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UN Condemns Forced Displacement of Over 36,000 Palestinians

Published March 17, 2026, 10:11
UN Condemns Forced Displacement of Over 36,000 Palestinians

The UN condemns the forced displacement of over 36,000 Palestinians from the West Bank over a year, due to the expansion of Israeli settlements. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights describes this displacement as a mass expulsion of Palestinians on an unprecedented scale and expresses concerns about potential “ethnic cleansing”. The High Commissioner’s report highlights that the displacements are linked to the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and indicate a coordinated Israeli policy of mass forced displacement in all occupied territories. The report mentions the promotion or approval of 36,973 housing units in East Jerusalem and approximately 27,200 in the rest of the West Bank. The UN condemns the illegal transfer of Palestinians as a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute a crime against humanity. The High Commissioner calls on Israel to immediately stop the creation and expansion of settlements, remove the settlers, and end the occupation. Additionally, the UN calls for the return of displaced Palestinians and the cessation of practices of land confiscation, forced displacement, and house demolitions. The report highlights the increased risk of displacement and records 1,732 incidents of violence by Jewish settlers, compared to 1,400 in the previous period.