LONDON: Spanish travel company eDreams ODIGEO has withdrawn and will continue to block listings of accommodation in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, its chief financial officer said on Tuesday.
David Elizaga told Reuters the company has always had a policy of not offering services in the illegal settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories, but said some listings automatically appeared on its website after owners uploaded them on platforms.
The issue came to the fore at an Annual General Meeting in July that attracted pro-Palestinian protests against the company after it was the only Spanish firm named on the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights’ list, published in 2023.
Elizaga said the company activated location screenings to filter out apartments and hotels offered in the illegal settlements.
In addition to its contact with the United Nations, eDreams has been in touch with NGOs and local organizations to ensure it does not again appear in lists of companies that provide “services and utilities supporting the maintenance and existence of settlements.”
“The United Nations works at the speed at which it works with the resources they have,” Elizaga said, adding that in the next edition of the report they should not be included.
The United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights Office said an update of the report will be made public a few days before it is officially presented on September 29.
Earlier on Tuesday, eDreams reported it had delivered a net profit of 13.6 million euros ($15.92 million) for the April to June period, the first quarter of its accounting year, from a net loss of 1.2 million euros in the same period last year.
Online travel portal eDreams blocks accommodation listings in Israeli-occupied West Bank
https://arab.news/2yd5h
Online travel portal eDreams blocks accommodation listings in Israeli-occupied West Bank
- Company says it has always had a policy of not offering services in the illegal settlements, but some listings slipped through due to automation
- eDreams was only Spanish company to appear on the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights’ list
Arab News wins 7 prizes at European Newspaper Awards, led by 50th anniversary coverage
- Anniversary special coverage and film won four Awards of Excellence across multiple categories
LONDON: Arab News won seven prizes at the 27th European Newspaper Awards — four for its 50th anniversary coverage and three for other projects — bringing its total to 160 awards since the 2018 relaunch.
The anniversary coverage earned an Award of Excellence in “Supplement for special occasions and anniversary editions,” plus wins in “Multimedia storytelling” for its special web section and two in “Film” and “Animated films” for its documentary.
Additional honors went to the “Spotlight — 2024 in Review” and “Opinion — 2024” print series in the “Sectional front pages nationwide newspaper” category, and a “Visualization” prize for an image from “Opinion — 2024.”
Launched in 1999 by organizer Norbert Kupper, the awards celebrate print and digital innovation. This year’s contest drew newspapers from 22 countries and more than 3,000 entries across 20 categories, despite fewer print submissions due to rising editorial collaborations.
“It’s testament to the skill, versatility and collaboration between the creative and editorial teams at Arab News that the seven awards at this year’s ENAs spanned print, digital and film categories,” commented Omar Nashashibi, head of creative design at Arab News. “These wouldn’t be possible without the world-class contributors we partner with, and the leadership, vision and support of Editor-In-Chief Faisal J. Abbas.”
Creative Director Simon Khalil called the film wins especially meaningful. “This recognition means a great deal because this film was never just about marking an anniversary, it was about capturing a defining moment in the evolution of Arab News and the region it represents.
“Telling the story, and drama of the 2018 relaunch, the digital transformation, and the courage to become ‘The Voice of a Changing Region’ was both a responsibility and a privilege.”
Past highlights include the “King Charles III Coronation” special coverage, “Kingdom vs. Captagon” investigation and FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 special edition.
See more award-winning projects at arabnews.com/greatesthits.
