UN adds 61 firms to settlement database

The U.N. human rights office added 61 companies and removed five from its database of businesses linked to activities in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, bringing the list to 214 firms from 11 countries. The database, first published in 2020, covers companies whose activities may support settlements through practices such as construction, surveillance, demolitions or services that help sustain them; the U.N. says it is not exhaustive. Newly added firms include pesticide maker ADAMA, real estate company Alony Hetz and Spain’s Salvat Logistica, while some companies were removed after their activities changed or no longer met the criteria. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said companies have a responsibility to conduct due diligence and avoid involvement in human rights abuses. Israel condemned the database as biased and said it unfairly targets companies operating legally; meanwhile, Britain, France and Canada have moved to block imports from settlements amid growing concerns about settler violence.