Why are these settlements illegal?
Settlements are recognised as illegal under international law because they violate article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”
Furthermore, these illegal settlements are created and maintained through continued human rights violations against the Palestinian people. Some examples of these violations include violent attacks on people and land by settlers and IDF soldiers, demolition of family homes, and creation of apartheid conditions such as water and travel restrictions for the Palestinian population only.
How does Booking.com profit from war crimes?
Amnesty International notes that “Israel's long-running policy of settling civilians in occupied territory is considered a war crime under the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).”
Each time a listed property in an illegal Israeli settlement is rented, Booking.com takes a percentage. Therefore, Booking.com profits from war crimes.
Why is Booking.com being sued?
Several NGOs have filed a criminal complaint, arguing that because Booking.com profits from these war crimes, it engages in money laundering which is illegal under Dutch criminal law.
