US and Israel Angry over UN Human Rights Body’s Plan to Publish Black List

In what American and Israeli officials see as a first step to the creation of an anti-Israel boycott, the United Nations Human Rights Council is proceeding with plans to publish a black-list of international companies that do business with Israeli entities in post-1967 areas. The locations in question are in areas conquered by Israel in the 1967 war that the Palestinians claim for eventual statehood. The UN body accepts the Palestinian argument that Israel maintains an illegal occupation and is sponsoring the blacklist in order to use public pressure to enforce that position. Both the US and Israel see the tactic as being the first step in the creation of a full-blown international boycott against all things Israeli.  In addition to Israeli companies, the list is reported to include such major international entities as Coca Cola and Caterpillar, along with many others. Publication of the list in December will constitute one of the greatest victories for the anti-Israel “BDS” (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement, which seeks to convince economic, academic, professional and social organizations from having any contact with the Jewish state.