Airbnb plans to remove listings from Israeli settlements in the West Bank

JERUSALEM – The Airbnb house rental company announced Monday that it would remove its listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, prompting indignation from Israeli officials.

The company announced that it would cut some 200 listings and cease operations in Israeli settlements "which are at the heart of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians". It was not clear right away when the withdrawal would take effect.

In response, Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, who oversees Israel's battle against a Palestinian-led boycott movement, called on Airbnb hosts concerned with the decision to prosecute in accordance with Israeli law. anti-boycott.

"National conflicts exist all over the world," said Erdan. "Airbnb's senior management will have to explain why it chose, specifically, to apply this political and discriminatory decision in the case of citizens of the state of Israel."

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin overturned the decision and ordered his office to limit the company's activities throughout the country. He also instructed the ministry to intensify its tourism programs in the settlements of the West Bank.

The company had previously defended its previous operations in the occupied West Bank, claiming that they were in compliance with US law and its own mission "to bring people together in as many places as possible in the world".

Airbnb announced that the decision to cancel the disputed lists was made after consulting experts and struggling with the ethics of doing business in Israeli settlements, which most members of the international community considered illegal. Palestinians and human rights groups have long lobbied society to abolish the lists.

Human Rights Watch said the decision was made on the eve of the publication of a 65-page report investigating the lists of tourist tenants in settlement areas, including by Airbnb.

Arvind Ganesan, director of the division's business and human rights group, described Airbnb's decision "to recognize that it is impossible to make such announcements with its responsibilities in relation to of human rights ". He urged other companies to do the same.

Eugene Kontorovich, an expert in international law, accused Airbnb of anti-Semitism and cooperation with the Palestinian-led BDS movement, calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli companies.

Kontorovich, who helped the United States and Israel draft anti-boycott legislation, said the company had singled out Israel while allowing goods to be listed in other parts of the world, either occupied or not. such as the northern part of Cyprus, Nagorno-Karabakh and Western Sahara.

"Airbnb's approach of distinguishing Jews from all conflicts in the world will make it inconsistent with the US BDS laws and the principles of discrimination," said Kontorovich, director of international law in the United States. Kohelet Policy Forum, a conservative think tank in Jerusalem. Professor of International Law at George Mason University.

Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1967 war in the Middle East. Today, more than 400,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and some 200,000 Israelis in East Jerusalem. Palestinians say the two regions are part of a future state, a position with broad global support.