Amnesty International: Israel Carrying Out Ethnic Cleansing of Bedouin Communities in the West Bank

On Wednesday, Amnesty International released a report titled “Erasing Everything Palestinian: Israel’s Ethnic Cleansing of Bedouin and Herding Communities in the West Bank,” documenting escalating violence and forced displacement since the Gaza war in 2023. The London-based organization found that 27 Bedouin and herding communities, comprising hundreds of Palestinians, were forcibly displaced or threatened with expulsion between 2023 and 2025, particularly in Area C, which makes up 60% of the West Bank under Israeli control.

The report argues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has made annexation of West Bank land an explicit political goal, aligned with the religious-nationalist settlement agenda. It highlights accelerated settlement expansion, land seizures, increased financial and logistical support for settlers, and the arming of settlers, creating a state-backed environment for widespread violence and forced displacement.

Rejecting Israeli claims that settler attacks are isolated incidents, Amnesty pointed to explicit calls by Israeli officials to expand settlements, stressing that the ethnic cleansing campaign is systematic, not rogue behavior. The organization said Israel, as an occupying power, bears legal responsibilities under international humanitarian law, and that the displacement amounts to a crime against humanity.

International criticism has grown, with France recently banning Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entry, part of measures by six Western states against individuals linked to West Bank violence. Paris said the decision was due to his promotion of annexation and calls to reestablish settlements in Gaza.

Amnesty warned that Bedouin and herding communities remain vulnerable, facing isolation and lack of protection. Residents like Farhan al-Jahalin described the situation as “a complete collapse of society” under repeated settler attacks. Since Netanyahu’s government took office in late 2022, 102 new settlements have been authorized, according to Peace Now. Over 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements, excluding East Jerusalem, alongside about three million Palestinians. Settlements are considered illegal under international law.

Human rights groups report settlers involved in arson, vandalism, theft, and even killings. UN data shows incidents have surged since the Gaza war, averaging six per day in 2026. In May, the UN Human Rights Office warned of signs of ethnic cleansing in both Gaza and the West Bank.