This lecture will reflect on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report on companies doing business in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).  

The report states that “...violations of human rights associated with the settlements are pervasive and devastating, reaching every facet of Palestinian life,” citing restrictions on movement, freedom of religion, education and land ownership faced by Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. It goes on to say that “[b]usinesses play a central role in furthering the establishment, maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements,” and it describes the role of Israel in encouraging business to operate in settlements by providing financial incentives. Importantly, the report poses a set of live questions that governments, investors, companies, consumers and others should be asking: Can companies operate in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and fulfill their responsibility to respect human rights? If so, what are the criteria for judging whether they are doing so?

Please join us for a public event to discuss these questions and deepen our understanding of business and human rights in occupied territories.