Jerusalem: The Israeli government is allegedly sponsoring violence by illegal settlers to displace Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, two rights groups stated on Friday.
According to Anadolu Agency, a report by Yesh Din and Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), two Israeli organizations, claimed that the Israeli government "is responsible for the commission of the war crime of forcible transfer of Palestinians in the West Bank." The report emphasized that this crime is being committed with governmental support through its agents or citizens.
The report further revealed that in less than two years, approximately 100,000 dunams (24,710 acres) of land east of Allon Road have been almost completely emptied of Palestinians who had resided there for decades. The displacement was described as a forcible transfer influenced by prolonged institutional oppression, continuous physical violence, invasive psychological terror, and severe economic harm.
The groups expressed concern that the Israeli government-sponsored actions could develop into a long-term strategy aimed at ethnically cleansing Palestinians, particularly in Area C, which comprises 60% of the West Bank's territory. Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three areas: A, B, and C. Area C remains under Israel's administrative and security control until a final status agreement is reached with the Palestinians.
The Israeli government has not yet commented on the report. The international community, including the United Nations, regards Israeli settlements as illegal under international law. The UN has consistently warned that continued settlement expansion jeopardizes the feasibility of a two-state solution, considered essential for resolving the protracted Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Following the commencement of Israel's current war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces and illegal settlers have escalated attacks across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. These actions have resulted in the deaths of over 944 Palestinians, injuries to 7,000, and the arrest of more than 15,800 individuals, as per official Palestinian figures.
In July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's longstanding occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.