UN expert Francesca Albanese calls out major firms, warning of complicity in alleged war crimes and genocide
Expert Warns of “Economy of Genocide”
A United Nations expert has called on multinational corporations to immediately cease business with Israel, warning they risk complicity in war crimes and alleged genocide in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Presenting her latest report to the UN Human Rights Council, special rapporteur Francesca Albanese accused dozens of global companies of supporting what she described as “an economy of genocide.” She argued that Israel’s military actions have turned Gaza into a testing ground for unregulated weapons and surveillance technologies.
“Israel is committing one of the cruellest genocides in modern history,” Albanese said, reiterating previous claims.
Israel has dismissed the report as “groundless” and a “flagrant abuse of office.”
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Companies and Sectors Named
Albanese’s report lists a wide range of companies alleged to be profiting from Israel’s war effort. These include:
- Lockheed Martin – for supplying weapons
- Alphabet, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon – for enabling surveillance and targeting
- Caterpillar, Hyundai, Volvo – for equipment allegedly used in demolitions
- Barclays, BNP Paribas – for financing Israeli government bonds
Lockheed Martin emphasized that arms sales were between governments and not the private sector. Volvo disputed the claims, saying its inclusion was based on “incomplete or incorrect” data.
“We respect human rights and work continuously to strengthen due diligence,” Volvo said, though acknowledging limits on controlling secondhand use of its equipment.
Legal and Political Implications
Albanese’s naming of firms may not carry legal weight, but it mirrors strategies once used during the apartheid era in South Africa — combining consumer pressure, disinvestment, and global advocacy to force corporate accountability.
“The business is lucrative, but the cost to human lives is unconscionable,” Albanese noted in her remarks.
She also cited ongoing legal risks, including the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) pending case accusing Israel of genocide, filed by South Africa. Under international law, even unintentional facilitation of genocide may be considered complicity.
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Global Reactions and U.S. Pushback
While African, Arab, and Asian nations backed the call for disinvestment, European countries were more measured — criticizing Israel for obstructing aid to Gaza but avoiding direct condemnation.
The United States, Israel’s strongest ally, dismissed Albanese’s efforts. A U.S. spokesperson called the report “an unacceptable campaign of political and economic warfare against the American and worldwide economy.”
Still, experts believe multinational corporations could face rising pressure from consumers and governments in countries where human rights concerns are a key issue.
