LONDON: A new report has revealed that US e-commerce platform Etsy is doing business with dozens of shops in illegal Israeli settlements.
The report, published jointly by the Institute for Journalism and Social Change, Global Justice Now and War on Want, identified at least 44 Etsy shops operating in 16 different settlements deemed illegal by the United Nations and international law in July.
“Etsy not only turns a blind eye to shops listed on its site that operate in illegal Israeli settlements, it directly profits from and even, in some cases, promotes them,” said Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now.
“To do so risks being complicit in war crimes, and the reality is that they are not the only company profiting from the human misery inflicted on Palestinians day in, day out. It is time to end this shameless corporate profiteering.”
Most of the stores identified are 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 following expansion plans.
The report also noted that with hundreds more sellers listed simply under “Israel” without specific locations, there could be many more Etsy shops operating from illegal settlements.
Claire Provost, report author and co-founder and co-director of the Institute for Journalism and Social Change, explained that despite “expressive connections” between the hosts and the locations, “so far these ties have gone under the radar and unchallenged.”
“Western complicity in Israeli war crimes is so pervasive that even Etsy, the popular platform for 'feel good' shopping, is linked to businesses in the settlements,” Provost said.
Etsy, which operates in Israel through its subsidiary Etsy Ireland UC, could face questions and allegations of money laundering if proceeds from illegal settlement businesses enter the Irish financial system.
A similar complaint involving booking.com, filed in November 2023, is currently under investigation by authorities in the Netherlands.
The company said it disagrees with the allegations, stressing that “no laws prohibit listings 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 stated that it seeks to “comply with applicable laws, including relevant anti-money laundering and sanctions laws.”
“By promoting business in Israel's illegal settlements, Etsy is complicit in the war crimes of both the forced displacement of the indigenous population and the transfer of civilians from the occupation force to occupied territory,” said Neil Sammonds, senior campaigner for Palestine at War on Will.
“Etsy's involvement extends to the crime of apartheid. It must immediately cease these heinous, illegal activities.”
