UN adds 68 firms to West Bank settlements list, total 158

The United Nations on Friday expanded its database of companies said to have business ties to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, adding 68 firms and raising the total to 158, the U.N. human rights office said. The updated list names companies it says are engaged in activities that raise particular human rights concerns in settlements that most countries regard as illegal under international law.

The new entries span construction, real estate, mining and quarrying, as well as suppliers of security, travel and financial services, the U.N. office said. New names include German building materials company Heidelberg Materials, Portuguese rail systems provider Steconfer, and Spanish transportation engineering firm Ineco. Major travel platforms such as Expedia Group, Booking Holdings, Airbnb and TripAdvisor remain on the database. Seven companies that appeared on the 2023 list were removed after the U.N. concluded they were no longer involved in the activities of concern.

The U.N. human rights office said businesses operating in conflict settings have a due diligence responsibility to ensure their activities do not contribute to human rights abuses. Ravina Shamdasani, a...