UN keeps eye on Israel links

– The United Nations (UN) human rights office had identified 206 companies doing business linked to unlawful Israeli settlements in the West Bank and it urged them to avoid any complicity in “pervasive” violations against Palestinians.

Israel fears that companies listed on any UN “blacklist” could be targeted for boycotts or divestment aimed at stepping up pressure over its settlements, which most countries and the world body view as illegal.

“Businesses play a central role in furthering the establishment, maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements,” the UN report said.

“In doing so, they are contributing to Israel’s confiscation of land, facilitate the transfer of its population into the Occupied Palestinian Territory and are involved in the exploitation of Palestine’s natural resources,” it said.

The majority of the companies, or 143, are domiciled in Israel or the settlements, followed by 22 in the US, it said.

The report did not name the companies and said that its database was not yet complete.

Israel’s ambassador, Aviva Raz Shechter, said her government was still studying the report, but rejected the concept as “fundamentally illegitimate”.

“This is part of the bias to try to delegitimise Israel.” –