PayPal is facing increasing pressure to end its ban on providing digital payments services to Palestinians.
Eleven members of the US Congress have written a letter to PayPal CEO Dan Schulman, demanding that the company lift its ban. The lawmakers argue that PayPal’s ban is discriminatory and violates the rights of Palestinians to participate in the digital economy. They also point out that other digital payment platforms, such as Apple Pay, Visa, and Mastercard, operate in the West Bank and Gaza Strip without any problems.
In addition to the letter from the US Congress members, PayPal is also facing pressure from other quarters. The Harrington Investments, a socially responsible investment firm, has put forward a proposal at a recent PayPal shareholders meeting to create a policy against exclusion for people in conflict zones such as Palestine. PayPal has urged shareholders against the proposal.
The mobile app Tulipshare has also accused PayPal of discriminatory account suspensions. The app called out the company for account pre-approval policies that disproportionately targets minorities.
PayPal has a long history of discriminatory practices. In 2019, the company was fined $10 million by the US Department of Justice for discriminating against black and Latino customers. The company has also been accused of discriminating against women and people with disabilities.
The pressure on PayPal is mounting. The company needs to change its ways and end its discriminatory practices.
