Amnesty accuses Israel of ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Bedouin and herding communities in West Bank

Amnesty International has accused Israel of conducting a campaign of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank against Bedouin and Palestinian herding communities over the last three and a half years.

The report by Amnesty, a frequent and ardent critic of Israel, details the severe violence engaged in by settler extremists against such communities, and what it says is the failure of Israeli authorities to prosecute the extremists who harass them, vandalize their property, and on numerous occasions have severely wounded or killed Palestinians inside their own towns and villages.

The report also details the massive increase in the establishment of new settlements by the Israeli government, alongside illegal herding outposts established by settlers, as part of what Amnesty says is an effort to drive Palestinians off the land, in particular in Area C where Israel has full security and civilian control and which constitutes some 60 percent of the West Bank.

The organization cited figures from the UN showing that some 117 predominantly Bedouin and herding Palestinian communities “have faced either full or partial displacement between January 2023 and April 2026,” amounting to at least 5,910 people who Amnesty say have been forcibly displaced.

“Over the past three and a half years Israeli authorities have accelerated a state-sponsored campaign of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, uprooting, dispossessing and forcibly transferring Palestinian communities,” Amnesty alleges.

“What we are witnessing is deliberate, state-led annexation, in complete violation of international law unfolding before the eyes of the entire world,” claims Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“Our report exposes that these abuses are not the result of a few ‘bad apples.’ Settler violence is a core component of a state-sanctioned campaign of ethnic cleansing, central to maintaining Israel’s system of apartheid.”

Amnesty says it interviewed 45 Palestinians from 12 communities, who were either displaced or at risk of displacement, as well as 19 lawyers, activists who witnessed incidents of settler violence, journalists and Israeli and Palestinian NGO representatives.

The IDF says in response to the report that its mission is “to safeguard the security of all residents of Judea and Samaria, Palestinians and Israelis alike,” and insists that in situations where there is a suspicion that troops did not adhere to IDF orders, those incidents are “thoroughly examined, and in appropriate cases disciplinary measures are taken by commanders or a criminal investigation is opened to clarify the circumstances.”

It adds that when troops encounter cases of law violations by Israeli civilians, including violent incidents or incidents directed against Palestinians or their property, “the troops are required to act to stop the violation and, if necessary, detain or apprehend the suspects until police arrive at the scene.”

The Prime Minister’s Office and the Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.