Israel weaponises AI for West Bank demolitions | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israel Utilizes AI Technologies in Military Operations Amid Global Ethical Concerns
As global debates intensify over the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and the potential risks of delegating critical decisions to machines, Israel is advancing its military capabilities by integrating AI systems into its operations.
In Gaza, these AI systems have reportedly been employed to identify possible bombing targets, raising concerns about the scale of civilian casualties, particularly among Palestinians. An award-winning documentary, “NAZA,” recently documented the impact of this military strategy.
Israel has implemented AI not only in Gaza but also in the occupied West Bank, where it is reportedly being used to monitor land and facilitate the expulsion of Palestinian populations, according to rights activists and researchers. A Turkish media outlet, PalDigital, highlighted the use of a system called ImiSight, developed by Israeli defense contractor Rafael, to survey land and detect changes that may justify demolitions.
Initially deployed in the Naqab desert, ImiSight has targeted Bedouin Palestinians, many of whom reside in unrecognized villages lacking building permits. Activists argue that these actions are discriminatory and aim to displace the Bedouin community to make way for Jewish settlements. Instances have been reported where identified unauthorized structures are swiftly removed by bulldozers.
PalDigital noted that the use of this technology has now expanded to the West Bank, where demolitions of Palestinian homes have been common, often justified by alleged building violations in areas where securing permits is nearly impossible for Palestinians.
In April 2025, Israel established a Land Authority enforcement unit focused on operations in the West Bank. The Israeli rights organization Peace Now described this move as a form of annexation, stating that the authority employs advanced technologies, including AI, to monitor land rights and enforce demolitions.
Amir Daoud, head of documentation and publication at the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, characterized the establishment of this unit as a strategic escalation. “This is a transfer of a surveillance and eviction model previously used in the Naqab to occupied Palestinian territory,” he said.
Efforts to gather insights from the Israeli military and the company behind ImiSight have not yet yielded a response.
Advancements in AI and Satellite Technology
In addition to AI platforms like ImiSight, advancements in satellite technology are enhancing the efficiency of aerial surveillance. Khaled Safi, a Palestinian digital media expert, explained that newer satellites can process imagery while still in orbit, expediting the analysis of changes on the ground.
The Israeli media reported that by January 2025, ImiSight had enabled the surveying of over 10,700 square kilometers in the Naqab, contributing to the forced eviction of more than 2,600 Palestinian Bedouin citizens.
The application of this technology has had notable consequences in the West Bank. Israeli human rights organizations tracked an 80% rise in demolitions of Palestinian structures in Area C and occupied East Jerusalem from 2023 to 2025, with an average of 966 demolitions occurring annually. The rate of demolitions accelerated in 2025, with 1,288 structures destroyed between January and September.
“The algorithm operates as a ‘force multiplier,’ scanning vast areas, prioritizing targets, and allowing for faster transitions from monitoring to action,” Daoud noted.
Automating Surveillance and Enforcement
The Israeli government has also funded a network of settler ground patrols, transforming illegal outposts into centers for intelligence gathering. In 2023, 33 million shekels (approximately $9 million) were allocated to these patrols, while an additional 40 million shekels (about $13.2 million) were set aside for equipping outposts with drones and surveillance cameras.
Safi cautioned against the ethical implications of a system that minimizes human involvement in significant decision-making processes. “The risk lies in converting consequential decisions into abstract probabilities, dissipating accountability across algorithms and institutions,” he stated.
This technological deployment coincides with significant expansion of Israeli settlements. Between 2023 and 2025, plans for over 40,000 new settler housing units were advanced, alongside the establishment of 185 new outposts—actions deemed illegal under international law. During the same period, 118 Palestinian shepherding communities faced expulsion from the West Bank.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Peace Now, approximately 750,000 Israeli settlers now live in the occupied territories, with incidents of settler violence against Palestinians reaching a record high of 1,836 attacks in 2025.
The installation of an online land registry in Area C has prompted criticism from Palestinian authorities, who assert that it serves as a digital mechanism to facilitate administrative annexation.
Daoud described the automated enforcement system as a tool for segregation, emphasizing that “Palestinian constructions face immediate demolition, while colonial outposts receive funding and retroactive support for legalization.”
The deployment of ImiSight in the West Bank not only enhances Israel’s military operations but also holds implications for its defense industry. “The Palestinian territories are a field for surveillance and military operations, simultaneously refining technology for future commercial applications,” Safi concluded.
