AIPAC conference
AIPAC conferenceArutz Sheva

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Wednesday condemned the UN Human Rights Council after it released a list of over 100 companies which do business in Judea and Samaria.

“We strongly condemn the issuing of a blacklist by the United Nations Human Rights Council that could be used for discriminatory action against Israel. This blacklist is clearly designed to target American and Israeli companies for boycotts and other punitive action,” the pro-Israel lobby said in a statement.

“We urge the administration and Congress to act immediately to protect American companies on this list and to prevent American companies from participating in any UN-directed boycott against Israel,” it added.

AIPAC said the UNHRC blacklist “is the latest in a deplorable history of attacks on Israel by the UN and its agencies. Rather than promoting discriminatory boycotts, the United Nations must demand that the Palestinian leadership return to negotiations with Israel to seek peace and reconciliation.”

The UNHRC list includes 112 companies which operate in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

The council claims the companies, including Airbnb, Expedia, and TripAdvisor, violate international law by continuing to operate in the Jewish communities in the area.

Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley criticized the UN Human Rights Council over the publication of the list.

"The UN hit a new low today publishing its Antisemitic blacklist of companies it claims are involved in Israeli ‘settlement activity.’ The timing of this after the U.S. released a peace plan is conniving & manipulative at best. Shameful," she tweeted.

Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) also blasted the move, tweeting, “So shameful that the UN published this blacklist of companies in the West Bank. This name-and-shame strategy will do nothing to further peace and ignores economic benefits these businesses bring to Israelis and Palestinians.”