The U.N. independent expert on human rights in the Palestinian territories called Wednesday for an international ban on all products made in Israeli settlements, as a step to potentially end Israel’s 52-year-old “illegal occupation.”
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Michael Lynk told the General Assembly’s human rights committee that the international community should also issue “a clarion call to the United Nations” to complete and release a database “on businesses engaged in activities related to the illegal settlements.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment.
Lynk said the international community has a responsibility and a legal obligation to compel Israel to completely end its occupation and remove barriers to self-determination for the Palestinians.
He said Israel’s occupation of territory the Palestinians want for their own state has been characterized by numerous and serious violations of international law, and yet “the international community has displayed great unwillingness to impose any meaningful accountability on Israel.”
Israel is deeply opposed to a Palestinian-led international boycott movement, which it views as an attack on its very existence.
Supporters of the boycotts say they are a non-violent way of protesting Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.