UN releases list of companies with ties to illegal Israeli settlements
The UN Human Rights Council (OHCHR) has released a long-anticipated list of companies that operate in illegal Israeli settlements.
More than 100 companies are listed in the document, including 18 international companies, who are working in settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
International companies placed in the document include Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, JCB, Opodo, TripAdvisor and Motorola Solutions.
Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said the list was conducted "after an extensive and meticulous review process".
“I am conscious this issue has been and will continue to be, highly contentious,” Bachelet said in a statement.
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“However, after an extensive and meticulous review process, we are satisfied this fact-based report reflects the serious consideration that has been given to this unprecedented and highly complex mandate, and that it responds appropriately to the Human Rights Council’s request contained in resolution 31/36.”
Companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements by the UN
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Business enterprise |
State concerned |
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1 |
Afikim Public Transportation Ltd. |
Israel |
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2 |
Airbnb Inc. |
United States |
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3 |
American Israeli Gas Corporation Ltd. |
Israel |
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4 |
Amir Marketing and Investments in Agriculture Ltd. |
Israel |
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5 |
Amos Hadar Properties and Investments Ltd. |
Israel |
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6 |
Angel Bakeries |
Israel |
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7 |
Archivists Ltd. |
Israel |
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8 |
Ariel Properties Group |
Israel |
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9 |
Ashtrom Industries Ltd. |
Israel |
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10 |
Ashtrom Properties Ltd. |
Israel |
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11 |
Avgol Industries 1953 Ltd. |
Israel |
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12 |
Bank Hapoalim B.M. |
Israel |
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13 |
Bank Leumi Le-Israel B.M. |
Israel |
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14 |
Bank of Jerusalem Ltd. |
Israel |
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15 |
Beit Haarchiv Ltd. |
Israel |
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16 |
Bezeq, the Israel Telecommunication Corp Ltd. |
Israel |
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17 |
Booking.com B.V. |
Netherlands |
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18 |
C Mer Industries Ltd. |
Israel |
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19 |
Café Café Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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20 |
Caliber 3 |
Israel |
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21 |
Cellcom Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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22 |
Cherriessa Ltd. |
Israel |
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23 |
Chish Nofei Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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24 |
Citadis Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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25 |
Comasco Ltd. |
Israel |
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26 |
Darban Investments Ltd. |
Israel |
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27 |
Delek Group Ltd. |
Israel |
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28 |
Delta Israel |
Israel |
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29 |
Dor Alon Energy in Israel 1988 Ltd. |
Israel |
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30 |
Egis Rail |
France |
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31 |
Egged, Israel Transportation Cooperative Society Ltd. |
Israel |
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32 |
Energix Renewable Energies Ltd. |
Israel |
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33 |
EPR Systems Ltd. |
Israel |
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34 |
Extal Ltd. |
Israel |
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35 |
Expedia Group Inc. |
United States |
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36 |
Field Produce Ltd. |
Israel |
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37 |
Field Produce Marketing Ltd. |
Israel |
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38 |
First International Bank of Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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39 |
Galshan Shvakim Ltd. |
Israel |
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40 |
General Mills Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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41 |
Hadiklaim Israel Date Growers Cooperative Ltd. |
Israel |
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42 |
Hot Mobile Ltd. |
Israel |
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43 |
Hot Telecommunications Systems Ltd. |
Israel |
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44 |
Industrial Buildings Corporation Ltd. |
Israel |
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45 |
Israel Discount Bank Ltd. |
Israel |
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46 |
Israel Railways Corporation Ltd. |
Israel |
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47 |
Italek Ltd. |
Israel |
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48 |
JC Bamford Excavators Ltd. |
United Kingdom |
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49 |
Jerusalem Economy Ltd. |
Israel |
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50 |
Kavim Public Transportation Ltd. |
Israel |
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51 |
Lipski Installation and Sanitation Ltd. |
Israel |
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52 |
Matrix IT Ltd. |
Israel |
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53 |
Mayer Davidov Garages Ltd. |
Israel |
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54 |
Mekorot Water Company Ltd. |
Israel |
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55 |
Mercantile Discount Bank Ltd. |
Israel |
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56 |
Merkavim Transportation Technologies Ltd. |
Israel |
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57 |
Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd. |
Israel |
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58 |
Modi'in Ezrachi Group Ltd. |
Israel |
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59 |
Mordechai Aviv Taasiot Beniyah 1973 Ltd. |
Israel |
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60 |
Motorola Solutions Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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61 |
Municipal Bank Ltd. |
Israel |
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62 |
Naaman Group Ltd. |
Israel |
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63 |
Nof Yam Security Ltd. |
Israel |
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64 |
Ofertex Industries 1997 Ltd. |
Israel |
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65 |
Opodo Ltd. |
United Kingdom |
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66 |
Bank Otsar Ha-Hayal Ltd. |
Israel |
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67 |
Partner Communications Company Ltd. |
Israel |
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68 |
Paz Oil Company Ltd. |
Israel |
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69 |
Pelegas Ltd. |
Israel |
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70 |
Pelephone Communications Ltd. |
Israel |
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71 |
Proffimat S.R. Ltd. |
Israel |
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72 |
Rami Levy Chain Stores Hashikma Marketing 2006 Ltd. |
Israel |
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73 |
Rami Levy Hashikma Marketing Communication Ltd. |
Israel |
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74 |
Re/Max Israel |
Israel |
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75 |
Shalgal Food Ltd. |
Israel |
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76 |
Shapir Engineering and Industry Ltd. |
Israel |
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77 |
Shufersal Ltd. |
Israel |
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78 |
Sonol Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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79 |
Superbus Ltd. |
Israel |
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80 |
Supergum Industries 1969 Ltd. |
Israel |
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81 |
Tahal Group International B.V. |
Netherlands |
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82 |
TripAdvisor Inc. |
United States |
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83 |
Twitoplast Ltd. |
Israel |
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84 |
Unikowsky Maoz Ltd. |
Israel |
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85 |
YES |
Israel |
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86 |
Zakai Agricultural Know-how and inputs Ltd. |
Israel |
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87 |
ZF Development and Construction |
Israel |
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88 |
ZMH Hammermand Ltd. |
Israel |
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89 |
Zorganika Ltd. |
Israel |
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90 |
Zriha Hlavin Industries Ltd. |
Israel |
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91 |
Alon Blue Square Israel Ltd. |
Israel |
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92 |
Alstom S.A. |
France |
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93 |
Altice Europe N.V. |
Netherlands |
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94 |
Amnon Mesilot Ltd. |
Israel |
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95 |
Ashtrom Group Ltd. |
Israel |
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96 |
Booking Holdings Inc. |
United States |
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97 |
Brand Industries Ltd. |
Israel |
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98 |
Delta Galil Industries Ltd. |
Israel |
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99 |
eDreams ODIGEO S.A. |
Luxembourg |
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100 |
Egis S.A. |
France |
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101 |
Electra Ltd. |
Israel |
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102 |
Export Investment Company Ltd. |
Israel |
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103 |
General Mills Inc. |
United States |
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104 |
Hadar Group |
Israel |
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105 |
Hamat Group Ltd. |
Israel |
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106 |
Indorama Ventures P.C.L. |
Thailand |
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107 |
Kardan N.V. |
Netherlands |
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108 |
Mayer's Cars and Trucks Co. Ltd. |
Israel |
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109 |
Motorola Solutions Inc. |
United States |
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110 |
Natoon Group |
Israel |
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111 |
Villar International Ltd. |
Israel |
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112 |
Greenkote P.L.C. |
United Kingdom |
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The report also noted that 60 companies had been taken off a previous list compiled by the OHCHR.
The list came after the Human Rights Council passed resolution 31/36 in 2016 and requested information on companies "involved in certain specified activities related to the Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory".
Former UN High Commissioner Zeid Raad al-Hussein also confirmed that the companies listed came from information that was publicly available and from a variety of sources.
Companies listed, according to the rights council, have facilitated the construction of settlements, supplied surveillance equipment for them, or provided security services to enterprises operating there.
'The database marks critical progress in the global effort to ensure businesses end complicity in rights abuse and respect international law'
- Bruno Stagno, HRW
Israeli settlements in land conquered by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war are deemed illegal under international law.
Other categories mentioned in the report include supplying equipment for demolition of housing and partaking in practices that "disadvantage" Palestinian businesses via the use of restrictions to movement.
Commenting on the release of the list, the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, said the UN was "significant" but "incomplete".
"The database is incomplete. All companies that are complicit in Israel's apartheid regime and its grave violations of Palestinian rights under international law must be added to ensure accountability," BDS said in a statement.
Bruno Stagno, deputy executive director for advocacy at Human Rights Watch, said it should put all companies intending to work in Israeli settlements "on notice".
“The long-awaited release of the UN settlement business database should put all companies on notice: to do business with illegal settlements is to aid in the commission of war crimes," Stagno said in a statement.
"The database marks critical progress in the global effort to ensure businesses end complicity in rights abuse and respect international law. The UN’s top rights body should ensure that the database is regularly updated to assist companies in complying with their international legal obligations.”
Last year, several rights groups criticised the "unexplained" and "open-ended" delay in the release of the UN database. No reason, however, was given by the rights council for the continued delay behind the blacklist's release.
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