Ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank

In a detailed investigative report, Haaretz published statistics showing that before the Gaza war, there were around 180 illegal settler outposts across the West Bank. However, amid the ongoing assault on Gaza and under the protection of Netanyahu’s cabinet, 120 new outposts have been established — often following the forced expulsion of Palestinian residents from their lands.

According to Haaretz, Israeli occupation authorities are providing direct military protection for these outposts, with army units deployed to safeguard settlers. In response to the paper’s inquiry, an Israeli military spokesperson claimed that its forces operate “to combat terrorism and maintain public order” in the West Bank, and that the so-called Civil Administration is responsible for demolishing “illegal structures” in Area C — a justification that Haaretz described as a pretext for the gradual erasure of the Palestinian presence.

The second part of the report highlights that since the beginning of the olive harvest season, the West Bank has witnessed an unprecedented wave of organized settler violence, resulting in the killing and wounding of dozens of Palestinians and the destruction of thousands of olive trees.

According to the newspaper, the assaults follow a consistent pattern:

“Groups of armed, masked settlers descend from the hilltops at night, attacking farmers. In many cases, military forces either protect the settlers, prevent Palestinians from defending their lands, or declare the area a ‘closed military zone’ to bar aid volunteers from entering.”

Despite the dangerous conditions, Palestinian activists — in coordination with international organizations — have launched the ‘Olive 2025’ campaign to support farmers and help them complete the harvest season.