The International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) has renewed its warning over escalating settler and military violence in the occupied West Bank, the forced displacement of Palestinian communities, settlement expansion and the continued denial of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, saying that the cumulative effect of these policies risk further entrenching unlawful occupation and movement towards de facto annexation.
The IBAHRI has consistently condemned any attempts at annexation or forced transfer and demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It warns that the demolition or occupation of homes and commercial structures and the destruction of livelihood through attacks on farmlands, water sources and livestock, may constitute violations of international law.
The combination of these developments - alongside the retroactive legalisation of outposts, restrictions on Palestinian development, the transfer of civilian authority to executive authorities like Israel's Police and the settlement authority in the occupied territory, continued impunity for settler violence and the excessive use of counter-terror measures and punitive raids against Palestinians - demands urgent international action.
The warning comes as the situation continues to deteriorate and as governments announce further measures in response. Speaking in the UK Parliament's House of Commons on 8 September 2026, the UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced, along with France and Canada, new measures including plans to prevent goods produced in illegal settlements from entering the UK and sanctions targeting those facilitating settlement expansion.
It is a mark of the seriousness of these concerns that 12 countries will impose sanctions. The UK government website states: 'Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures'.
A continuing pattern, not isolated incidents
The IBAHRI says recent developments reinforce concerns it has repeatedly raised about the treatment of Palestinian communities and the lack of effective accountability for settler violence.
As of 9 September 2026, in Qusra - a village in Area B, classified as an area under Palestinian administrative control by the Oslo Accords - reports indicate that Palestinian families have been surrounded by Israeli settlers and deprived of access to essential supplies for a month and that homes and other property have been attacked and occupied. The IBAHRI says the reported incidents illustrate wider concerns about inadequate protection for Palestinian civilians and the impunity surrounding settler violence.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), settler attacks in the first half of 2026 reached record levels. UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov said the West Bank was at 'breaking point'. He noted that settler attacks, once concentrated mainly in Area C, where Israel holds full civil and security control, are increasingly spreading into Areas A and B of the West Bank.
Institutionalising violence
Reportedly, several Israeli Defense Force soldiers have said they are often discouraged from taking any action against settlers due to threats and negative consequences resulting from the political nature of settler violence. In July 2026, the Israeli Defence Minister is reported to have stated that he would stop the administrative detention of settlers - the only action taken against settlers to date despite such detentions being used against Palestinian detainees without officially published charges or trials.
International legal obligations
Israel's actions are in violation of several international legal instruments, particularly international humanitarian law and human rights law.
Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits an occupying power from transferring parts of its own civilian population into occupied territory and prohibits the forcible transfer or deportation of protected persons from occupied territory.
International law also restricts the destruction or appropriation of property in occupied territory except where strictly required by military necessity . The unlawful appropriation of property by an occupying power amounts to 'pillage', which is prohibited by Article 47 of the Hague Regulations and Article 47 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and is a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and many national laws.
States also have a duty to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of people under their jurisdiction and under their effective control. The International Court of Justice confirmed that Israel is obliged to extend the application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights , the International Covenant on Economic , Social and Cultural Rights and other treaties to which it is a State Party.
Mark Stephens CBE, IBAHRI Co-Chair, commented: 'The escalating levels of settler and military violence, settlement expansion and transfer of civilian authority in the West Bank raise profound concerns under international law. The legalisation of settlement outposts, lack of accountability for settler violence and the transfer of civilian authority in the occupied territory constitutes the entrenchment of unlawful territorial control.
Any policy that results in the permanent displacement of Palestinians, alters the demographic character of the West Bank, or consolidates territorial control acquired through force raises the gravest concerns under international law. States cannot remain passive in the face of actions that risk normalising unlawful occupation, forcible transfer and impunity.'
Hina Jilani, IBAHRI Co-Chair, said: 'As my fellow Elders have warned , current policies risk making Palestine disappear physically, economically, culturally and politically. The continued failure to confront unlawful occupation and impunity has entrenched a cycle of violence, impunity and fear. The international community must act before displacement and territorial fragmentation become irreversible. International law must be applied consistently and accountability mechanisms must be allowed to function without political interference. The international community must act with urgency and consistency to take meaningful concerted action to ensure respect for international law.'
Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC, IBAHRI Director, remarked: 'Actions in the West Bank and across the Occupied Palestinian Territory demonstrate a blatant disregard for international law by the State of Israel. Palestinians have been violently driven out of their homes and lands and continue to face attacks on their livelihoods. The cycle of illegal force combined with clear impunity will only lead to the complete erasure of Palestinian sovereignty, and this cannot be permitted. We cannot remain silent in the face of such brutality. Whilst some states have deemed current settlement plans as "unacceptable" , the international community must move from words of condemnation of Israel to a permanent solution for peace and justice. Governments must use the legal, diplomatic and economic tools available to them to uphold international law, protect Palestinian civilians and prevent further settlement expansion. The rule of law cannot depend on political convenience.'
With the UK and partners now moving towards restrictions on trade with illegal settlements, the IBAHRI reiterates its calls for states to:
- apply sustained political, diplomatic and economic pressure to end violations of international law;
- suspend arms exports and military cooperation where required by states' international legal obligations; and
- use available bilateral and multilateral accountability mechanisms to prevent further displacement and ensure accountability for violations.
