UN adds 61 firms to controversial West Bank settlement blacklist, raising boycott pressure
The UN human rights office expanded its settlement-linked company list by 61 firms, bringing the total to 214.
On Friday, the United Nations human rights office published an expanded list of companies it says are linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, adding 61 new firms and bringing the total to 214. The new entries include Israeli pesticide producer ADAMA (part of China-owned Syngenta Group), real-estate holder Alony Hetz, and Spain’s logistics company Salvat Logistica, alongside firms from France, Germany, China and the United States.
Israel’s diplomatic mission rejected the list, calling it a distorted mechanism designed to persecute the state. The database, first issued in 2020, is used by activists to target firms for boycotts or divestment in response to settlement expansion, which has intensified after the Oct 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent Gaza war. Britain, France and Canada have recently blocked imports from the settlements. Some companies, such as Opodo and eDreams, were removed after reassessment, while others like Expedia and Airbnb remain on the list, asserting compliance with international standards.
Why it matters
The expanded list could trigger new boycotts and divestments, increasing economic pressure over Israeli settlement activity.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTBoth camps report the UN’s expanded settlement-linked company list, but left-leaning coverage stresses corporate human-rights responsibilities while right-leaning coverage highlights the list’s controversy and its use to fuel boycotts.
LEFT
Frames the list as a legitimate human-rights accountability tool and stresses corporate responsibility.
RIGHT
Frames the list as a controversial blacklist that intensifies boycott pressure on firms.
The left emphasises
- the list is a reminder of corporate human-rights responsibilities
- major tech names like Airbnb and Booking.com remain on the list
- Israel’s mission denounces the list as a distorted mechanism intended to smear the Jewish state
The right emphasises
- the expanded list is described as a controversial blacklist
- it raises boycott pressure and is used by activists for divestment campaigns
- the list ties firms to settlement expansion after the Oct 2023 Hamas attack
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