Displaced Communities, Forgotten People is the product of a joint project launched by Yesh Din and Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI). The report addresses the events leading to the forced displacement of hundreds of Palestinian families from their homes. In less than two years, about 100,000 dunams of land east of Allon Road have been almost completely emptied of the Palestinians who lived on it for decades.

This was not a voluntary departure, but a forcible transfer effected by a combination of factors: years of institutional oppression, daily physical violence, invasive psychological terror, and catastrophic economic harm. All of these led to a loss of personal security, an ongoing erosion of community resilience, and a breakdown of the social cohesion of seven shepherding communities, which were forced out of the lands that were their home.

The Israeli authorities do not recognize these communities and have, for years, harassed and abused their residents. However, the turning point came after settlers began establishing shepherding outposts near them. The escalation of violence originating from these outposts over the past two years has created an environment unconducive to life for Palestinian shepherding communities, effectively forcing them out of their homes.

While the State of Israel formally washes its hands of the settlers’ acts, claiming the outposts are illegal, in practice, it supports them and reaps the benefits of their aggression towards Palestinians, which helps achieve the state’s goals. In this way, Israel consistently and systematically violates the human rights of Palestinian shepherding communities in the West Bank, including the rights to life, personal security, health, freedom of movement, property, livelihood, and dignity.

The main conclusion of Displaced Communities, Forgotten People is that Israel is responsible for the commission of the war crime of forcible transfer of Palestinians in the West Bank. This crime is committed with the state’s support, by its agents or citizens. Moreover, the state’s deep involvement in the commission of these crimes, its practices, their systemic nature and their replication in various locations, lead to the grim conclusion that, in certain parts of the West Bank, the State of Israel is implementing practices of ethnic cleansing.

Displaced Communities, Forgotten People is a case study that focuses on a limited area, but the same Israeli policies and settler methods are implemented in other parts of the West Bank. There is, therefore, concern that these patterns and practices, which have resulted in the forcible transfer of these Palestinian communities, will evolve into a longterm government strategy of ethnically cleansing Palestinians, at least in Area C, which accounts for 60% of the West Bank’s territory.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the OPT is unlawful, and that various practices it employs lead to the displacement of Palestinians living in Area C. This landmark ruling should serve as a blueprint for action by the international community vis-à-vis the State of Israel.

Yesh Din and Physicians for Human Rights Israel call on the international community to take active, effective measures against the State of Israel and demand it fulfill its legal obligation to protect the occupied population, with an emphasis on shepherding communities. Israel must guarantee the basic rights of Palestinian residents, stop the forcible transfer, remove the violent outposts, and provide Palestinian shepherding communities with conditions for a safe return home.