Investigation reveals MSC Global's involvement in transporting Israeli settlement goods to international markets

A joint investigative report by media sources in cooperation with the Palestinian Youth Movement has revealed the involvement of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), ranked as the world's largest shipping company, in facilitating the transport of goods and products from illegal Israeli settlements. Documents showed that these shipments originated from settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights, heading towards international markets, primarily the United States of America.

The investigation relied on commercial documents and US import databases, which showed that the Swiss company, owned by Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela, shipped at least 957 consignments from the settlements. These operations took place between early January and the end of November 2025, reflecting the continuity of commercial activity despite international warnings.

Data indicated that European ports served as major transit points for this trade, with 529 shipments passing through the old continent. Spanish ports topped the list with 390 shipments, followed by ports in Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium, which raises legal and ethical questions for these countries regarding their obligations under international law.

This revelation coincides with an official Israeli escalation, as the Ministerial Committee for National Security Affairs (the 'Cabinet') approved decisions aimed at accelerating the pace of settlement expansion in the West Bank. These decisions included lifting restrictions on the sale of Palestinian properties to Israelis, expanding demolition powers in areas under Palestinian control, and transferring planning powers in vital areas such as Hebron and Bethlehem to Israeli authorities.

From a legal perspective, experts believe that this commercial activity represents a clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which affirms the illegality of settlements in occupied territories. Nicola Perugini, a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, stressed that the continued marketing of these products by international companies grants the occupation an illegal economic legitimacy, emphasizing the need to stop these practices that profit from an illegal situation.

The role of MSC also contradicts the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in 2024, which obliges states and organizations to prevent any commercial relations that contribute to the perpetuation of the occupation. The court considers any economic activity that supports the infrastructure of settlements as a contribution to the continuation of the illegal situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Shipping bills showed that the global company delivered shipments to companies operating in major settlement blocs such as 'Ma'ale Adumim' and the 'Barkan Industrial Zone'. Among these entities are 'Extal', associated with Israeli military industries, and 'Ahava Laboratories', accused of plundering Palestinian natural resources, both of which are listed on the UN blacklist.

In response to these accusations, MSC stated that it respects the global legal frameworks applicable in the shipping sector. The company affirmed in a statement its continued cooperation and commercial agreements with the Israeli shipping company 'Zim', considering its operations to fall within normal commercial activity, despite increasing human rights criticisms.

On the political front, a clear contradiction emerges in international positions; while Washington, under President Donald Trump, adopted a lenient policy towards settlements, the European Union faces a legal dilemma. Despite countries like Spain and Slovenia announcing a ban on importing settlement goods, their ports are still used as logistical platforms for these goods to transit to other destinations.

Economic estimates indicate that the settlement economy contributes approximately $30 billion annually to the Israeli economy, enhancing the occupation's ability to expand. In contrast, the West Bank economy suffers from cumulative losses estimated at $170 billion, making global shipping companies the vital artery that feeds settlement and opens the doors to international trade for it.

The profits of illegal occupation cannot be legitimized, and marketing these products is an actual support for the continued control over the occupied territories.