Rights activists and NGOs on Tuesday urged Booking. com to follow the example of Airbnb and withdraw listings for rentals in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Airbnb said on Monday it will remove such listings just ahead of the release of a Human Rights Watch report criticizing the inclusion of illegal Israeli settlements.
Israel strongly denounced Airbnb’s decision and threatened legal action against the company while Palestinian officials welcomed it.
The US-based rights group HRW issued its report on Tuesday and called on Booking. com to follow Airbnb’s “positive step”.
“By ending its brokering of rentals in illegal settlements on land off-limits to Palestinians Airbnb has taken a stand against discrimination and land confiscation and theft” Omar Shakir HRW’s director for Israel and the Palestinian territories told AFP.
“It is an important and welcome step and we encourage other companies like Booking. com to follow their lead and stop listing in settlements.”
HRW issued the report on the online reservations firms entitled “Bed and Breakfast on Stolen Land” along with Israeli NGO Kerem Navot.
It says Airbnb based in the United States listed at least 139 properties in West Bank settlements between March and July.
Booking.com based in the Netherlands had 26 as of July it said.
A total of 17 are on land Israel acknowledges is privately owned by Palestinians according to HRW.
Booking.com had not immediately responded to a request for comment from AFP.
“Israelis and foreigners may rent properties in settlements but Palestinian ID holders are effectively barred” HRW said.
Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin on Tuesday threatened legal action against Airbnb in the United States and Israel over its move branding it “hypocritical and disgusting”.
Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law and major roadblocks to peace as they are built on occupied Palestinian land.
Around 400000 Israelis live in illegal West Bank settlements which range in size from tiny hamlets to large towns. A further 200000 live in settlements in occupied Jerusalem.
