**UN Expert Warns Companies to Stop Doing Business in Israel and Gaza**
A United Nations expert has called on dozens of multinational corporations to stop doing business in Israel and Gaza, warning that they could be complicit in war crimes in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Francesca Albanese, an Italian international lawyer, presented her report to the UN human rights council, saying that the conflict with Hamas was a “testing ground” for new weapons, technology, and technologies, without accountability or oversight.
Albanese described an “economy of genocide” where companies are profiting from Israel’s military efforts, including Lockheed Martin, which manufactures weapons, and tech giants Alphabet, IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon, which provide technology that allows Israel to track Palestinians and target them. She also listed Caterpillar and Volvo, claiming they supplied vehicles for destroying homes and bombed-out communities.
The UN expert accused Israel of committing one of the most brutal genocides of modern history and called on companies to immediately stop doing business with Israel. Albanese’s report identifies financial institutions such as BNP Paribas and Barclays, which she claims underwrote Israeli Treasury Bonds throughout the conflict.
**Companies React**
Lockheed Martin said foreign military sales were government-to-government transactions, and discussions were best addressed by the US government. Volvo disputed Albanese’s criticism, saying it was based on “insufficient and partially incorrect information.” The company stated that it was committed to respecting human rights and continually worked to improve its due diligence.
**Impact and Likelihood**
UN reports like this one do not have legal authority but can attract a lot of attention. Albanese hopes to provide information to millions of consumers around the world, who can use it to decide whether or not they want to purchase something from these companies. The multinationals may take seriously the suggestion that they are complicit in a possible genocide.
**Genocide Accusations**
Albanese’s accusations could be made against companies that sell anything that could contribute to Israel’s military effort. International lawyers have privately warned European governments that continuing arms sales to Israel could lead to accusations of complicity. The law on genocide requires a court to determine the question, and South Africa has brought a case to the International Court of Justice on this exact issue.
**Global Response**
Many African, Asian, and Arab countries backed Albanese’s call for disinvestment and agreed that genocide was taking place. European states condemned Israel’s denials of aid to Gaza and said it had a responsibility as an occupying power to ensure Palestinians could survive. The United States, Israel’s closest ally, quit the UN Human Rights Council in January.
**Conclusion**
It remains to be seen how likely it is that companies will stop doing business with Israel, but Albanese’s report has already sparked condemnation from many countries and companies may begin to question their ties to Israel after hearing the global response.
