Update – Dec 18, 2018 – 4:30 AM GMT: Axios is now reporting that the company has issued another statement, saying that the company is “developing the tools needed to implement our policy and that process includes continuing our dialogue with the Government of Israel and other stakeholders.” Company’s spokesman has told Axios that the first statement was “released in error.”
Less than a month after announcing its decision to boycott illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Airbnb for a brief period went back on its word last night saying that the decision will not implemented, according to a report by Axios, before issuing another statement saying that the company is developing tools needed to implement their policy. a statement by the company.
The decision, according to Axios, came after negotiations between Airbnb’s Vice President Chris Lenehan and Israeli Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin.
The report added that Airbnb delegation arrived secretly in Isreal to hold talks that according to Israeli officials ended in a deadlock but in a subsequent phone, the two sides agreed on text of the statement. The initial statement, according to Axios, read: “The new policy (regarding the settlements) will not be implemented. Airbnb will continue the dialogue with the Israeli government on the issue.”
Company’s decision to remove all the 200 properties from occupied West Bank was welcomed by many including the Palestinian authorities, last month.
