‘International Crimes’ – UN Launches Probe into Role of Private Sector in Enabling Israeli Occupation

UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation in Palestine Francesca Albanese. (Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The investigation’s focus will include “how the private sector is linked to, invests in and contributes to Israel’s unlawful occupation, racial segregation and apartheid regime in the oPt and the military/security industry underpinning it.”

The United Nations has announced a far-reaching investigation into the involvement of private entities in international crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

The inquiry, set to culminate in a report to the Human Rights Council in March 2025, will investigate the involvement of business enterprises – including financial institutions such as banks, pension funds, insurance companies, universities, as well as private military and security companies (PMSC) and weapons manufacturers (WM) – that are enabling international crimes, such as apartheid.

My next report will investigate the involvement of the private entities (including businesses, banks, pension funds, insurance companies and especially private military and security companies & weapons manufacturers) in the commission of international crimes in the occupied…

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) October 16, 2024

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, said on X that submissions were open to the public.

“My next report will investigate the involvement of private entities in the commission of international crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory. Anyone can make submissions,” Albanese stated.

Impact of ICJ Case

The UN Office of the High Commissioner said the report will “particularly consider the higher due diligence imposed on the private sector after the start of the International Criminal Court investigation in the situation in Palestine (2014), the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since 26 January 2024, the ICJ’s reminder to states in its order of 30 April 2024 in Nicaragua v Germany, and the ICJ Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024.”

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Contributions are welcomed from States and other authorities, NHRIs, NGOs and human rights defenders, business enterprises, unions, academics, UN agencies and other stakeholders, the UN office said.

This included “how the private sector is linked to, invests in and contributes to Israel’s unlawful occupation, racial segregation and apartheid regime in the oPt and the military/security industry underpinning it.”

‘Maintaining’ Israeli Occupation

Among the issues that the Special Rapporteur will investigate are how the private sector contributed to establishing and maintaining Israel’s presence in the oPt since 1967, as well as the role of these entities, particularly PMSC and WM, in aiding and abetting violations of international law and potential international crimes in the oPt. In addition, which third country are they affiliated to, if any.

‘Israel’s Continued Occupation of Palestinian Territory Unlawful’  – ICJ ​​

Another factor is to what extent these private entities “carried out or avoided human rights due diligence measures to respect international law and decisions of international courts.”

The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2024.

Over the past year, the ICJ opened an investigation to determine if Israel’s military assault on Gaza amounts to genocide. In July, the World Court also declared Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the immediate cessation of all new settlement activities in the West Bank as well as the evacuation of all settlers from the occupied land.

(PC, MEMO)

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