State-backed Israeli settler violence forces West Bank displacement: HRW | News
Human Rights Watch Calls for Sanctions Against Israel Amid Rising Violence in West Bank
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a report highlighting the increasing risk of erasure for numerous Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank, attributing this threat to escalating attacks by Israeli settlers. The report, released Thursday, emphasizes that the rapid expansion of Israeli settlements, deemed illegal under international law, is contributing to a wave of forced displacement among Palestinians.
According to HRW, Israeli authorities are implicated in the violence by providing resources, funding, and legal protection to settlers. The increase in settler attacks has intensified since the current Israeli government took office in December 2022. Notably, the violence surged during the early months of the ongoing conflict involving the U.S. and Israel in Iran. Reported incidents include killings, assaults, sexual violence, and property destruction.
“The Israeli government and the settlers share the same goal of maximum land and minimum Palestinians,” said Sarah Sanbar, acting researcher on Israel and Palestine for HRW. She accused the government of enabling settler violence rather than preventing it, asserting that settlers receive state support, including weapons and legal justification for their actions.
HRW’s investigation focused on settler attacks in seven communities across the West Bank, such as Al-Mughayyir and Taybeh, during April and May. The report highlights that armed settlers often operate in conjunction with Israeli military units, contributing to a systemic pattern of forced displacement.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that more Palestinians have been forcibly displaced in the first four months of this year than in all of 2025, driven primarily by settler violence. Since January 2023, 107 communities have experienced displacement, affecting approximately 5,900 individuals. Additionally, the Israeli military has expelled around 32,000 Palestinians from their homes since January 2025, significantly impacting camps in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams.
HRW asserts that the ongoing violence, coupled with a lack of protection from the state, has fostered an environment in which many Palestinians feel compelled to abandon their homes. In light of these findings, the organization has recommended targeted sanctions against those responsible for the abuses, along with a suspension of weapons transfers to Israel and trade restrictions involving illegal settlements. HRW urges nations to reconsider their preferential trade agreements with Israel.
“The impunity afforded to settlers by Israeli authorities reflects the unchecked support from Israel’s allies and donors,” Sanbar stated. “Both Israel and the governments that facilitate this disregard for human rights must be held accountable.”
