The United Nations has updated its public database of businesses linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The new list identifies 158 companies. Some are local, but others are international names in the technology and travel sectors.
Travel Platforms Named
Several global booking platforms appear in the update, including Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor. These firms host and process reservations for accommodation inside illegal settlements. By doing so, they provide visibility and revenue to properties that the UN and the International Court of Justice consider unlawful.
The UN’s rights office said companies are expected to ensure their services do not contribute to rights abuses. The focus on high-profile travel platforms signals that digital intermediaries are part of the settlement economy, not only local construction or banking firms.
Telecom and Security Links
The database also highlights technology used in infrastructure and surveillance. Telecom operators Bezeq, Partner Communications, Hot Mobile, and Cellcom were included for supplying digital services to settlement areas. Motorola Solutions, along with its Israeli subsidiary, was listed for providing equipment used in security and monitoring systems.
Such companies form the digital backbone of settlements. Their networks and devices support daily operations and surveillance in disputed areas, which places them directly inside the scope of the UN’s assessment.
International Spread
Most of the companies listed are Israeli, but several come from abroad. Heidelberg Materials of Germany, which supplies building products, was included. Firms registered in Canada, China, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States also appear. Seven companies named in previous updates were removed after evidence showed they were no longer active in settlement-linked activities.
The database will continue to grow. More than 300 other firms remain under review, and further updates are expected.
Legal Context
The update comes after a 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice. Judges found that Israel’s settlement policies amounted to annexation of occupied territory and violated the Palestinian right to self-determination. The court also stated that states and businesses must avoid supporting activities that maintain such settlements.
The UN Human Rights Office applied its standard methodology, based on international business and human rights principles. The database does not provide a legal judgment, but it identifies companies where evidence showed involvement in one or more of ten specified activities linked to settlements.
Reputational Risk
For global firms, the consequences are reputational as much as legal. Travel platforms operate in highly visible markets where consumer perception matters. Telecom and surveillance firms may be less exposed to direct customer choice, but their role in building settlement infrastructure makes them subject to international scrutiny.
Other Sectors
While technology names stand out, many of the listed companies belong to construction, real estate, banking, mining, and retail. Together, these businesses sustain daily life in settlements. The UN says firms in such contexts have a duty to carry out due diligence, prevent harm, and offer remedies when their activities are linked to abuses.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
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