United Nations, May 12 (RHC)-- A United Nations official has urged organizations and companies around the world to boycott products from Israel’s illegal settlements.

Richard Falk, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, called on the world’s companies and organizations to join the "increasingly international solidarity movement against Israeli occupation." He said that "now is the best opportunity for the Palestinians to achieve self-determination through pressures at the grassroots level."

The UN official also voiced his disappointment over the Tel Aviv regime’s plan to expand illegal settler units following the failure of the so-called peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis. Falk said: "The last round of talks created false hopes once again and fed frustration."

Israel has faced a widening boycott campaign by some European businesses over its illegal settlement activities on the occupied Palestinian land. Two of Europe’s biggest financial institutions have boycotted transactions with Israeli companies involved in the settlement construction.

The European Union has also blocked all grants and funding to any Israeli entity based in the illegal settlements. The American Studies Association has announced a decision to boycott Israeli institutions and academics over the discriminatory treatment of Palestinians.

More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967.