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Airbnb targeted over listings in illegal Israeli settlements
Multi-jurisdiction legal actions target Airbnb listings in illegal Israeli Settlements
Did you know that there are currently over 300 properties listed for rent on Airbnb that are situated in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as Palestinian refugee properties that were taken during the Nakba?
Homes stolen from Palestinians can today be rented for a holiday.
In November 2018, Airbnb promised to “act responsibly” and remove all listings in the illegal settlements, but just a few months later, in April 2019, it shamefully reversed the decision.
Even following the ruling by the International Court of Justice in July 2024, that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal and that all States must prevent trade or investment that support the occupation – Airbnb's listings in the settlements continue. This is not just immoral, we argue that it is illegal – and we are taking action to stop it.
Together with our Palestinian colleagues at Al-Haq and Sadaka – the Ireland Palestine Alliance, we have launched an unprecedented multi-jurisdictional set of legal actions targeting Airbnb. The coordinated actions in the UK, US and Ireland concern alleged money laundering by Airbnb of proceeds of Israeli war crimes.
Alleged money laundering relating to business in Israel's illegal settlements
Money laundering – the knowing handling of proceeds of crime – is a serious criminal offence in most countries. Businesses have heavy regulatory obligations to prevent money laundering.
The acts of land appropriation and transfer of civilian population onto occupied territory that facilitate the Israeli settlements are defined as war crimes under international law and related UK and Irish legislation.
It is an offence under UK and Irish anti-money laundering legislation to handle money or other property derived from war crimes.
Our legal action aims to establish that this area of law creates serious legal risks for businesses and their senior executives operating in the illegal settlements.
“At a time when we are witnessing genocide in Palestine, businesses like Airbnb are providing services that deny the Palestinian people their means of subsistence, threatening the viability of the group. Following the finding by the International Court of Justice, that Israel’s occupation is illegal, business activities trading in goods and services that maintain the illegal occupation, must come to an end – i.e., those located in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the settlements, and in Israel. It is time to end Israel’s impunity and take action.”
Shawan Jabarin, General Director of Al-Haq
The first ever case to raise alleged complicity in war crimes in an Irish court.
In August 2023, Sadaka and GLAN has filed a criminal complaint against Airbnb’s Irish subsidiary and its individual senior executives with the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB). The complaint alleges complicity in the war crimes that underpin the Israeli settlements and related money laundering offences in connection with Airbnb Ireland’s role in listing accommodation in the settlements. In November 2024, the GNECB declined to open an investigation, stating that the complaint disclosed no offence within the jurisdiction of Ireland. In response, on 9 May, Sadaka filed judicial review proceedings in the High Court, claiming the Gardaí made an error in law and acted irrationally in reaching this decision.
If successful, this case will clarify how this area of law applies and require the Gardaí to remake their decision on Airbnb accordingly.
GLAN has also written to Airbnb’s solicitors (A&L Goodbody), accountants (PWC) and bank (Citibank in Dublin) informing them of the relevance of Airbnb’s activities in the Israeli settlements to their anti-money laundering obligations, which require them to report instances of suspected money laundering to the authorities.
In a separate but related action, GLAN and the Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq have submitted a joint complaint against Airbnb to the Irish National Contact Point (NCP) under the OECD Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct. The complaint asks the NCP to find that Airbnb has not complied with its human rights obligations.
These cases come as the Irish government prepares to introduce a bill to replace the Occupied Territories Bill. Recently, the government signalled its intention to exclude a ban on services from its new bill – such as those provided by Airbnb – linked to the Israeli settlements.
“These cases make clear why the Irish Government’s new Occupied Territories Bill must ban services linked to the Israeli settlements. In fact, by doing so, the government would be doing companies like Airbnb a favour, given the sanctions they could otherwise face if found guilty of complicity in war crimes.”
Éamonn Meehan, Chair of Sadaka
Case partners:
We are not publishing the criminal complaints made against Airbnb in the UK and Ireland to avoid prejudicing any future criminal trial. However, this opinion by barristers who are leading experts on the UK Proceeds of Crime Act demonstrates how this area of law applies generally to commercial activity in the Israeli settlements:
Related news
In the United Kingdom
In the UK, GLAN and Al-Haq have lodged a criminal complaint with the UK’s National Crime Agency against a UK-registered subsidiary of Airbnb, alleging money laundering in connection with its collection of payments for accommodation in the Israeli settlements.
In the United States
In the US, an attorney for GLAN has sent a ‘preservation letter’ to Airbnb’s parent company, instructing it to preserve documents relevant to Airbnb’s involvement in the settlements. This is the first step in proceedings under the US ‘Foreign Legal Assistance’ statute seeking discovery of documents that may support the Irish and UK actions.
Partners in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, a similar case led by the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) has also been brought against Booking.com, which like Airbnb lists properties in the illegal Israeli settlements. ELSC joined GLAN, Sadaka and AL-Haq at the launch of the cases at a press conference in Dublin on 10 June 2025.
Business Risk
These legal actions follow the ruling by the International Court of Justice last July, that all States must prevent trade or investment that supports Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.
The cases show that companies like Airbnb and Booking.com who do business on stolen land face major legal risks. The cases demonstrate the urgent need for governments around the world to comply with international law and legislate to support Palestinian rights and protect businesses from legal risk.
"These are the first ever cases to apply anti-money laundering legislation to business activity in the illegal Israeli settlements. They demonstrate that senior executives of companies profiting from Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory risk prosecution for a very serious criminal offence.”
Gerry Liston, Senior Lawyer at GLAN