Israeli rights group B'Tselem asserts that Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank constitute a deliberate project to dismantle the foundations of Palestinian existence and collective identity.
In a report titled "The Elimination Project," B'Tselem outlines five interconnected Israeli policies and tactics: "violence, ethnic cleansing, movement restrictions, economic strangulation, social and political destruction." The group alleges that these measures are being implemented at an accelerating pace, making coexistence for Palestinians increasingly impossible.
The report cites violence by Israeli settlers and the military against Palestinians, which has resulted in the deaths of 1,108 individuals, including civilians and militants, since October 7, 2023. B'Tselem also labels the forced evacuation of dozens of small Palestinian communities due to settler violence and home demolitions as "ethnic cleansing." Further restrictions on movement, enforced through numerous military checkpoints and gates, are described as systematically dismantling the conditions necessary for Palestinian life.
B'Tselem's executive director, Yuli Novak, stated that these policies are part of a "settler colonial project" and do not negate Jewish connection to the land but rather describe a political endeavor. She emphasized that successive Israeli governments have built this system over decades, with the current right-wing government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accelerating its pace, violence, and institutionalization.
The Israeli military has vehemently denied these accusations, labeling them as "false, baseless, and blatantly detached from reality." The military statement asserted a condemnation of nationalist violence and rejected any implication of targeting or persecuting the Palestinian population. B'Tselem's report aims to link specific incidents and policies to broader state strategy, suggesting that the outcome of upcoming legislative elections would have minimal impact on this overarching policy.
The report also highlights the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967. The current government has approved a record number of new settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. Over 500,000 Israeli settlers now reside in the West Bank alongside approximately three million Palestinians.
