The U.N human rights office has raised concerns about possible “ethnic cleansing” in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, saying Israel has accelerated settlement expansion and forced the displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians.
The report, released by the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, reviews developments over a one-year period ending in October. It highlights a rise in violence by Israeli settlers and security forces against Palestinians in the territory.
Türk alleged that Israeli authorities were “playing the central role in directing, participating in or enabling this conduct.” The report also cited harassment, intimidation and the destruction of Palestinian homes and farmland.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry and its embassy in Geneva did not immediately respond to the allegations.
According to the report, much of the displacement occurred in the northern West Bank, where Israel launched a large-scale military operation in early 2025 aimed at dismantling militant groups active in the area.
The document says the displacement “appears to indicate a concerted Israeli policy of mass forcible transfer” across the occupied territory, raising concerns of ethnic cleansing.
The rights office said Israeli authorities approved or advanced plans for nearly 37,000 housing units in occupied East Jerusalem and more than 27,000 units elsewhere in the West Bank.
Türk called for an immediate halt to settlement activities, reversal of their impact, evacuation of settlers and an end to the occupation of Palestinian territory.
The report also noted a surge in settler violence against Palestinians
Although the incident falls outside the report’s timeframe, the Palestinian Authority accused Israel of exploiting the ongoing war and limited international attention to the West Bank to escalate intimidation, violence and forced displacement.
