The United Nations human rights office added 61 companies to its database of businesses tied to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, bringing the total list to 214 businesses across 11 countries as of September 2026.
Expansion of the United Nations Settlements Database
The United Nations human rights office published an 18-page report detailing the addition of 61 new entities to its controversial registry with the addition of 61 more companies, the list now includes 214 businesses in 11 countries, most of them Israeli. The update followed an assessment of 126 businesses, resulting in five removals from the 158 companies listed the previous year, as noted in the latest update.
While the vast majority of listed firms are based in Israel, companies from 10 other nations also appear on the registry. Those countries include China, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Among the newly added names are Spanish logistics provider Salvat Logistica and Israeli real estate investment holding firm Alony Hetz. They join corporate giants already present on the roster, such as travel platforms Expedia and TripAdvisor, home-sharing service Airbnb, and telecommunications equipment maker Motorola.
Prohibited Activities and the Standard of Proof
To land on the database, a business must take part in at least one of 10 prohibited activities linked to settlements facilitating the construction and expansion of settlements, supplying surveillance and identification equipment, providing banking services, and providing services and utilities.
The UN human rights office applies a specific evidentiary threshold for inclusion that there are reasonable grounds to believe the company is engaged in at least one of the prohibited activities. This standard matches other UN fact-finding missions and sits well below the criminal court threshold of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Before finalizing any addition, officials advised companies of their listing, offering them a right of reply, and granted them a 60-day window to submit clarifying information or updates. Out of the recent assessments, the UN received replies from 14 companies.
Sharp Diplomatic Friction and International Scrutiny
Originally born from a 2020 vote by the UN Human Rights Council, which has no ability to force companies to act, the registry its main goal is to name and shame businesses with ties to the settlements.
“This report is another reminder to companies that they have human rights responsibilities and are expected to conduct due diligence to ensure that they do not become involved in human rights violations or abuses,”
Volker Türk, UN human rights chief
Israel stated it categorically rejects the publication.
Broader Western Trade Restrictions
The registry update arrives amid heightened international tension regarding West Bank settlements. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion declaring Israeli settlements unlawful and stating that Israel must withdraw from Palestinian territories as soon as possible.
Individual nations have begun taking direct economic steps. Earlier in September 2026, Britain enacted a ban on trade with West Bank settlements, pointing to actions by what it termed settler terrorists
carrying out ethnic cleansing
against Palestinians. Government representatives from France and Canada subsequently announced plans to implement similar trade restrictions.