NEW YORK, February 1, 2018 (WAFA) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released on Wednesday a report identifying, but not naming, 206 companies doing business linked to illegal Israeli settlements built on stolen Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The UN report said, "The violations of [Palestinian] human rights associated with the [Israeli] settlements are pervasive and devastating, reaching every facet of Palestinian life. Owing to settlement development and infrastructure, Palestinians suffer from restrictions on freedom of religion, movement and education; their rights to land and water; access to livelihoods and their right to an adequate standard of living; their rights to family life; and many other fundamental human rights."

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), which represents the largest coalition in Palestinian civil society, welcomed the UN report for rebuking Israel’s violation of Palestinian rights with its settlement activities but warned that without publishing names, accountability will be more difficult to attain.

“Palestinian civil society welcomes the UN’s latest rebuke of Israel’s egregious violations of Palestinian human rights, and insistence that businesses have an obligation to avoid complicity in these violations,” it said.

“However, it’s unfortunate that intense bullying by Israel and the Trump administration has prevented the UN to date from releasing the actual names of the companies it has deemed complicit in Israel’s grave violations of international law. Without publicly naming names, meaningful accountability is more difficult to attain.”

It added that “with the Trump administration’s unconditional support, Israel is continuing its attempts to intimidate UN officials, heads of states, corporations and cultural figures. But people grow tired of bullies, and bullies are eventually stopped and held accountable by persistent, patient, collective efforts.”

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) is the largest coalition in Palestinian civil society. It leads and supports the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights.

M.K.