U.N. rights office issues report on companies active in West Bank settlements

The United Nations human rights office on Wednesday issued a report on companies it said to have business ties to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a long-delayed move likely to draw the ire of Israel and its main ally the United States.

In a statement, it said it had identified 112 business entities that it has reasonable grounds to conclude have ties with Israeli settlements - 94 domiciled in Israel and 18 in six other states.

"While the settlements as such are regarded as illegal under international law, this report does not provide a legal characterization of the activities in question, or of business enterprises' involvement in them," the office of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said.