The lists are growing: Will Israel finally pay a price?

Let’s start with the good news. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has added 61 companies to its database of businesses involved in activities linked to illegal Israeli settlements, expanding the list from 158 to 214 companies. Why is this good news? Because it further illustrates a degree of seriousness within the international community to move its position on Israel from the realm of language to that of action. Yet more good news: five previously listed companies were removed after the Office determined that their involvement in the relevant activities had ended. This matters because it suggests that the mechanism can work: sustained scrutiny can influence corporate behaviour, and supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine can […]