Joe McAllister

After months of pressure from pro‑Palestine activists, most prominently the Palestinian Youth Movement, Danish shipping giant Maersk has quietly announced a major policy shift: it is severing ties with companies operating in illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank. In a brief update on its website, Maersk revealed that, following a thorough transport review, it has “strengthened our screening procedures in relation to Israeli settlements, including aligning our screening process with the OHCHR database of enterprises involved in activities in the settlements.” The move comes amid mounting global scrutiny of Maersk's role in hauling both military cargo, like F‑35 fighter parts, and civilian goods linked to businesses operating in settlement zones. Last year, this pressure spilled into protests: Maersk ships were barred from some Spanish ports over alleged arms shipments, and dockworkers in Morocco refused to load F‑35 components Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) spokesperson, Aisha Nizar, said of this move: “This sends a clear message to the global shipping industry: compliance with international law and basic human rights is not optional. Doing business with Israel’s illegal settlements is no longer viable, and the world is watching to see who follows next.” Adding: “We will continue to build pressure and mobilise people power until Maersk cuts all ties to genocide and ends the transport of weapons and weapons components to Israel.”