Israel ‘feeling heat’ over settlement businesses
The consequences of Israeli occupation and anti-Palestinian discrimination for Israel's economy are now coming faster than ever. Like so many previous military occupations, Israel is starting to feel the heat of the international community. However, this heat is not of the political kind that Israel has become accustomed to deflecting, but rather the economic kind that has a mystical way of invoking action from the political echelon. For everyone's sake, let's hope the message is arriving loud and clear: It's time for Israel to end its nearly 50-year occupation and allow Palestinians to live in freedom in an independent state.
The latest thoughtful criticism of Israel's actions is a 162-page report titled "Occupation, Inc.: How Settlement Businesses Contribute to Israel's Violations of Palestinian Rights." Issued by the reputable, international non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW), the report documents how settlement businesses facilitate the growth and operations of Israel's settlement enterprise, an enterprise deemed illegal by every country in the world, except Israel. These settlement businesses depend on and contribute to the Israeli authorities' unlawful confiscation of Palestinian land and other resources.
