Booking.com Listings in Seized Palestinian Land Highlight Ongoing Land Seizures

Booking.com lists a house in Neve Daniel as a garden-side retreat. The property occupies five hectares farmed by the al-Sbeih family before Israeli authorities seized it in 1982. The family has been barred from the site since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

The Guardian

International bodies deem Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank violations of Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute, labeling them war crimes. The ICJ’s 2004 advisory opinion affirmed their illegality and urged non-recognition. Israel disputes the conventions’ applicability, citing the territory’s pre-1967 status.

The Guardian

Key actors include farmer Mohammad al-Sbeih, advocacy group Eko, Booking.com (Netherlands), Airbnb, Support Center, and Dutch prosecutors reviewing a money-laundering complaint over settlement bookings.

The Guardian

Eko identified 41 Booking.com listings in 14 settlements in Jordan Valley and East Jerusalem ring. A Guardian investigation in February 2025 counted 760 rooms across Booking.com and Airbnb in settlements. The al-Sbeih farm spans five hectares (12 acres).

The Guardian

Booking.com’s spokesperson said the firm’s mission is to enable travel and that it does not decide guest destinations. In 2022 the platform added a settlement label that appears only after a search. Airbnb reversed its 2018 decision to stop advertising settlement rentals after a challenge. Dutch prosecutors review Legal Support Center’s complaint for money-laundering violations.

The Guardian

Eko’s report accuses Booking.com of profiting from theft of Palestinian land and supporting a government implicated in atrocity crimes. Mohammad al-Sbeih says even a $10 rental is a moral breach comparable to stealing a million dollars, urging accountability and removal of settlement listings.

The Guardian

Eko reports 41 Booking.com properties, while the Guardian’s broader count of 760 rooms across both platforms indicates a larger scope. Booking.com’s settlement warning appears only after a settlement-specific search, limiting consumer awareness. Dutch legal proceedings remain pending, leaving the money-laundering allegation unresolved.

The Guardian

• “com spokesperson said: “Our mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world and as such we believe it’s not our place to decide where someone can or cannot travel.” — Booking.com spokesperson

The Guardian

• “Every day Booking.com fails to act is another day it profits from the theft of Palestinian land and props up a government implicated in atrocity crimes.” — Eko report

The Guardian

• “I thought it should be my children and grandchildren in that beautiful spot. It was meant to be theirs,” — Mohammad al-Sbeih

The Guardian

• “I know that this is a big company and, most probably, they have a lot of investments around the world, and this is a small thing. But when you steal $10, it’s like stealing a million dollars, and you have to be judged in the same way.” — Mohammad al-Sbeih

The Guardian

Dutch prosecutors will decide whether the complaint meets the threshold for a criminal investigation. If charges are filed, Booking.com could face fines or operational limits in the Netherlands, while advocacy groups plan further legal challenges.

The Guardian