• UN adds 61 companies to its database linked to Israeli settlements, now totaling 214.
• The majority of companies on the list are Israeli, with some from the US, UK, and other nations.
• The update has drawn significant criticism from Israel, labeling it a political tool.

The United Nations (UN) has expanded its database of companies involved in activities associated with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, announcing the addition of **61 companies**, bringing the total to **214 firms** from **11 countries**. The update, released on September 25, included removals of five companies since last year's listing, but notable entities like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Motorola remain on the list, which originally emerged from a 2020 resolution by the UN Human Rights Council aimed at tracking businesses contributing to human rights abuses, according to Le Monde and Los Angeles Times.

Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, emphasized the obligation of businesses to ensure they do not partake in human rights violations, stating this report serves as "another reminder" of their responsibilities. The inclusion of firms follows assessments based on their involvement in prohibited activities such as construction and expansion of settlements, supplying surveillance equipment, and providing various services linked to the operations within these settlements, according to Los Angeles Times and Al Jazeera.

The responses from affected companies are reviewed by the UN, which allows them an opportunity to clarify their involvement within a 60-day period. Some companies, such as Salvat Logistica from Spain and Israeli firms like Alony Hetz, were specifically mentioned in the report as being newly added to the list of firms under scrutiny. Despite the extensive documentation and the review process, the direct impact of being included on this list remains unclear, according to Le Monde and Al Jazeera.

Israel's government has consistently criticized the UN database, terming it a "*political tool*" meant to tarnish the country's reputation. Following the latest update, Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva reiterated its position against the database, arguing it falsely portrays businesses as guilty of wrongdoing despite their compliance with legal frameworks, as reported by Los Angeles Times and Al Jazeera.