlements.
4. Can the UN punish these companies?
A: No, the Human Rights Council has no power to compel companies to do anything – the list is intended to name and shame.
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