Germany: Palestinians file complaint under Supply Chain Act against Axel Springer for allegedly facilitating illegal Israeli land grabs; incl. co non-response
In November 2024, five Palestinian plaintiffs, along with the villages of Iskaka, Marda, and Taybeh in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, filed a complaint against the Axel Springer S.E., represented by the Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre.
They allege that the German media publishing group facilitates illegal land grabs through its Israeli subsidiary. Specifically, the claimants accuse the classified ads website Yad2 of continuing to facilitate the majority of real estate transactions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, at a time when forced displacement, annexation, and Israeli settler violence have dramatically escalated. They argue that because Axel Springer exercises decisive influence over the Yad2 business, these human rights violations stem from Springer's own business area. Springer could thus be held accountable under the German Supply Chain Act for failing to take the appropriate measures to prevent the land grabs. The claimants also cite a recent Yad2 advertisement explicitly supporting Israeli control of the entirety of the West Bank.
The complaint is happening in the context of the July 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which reaffirms that Israel's occupation of the Gaza strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful, along with the associated settlement regime, annexation and use of natural resources. The ICJ also explicitly reaffirmed the obligation of states to prohibit business activities that support Israel's illegal occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories.
“Holding illegal settlements and all entities who facilitate their developments and expansion accountable, is essential for justice and peace. The Palestinian communities we represent in this case continue to suffer the dire consequences of Israel’s decades-long colonial expansion on their land, which amounts to racial discrimination and apartheid as the ICJ ruled in July 2024.”Issam Aruri, JLAC’s General Director
Support for Israel is enshrined in Axel Springer's "corporate constitution" and Springer’s subsidiaries and employees are bound to uphold this stance.
In November 2024, a cross-regional coalition of Palestinian and European organisations published research alleging that the business activities of Axel Springer companies provide services and utilities that support the maintenance and existence of the illegal settlements. The organisations accuse ten major European financial institutions of having financial relationships with Axel Springer.
The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre invited Axel Springer to:
1) Comment on the allegations.
2) Detail what due diligence it conducts in relation to its subsidiary Yad2, and what, if any, steps it has taken or plans to take in response to the allegations, including remediation to affected parties.
Axel Springer decided not to comment on the complaint. In early 2024, in response to first reports about the group's activities in the West Bank, Axel Springer stated it was acting in accordance with Israeli law. When contacted by The Intercept in November 2024, Axel Springer stated it had not yet received any information regarding the complaint.
In May 2025, the complainants announced that they filed an objection after BAFA had rejected the complaint against Axel Springer.
See also
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Israel/OPT: UN adopts resolution declaring Israel's occupation 'unlawful', echoing CSO & activist calls for sanctions over the occupation of Palestine & war on Gaza
On 18 September, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution that calls upon all States to comply with their obligations under international law as reflected in the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July, in which the Court declared that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) “is unlawful”, and that “all States are under an obligation not to recognise” the decades-long occupation.
Israel/OPT: War on Gaza sees escalating global boycott efforts targeting companies linked to Israel
In response to Israel's war on Gaza, companies that have reportedly expressed support for Israel during the attacks, or have been found to have financial ties to Israel, have faced escalating calls and actions for boycott from consumers, impacting sales and financial performance. In some cases, companies have ceased or halted operations in Israel following the pressure to boycott.