"Unprecedented Scope"... Displacement of 36,000 Palestinians in the West Bank in One Year

SadaNews - The United Nations urged Israel today (Tuesday) to immediately halt the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, amidst growing fears of "ethnic cleansing" with the displacement of over 36,000 Palestinians in just one year.

A new report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, covering a 12-month period up to October 31, 2025, warns that Israel's acceleration of illegal settlement expansion and the annexation of large parts of the West Bank is causing displacement on an "unprecedented scale".

The report stated that "the displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank (over a 12-month period) represents a forced displacement of Palestinians on an unprecedented scale... It appears to indicate a coordinated Israeli policy of mass forced transfer throughout the occupied territory; aimed at permanent displacement, raising fears of ethnic cleansing".

The report noted the advancement or approval by Israeli authorities of the construction of 36,973 housing units in settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and about 27,200 in other parts of the West Bank.

Additionally, "84 new settlement outposts were established in the occupied West Bank during the reporting period, an unprecedented figure, raising the total number to over 300," according to the report.

Alongside nearly 3 million Palestinians, over 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the West Bank that are considered illegal under international law.

The level of violence in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has significantly increased since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the Gaza War.

Violent attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank have intensified since the outbreak of the war with Iran, according to Palestinian authorities and the United Nations, resulting in the deaths of 6 Palestinians since early March.

"War Crime"

According to a tally prepared by the "Agence France-Presse" based on health ministry data, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,045 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians, in the West Bank since the outbreak of the Gaza War.

Official Israeli data indicate that 45 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, were killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians or during Israeli military operations.

The report documented 1,732 incidents of violence by settlers that caused injuries or property damage during the year under focus, compared to 1,400 incidents during the previous 12 months.

It stated that "settler violence has continued in a coordinated and strategic manner, and significantly without any objection, with Israeli authorities playing a central role in directing, participating in, or enabling this behavior".

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called in a statement for the "evacuation of all settlers and the end of the occupation of Palestinian land".

He insisted that Israel should also "enable the return of displaced Palestinians and stop all practices of land confiscation, forced eviction, and home demolitions".

The report noted that proceeding with settlement expansion plans exacerbates the risk of displacement for thousands of Palestinians from Bedouin communities located northeast of occupied East Jerusalem.

It stated that "the unlawful transfer of protected persons constitutes a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention... and may, in certain circumstances, amount to a crime against humanity".