UN Expert Calls for Companies to Stop Doing Business with Israel

UN Human Rights Expert Calls for Comprehensive Embargo on Israel Over Violations of International Law

A United Nations (UN) human rights expert voiced his deep concern over the ongoing violations of international law by Israel and urged all countries to comprehensively embargo the Jewish state until it rectifies itself. The call comes from Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Michael Lynk.

Mr. Lynk, who is finishing up his term, stated that he believes that the Israeli occupation has sunk deeper into de facto annexation during the past five years. This has brought about further violations of human rights and international law. These increasing violations have put the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT) on a path of perpetual conflict and instability that seriously affects the daily lives of those living in the region.

Mr. Lynk highlighted that there is no sign that Israel is prepared to end its 50-year-old occupation any time soon and that corporations and governments that continue to do business with Israel are abetting and prolonging these violations. He emphasized that the embargo should include imported products that are made in Israeli settlements, which continue to expand despite the global outcry.

Mr. Lynk has called on the international community to adopt a set of minimum, concrete standards relating to corporate responsibility in the OPT. These include barring corporations from benefiting from natural resources unlawfully seized from Palestinians, and ending any form of complicity in human rights abuses and international law violations committed by the Israeli government.

The Special Rapporteur has concluded his 11-year tenure and will present his final report to the UN Human Rights Council in September.