Airbnb promises to “act responsibly” and remove all listings in the illegal Israeli settlements.
Just a few months later Airbnb reverses the decision.
Sadaka and GLAN file 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.
The International Court of Justice rules 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.
The GNECB declines to open an investigation, stating that the complaint disclosed no offence within the jurisdiction of Ireland.
Sadaka files judicial review proceedings in the High Court, claiming the Gardaí made an error of 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.
Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) and Sadaka Ireland announce the launch of robust set of trans-Atlantic legal actions targeting Airbnb’s listings in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Airbnb’s solicitors (A&L Goodbody), accountants (PWC) and bank (Citibank in Dublin) notified 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.
Joint complaint submitted 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.
An Garda Síochána (Irish police) conceded that they made an error in concluding that the complaint made by GLAN and Sadaka against Airbnb “disclosed no offence within the jurisdiction”. The High Court therefore made an order quashing their decision not to investigate the complaint. The Gardaí must now retake their decision on the correct legal basis.
This is the first ever court case concerning alleged corporate complicity in Israeli crimes to conclude in favour of those who brought it. It was also the first ever court case to apply proceeds of crime law to business activity linked to Israeli settlements.
GLAN Legal Co-Lead and solicitor for the Applicants, Gerry Liston said, “This groundbreaking result demonstrates that companies and their senior executives with commercial links to the Israeli settlements face risks of extremely serious criminal consequences. Every person working for a company involved in such activity should take note.”
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