LONDON: A new report has revealed that US e-commerce platform Etsy is doing business with dozens of shops located in illegal Israeli settlements.
Published jointly by the Institute for Journalism and Social Change, Global Justice Now and War on Want, the report identified at least 44 Etsy shops operating in 16 different settlements considered illegal by the UN and international law as of July.
“Etsy doesn't simply turn a blind eye to shops listed on its site that operate in illegal Israeli settlements, it directly profits from and in some cases even promotes them,” said Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now.
“In doing so, they risk complicity in war crimes, and the reality is that they are not the only company profiting from the human misery inflicted on Palestinians every day. It is time to put an end to this shameless corporate profiteering.”
Most of the stores identified are located in the West Bank, including 14 in Ariel and at least nine in Maale Adumim, two of the largest illegal settlements and frequent sites of conflict over expansion plans.
The report also noted that with hundreds of other sellers listed simply under “Israel” without specific locations, there could be many more Etsy shops operating out of illegal settlements.
Claire Provost, author of the report and co-founder and co-director of the Institute for Journalism and Social Change, explained that despite the “explicit links” between hosts and venues, “so far these links have flown under the radar and gone unchallenged”.
“Western complicity in Israeli war crimes is so widespread that even Etsy, the popular 'feel-good' shopping platform, is connected to settlement businesses,” Provost said.
Etsy, which operates in Israel through its subsidiary Etsy Ireland UC, could face questions and accusations of money laundering if proceeds from the illegal settlement business are found to be entering the Irish financial system.
A similar complaint involving booking.com, filed in November 2023, is currently being investigated by authorities in the Netherlands.
The company said it disagreed with the allegations and stressed that “no law prohibits listing in illegal Israeli settlements.” However, the outcome of the investigation could set a precedent for operations in Israeli settlements.
In response to the findings, Etsy announced an internal review and said it aims to “comply with applicable laws, including relevant anti-money laundering and sanctions laws.”
“By promoting business in Israel's illegal settlements, Etsy is aiding and abetting war crimes related to both the forced displacement of indigenous people and the occupation force's transfer of civilians to occupied territory,” said Neil Sammonds, Senior Campaigner for Palestine at War Want.
“Etsy's complicity extends to the crime of apartheid. They must stop these heinous, illegal activities immediately.”
