The United Nations warned that the displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in a single year constitutes forced displacement on an unprecedented scale. It noted that this reflects a coordinated Israeli policy of mass forced transfer aimed at permanent displacement and raises concerns about ethnic cleansing.
A report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that this large-scale displacement points to a systematic pattern of forcibly transferring Palestinians throughout the occupied territory, violating fundamental obligations under international law and constituting a flagrant breach of international conventions relating to the protection of civilians in occupied territories, including the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the forcible transfer of populations or the imposition of any demographic change by force.
For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killing of members of a Palestinian family, including children, by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank. He called on the occupation to uphold its obligations under international law, exercise maximum restraint, and refrain from using lethal force except when absolutely necessary to protect life.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that the security situation in the West Bank is deteriorating dangerously. He added that the almost daily attacks by settlers have become more intense and brutal, resulting in deaths, injuries, extensive property damage, and in some cases, the displacement of entire communities.
He further stated that this violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately. The occupying power must ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians, conduct credible investigations, and hold those responsible for violations accountable.
The UN called on the occupying power to immediately halt settlement expansion in the West Bank and cease all measures that lead to the forced transfer or displacement of Palestinians, thereby protecting the Palestinian population and ensuring respect for their legal and human rights.
International law clearly states that the forced transfer or displacement of the civilian population in occupied territory may constitute a war crime, and that any policy aimed at forcibly altering the demographic composition violates fundamental human rights, including the right to housing, freedom of movement, and the right of Palestinians to remain on their land. The lack of accountability for those responsible for these policies fosters impunity and threatens the lives of civilians and the stability of Palestinian society as a whole.
