Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are under scrutiny after a report claimed that several homes built on disputed Palestinian land are being rented out through travel platform Booking.com.
Eko, a US-based advocacy group, identified 41 listings on the website across 14 Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including areas around East Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. The group alleged that some of these properties are located on land seized from Palestinian families over the past several decades.
Among those cited in the report is the case of Mohammad al-Sbeih, a Palestinian resident from al-Khader near Bethlehem, who said his family lost around 12 acres of farmland after it was taken over in the early 1980s.
According to Sbeih, the land once used by his family for farming wheat and barley is now part of the Israeli settlement of Neve Daniel, where a house listed on Booking.com is being advertised as a scenic holiday rental.
“Guests can relax in the garden or on the terrace, enjoying the fresh air and scenic surroundings,” the description on the travel site read.
“I wished it were mine. A settler is sitting on my land, making a beautiful home, renting it to tourists. This is supposed to be my land,” Sbeih said, as quoted in the report.
Israeli settlements in territories captured during the 1967 war are considered illegal under international law by much of the global community, including the United Nations. The International Court of Justice, in an advisory opinion issued in July 2024, also stated that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are unlawful and said countries and organisations should not recognise their legality.
Israel disputes this interpretation and argues that the Geneva Conventions do not apply to the West Bank in the same manner because the territory was not under the recognised sovereignty of another state before 1967. Israel has also questioned the jurisdiction of the ICJ on the issue.
Ekō, in its report, said: “Every day Booking.com fails to act is another day it profits from the theft of Palestinian land and props up a government implicated in atrocity crimes.”
A criminal complaint linked to Booking.com’s settlement-related listings is currently under review by prosecutors in the Netherlands where the company’s main operating arm is based. The complaint reportedly argues that commercial activity connected to settlements may violate Dutch money laundering laws.
Booking.com defended its position, saying its role is to help people travel and that it does not decide where customers can or cannot visit. The company said it continues to monitor developments and apply its human rights policies in conflict-affected areas, adding, “we will take appropriate action.”
