In Feb 2020 the UN human rights office issued a report and a list of companies conducting business in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Of the 112 business entities identified in the report, 94 are domiciled in Israel and 18 in six other States. During the complex process of drawing up the database, the Office consulted the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, and held widespread discussions with numerous States, civil society organizations, think tanks, academics and others, as well as having extensive interactions with the companies themselves.
The list’s publication come after years of delay following a UN Human Rights Council mandate in 2016 for the creation of such a database (see coverage here), and concerted efforts from civil society groups to encourage the listing of these companies publicly.
Some companies on the list, such as AirBnb and JCB, have already faced international criticism for operating in Palestine. Amnesty International has also previously reported on the activities of travel companies in Palestine.
Some large companies which have been complicit in the ongoing brutal Israeli Occupation and dispossession of Palestinians from their lands such as HP, Caterpillar, Veolia and other multinationals are not on the list.
Database of companies listed by the UN as being involved in business in illegal Israeli settlements
Company | Links to settlements (see key below) | State | |
1. | Afikim Public Transportation Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
2. | Airbnb Inc. | (e) | United States of America |
3. | American Israeli Gas Corporation Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
4. | Amir Marketing and Investments in Agriculture Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
5. | Amos Hadar Properties and Investments Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
6. | Angel Bakeries | (e), (g) | Israel |
7. | Archivists Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
8. | Ariel Properties Group | (e) | Israel |
9. | Ashtrom Industries Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
10. | Ashtrom Properties Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
11. | Avgol Industries 1953 Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
12. | Bank Hapoalim B.M. | (e), (f) | Israel |
13. | Bank Leumi Le-Israel B.M. | (e), (f) | Israel |
14. | Bank of Jerusalem Ltd. | (e), (f) | Israel |
15. | Beit Haarchiv Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
16. | Bezeq, the Israel Telecommunication Corp Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
17. | Booking.com B.V. | (e) | Netherlands |
18. | C. Mer Industries Ltd. | (b) | Israel |
19. | Café Café Israel Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
20. | Caliber 3 | (d), (g) | Israel |
21. | Cellcom Israel Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
22. | Cherriessa Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
23. | Chish Nofei Israel Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
24. | Citadis Israel Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
25. | Comasco Ltd. | (a) | Israel |
26. | Darban Investments Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
27. | Delek Group Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
28. | Delta Israel | (g) | Israel |
29. | Dor Alon Energy in Israel 1988 Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
30. | Egis Rail | (e) | France |
31. | Egged, Israel Transportation Cooperative Society Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
32. | Energix Renewable Energies Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
33. | EPR Systems Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
34. | Extal Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
35. | Expedia Group Inc. | (e) | United States |
36. | Field Produce Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
37. | Field Produce Marketing Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
38. | First International Bank of Israel Ltd. | (e), (f) | Israel |
39. | Galshan Shvakim Ltd. | (e), (d) | Israel |
40. | General Mills Israel Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
41. | Hadiklaim Israel Date Growers Cooperative Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
42. | Hot Mobile Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
43. | Hot Telecommunications Systems Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
44. | Industrial Buildings Corporation Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
45. | Israel Discount Bank Ltd. | (e), (f) | Israel |
46. | Israel Railways Corporation Ltd. | (g), (h) | Israel |
47. | Italek Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
48. | J.C. Bamford Excavators Ltd. | (a) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
49. | Jerusalem Economy Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
50. | Kavim Public Transportation Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
51. | Lipski Installation and Sanitation Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
52. | Matrix IT Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
53. | Mayer Davidov Garages Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
54. | Mekorot Water Company Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
55. | Mercantile Discount Bank Ltd. | (e), (f) | Israel |
56. | Merkavim Transportation Technologies Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
57. | Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd. | (e), (f) | Israel |
58. | Modi’in Ezrachi Group Ltd. | (e), (d) | Israel |
59. | Mordechai Aviv Taasiot Beniyah 1973 Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
60. | Motorola Solutions Israel Ltd. | (b) | Israel |
61. | Municipal Bank Ltd. | (f) | Israel |
62. | Naaman Group Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
63. | Nof Yam Security Ltd. | (e), (d) | Israel |
64. | Ofertex Industries 1997 Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
65. | Opodo Ltd. | (e) | United Kingdom |
66. | Bank Otsar Ha-Hayal Ltd. | (e), (f) | Israel |
67. | Partner Communications Company Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
68. | Paz Oil Company Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
69. | Pelegas Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
70. | Pelephone Communications Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
71. | Proffimat S.R. Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
72. | Rami Levy Chain Stores Hashikma Marketing 2006 Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
73. | Rami Levy Hashikma Marketing Communication Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
74. | Re/Max Israel | (e) | Israel |
75. | Shalgal Food Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
76. | Shapir Engineering and Industry Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
77. | Shufersal Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
78. | Sonol Israel Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
79. | Superbus Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
80. | Supergum Industries 1969 Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
81. | Tahal Group International B.V. | (e) | Netherlands |
82. | TripAdvisor Inc. | (e) | United States |
83. | Twitoplast Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
84. | Unikowsky Maoz Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
85. | YES | (e) | Israel |
86. | Zakai Agricultural Know-how and inputs Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
87. | ZF Development and Construction | (g) | Israel |
88. | ZMH Hammermand Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
89. | Zorganika Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
90. | Zriha Hlavin Industries Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
Business enterprises involved as parent companies
No. | Business enterprise | Subparagraph of listed activity | State concerned |
91. | Alon Blue Square Israel Ltd. | (e), (g) | Israel |
92. | Alstom S.A. | (e), (g) | France |
93. | Altice Europe N.V. | (e) | Netherlands |
94. | Amnon Mesilot Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
95. | Ashtrom Group Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
96. | Booking Holdings Inc. | (e) | United States |
97. | Brand Industries Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
98. | Delta Galil Industries Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
99. | eDreams ODIGEO S.A. | (e) | Luxembourg |
100. | Egis S.A. | (e) | France |
101. | Electra Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
102. | Export Investment Company Ltd. | (e), (f) | Israel |
103. | General Mills Inc. | (g) | United States |
104. | Hadar Group | (g) | Israel |
105. | Hamat Group Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
106. | Indorama Ventures P.C.L. | (g) | Thailand |
107. | Kardan N.V. | (e) | Netherlands |
108. | Mayer’s Cars and Trucks Co. Ltd. | (e) | Israel |
109. | Motorola Solutions Inc. | (b) | United States |
110. | Natoon Group | (e), (d) | Israel |
111. | Villar International Ltd. | (g) | Israel |
Business enterprises involved as licensors or franchisors
No. | Business enterprise | Subparagraph of listed activity | State concerned |
112. | Greenkote P.L.C. | (g) | United Kingdom |
Key: Nature of companies’ links to settlements
(a) The supply of equipment and materials facilitating the construction and the expansion of settlements and the wall, and associated infrastructure;
(b) The supply of surveillance and identification equipment for settlements, the wall and checkpoints directly linked with settlements;
(c) The supply of equipment for the demolition of housing and property, the destruction of agricultural farms, greenhouses, olive groves and crops;
(d) The supply of security services, equipment and materials to enterprises operating in settlements;
(e) The provision of services and utilities supporting the maintenance and existence of settlements, including transport;
(f) Banking and financial operations helping to develop, expand or maintain settlements and their activities, including loans for housing and the development of businesses;
(g) The use of natural resources, in particular water and land, for business purposes;
(h) Pollution, and the dumping of waste in or its transfer to Palestinian villages;
(i) Captivity of the Palestinian financial and economic markets, as well as practices that disadvantage Palestinian enterprises, including through restrictions on movement, administrative and legal constraints;
(j) The use of benefits and reinvestments of enterprises owned totally or partially by settlers for developing, expanding and maintaining the settlements.