Dr. Saeb Erekat on Amnesty International Report Regarding Settlement Tourism

The report released by Amnesty International provides further information about a reality that we have been denouncing for years. Israel continues to use tourism as a tool to normalize its illegal occupation and colonization of Palestine; from the use of images of Palestine, the promotion of Israeli products, to the development of the tourism industry in illegal settlements, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem.

We reiterate our call upon the international community to respect its obligations under international law, beginning by releasing tourism guidelines to ensure that their citizens and companies do not contribute to the Israeli colonial-settlement enterprise. At the same time, we call once again upon all the companies mentioned in the Amnesty International report, among others, to uphold to their responsibilities under the UN Guidelines on Business and Human Rights and stop contributing to the normalization of Israel’s colonial settlements, a war crime under international law.

This report comes a day after occupation authorities are advancing their plans to build a cable car around the Old City of Jerusalem, and while Israeli settlers, protected by occupation forces raided the archaeological site of Sabastia, in the Nablus governorate.

We once again call upon the United Nations to release the list of companies involved in the Israeli occupation.