Palestine urges global firms to cut ties with Israeli settlement businesses

Palestine Calls on International Companies to Reconsider Settlement Links

Bdbusinessdaily.com – Palestine’s delegation to the United Nations has urged multinational companies to examine whether they have commercial relationships with businesses connected to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to end those links where appropriate.

The appeal followed the presentation of an updated United Nations Human Rights Office database identifying companies involved in activities related to settlements. Ibrahim Khraishi, Palestine’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, said the list should prompt firms around the world to review their business partnerships, supply arrangements and contracts.

Khraishi noted that many entries in the database are Israeli companies with commercial ties extending beyond Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. He argued that overseas businesses working with those companies should reassess whether their relationships contribute to settlement-linked activity.

Updated UN Database Lists 214 Companies

The revised database contains 214 companies from 11 countries. It tracks businesses connected to specified activities associated with Israeli settlements, including services and commercial operations that may support or benefit from settlement-related development.

In its latest revision, the UN Human Rights Office added 61 companies. Five companies that had appeared in earlier editions were removed after the office confirmed that their participation in the relevant activities had ceased.

Khraishi welcomed decisions by companies that have voluntarily pulled out of settlement-related operations or terminated existing commercial agreements. He also called for the UN database to be reviewed and updated every year, saying regular revisions are necessary to ensure that the information remains current.

The database is intended to provide transparency around corporate involvement in activities linked to settlements. It does not itself impose penalties on the companies named. However, its publication can increase scrutiny from investors, consumers, civil-society groups and business partners considering the legal, reputational and ethical implications of their commercial decisions.

Debate at the Human Rights Council

Israel was not present when the updated list was introduced to the UN Human Rights Council. It also did not use its right of reply during the discussion.

The issue was raised in a wider debate over the impact of the conflict and occupation on Palestinian civilian life. Spain’s permanent representative delivered strong criticism of Israel’s conduct, accusing it of persistent violations of basic civilian rights and of exposing Palestinians to severe harm through military operations, settler violence, and the demolition of homes and livelihoods.

“intolerable dehumanization”

Spain called on Israel to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and to meet the obligations it holds as an occupying power. Its representative also urged Israel to reverse what Spain described as de facto annexation measures and to withdraw military forces from occupied Arab territories, including the Golan Heights and Lebanese territory.

Spain reiterated its support for a two-state solution, describing it as the only viable basis for a durable peace. The position reflects a longstanding international diplomatic framework that envisages Israel and a future Palestinian state living alongside one another.

Why Corporate Relationships Are Under Scrutiny

Settlement activity has long been one of the central disputes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The location, expansion and economic integration of settlements affect land use, movement, access to resources and prospects for a negotiated territorial settlement. For that reason, companies with business operations connected to settlements can face heightened attention from governments, rights groups and international institutions.

For global companies, the debate is not limited to direct ownership or physical operations. Business links may involve services, equipment, financial arrangements, infrastructure, construction-related work, transport, technology or other commercial support. The UN database focuses on particular categories of activity rather than making a broad judgment about every company operating in Israel or engaging with Israeli businesses.

Khraishi’s appeal places responsibility on companies to conduct their own due diligence. That can include assessing the nature of a partner’s operations, determining whether contracts are connected to listed activities, and considering whether a business relationship remains consistent with corporate policies and international standards.

The latest update also illustrates that inclusion in the database is not necessarily permanent. The removal of five companies after verification that the relevant activity had ended demonstrates that the list is designed to reflect changing commercial circumstances. At the same time, the addition of 61 firms indicates that the Human Rights Office continues to identify new businesses meeting the stated criteria.

Continuing International Pressure

Palestine’s intervention adds to continuing international pressure over settlement-related commerce at a time when diplomatic divisions over the conflict remain deep. Calls for companies to cut ties with settlement-linked businesses are likely to intensify debate over corporate responsibility, particularly among firms operating across multiple jurisdictions.

The updated UN list is therefore significant both as a record of identified commercial activity and as a tool for public accountability. For Palestinian representatives, it provides a basis for urging companies to disengage. For businesses, it creates another reason to examine supply chains, partnerships and investment decisions that may be connected to settlement activity.

As the Human Rights Council debate continues, the dispute remains tied to broader questions about occupation, civilian protection, international law and the future of a negotiated two-state settlement. Palestine’s call is aimed at moving those questions beyond diplomacy and into the commercial choices made by companies around the world.