UN expands list of companies operating in West Bank settlements

What Happened

The United Nations human rights office issued a list on Friday adding 61 more companies operating in Israeli West Bank settlements, which the UN considers illegal under international law. The database, first released in 2020, now includes 214 firms, mostly from Israel, but also from 10 other countries including France, Germany, China and the US. Newly added firms include Israeli pesticides maker ADAMA, part of Chinese-owned Syngenta Group, Israel-based real estate investment holding company Alony Hetz, and Spain's Salvat Logistica. The three newly named companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the report. Existing listed firms include Expedia and Airbnb.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The database is highly sensitive because listed firms could be targeted for boycotts or divestment campaigns aimed at pressuring Israel over settler expansion in the West Bank, home to over three million Palestinians. Inclusion of multinational companies from France, Germany, China, the US and elsewhere broadens the potential economic and reputational impact beyond Israeli firms, increasing international scrutiny of business activity in settlements.

Watch For

Monitor whether ADAMA, Alony Hetz, Salvat Logistica or other newly listed companies issue responses, challenge their inclusion, or announce operational changes. Watch for boycott or divestment actions by investors, pension funds, or consumer groups following the updated list. Also track any Israeli government or diplomatic pushback against the UN database, and whether future UN updates add more firms or remove existing ones.