UN to Blacklist 130 «Israeli» Companies, 60 Int’l Corporations
Local Editor
In the past few weeks, 130 "Israeli" companies and 60 international corporations operating in the "Israeli" entity received warning letters from United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid bin Raad al-Hussein cautioning them of their impending inclusion in a "blacklist" of companies active beyond the Green Line in "violation of international law and UN resolutions."
The "Israeli" daily Ynet has gained access to part of the list, which is set to be published in late December and cites 25 well-known "Israeli" companies. The companies operate in different sectors-some in food manufacturing, others in services, pharmaceuticals and even high-tech-but have one thing in common: they all operate in settlements, east al-Quds [Jerusalem] and the Jordan Valley.
Among the companies in the commissioner's sights are Ahava, Dor Alon, Amisragas, Angel Bakeries, Arison Investments, Ashdar, Clal Industries, Café Café, Cellcom, Danya Cebus, Electra, HP, Hot, the "Israel" Aerospace Industries, Matrix Systems, Motorola, Nesher, Partner, Paz, Rami Levy, Remax, Housing & Construction ("Shikun Binui"), Shufersal, Sonol and Trima.
The above companies are joined by the 12 companies already published on Channel 2 News including Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Bezeq and Bezeq International, Coca Cola, Africa "Israel", Teva, IDB, Egged, Mekorot, Netafim and Elbit Systems.
The "Washington Post" published American companies will also be appearing on the list, including Caterpillar, Tripadvisor and Airbnb.
Some of the companies to be included on the list are still considering their response, but others are already fighting back with the claim their inclusion on the list may cause them financial harm and tarnish their brand, and are therefore looking into filing suits against the Commissioner and the UN's Human Rights Council that called for the list's preparation in the first place.
The companies claim the list's creation was politically motivated and point to the fact that the commissioner constructed no such lists pertaining to other regions of conflict-such as the Crimean Peninsula and Western Sahara-as proof.
Both the "Israeli" entity and the US have been working behind the scenes in the past few weeks to prevent the list's publication, but it appears it may be presented with a fait accompli. Despite the fact the list carries no operational or legal ramifications, the symbolic move nevertheless caused concern among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials due to the fact it may provide a serious boost to BDS efforts, deter foreign investors and convince foreign companies operating in Israel to reduce their operations.
"It may cause large investment firms or pension funds carrying stocks of various ‘Israeli' companies to divest in them because they, in turn, operate in the settlements. It may lead to a snowball effect that will greatly harm the ‘Israeli' economy eventually," said a senior "Israeli" official.
"Israel's" so-called Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates the Human Rights Commissioner received most of his information about the "Israeli" firms from "Israeli" non-profits operating in the settlements and investigating business activities beyond the Green Line.
In an effort to scuttle the move, the pro-"Israel" American "Israel" Public Affairs Committee [AIPAC] lobby has been working in the US on promoting rapid legislation in Congress determining any company divesting its business dealings from "Israel" will be considered to have "capitulated" to the Arab boycott, and would thus be in violation of American law.
The Human Rights Council's efforts to isolate the "Israeli" entity-executed through the office of the commissioner-have largely been facilitated by what the entity frequently slams as the UN body's years-long anti-"Israeli" majority which has a long record of a bias slant.
Source: Ynet, Edited by website team
