Airbnb in the Middle East

[TheWorldNewsOrg]

Some in the Israeli government are calling for a boycott of the vacation rental service, and others are encouraging legal action.

Why the backlash? Because on Monday, Airbnb said it would delist 200 properties in Israeli settlements in the West Bank "at the core of the dispute between the Israelis and Palestinians." Israel considers the territory in the West Bank disputed, while most of the world considers the settlements illegal.

• Israel says Airbnb made a "discriminatory decision" to remove these listings, and "surrendered" to pressure from groups seeking to boycott the country—a movement known as BDS. FYI, 25 U.S. states have laws prohibiting the boycott of Israeli goods and services.
• Palestinian authorities, human rights groups, and anti-settlement advocates applauded Airbnb's decision. One Palestinian official called it "an initial, positive step."

Israeli newspaper Haaretz notes that Airbnb might have a difficult time enforcing its policy. It relies on Google Maps, which "makes no clear distinction between Jewish settlements and Palestinian communities in the West Bank."