An Al Jazeera investigation has revealed that at least 17 companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank hold UK public-sector contracts worth more than £2.1bn ($2.85bn).
The findings come as more than 140 UK Labour MPs are calling on the government to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements, a move Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering.
Analysis of procurement records, company filings, and corporate disclosures found that businesses named by the United Nations over their involvement in illegal Israeli settlements – and their subsidiaries – have secured contracts across the British public sector, including road maintenance, transport, emergency services, and driving licensing.
“Evidence is growing that the UK may be in breach of its international obligations … by continuing to contract with entities identified by the UN as providing assistance of this sort,” Stephen Humphreys, professor of international law at the London School of Economics, told Al Jazeera.
Data compiled by Tussell shows the 17 companies hold 125 public-sector contracts with a combined award value of £2.129bn ($2.89bn). Companies owned by Motorola Solutions account for more than £1.7bn of the total, primarily through its British subsidiary Airwave Solutions.
Other contracts are held by firms within four other corporate groups: Heidelberg Materials, Egis, CAF, and Fosun. A UN Human Rights Office report identifies these groups as involved in business activities related to illegal Israeli settlements.
Heidelberg Materials’ Israeli subsidiary owns a quarry on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, while Motorola is embedded in settlement security infrastructure. Egis and CAF are involved in Jerusalem’s expanding light-rail network, which activists say entrenches Israeli control.
Fosun International, whose subsidiary Breas Medical receives UK public money, also owns the controversial Israeli cosmetics manufacturer Ahava, which operates in the Mitzpe Shalem settlement. Civil rights groups decry Ahava as “complicit” in the theft of Palestinian land.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice found Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful and placed obligations on other states “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation.”
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told Al Jazeera: “The UK government is propping up apartheid. Every day, the UK deepens its complicity in Israel’s economy of occupation and, in turn, Israel’s economy of genocide.”
The Cabinet Office said individual public authorities make decisions to exclude suppliers case-by-case, and public procurement should not be used to boycott suppliers unless formal UK sanctions are in place.
Motorola Solutions is the largest beneficiary of UK public money. Its subsidiary Airwave Solutions holds a £1.562bn Home Office contract for the secure communications network used by emergency services. Motorola’s Israeli subsidiary is listed in the UN database.
Heidelberg Materials has 25 UK contracts worth £184.79m, with its Israeli subsidiary owning the Nahal Raba quarry. Egis holds a £133.23m contract with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, while CAF has an £83.5m tram contract for West Midlands Metro.
Fosun’s Ahava operations continue in Mitzpe Shalem, and its subsidiary Breas Medical holds UK contracts worth £1.29m. The investigation raises serious questions about the UK’s compliance with international law.
Source: www.aljazeera.com