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Israeli supermarket tycoon sues UN Human Rights Council for putting business on blacklist

August 18, 2020: from the WorldIsraelNews

"Supermarket chain and telecom tycoon files defamation lawsuit against UN body for putting his businesses on a blacklist for operating over the so-called Green Line."

"Rami Levy, owner of a large Israeli supermarket chain and telecom company, filed a lawsuit Monday against the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for putting his businesses on a blacklist because they operate in what the body calls 'occupied territories.'"

"The blacklist was published in February and contains the names of 112 businesses that the UNHRC is trying to encourage people and countries to boycott because they allegedly hurt Palestinians by operating in the Golan Heights, Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.

"With the help of the Shurat Hadin Law Center, Levy is fighting back. Charging the world body with defamation in the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, the suit says that instead of taking advantage of the Palestinians, 'the plaintiff companies improve the rights of Palestinians and their financial well-being immeasurably.'"

"Levy pointed out that the non-Jews who work for him earn much more than they would working in the Palestinian Authority."

"The center’s founder based her charge in part on the fact that Israeli-Arab owned companies working in Judea and Samaria are not included on the UNHRC list. Eleven such businesses were enumerated in the lawsuit."

"The complaint claims that the organization is not entitled to the usual legal immunity UN bodies enjoy because it had acted with 'pure racism on the basis of nationality and religion' and thus “blatantly deviated” from its official mission."