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UN expert: 'Lucrative business deals' help Israel sustain its Gaza campaign

In a report, a U.N. expert named 60 companies including major arms and technology firms. She accused them of supporting Israeli settlements in Gaza and their military actions, which she referred to as a "genocidal war."

Francesca Albanese is an Italian lawyer who specializes in human rights. She is the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The report was compiled based on more than 200 submissions by states, human-rights defenders and companies.

The report published late on Monday calls for companies not to do business with Israel, and that executives who are implicated in alleged international law violations be held legally accountable.

Albanese wrote that the 27-page report showed why Israel's genocide is continuing: it is profitable for many. She accused corporations of being "financially tied to Israel's militarism and apartheid."

Israel's Geneva mission said that the report was "legally unfounded, defamatory, and a flagrant misuse of her position". The Israeli foreign ministry and prime minister's office have not responded to requests for comments.

The U.S. Mission to the United Nations, New York, called on U.N. Sec.-General Antonio Guterres for a condemnation of Albanese. They also demanded her removal.

Israel rejected the accusations of genocide against Gaza. It cited its right to self defense following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 that resulted to 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages according to Israeli statistics.

Gaza Health Ministry reports that the war in Gaza, which followed, has resulted in the death of more than 56,000 individuals and the destruction of the entire enclave.

Arms FIRMS Identified in Report

The report divides the companies into sectors, such as military or technology. It does not always specify if the companies are involved in the Gaza campaign or settlements. The report said that 15 companies had responded directly to Albanese’s office, but they did not publish the replies.

The article names Lockheed Martin, Leonardo and other arms companies as having used their weapons in Gaza. The report also names heavy machinery suppliers Caterpillar Inc. and HD Hyundai. It claims their equipment contributed to the destruction of property in Palestinian territory.

"Foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions. Lockheed Martin's spokesperson said that the U.S. Government is best suited to discuss these sales.

No one else responded to our requests for comment. Caterpillar previously stated that it expects to use its products in accordance with international humanitarian laws.

The technology giants Alphabet (Alphabet), Amazon, Microsoft and IBM are "central to Israel’s surveillance apparatus and ongoing Gaza destruction".

Alphabet has defended the $1.2 billion contract it signed with Israel's government for cloud services, saying that this was not a military or intelligence operation.

Palantir Technologies also provided AI tools to Israel's military. However, specifics about their use weren't included.

The report adds to a U.N. database that was last updated in 2023 and lists new companies, as well as alleged links to the Gaza conflict.

The 47 members of the U.N. Human Rights Council will receive it on Thursday. The U.N. Human Rights Council does not have legal binding power, but cases that were documented through U.N. investigations often inform international prosecutions.

Israel and the United States withdrew from the Council in the first half of this year citing bias towards Israel.

(source: Reuters)