UN Report Exposes Global Companies' Involvement in Sustaining Israeli Occupation

A new UN report has made a damning indictment of dozens of global companies for their role in sustaining Israeli occupation and supporting its military practices in Gaza. The report, authored by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, warns that while human life is being erased in Gaza, numerous companies are complicit in advancing Israeli occupation's settler-colonial project at erasing Palestinians from their land. The report details the involvement of entities across sectors, including arms manufacturers, tech, construction firms, banks, insurers, pension funds, universities, and charities, accusing them of grave structural violations, including occupation, annexation, apartheid, and genocide.

Key Takeaways:

• The report, "From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide," details the involvement of 37 global companies in sustaining Israeli occupation, including arms manufacturers, tech giants, and construction firms.
• The companies accused include US-based Lockheed Martin, Italy's Leonardo, US-based Caterpillar, South Korea's Hyundai, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Booking.com, among others.
• The report highlights the companies' role in providing military technology, surveillance tools, and artificial intelligence algorithms to Israeli occupation, as well as marketing Israeli occupation settlements as ordinary tourist destinations.
• The report warns that these corporate practices are clear violations of international laws and humanitarian principles, and pushes for accountability, particularly when people's right to self-determination and very existence are at stake.
• The report estimates that the Oslo II Accord has triggered an estimated loss of at least 35 percent of Palestinian GDP due to institutionalized exploitation of resources.
• The report highlights the expansion of illegal settlements and the exploitation of Palestinian resources, transforming the occupied territory into a "captive market."

Statistics:

• 37 global companies are accused of sustaining Israeli occupation and supporting its military practices in Gaza.
• 61 percent of West Bank resources are under Israeli control, according to the report.
• Estimated loss of at least 35 percent of Palestinian GDP due to institutionalized exploitation of resources.
• Number of people affected by Israeli occupation and military practices in Gaza: tens of thousands.

Sources:

• Kuwait News Agency (Kuwait News Agency).
• UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese.