Pompeo 'outraged' over U.N. list of companies in West Bank

[Judi Lynn]

FEB. 14, 2020 / 12:42 AM
By Darryl Coote

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday lashed out at the United Nations Human Rights Office over a report published earlier this week listing businesses operating in occupied Palestinian territory, accusing the organization of "unrelenting anti-Israel bias."

On Wednesday, the U.N. office, headed by High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, published a report identifying 112 business entities including 94 Israeli companies and 18 in six other nations operating in the West Bank. Six U.S.-based companies, with the majority related to tourism, were listed in the report.

The report was compiled under a U.N. Human Rights Council resolution adopted in 2016 to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the rights of the Palestinian people.

According to a statement from the U.N. Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, the report is not the result of a judicial process and while the settlements are largely regarded as illegal under international law, it does not provide a legal description of the activities the business are doing.

More:
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/02/14/Pompeo-outraged-over-UN-list-of-companies-in-West-Bank/1251581654545/?sl=2&ur3=1

[riversedge]

1. Human rights advocates, on the other hand, welcomed the report as a "major breakthrough" to hold bus

.........Human rights advocates, on the other hand, welcomed the report as a "major breakthrough" to hold business accountable.
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The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said the settlements undermine the livelihoods and economy of Palestinians and business activities in those areas contribute to their deepening entrenchment.

"The long-awaited release of the U.N. settlement business database should put all companies on notice: to do business with illegal settlements is to aid in the commission of wars," said Bruno Stagno, deputy executive director for advocacy at Human Rights Watch. "The database release marks critical progress in the global effort to ensure that businesses end their complicity in rights abuses and respect international law."

The list, he said, underscores the international community's rejection of Israeli and U.S. efforts to "legitimize Israel's illegal settlement enterprise and to whitewash the resulting human rights abuses."

Topics
Mike Pompeo
Michelle Bachelet

[Moostache]

2. I am assuming that Pompeo is also in favor of Blood Diamonds too? (n/t)

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Corporations over people is this administration's official policy.