The United Nations has expanded its blacklist of companies accused of complicity in human rights violations tied to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, adding 68 new firms from 11 countries. The updated list, released Friday, brings the total to 158 companies engaged in business activities that the UN deems supportive of settlements, widely considered illegal under international law, according to Arab News.
According to Arab News, the companies flagged range from construction suppliers and heavy equipment operators to financial services, security firms, and travel platforms. The revised database now features multinationals such as Germany’s Heidelberg Materials, Portugal’s rail-systems provider Steconfer, and Spain’s engineering firm Ineco.
Well-known US-based travel giants Expedia Group, Booking Holdings Inc., and Airbnb Inc. remain on the list, highlighting the broad scope of commercial sectors implicated. While 68 new companies were named, seven were removed after review. The UN Human Rights Office said 215 businesses were assessed in this round, though “hundreds more” may be scrutinized in future updates.
The list was first created nearly a decade ago after the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution calling for a database of enterprises tied to settlement activity. Israel has fiercely criticized the initiative, dismissing it as politically motivated.
The timing of the update may carry broader diplomatic weight. Several European nations recently moved to recognize an independent Palestinian state, citing Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas in Gaza. The expanded database could deepen Israel’s isolation on the global stage while amplifying pressure on corporations to sever ties with settlement-linked projects.
