UN warns of “ethnic cleansing” as 36,000 Palestinians displaced in West Bank

The United Nations has warned of “ethnic cleansing” committed by Israel in the occupied West Bank, citing the displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians over the past year.

In a report released on Tuesday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the scale of displacement represents “forced displacement on an unprecedented scale”, raising concerns about a coordinated policy of mass transfer.

The report stated that the developments suggest efforts aimed at permanent displacement of Palestinians from parts of the occupied territories.

It also documented a sharp rise in Israeli settler violence, recording 1,732 attacks causing injuries or property damage in the past 12 months, compared with 1,400 incidents in the previous period.

According to the report, these attacks have included intimidation, destruction of homes, and damage to agricultural land, contributing to worsening living conditions for Palestinian communities.

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The UN described the violence as “coordinated, strategic and widespread”, adding that it often occurs with near-total impunity. It also stated that Israeli authorities play a “pivotal role” in enabling or facilitating such actions.

The report highlighted a significant escalation during the olive harvest season in October, when 42 attacks injured 131 Palestinians, including women and children — the highest monthly toll recorded since 2006.

It added that increasing restrictions on farmers’ access to their land, alongside the involvement of armed settlers and soldiers, have made the most recent harvest season the worst in decades.

The UN called on Israeli authorities to immediately halt settlement expansion and take steps to prevent further displacement and violence, warning that continued developments could further destabilise the situation in the occupied West Bank.

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