At least 17 companies with documented links to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank currently hold United Kingdom public-sector contracts valued at more than 2.1 billion pounds ($2.85bn). These findings, based on data from public procurement analysts Tussell, highlight a significant financial connection between the British government and entities identified by the United Nations as being involved in business activities within occupied territories.
The disclosure arrives as more than 140 Labour MPs urge the government to implement a trade ban with illegal Israeli settlements. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is reportedly considering the proposal, which follows a July 2024 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ determined that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and must conclude “as rapidly as possible,” while also mandating that other states refrain from providing aid or assistance that maintains Israel’s illegal presence.
Stephen Humphreys, a professor of international law at the London School of Economics, noted that evidence is mounting that the UK may be violating its international obligations by maintaining contracts with these entities. He further suggested that Britain could be failing to meet its legal duties by neglecting to launch an independent investigation into these companies’ activities to potentially prevent their involvement in settlement-related operations.
The largest beneficiary of these contracts is the United States technology giant Motorola Solutions. Its various subsidiaries, including Airwave Solutions, account for over 1.7 billion pounds ($2.3bn) of the total contract value. Motorola is heavily embedded in the UK’s emergency services communications infrastructure, yet it has also been identified by the UN for supplying security services and surveillance equipment to illegal settlements, including Hebron, Karmei Tzur, and Bracha. Procurement documents from the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council and the Ariel municipal corporation confirm the use of Motorola technology in these areas.
Heidelberg Materials is another major contractor, holding 25 public-sector contracts in Britain worth approximately 184.79 million pounds ($252m). The company’s Israeli subsidiary, Hanson Israel, operates the Nahal Raba quarry in the West Bank. Research indicates the quarry is situated on land belonging to the Palestinian village of Zawiya, and official planning notices have shown proposals for the site’s expansion.
The investigation also identified Breas Medical, a firm ultimately owned by Fosun International through Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical, which holds two UK contracts worth 1.29 million pounds ($1.76m). Fosun also maintains ownership of the cosmetics company Ahava, which has been criticized by civil rights groups like the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign for being “complicit” in the exploitation of Palestinian land. A 2018 European Commission statement confirmed Ahava’s operations in the Mitzpeh Shalem settlement, and as of 2026, the American Friends Service Committee reported that the company’s factory there remained operational, processing Dead Sea mud excavated from occupied territory.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn argued that these findings expose a stark contradiction between the UK’s official diplomatic stance and its economic reality. “Quite simply, the UK government is propping up apartheid,” Corbyn stated, adding that the nation is deepening its complicity in the situation every day. While the UK government recently issued a statement warning businesses against bidding for construction tenders in illegal settlements—citing potential “legal and reputational consequences”—the Cabinet Office maintained that individual public authorities handle supplier exclusions on a case-by-case basis.
The ongoing escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank has intensified scrutiny of these commercial relationships. Despite requests for comment regarding their settlement-related activities, neither Motorola Solutions nor Fosun provided a response to inquiries. As the government weighs its next steps, the pressure to align public procurement policy with international legal standards remains a point of significant political contention. The report also notes that and shared with, shows the 17 companies and entities hold 125 public-sector contracts with a combined award value of 2.129 billion pounds ($2.89bn), data compiled by public procurement analysts Tussell. The report also notes that a German multinational building materials company; the French engineering group Egis; the Spanish train manufacturer CAF and Chinese conglomerate Fosun, other contracts we reviewed are held by firms within four other corporate groups including Heidelberg Materials. The report also notes that egis and CAF are involved in Jerusalem’s expanding light-rail network – a project activists say entrenches Israel’s control by integrating settlements into the city while further fragmenting Palestinian neighbourhoods. The report also notes that embargoes or restrictions are in place, it said public procurement in the UK should not be used to boycott suppliers linked to other countries unless formal UK sanctions. The report also notes that here’s what we found about some of the companies involved in settlement trade. The report also notes that fire and ambulance services across England, Scotland and Wales, the Home Office awarded Airwave an extension worth 1.562 billion pounds ($2.13bn) to provide the secure communications network used by police. The report also notes that including a 36.5-million-pound ($49.8m) Ministry of Defence contract for Airwave radios, accessories and airtime, motorola Solutions UK separately holds contracts worth 123.9 million pounds ($170m).
Source: Al Jazeera
