Airbnb delists Israeli West Bank rentals

This item appears on page 4 of the January 2019 issue.

The short-term-apartment-rental company Airbnb announced on Nov. 19 that it would no longer list apartments for rent in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, effective immediately.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are a contentious issue, as Israel has been accused of illegally taking land from Palestine, something that Israel denies. An Airbnb spokesperson said that the decision was made because the settlements were at the "core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians."

A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of property owners who had listed on Airbnb.com in West Bank settlements.