Israels actions in the West Bank result in forced displacement and settler violence

Israeli Government Approves Plan to Designate Large Areas of West Bank as “State Property”

The Israeli government has approved a plan to designate large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”, shifting the burden of proof to Palestinians to establish ownership of their land. This decision has been met with regional condemnation, with many describing it as a de facto annexation that is illegal under international law.

According to figures compiled by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 37,135 Palestinians were displaced across the occupied West Bank in 2025, a record high amid Israeli military incursions and settler attacks. The UNRWA reports that Israeli military incursions have forcibly displaced at least 33,362 Palestinians from three northern refugee camps.

In addition to those displaced during Israeli operations, at least 3,773 Palestinians have been forced from their homes due to Israeli home demolitions, settler violence, and access restrictions. The West Bank governorates with the largest number of forced displacements include Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams.

The occupied West Bank was divided into three areas – A, B, and C – as part of the 1993 Oslo Accords. Area A initially comprised 3 percent of the West Bank and grew to 18 percent by 1999. In Area A, the Palestinian Authority controls most affairs, while in Areas B and C, Israel maintains control over external security.

Settler attacks have steadily risen since Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza began in October 2023. According to data from OCHA, settlers have attacked Palestinians more than 3,700 times in the occupied West Bank over the past 28 months. The number of settler attacks has increased sharply since 2016.

The Israeli Civil Administration rarely grants building permits to Palestinians in Area C, resulting in nearly all construction being considered illegal and subject to demolition. Settlers are Israeli citizens living in illegal, Jewish-only communities built on Palestinian-owned land that Israel occupied in 1967.

Source: Al Jazeera