The United Nations human rights office said on Wednesday it has identified 206 companies doing business linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, where it said violations against Palestinians are “pervasive and devastating”. “Businesses play a central role in furthering the establishment, maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report said.
In the report, the commission urges all actors to take immediate steps to ensure accountability, including by guaranteeing the rights of all victims to an effective remedy.
By Palestine Center Interns
In order to understand the legality of settlements, it is important first to appreciate the historical significance of the June War of 1967, also known as the Six Day War. After launching a military campaign against Egypt, Israel began its occupation over the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. Then, in response to a retaliation from Syrian and Jordanian forces, Israel conquered East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nablus and remaining lands in the West Bank and Golan Heights – land it still occupies today.
Through educational events, humanitarian support, and cultural preservation, the Jerusalem Fund is helping build the movement for Palestinian liberation.
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