Brussels – No business with Israelis who violate human rights in the Palestinian territories: the European Union is not compromising on this and is calling on member states to make sure that domestic companies respect UN principles. It is the EU’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in his response to a question on the subject, taking a stand and, more importantly, distancing himself from the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and, at the same time, reiterating once again the “strong opposition to Israel’s settlement policy and activities.”
But it is on the commercial front that Borrell is even more vocal. There are guiding principles on business and human rights, unanimously approved by the UN Human Rights Council, the High Representative recalls; principles that establish the responsibility of businesses to respect human rights and require businesses, among other things, to establish a process of ethical conduct (due diligence) on human rights to identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for how they address their human rights impacts. “The EU has welcomed” all of this, and there is a view in Brussels that “these principles should be applied globally,” Borrell further sounded off.
This is why “The EU calls on all companies, including European companies, to implement them in all circumstances, including in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.” The Commission does not have the power to impose business policies on companies, which is why there will be pressure on governments to ensure that companies in the 27 Member States refrain from supporting an economic model seen as detrimental to the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people.
“Member States have the primary role of informing companies and consumers about business and human rights and the risks of operating in the settlements,” Borrell said. He is ready to do everything possible so that Europeans do not renounce themselves, as already denounced by the Palestinian Authority’s ambassador to Brussels.
