United Nations: Israel's Plans in the West Bank Accelerate Forced Displacement of Palestinians and Alter Demographic Composition

SadaNews - The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, warned on Wednesday that Israel's plans to tighten its grip on the occupied West Bank with the aim of expanding settlements represent a step towards legitimizing its illegal annexation.

The plans to deepen the annexation scheme include allowing settlers to purchase land in the West Bank directly and expanding Israel's control to include areas administered by the Palestinian Authority.

Turk stated that the decisions issued by the Israeli mini-council for political and security affairs (the Cabinet) are the latest in a series of measures aimed at annexing Palestinian lands.

He said in a statement, "This is yet another step by the Israeli authorities toward making the establishment of a viable Palestinian state impossible, in violation of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination."

He added, "If these decisions are implemented, they will undoubtedly accelerate the stripping of Palestinians of their rights and their forced displacement, and will lead to the creation of more illegal settlements. It will also further deprive Palestinians of their natural resources and restrict their enjoyment of other human rights."

More than 500,000 settlers live in the occupied West Bank in settlements and random illegal outposts under international law, alongside three million Palestinians.

Turk said that the new measures will entrench "more than the Israeli control and integration of the occupied West Bank within Israel, which reinforces the illegal annexation."

He pointed out that these measures come within a broader context with the increasing assaults by settlers and Israeli army forces on Palestinians in the West Bank, along with forced displacement, evictions, home demolitions, land confiscation, movement restrictions, and other violations documented by the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

He noted, "We are witnessing accelerated steps to permanently change the demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian land by stripping its inhabitants of their land and forcing them to leave."

He added, "This is supported by statements and practices issued by senior Israeli officials, and it constitutes a violation of Israel's obligations as an occupying power to maintain the existing legal order and social fabric. These decisions must be revoked."