Israeli rights group B’Tselem has accused Israel of pursuing policies in the occupied West Bank that it says are making it increasingly difficult for Palestinians to maintain their communities and collective identity. The group presented its assessment in a new report called “The Elimination Project.”
According to B’Tselem, several policies work together to undermine Palestinian life in the territory. The group identified five main areas: violence, displacement, restrictions on movement, economic pressure and the weakening of Palestinian social and political structures.
The report argues that these measures are not isolated events. Instead, B’Tselem says they form part of a broader system that is changing conditions for Palestinians across the West Bank.
B’Tselem Raises Concerns Over Palestinian Displacement
The group pointed to violence involving Israeli settlers and military forces as one of the major concerns. According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures, 1,108 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7, 2023.
B’Tselem also uses the term “ethnic cleansing” to describe the displacement of Palestinian communities. It says dozens of small and isolated communities have left their homes in recent years because of violence, pressure or demolitions.
Movement restrictions are another central issue in the report. B’Tselem field director Kareem Jubran said Israeli authorities have established military checkpoints and more than 900 gates at entrances to Palestinian towns and villages. He said these restrictions have also affected his own community.
The organization argues that such measures make normal economic and social life increasingly difficult. It says the combined effect is more significant than any single checkpoint, demolition or violent incident.
‘Settler Colonial Project’
B’Tselem executive director Yuli Novak described the policies as part of what she called a “settler colonial project.” Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Novak said the policies were damaging the conditions Palestinians need to remain in the area as a people.
She stressed that using the term does not deny the Jewish connection to the land. Instead, she said, it refers to what the group considers a political project and its impact on Palestinian communities.
The Israeli military strongly rejected B’Tselem’s accusations. It called claims that Israel was seeking to eliminate Palestinians as a people “false, baseless” and disconnected from reality.
The military also said it strongly condemns nationalist violence in the West Bank. It rejected allegations that its forces are deliberately targeting or persecuting the Palestinian population.
Israeli Settlements Continue to Expand
B’Tselem said the situation should be viewed alongside the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The group said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current government has legalised or approved 104 new settlements since taking office.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers now live there alongside an estimated three million Palestinians.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law by most of the international community. Israel disputes this legal interpretation and maintains its own position on the status of the territory.
B’Tselem said the wider policies have developed over several decades and are not solely the result of the current government. However, Novak argued that Netanyahu’s government has accelerated and institutionalised the system.
She also suggested that the outcome of Israel’s upcoming legislative elections may not significantly change the broader policy direction.
The report adds to continuing international debate over the future of the West Bank, Israeli settlements and Palestinian statehood. The issues remain central to wider efforts aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
