West Bank. They are not settlers, they are terrorists. Permanent and illegal forced displacement. Cisjordania. No son colonos, son terroristas. Desplazamiento forzado permanente ilegal. ENG ESP

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29 June, 2026

Israeli settler-terrorist violence forces displaced Palestinians into poverty

Palestinians forced out of their homes and communities by Israeli settler-terrorist violence in the occupied West Bank face poverty, insecurity, uncertainty and little prospect of returning home, says a new report by the West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC).

According to the report, 86 percent of displaced families said their living conditions are worse than before displacement, with the findings showing displacement is not a one-off event but one phase of a protracted crisis.

Families continue to face threats of eviction, loss of livelihoods, inadequate housing and restricted access to essential services after displacement, it said, adding half of households reported they believed that they were at risk of being re-displaced within the next six months.

Three-quarters of families said they could no longer earn enough to meet basic needs, mainly because Israeli authorities and settlers-terrorists, or both, blocked access to their land or livestock.

“With the loss of land families are not only losing their homes and communities. They are losing the livelihoods that kept them alive,” said WBPC Chief of Party Allegra Pacheco.

“Displacement means families can no longer farm their land, graze their livestock, or earn the income they need to survive.”

Only six per cent of households said they expect to return to their land within the next year, with most citing continued settler-terrorist violence and harassment, alongside blocked access to land or property, as the reasons they cannot go back. 

“Under international law - and even according to several Israeli Supreme Court decisions – Palestinians displaced from Area C should be able return to their communities, but they cannot as long as the settler[-terrorist] violence continues.

To ensure effective protection for Palestinian communities, Israeli authorities must prevent and stop settler[terrorist] violence, including barring settlers-terrorists from entering Palestinian residential and agricultural areas," said Pacheco. “Forcible transfer is a grave breach – one of the most serious violations of international humanitarian law. The Israeli government must also cease all policies and practices that contribute to forcible transfer and immediately facilitate the return of displaced Palestinians.”  

The report also warns that support for displaced families is falling far short. Many received assistance immediately after being forced from their homes, but most said it covered only part of what they needed. As displacement drags on, families urgently need livelihood support, safe shelter, water, electricity and protection services. Without sustained funding, families already forced from their homes are being pushed deeper into poverty and insecurity. 

“Forced displacement is protracted and increasing in the West Bank. It must not become a permanent reality for Palestinians,” said Pacheco. “The international community must take concrete steps to hold Israel accountable and stop the drivers of displacement. Without meaningful action, more communities will be uprooted, and those already displaced will see any real prospect of return slip further away.” 

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