UN: 158 companies involved in activities in Israeli settlements

GAZA, Sept. 27 (YPA) – The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations revealed on Friday that 158 companies were engaged in economic activities in the Israeli settlements established on the territories of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, which the International Court of Justice confirmed its illegality.

The commission’s report indicated that 68 companies had been added to the database since the last update in June 2023, while 7 previously listed companies had been delisted.

The report pointed out that companies operating in these areas should ensure that they did not contribute to human rights violations, stressing that “when commercial companies detected that they had caused or contributed to negative effects on human rights, they should address this through appropriate procedures or through cooperation with the relevant authorities”.

The report pointed out that most of the companies included in the list are based in “Israel”, but they also included international companies registered in several countries, including the United States, Canada, China, France and Germany.

The activities of these companies have witnessed increased scrutiny since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip and the escalation of the Israeli aggression in the West Bank.

The report pointed out that the list is not final, as the activities of more than 300 additional companies being examined for evaluation, with particular emphasized on those operating in the construction, real estate, mining and quarrying sectors within the colonies.

AA