The United Nations human rights office has issued a stark warning over Israel’s policies in the occupied West Bank, describing its treatment of Palestinians as a system resembling apartheid. In a historic statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Israel to dismantle all settlements and address what the UN terms “systemic discrimination” against Palestinians.

UN Report Highlights Systemic Oppression

Released on January 7, 2026, the report details widespread restrictions imposed on Palestinians, including limited freedom of movement due to checkpoints, restricted access to roads, water, and other natural resources, and unequal access to social services. Turk stated, “There is a systematic asphyxiation of the rights of Palestinians in the West Bank. This is a particularly severe form of racial discrimination and segregation that resembles the kind of apartheid system we have seen before.”

While independent UN experts have previously described Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories as apartheid, Turk’s remarks mark the first time a UN human rights chief has used the term, invoking historical parallels with South Africa’s system of racial segregation that lasted from 1948 to 1994.

Two Systems of Law

The report emphasizes the existence of dual legal systems in the West Bank: Israeli settlers are governed under civil law, while Palestinians are subject to military law. This duality results in unequal treatment across critical areas, including land ownership, access to resources, and legal protections. Palestinians frequently face land confiscation, home demolitions, and prosecution in military courts where due process and fair trial rights are often denied.

Turk noted that Israeli authorities control every aspect of Palestinian life in the West Bank—from water usage to agriculture, including the right to harvest olives—under discriminatory policies that favor settlers over the indigenous population.

Escalating Settler Violence and Human Rights Abuses

The UN report also highlights a sharp increase in settler violence, often with the acquiescence or participation of Israeli security forces. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank, which has been occupied since 1967 and is home to roughly three million Palestinians.

Since October 7, 2023, violence has surged in the shadow of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, with Israeli forces reportedly killing over 1,100 Palestinians and arresting nearly 21,000 others in the West Bank. Settlement expansion continues unabated, with Israel approving 19 new settlement outposts, further undermining the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.

Israeli Response

Israel has consistently rejected claims of apartheid, asserting that its policies are driven by “security concerns” rather than racial or ethnic discrimination. However, the UN report counters that the combination of legal inequality, settlement expansion, and the restrictions imposed on Palestinian life constitutes systemic oppression, drawing strong condemnation from international human rights organizations.

International Implications

Turk’s use of the term “apartheid” underscores the growing concern within the international community over Israel’s policies in the occupied territories. The report calls for urgent action to dismantle settlements, protect Palestinian rights, and ensure equitable treatment under the law.

The situation in the West Bank remains a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the dual pressures of ongoing settlement expansion and settler violence exacerbating the humanitarian and political crisis.

Conclusion

The UN’s report highlights a severe human rights crisis in the West Bank, marking a historic moment in international recognition of Israel’s policies as resembling apartheid. The systematic discrimination, dual legal systems, and settlement expansion threaten both the rights of Palestinians and the prospects for a viable Palestinian state. Global attention and diplomatic action are crucial to address this escalating crisis and protect the rights and lives of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.