Palestinian Family's Seized Property Listed on Booking.com in Illegal Settlement
A new report by the US-based advocacy group Ekō reveals that Booking.com lists 41 rental properties in illegal Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank. Among these is a home built on land seized from the Palestinian al-Sbeih family near Bethlehem, now advertised as ideal for outdoor gatherings. The report highlights that these listings are located in 14 settlements, violating international law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute, which deem such colonization a war crime. Consequently, the European Legal Support Center has filed a criminal complaint with Dutch prosecutors against Booking.com’s Netherlands-based headquarters, arguing that profits from these bookings may constitute money laundering. While the International Court of Justice confirmed the illegality of settlements in 2004, Israel disputes this jurisdiction. This issue parallels similar controversies involving Airbnb, which previously attempted to remove settlement listings but reversed the decision after legal challenges. The article underscores the ongoing corporate accountability debate regarding tech platforms facilitating economic activity in disputed territories.
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Palestinian Family's Seized Property Listed on Booking.com in Illegal Settlement
A new report by the US-based advocacy group Ekō reveals that Booking.com lists 41 rental properties in illegal Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank. Among these is a home built on land seized from the Palestinian al-Sbeih family near Bethlehem, now advertised as ideal for outdoor gatherings. The report highlights that these listings are located in 14 settlements, violating international law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute, which deem such colonization a war crime. Consequently, the European Legal Support Center has filed a criminal complaint with Dutch prosecutors against Booking.com’s Netherlands-based headquarters, arguing that profits from these bookings may constitute money laundering. While the International Court of Justice confirmed the illegality of settlements in 2004, Israel disputes this jurisdiction. This issue parallels similar controversies involving Airbnb, which previously attempted to remove settlement listings but reversed the decision after legal challenges. The article underscores the ongoing corporate accountability debate regarding tech platforms facilitating economic activity in disputed territories.