UN: Identifies 214 Firms in Israeli Settlements

• The UN Human Rights Office updated its database, listing 214 firms from 11 countries with activities in Israeli settlements, adding 61 new companies.
• Major companies like Airbnb, Booking.com, Motorola Solutions, and Tripadvisor remain on the UN database of Israeli settlement companies.
• UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk emphasized corporate responsibility for due diligence to avoid human rights violations, calling Israel's settlement policy a war crime.
• Israel condemned the list as a "distorted mechanism" and a "smear campaign," asserting that the settlements are not illegal.
• For the first time, the report classified 200 firms as contributing to adverse impacts on self-determination, with 14 directly linked to adverse human rights impacts.

Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, issued a statement accompanying the database update, reiterating that companies bear significant human rights responsibilities.

The United Nations recently updated its comprehensive database, identifying 214 companies from 11 different countries that maintain activities within Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This latest revision by the UN Human Rights Office saw the addition of 61 new firms to the list since the previous year's update, while five companies were simultaneously removed.

Prominent international corporations, including Airbnb, Booking.com, Motorola Solutions, and Tripadvisor, continue to be featured on the UN database of Israeli settlement companies. The majority of the entities listed are based in Israel, with others originating from Canada, China, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Britain, and the United States. Specific removals included two Spanish companies, alongside one each from Canada, Israel, and Portugal.

This updated compilation serves as a critical public record, underscoring the ongoing presence of companies operating in West Bank settlements. The UN Human Rights Office settlement report emphasizes the need for transparency regarding corporate involvement in these territories, which are considered illegal under international law.

Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, issued a statement accompanying the database update, reiterating that companies bear significant human rights responsibilities. He stressed that firms are expected to undertake thorough due diligence to ensure their operations do not contribute to human rights violations or abuses. Türk has previously characterized Israel's settlement policy in the occupied West Bank as a war crime, reinforcing the gravity of corporate involvement in such areas.

The UN Human Rights Office further advised member states to act with diligence, ensuring that companies operating within conflict zones do not inadvertently contribute to abuses. This guidance highlights the broader international expectation for robust corporate due diligence human rights Israel and globally. However, Israel has sharply criticized the database, labeling it a “distorted mechanism” designed “solely to persecute the Jewish state.”

Israel's mission to the UN in Geneva contended that the database is utilized to “advance a smear campaign against business enterprises that committed no wrongdoing.” This stance contrasts with the international legal consensus that Israeli settlements, established since the 1967 occupation of the West Bank, are illegal. More than 500,000 Israelis reside in these settlements, alongside approximately 3 million Palestinians in the territory.

The UN database was initially launched in 2020, following a request for the UN human rights office to identify companies involved in any of ten specific activities related to the settlements. These activities encompass a range of operations, including construction, surveillance, demolitions, and the destruction of agricultural land. Although intended for annual updates, the database had only been revised twice before this latest publication, in 2023 and 2025.

To date, the office has received submissions concerning 596 companies and has completed reviews for 381 of them. A significant development in this year's report is the introduction of a classification system for each company's involvement in adverse impacts on the right to self-determination. The report indicates that 200 firms, including major entities like Airbnb, Booking.com, Motorola Solutions, and Tripadvisor, were found to contribute to these impacts.

Additionally, 14 companies were classified as being directly linked to adverse human rights impacts. This new level of detail in the UN Human Rights Office settlement report provides a clearer picture of the specific nature of corporate engagement and its potential consequences, serving as a critical resource for stakeholders concerned with companies operating in West Bank settlements.

Compliance officers and legal counsel should review their company's operations and supply chains against the updated UN database to assess potential human rights and reputational risks associated with activities in Israeli settlements. This list serves as a public warning, emphasizing the need for robust due diligence in conflict zones to avoid legal and public relations challenges.

Source: Original reporting via Associated Press and Agence France-Presse