UN and B'Tselem Warn of Ethnic Cleansing in West Bank

United Nations officials and the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem warned the UN Security Council on August 12, 2026, that the West Bank has reached a dangerous turning point characterized by escalating violence and ethnic cleansing. Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N. Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, reported that settler violence has reached unprecedented levels, contributing to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians. He noted that Israeli planning authorities approved approximately 12,360 settlement units since the start of the year, including 5,160 in East Jerusalem.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Hannan Sulieman reported that between January 2024 and July 2026, 174 Palestinian children were killed and over 1,500 were injured. She highlighted that 355 Palestinian children are currently held in Israeli military detention, the highest number in eight years, and that 800,000 children face barriers to education. Sulieman urged the Council to ensure the strict observation of international humanitarian law and an end to forced displacement.

B'Tselem Executive Director Yuli Novak accused settler militias, backed by Israeli forces, of accelerating ethnic cleansing. Novak specifically cited efforts to drive Palestinian families from their homes in Qusra through the establishment of illegal outposts. These reports follow a large-scale Israeli military operation in the Qalandia refugee camp from August 5 to 7, which resulted in dozens of injuries and over 60 arrests.