• UN doubles the number of firms listed for operating in illegal Israeli settlements to 158.
• 68 new companies added, including notable firms like Heidelberg Materials and Ineco.
• Continued call from UN for businesses to address human rights impacts of their operations.

The United Nations has significantly expanded its database of companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements, now listing a total of 158 firms. This marks a sharp increase from the previous count of 97 in 2023, with the addition of 68 new companies from 11 different countries. Many of these companies are involved in construction, real estate, mining, and related sectors considered crucial to the expansion of Israeli settlements, which are deemed illegal under international law, according to Middle East Eye, TRT Global, and Africanews.

Notable new entries include companies such as Germany's Heidelberg Materials and Spain's Ineco alongside major travel firms like Airbnb and Booking.com that remain on the list. The ongoing presence of these companies highlights their involvement in activities that contribute to violations of human rights standards as outlined by the UN Human Rights Office. UN rights chief Volker Turk emphasized the responsibility of these businesses to avoid contributing to human rights abuses, underscoring this report's call for corporate due diligence, according to TRT Global, Al Jazeera, and Dawn.

The UN's database, first established in 2020 and updated annually, serves not only as a transparency tool but also aims to apply pressure on businesses to reconsider their involvement in activities that support the Israeli settlements’ expansion. In addition, out of the previous companies on the list, seven were removed as they no longer engaged in such activities, demonstrating the shifting nature of corporate involvement in the region, according to Africanews, and Middle East Eye.

This update occurs at a politically sensitive time, coinciding with increasing international scrutiny of Israel’s settlement policies and actions in the Palestinian territories. The database's expansion accentuates the ongoing debates surrounding corporate responsibility in conflict environments while reaffirming the UN's stance against the perception of complicity in human rights violations due to business practices, according to TRT Global, Al Jazeera, and Dawn.