Genocide's Corporate Sponsors with Lydia de Leeuw

The genocide unfolding in Gaza is being sustained by corporate interests. In this episode, we unmask the corporations and governments underpinning Israeli occupation by diving into the findings of a landmark report by United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.Since the assaults on Gaza began, the Tel Aviv stock exchange has risen by 179%. Titled "From economy of occupation to economy of genocide," the report identifies corporations across sectors profiting from or contributing to Israel’s crimes in Gaza and the West Bank. These businesses – from weapons manufacturing and tech to finance, construction, and academia – are complicit in structural human rights violations, including apartheid, annexation, and genocide.Business and human rights scholar Manpreet Kaur Kalra is joined by Lydia de Leeuw, researcher and strategic litigation lead at SOMO, the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations. Together, they delve into the report’s findings on how corporations are enabling, sustaining, and profiting from genocide in Gaza. Their conversation explores the broader implications for international law and emphasizes the urgent need for binding, enforceable mechanisms to hold corporations accountable for their role in human rights violations.During this episode, we examine:The findings of the UN report and what they reveal about profit-driven complicity in genocideWhat legal mechanisms are proposed and available to hold corporations and their executives accountableThe U.S. government’s unprecedented response and what it signalsHow this moment fits into the broader conversation of corporate accountability for human rights abuses abroadResources & ReferencesUN Report: From Economy of Occupation to Economy of GenocideEconomic Sanctions Now: the EU is Israel’s largest investor by SOMOBusiness as usual in Palestine? by SOMOThe complicity of corporations in international crimes is not accidental, it's structural. The economies of occupation and genocide are deeply intertwined. This episode exposes an entire economy and profit-making industry built on dispossession, surveillance, and militarized control, enabled by some of the most powerful companies in the world. Without enforceable accountability, corporate actors will continue to profit from the destruction of Palestinian life. The call is urgent—complicity must end and those responsible must be held to account.📌Support the Podcast: Art of Citizenry is proudly independent. Support us as we critically explore, challenge, and unravel mainstream narratives by empowering listeners with accessible, nuanced perspectives. Support Art of Citizenry’s Independent Journalism and Advocacy Efforts: https://www.artofcitizenry.com/supportSubstack: https://artofcitizenry.substack.com/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/manpreetkalraThank you to our producer, Aly Honoré, and editor, Steven Blevins. The music featured in the podcast was created by Katrina Zemrak. For more, you can find the full show notes of every episode at https://www.artofcitizenry.com/episodes