UN Experts Condemn Systematic Israeli Attacks on Palestinian Farmers and Rural Life

Hundreds of Palestinian Bedouin families have reportedly been displaced due to the compounding effects of settler violence and state-backed demolitions.

A group of United Nations human rights experts has raised urgent concerns over the intensifying wave of violence and intimidation reportedly carried out by Israeli settlers and security forces against Palestinian peasants, Bedouin communities, and rural workers across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In a sharply worded statement issued today, the experts warned that the coordinated nature and scale of the attacks appear to constitute a deliberate strategy of dispossession, displacement, and agricultural sabotage.

Systematic Violations: Intimidation, Arson, and Displacement

The experts outlined a bleak picture of daily life for Palestinian rural communities, citing evidence of widespread and escalating settler violence—ranging from physical assaults and home demolitions to destruction of farmlands, poisoning of water sources, and the theft of livestock. Such actions, they said, have devastated the livelihoods of thousands of Palestinian families who rely on agriculture for survival.

“Settler violence has reportedly involved arson, livestock theft, and the poisoning or destruction of water sources, severely undermining the ability of Palestinians to sustain their agricultural way of life,” they stated. This campaign of violence, they added, has been further compounded by the frequent demolition of Palestinian homes and structures by Israeli authorities, leaving many families homeless and vulnerable.

Targeting Bedouin and Rural Communities

The experts emphasized that these actions do not appear to be isolated or incidental. Rather, they form part of a concerted effort to erase Palestinian presence from key agricultural areas of the West Bank, thereby undermining both food security and food sovereignty in these regions.

Hundreds of Palestinian Bedouin families have reportedly been displaced due to the compounding effects of settler violence and state-backed demolitions. These include children and elderly individuals now forced to live in precarious and insecure conditions.

"The continued attacks targeting Palestinian Bedouin, peasant and rural communities do not appear to be incidental," the experts said. "They form part of an intentional strategy to erase their presence in key agricultural areas, undermine food sovereignty, and sever Palestinians from their land."

Economic Impact and Humanitarian Consequences

The economic damage caused by these systematic attacks is staggering. According to UN estimates, direct agricultural losses in the West Bank between October 7, 2023, and late 2024 have amounted to over USD $76 million. The broader economic repercussions are equally dire, with the region’s GDP shrinking by over 19 percent and unemployment climbing to 35 percent, exacerbating an already fragile humanitarian situation.

These economic shocks have placed even greater strain on Palestinian rural families, many of whom now face deepening poverty, food insecurity, and a lack of access to basic services.

International Law and Accountability

As the occupying power, Israel holds legal obligations under international law to protect the civilian population within the occupied territories. The UN experts underscored this responsibility, calling for an immediate cessation of settler violence and illegal settlement expansion, as well as impartial investigations into all violations.

"Israel must promptly bring to an end its unlawful presences in the West Bank, and ensure its compliance with the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice issued on 19 July 2024," they said. The advisory opinion reiterated that Israel’s presence in the West Bank is unlawful and must be terminated, including through the evacuation of settlers from the occupied territories.

Global Responsibility and Call for Action

The UN experts issued a direct appeal to the international community, urging all States to fulfill their responsibilities under international law and to act decisively. They advocated for targeted sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and concrete accountability measures to prevent further human rights abuses and restore justice to affected Palestinian communities.

“Silence and inaction only embolden further violations,” they warned. “The time for justice is now.”

The call from the UN follows a growing international outcry over the deteriorating human rights situation in the West Bank, where unchecked settler expansion and military operations have increasingly blurred the lines between occupation and annexation, with grave implications for regional peace, Palestinian self-determination, and international legal norms.