In a significant development that has sparked international concern, a United Nations report has revealed that the Israeli government is pursuing policies aimed at establishing permanent control over the Gaza Strip and ensuring a Jewish majority in the occupied West Bank. These findings, detailed in a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, were presented to the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2025. The report accuses Israel of implementing measures that could amount to the crime of apartheid and fundamentally alter the demographic and political landscape of the occupied territories. The allegations come amid escalating tensions in the region, with ongoing military operations, settlement expansion, and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
This article delves into the details of the UN report, examines the Israeli government’s policies and actions, explores the historical and political context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and analyzes the international community’s response to these developments. It also considers the implications for peace prospects and the broader geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.
The UN Report: Key Allegations and Findings
The UN report, authored by Francesca Albanese, asserts that Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territories demonstrate a clear intent to maintain permanent control over Gaza and to secure a Jewish majority in the West Bank. The report highlights several specific policies and practices that, according to Albanese, constitute violations of international law and could meet the legal definition of apartheid, a crime under international law characterized by systemic racial discrimination and oppression.
Gaza: Permanent Control and Military Operations
In Gaza, the report points to Israel’s ongoing military operations and blockade as evidence of an intent to maintain indefinite control over the territory. Since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and led to the abduction of over 250 hostages, Israel has conducted a large-scale military campaign in Gaza. The UN report states that this campaign, which has resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza health officials, has not only targeted Hamas but also devastated civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, and hospitals. The report argues that the scale of destruction—described as rendering large parts of Gaza “uninhabitable”—suggests a broader strategy to weaken Palestinian claims to the territory and prevent the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.
The report also criticizes Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since 2007 when Hamas took control of the territory. The blockade has severely restricted the movement of goods and people, leading to dire humanitarian conditions, including widespread poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity. Albanese argues that the blockade, combined with repeated military operations, is designed to ensure Israel’s dominance over Gaza, effectively treating it as an occupied territory under permanent control rather than a separate entity with the potential for self-governance.
West Bank: Demographic Engineering and Settlement Expansion
In the West Bank, the UN report accuses Israel of pursuing policies aimed at ensuring a Jewish majority through settlement expansion and discriminatory laws. Since the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan, it has built over 160 settlements, housing approximately 700,000 Jewish settlers. These settlements, deemed illegal under international law by most countries, have been a major point of contention in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The UN report claims that the current Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and dominated by far-right coalition partners, has accelerated settlement construction to an unprecedented pace.
According to the report, Israel has implemented measures to entrench Jewish dominance in the West Bank, including the annexation of land, the demolition of Palestinian homes, and the imposition of legal and administrative systems that favor Jewish settlers over Palestinians. For example, Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to military law, while settlers are governed by Israeli civil law, creating a dual legal system that the report describes as discriminatory. The report also highlights the role of settler violence, often perpetrated with impunity, in displacing Palestinian communities and consolidating Israeli control over contested areas.
Albanese’s report goes further, alleging that these policies align with the crime of apartheid, as defined by the 1973 Apartheid Convention and the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The report argues that Israel’s actions constitute a system of racial domination, with Jewish Israelis enjoying superior rights and privileges compared to Palestinians in the same territories. This accusation has drawn sharp criticism from Israel, which vehemently denies the apartheid label and accuses Albanese of bias.
Israel’s Response and Defense
The Israeli government has rejected the UN report’s findings, calling them “baseless” and accusing Albanese of promoting an anti-Israel agenda. In a statement to Reuters, Israel’s mission to the UN in Geneva described the report as a “politically motivated attack” that ignores the security threats posed by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups. The statement emphasized that Israel’s actions in Gaza are a legitimate response to the October 7, 2023, attack and ongoing rocket fire from the territory. It also defended settlement activity in the West Bank, arguing that the land is part of Israel’s historic and biblical homeland and that Jews have a right to live there.
Israeli officials have long maintained that their policies in the occupied territories are driven by security concerns rather than demographic or ideological goals. They point to the history of Palestinian attacks, including suicide bombings during the Second Intifada (2000–2005) and rocket launches from Gaza, as justification for military operations and restrictions on Palestinian movement. The Israeli government also argues that the UN disproportionately focuses on Israel while ignoring human rights abuses in other parts of the world, a sentiment echoed by some of Israel’s allies, particularly the United States.
Historical Context: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
To fully understand the allegations in the UN report, it is essential to examine the historical context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has shaped the current dynamics in Gaza and the West Bank.
The Origins of the Conflict
The roots of the conflict date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Zionist movements began advocating for a Jewish homeland in Palestine, then under Ottoman and later British control. The 1917 Balfour Declaration, in which Britain expressed support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, set the stage for increased Jewish immigration and land purchases, leading to tensions with the Arab population.
The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, following the UN’s partition plan, marked a turning point. The subsequent war, known as the Nakba (“catastrophe”) to Palestinians, resulted in the displacement of approximately 700,000 Palestinians and the creation of Israel on 78% of historic Palestine. The West Bank and Gaza, along with East Jerusalem, were captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, beginning the occupation that continues to this day.
The Oslo Accords and Stalled Peace Efforts
The 1990s saw a brief period of optimism with the Oslo Accords, which established the Palestinian Authority (PA) and outlined a framework for a two-state solution. However, the accords failed to resolve key issues, including the status of Jerusalem, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and the borders of a future Palestinian state. Settlement expansion continued during and after the Oslo process, undermining Palestinian trust in negotiations.
The Second Intifada (2000–2005), a period of intense violence, further eroded prospects for peace. Israel’s construction of a separation barrier in the West Bank, which it says is necessary for security but which Palestinians view as a land grab, added another layer of complexity. In Gaza, Israel’s unilateral withdrawal of settlers and troops in 2005 did not lead to peace; instead, Hamas’s takeover in 2007 and subsequent conflicts have entrenched the divide.
The Rise of Israel’s Far-Right
The current Israeli government, formed in December 2022, is the most right-wing in the country’s history, with coalition partners like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir openly advocating for annexation of the West Bank and rejecting Palestinian statehood. Their influence has shaped policies that align with the UN report’s allegations, including accelerated settlement construction and a hardline approach to Gaza.
Stakeholder Perspectives
The UN report has elicited varied responses from key stakeholders in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reflecting the deep divisions over the issue.
Palestinian Authorities and Civil Society
Palestinian leaders, including the PA and Hamas, have welcomed the UN report, viewing it as validation of their claims of systemic oppression. The PA, which governs parts of the West Bank, has called for international intervention to halt settlement expansion and end the Gaza blockade. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, and the EU, has used the report to rally support for its resistance narrative, though its own human rights abuses, including restrictions on dissent in Gaza, have drawn criticism.
Palestinian civil society groups, such as Al-Haq and B’Tselem, have long documented what they describe as Israel’s apartheid policies. These organizations argue that the UN report underscores the need for accountability, including through the International Criminal Court, which is investigating alleged war crimes in the occupied territories.
International Community
The international response to the UN report has been mixed. The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has dismissed the apartheid accusation and reiterated its support for Israel’s right to self-defense. US officials have also criticized the UN for what they perceive as a disproportionate focus on Israel. In contrast, several European countries, including France and Germany, have expressed concern over settlement expansion and called for renewed efforts toward a two-state solution.
Arab states, particularly those that normalized relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords (e.g., the UAE and Bahrain), face a delicate balancing act. While they have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank, their strategic partnerships with Israel limit their willingness to take strong action. Meanwhile, countries like Iran, which supports Hamas and other anti-Israel groups, have seized on the UN report to bolster their regional influence.
Human Rights Organizations
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have echoed the UN report’s findings, having previously labeled Israel’s policies as apartheid. These groups argue that the international community must move beyond rhetoric and impose sanctions or other measures to pressure Israel into complying with international law.
Implications for Peace and Regional Stability
The UN report’s allegations, if substantiated, have profound implications for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the broader Middle East.
Erosion of the Two-State Solution
The report’s findings underscore the growing challenges to the two-state solution, long considered the framework for resolving the conflict. Settlement expansion in the West Bank has fragmented Palestinian territory, making a contiguous Palestinian state increasingly unfeasible. In Gaza, the humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict have weakened the prospects for Palestinian self-governance. The Israeli government’s rejection of Palestinian statehood, coupled with its policies in the occupied territories, suggests a shift toward a one-state reality, where Palestinians would likely remain under unequal conditions.
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the UN estimating that over 80% of the population is internally displaced, and critical infrastructure, including water and sanitation systems, has been destroyed. The blockade and military operations have exacerbated food insecurity, with reports of famine-like conditions in parts of the territory. The UN report’s call for an immediate end to the blockade is unlikely to be heeded, given Israel’s security concerns and the lack of international consensus on how to address Hamas’s control of Gaza.
International Accountability and Legal Ramifications
The accusation of apartheid carries significant legal weight, as it could trigger investigations by the International Criminal Court or other bodies. However, Israel’s refusal to cooperate with such investigations, combined with US veto power in the UN Security Council, limits the likelihood of concrete action. The report may also fuel campaigns like the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to pressure Israel economically and diplomatically.
Regional Dynamics
The report’s release comes at a time of heightened regional tensions, with Israel facing threats from Iran-backed groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. The ongoing war in Gaza has also strained Israel’s relations with Arab states, particularly Jordan and Egypt, which have large Palestinian populations and are wary of further instability. The report could further complicate Israel’s efforts to expand the Abraham Accords and normalize ties with additional Arab countries.
Conclusion
The UN report’s allegations that Israel is seeking permanent control over Gaza and a Jewish majority in the West Bank have reignited debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its resolution. The report’s claims of apartheid and systemic discrimination highlight the deepening divide between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as the challenges facing the international community in addressing the issue. While Israel defends its actions as necessary for security, the humanitarian toll in Gaza and the entrenchment of settlements in the West Bank raise serious questions about the prospects for peace.
As the conflict enters its eighth decade, the path forward remains uncertain. The UN report calls for urgent action to address violations of international law and protect Palestinian rights, but achieving consensus on how to do so will require overcoming significant political and diplomatic hurdles. For now, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a stark reminder of the complexities of reconciling competing national aspirations in a region marked by history, ideology, and unrelenting strife.