Amnesty Accuses Israel of Ethnic Cleansing Palestinians From West Bank Communities

Amnesty International on Wednesday accused the Israeli government of carrying out what it described as a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, alleging that the displacement of Palestinian communities forms part of a broader effort aimed at annexing the territory. The allegations were detailed in a new 149-page report released by the rights group, which argues that the forced displacement of Palestinians is the result of a coordinated state policy rather than isolated acts of violence by extremist settlers.

Amnesty contends that a combination of settlement expansion, home demolitions, restrictive policies and settler attacks has contributed to the removal of Palestinians from parts of the West Bank. According to United Nations data cited in the report, more than 100 Palestinian villages in the West Bank have been fully or partially depopulated between January 2023 and April 2026. The UN has also documented more than 7,280 cases of individual displacement linked to the demolition of homes and other structures by Israeli authorities during the same period. The figure includes individuals who were displaced multiple times.

Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, said the developments could not be attributed solely to a small number of violent settlers. She alleged that settler violence has become a central component of a state-backed effort to alter demographic realities on the ground. Callamard further claimed that the situation reflects a deliberate policy of annexation that violates international law.

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The Israeli government did not immediately respond to the report. Israel has consistently rejected similar accusations from international rights groups and UN bodies, arguing that such claims are politically motivated and reflect longstanding bias against the country. Israeli leaders have condemned some of the most serious incidents involving settler violence but have generally portrayed them as isolated cases rather than evidence of official policy.

The report comes amid growing debate over the future of the West Bank. Several ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government have publicly advocated extending Israeli sovereignty over parts or all of the territory. Amnesty said it had identified numerous legislative initiatives in the Knesset aimed at expanding Israeli civil law and jurisdiction in settlement areas. The organization also pointed to recently approved legislation that it says further strengthens Israeli control over the territory, intensifying concerns among rights groups and international observers about the future status of the West Bank and its Palestinian population.

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