The United Nations human rights office announced on Friday that it has added 61 additional companies to a blacklist of firms accused of violating Palestinian human rights. The office claims these businesses are involved in these violations through their ongoing commercial ties to Israeli settlements located in the occupied West Bank.
First introduced in 2020, the blacklist originated from a vote by the U.N. Human Rights Council. While the council lacks the legal authority to force companies to change their operations, the registry serves as a mechanism to name and shame businesses maintaining links to the settlements. The actual financial impact of being included on this list remains unclear.
Volker Türk, the U.N. human rights chief, stated that the report serves as a reminder that companies bear human rights responsibilities. He noted that firms are expected to conduct due diligence to ensure they do not become involved in human rights abuses or violations.
Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva, which has frequently criticized the rights council, rejected the database as a political tool. The mission accused the office of the human rights chief of using the list to advance a smear campaign against business enterprises that have committed no wrongdoing.
The announcement follows recent international developments regarding the region. Earlier this month, Britain implemented a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, citing reports that settler terrorists are carrying out the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. France and Canada have also announced that they would take similar actions.
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