The United Nations added 68 companies to a blacklist it maintains of firms that do business with Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, the Associated Press reported.
“Businesses working in contexts of conflict have a due diligence responsibility to ensure their activities do not contribute to human rights abuses,” Ravina Shamdasani, a U.N. Human Rights Office spokeswoman, stated. “We call on businesses to take appropriate action to address the adverse human rights impacts of their activities.”
The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights initiated the blacklist in 2020, seeking to punish companies that it accuses of being complicit in violating Palestinian human rights.
This week’s additions include German building materials company Heidelberg Materials, Portuguese rail systems provider Steconfer and Spanish transportation engineering firm Ineco, along with companies in the security, travel and financial services sectors.
“Israel categorically rejects the publication of the database, a document with no legal ground and far beyond the scope of the OHCHR,” the Israeli mission to the United Nations in Geneva stated.
The blacklist, officially known as the “database of companies,” now stands at 158 companies. The overwhelming majority is Israeli. Others are based in the United States, including Expedia Group, Booking Holdings and Airbnb, which serve the travel sector with lodging listings in Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.
“Israeli companies are at the forefront of innovation, development and growth,” the Israeli mission stated. “We call on friends not to yield to this ugly attempt to blacklist Israeli firms.”
Companies from Canada, China, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom also appear on the blacklist.
The companies added on Friday were given the right of reply. Seven previously penalized companies were delisted, including French transportation company Alstom, Spanish travel service provider eDreams and British travel service provider Opodo.
An additional 145 companies were assessed for potential violations this year.
The blacklist is not enforceable by international law, but Israeli officials say it is a U.N. tool to generate a boycott of the Jewish state. U.N. officials say that it brings attention to violations of Palestinian rights.
The United Nations does not produce a blacklist for any other conflict or disputed area in the world.
