Shipping giant Maersk announced on Monday that it is divesting from companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, following months of pressure from pro-Palestine activists.

"Following a recent review of transports related to the West Bank, we further strengthened our screening procedures in relation to Israeli settlements, including aligning our screening process with the OHCHR database of enterprises involved in activities in the settlements," the Danish company said in a statement. 

First published in 2020 and updated in 2023, the UN rights office (OHCHR) maintains a database of more than 100 companies linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law.