CC BY 4.0: Sharon Azran, BTselem

The Occupied Territories

Important terms

Occupied Territory – The areas held by Israel since 1967: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and including East Jerusalem. The international legal consensus, affirmed by the International Court of Justice, is that these areas remain occupied and that the laws of occupation applies to them.
Military orders – The body of legislation issued by the military commander since 1967, layered over the Jordanian law that preceded the occupation. It runs to thousands of orders and governs almost every aspect of Palestinian life, from criminal offenses to planning, movement and political assembly.
Military courts – The courts in which Palestinians from the West Bank are tried for all offenses. Proceedings are conducted in Hebrew, most defendants receive no state-funded legal aid, and the overwhelming majority of convictions are reached by plea bargain rather than trial.
Areas A, B and C – The division established under the Oslo Accords as an interim arrangement. Area A is nominally under Palestinian Authority control, Area B under joint arrangements, and Area C – roughly 60% of the West Bank, containing almost all settlements and open land – under full Israeli control.
De facto annexation – The transfer of governing functions in the West Bank from military to civilian Israeli authorities. Because it extends Israeli administration without extending Israeli citizenship or rights to Palestinians, it entrenches the two-track system rather than resolving it.

Israel has held the West Bank and Gaza Strip under military occupation since 1967, governing millions of Palestinians who have no voice in the decisions that shape their lives. In the West Bank, the defining feature is that two legal systems operate in a single territory: Israeli settlers live under Israeli civilian law with the protections it carries, while their Palestinian neighbors are tried in military courts under thousands of military orders, with far weaker due-process safeguards.

The consequences reach into ordinary life. Movement is governed by checkpoints, gates and road closures that have tightened since October 2023. Planning rules make it close to impossible for Palestinians to build lawfully while settlements expand, and access to land, water and grazing is steadily curtailed. Entire herding communities have been displaced by a combination of settler violence and military restriction. Meanwhile civilian ministries have absorbed functions once exercised by the military – a shift that amounts to annexation in practice, with no corresponding change in Palestinians’ legal status.

ACRI petitions the Supreme Court and appeals to the military, the Civil Administration and government ministries over movement restrictions, home demolitions, detention without cause, and the protection of communities facing expulsion. It also works to inform the Israeli public about how the occupation operates, and to press for accountability from those who direct it.

A Palestinian shepherd herding his sheep near a sign reading "Firing area entrance forbidden"

"Finger on the Pulse:" Reports from Protective Presence Activists

Photo from 2014. A Palestinian shepherd in the Jordan Valley near a sign designating a closed military zone. Declaring closed military zones serves as a means of restricting Palestinian access to grazing and agricultural lands. Photo: © Rrodrickbeiler | Dreamstime.com “Protective presence” is one of the primary forms of assistance provided by activists on behalf of Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Shepherding communities and small villages throughout the West Bank fa

Oct 263 min read

Barbed wire. The city of Hebron in the background

Collective Punishment for Residents of Hebron

Border between districts in Hebron. Photo: © Maksym Voitenko | Dreamstime.com On October 23, 2026, following a shooting attack in the Hebron area that left two soldiers dead, the military imposed a full closure on the city of Hebron and additional communities in the surrounding area and launched a large-scale military operation. The extensive military activity includes raids on hundreds of homes, searches, arrests, interrogations, residents’ homes being taken over and convert

Oct 252 min read

Human Rights and Democracy Under the 25th Knesset and 37th Government

Swearing-in day of the 37th Government at the Knesset, December 2022. Photo: Yossi Zamir, STOCK-SJ. The terms of the 25th Knesset and the 37th government are coming to an end. In the shadow of October 7 and the subsequent war, their terms were marked by substantial declines in human rights and democracy. They included the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the devastating impact on Israeli civilians, the prolonged captivity of the hostages, as well as the sharp rise in settler v

Oct 254 min read

Palestinians Detained By Soldiers Without Cause

On May 14, 2026, ACRI, the Fund for Human Rights Defenders, Haqel – Alliance for the Defense of Human Rights, and HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual filed a Supreme Court petition against the increasingly widespread practice of soldiers in the occupied territories detaining Palestinians without cause and contrary to the law. The petition describes dozens of cases in which Palestinian residents were detained for no discernable reason, taken to a military base,

Oct 223 min read

Children sitting in a classroom, many raising their hands

Disrupted Education: The Violation of Palestinian Children's Right to Education in the West Bank

Illustrative. © Syda Productions | Dreamstime.com Education is an essential right, for good reason. In addition to providing children with knowledge about the world around them, it gives them the opportunity to acquire skills, interact with their peers, discover new interests and talents, and realize their potential. For socioeconomically vulnerable children, education can also help them to advance, widening their professional prospects, the choices available to them, and the

Oct 201 min read

Unlawful Restrictions on Palestinian Farmers Trying to Access Their Lands

Settler sheep grazing in a Palestinian olive grove. Photo by Nahalin residents ACRI petitioned the Supreme Court on October 14, 2026, on behalf of six Palestinian farmers from the village of Nahalin in the Gush Etzion area, who are being kept away from their agricultural lands by soldiers and settlers. The petition demands the removal of barriers that were placed on agricultural roads without any legal basis and that the farmers be allowed to return to and cultivate their lan

Oct 132 min read

A boy smiling with an older man sitting in the background

Allow the Displaced to Return to Refugee Camps in the Northern West Bank

Illustrative. Boy in the Jenin refugee camp. Photo: © Richard Juilliart | Dreamstime.com On September 11, 2025, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel filed a petition on behalf of the residents of the Jenin and Nur al-Shams refugee camps in the northern West Bank, who were evacuated from their homes as part of Operation Iron Wall. The petition states that tens of thousands of residents of the refugee camps, including children, women, and the elderly, were suddenly and fo

Oct 113 min read

Another Community in Danger of Expulsion

A-Tawil: A Palestinian olive grove where settler goats graze. Photo: Looking the Occupation in the Eyes The community of A-Tawil is a longstanding community, which until about a year ago comprised of approximately 30 families. Most make their living from agriculture and shepherding. In recent years, the community’s residential area has been surrounded by violent outposts, and the settlers have been acting to expel the community. Methods for forcing the community out include

Oct 74 min read

An Israel flag in the background. In the foreground a gavel and scales

One Rule, Two Legal Systems: Israel’s Regime of Laws in the West Bank

Photo: © Oguz Eren | Dreamstime.com In the West Bank, two systems of law govern one territory: a civilian legal system for Israeli citizens, and a military court system for Palestinian residents. The differential legal treatment created by this system does not just lead to injustice in a few specific cases; rather, it is woven into almost every part of daily life in the region. Military Law vs. Israeli Civilian Law  Since 1967, Israel has governed the West Bank through two pa

Aug 238 min read

An Israeli soldier standing by the Separation Barrier

Changes to Civilian Law Enforcement in the West Bank

Illustrative (photo from 2010). Photo: © Rrodrickbeiler | Dreamstime.com On August 17, 2026, ACRI sent an appeal to the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff, and the Commander of the Central Command, following the decision by the Minister of Defense to instruct the military to formulate a plan for transferring all civilian enforcement powers relating to the settlements and the Israeli population in the West Bank from the military to the Israel Police. The appeal demands th

Aug 182 min read

Settler "Field Trips" to Palestinian Areas

Illustrative. A group of tourists in the Gush Etzion region. Photo: © Elenarostunova | Dreamstime.com On August 10, 2026, ACRI contacted the Commander of the Central Command demanding that the military stop approving, securing, and escorting Israeli civilians entering Palestinian communities, their lands, and areas adjacent to homes, water sources, and sites used by local residents. The letter followed a series of “hikes” and “tours” by groups of settlers, including armed ent

Aug 92 min read

Counterterrorism Operation Against Palestinians After Violence by Settlers

A house in Urif burned by settlers over the weekend. Photo by residents On Friday, July 24, 2026, a group of armed settlers entered the village of Tell, located in Area B (the section of the West Bank administered by Israel and the Palestinian Authority). In the confrontation that developed following the incursion, four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed. Following this incident, a wave of raids and retaliatory attacks began: dozens of settlers raided the villages of J

Jul 262 min read

Soldiers taking cattle from a Palestinian family and loading them on a truck

Theft of Cows Belonging to a Palestinian Farmer by Soldiers

Soldiers leading the cows from the pen owned by the petitioners to the civilian truck About a dozen armed and uniformed soldiers arrived at a barn belonging to a Palestinian family in the West Bank, handcuffed the barn owner and his son, broke through the barn's fences, and loaded the cattle belonging to the family onto a civilian truck that arrived at the scene escorted by military jeeps. Social media posts from a group that aids settlers in pursuing agricultural projects (l

Jul 234 min read

Left: A road to the village of Duma blocked by concrete debris. Right: a tractor blocking an access road to the village

Ongoing Violation of the Rights of Duma Residents Due to Military Blockades and Settler Violence

Blockages on the access roads to the village. Photos courtesy of the residents The Palestinian village of Duma is home to approximately 3,500 inhabitants. Its economy relies mainly on agriculture and grazing, including growing olives, grains, fruit trees, and sheep, and in the past enjoyed unfettered access to four natural springs. However, over the last decade, the villagers have seen their economic situation and freedom of movement decline significantly. This has been the r

Jul 225 min read

A Palestinian shepherd sitting blindfolded with his hands tied behind his back durrounded by soldiers

Stop the Ethnic Cleansing in the Northern Jordan Valley

A Palestinian shepherd arrested in the Jordan Valley after an attack by settlers, July 2025. Photo: From the Facebook page of Jordan Valley activists ACRI filed an urgent petition with the Supreme Court on July 2, 2026, on behalf of the seven remaining Palestinian herding communities in the northern Jordan Valley: Al-Farisiya, Ein al-Hilweh, Khirbet Humsa, and Khallet Makhoul. In the petition, we demanded that the military, the police, the Civil Administration, the Minister o

Jul 22 min read

Israel Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich in the Knesset

Tax Breaks for Settlers

Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich. Photo: Yossi Zamir, Stock-SJ ACRI filed a Supreme Court petition on June 28, 2026, seeking the repeal of the Tax Benefits for Eastern Front Line Area Communities (Temporary Provision) Law, 5786–2026. The law grants a tax benefit to residents of “eligible Eastern Front Line Area communities” through a separate track from the general tax-benefit systems established in the Income Tax Ordinance. This is a tax break intended to benefit a spec

Jun 281 min read

A woman holding a sign at a protest that reads "there is no democracy if there is occupation"

State of the Occupation Report: Year 59

This report is presented by 22 Israeli human rights organizations to mark the 59th year of the occupation. It summarizes a difficult, violent year, during which the Israeli government has continued to aggressively advance policies of forced displacement and annexation, while systemically violating the human rights of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, and breaching its obligations under international law. At the same time, within Israel

Jun 283 min read

Water and Essential Equipment Confiscated from a Shepherding Family

Illustrative. Photo: © Orientaly | Dreamstime.com On May 25, 2026, dozens of soldiers and Border Police officers arrived at the home of a family of 10 living in tents in an exposed, arid open area in the northern Jordan Valley. They confiscated the family’s vehicle, water trailers, and the tractor used to transport water, claiming that the equipment had been used to enter a firing zone. The family was left without basic means of subsistence and without the ability to travel t

Jun 12 min read

The Palestinian Flag: Frequently Asked Questions

Illustrative. Photo: Yossi Zamir, Shatil-stok With the recent news about the police harassing and arresting individuals displaying the Palestinian flag—or, in one case, a demonstrator holding the Hungarian flag, which the police determined was too similar to the Palestinian flag—here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the right to freedom of expression and displaying the Palestinian flag: Can the Palestinian flag be displayed in Israel? Yes. There is no la

May 124 min read

Transparency in Imposition of Movement Restrictions

Yossi Zamir, Shatil-Stok The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Physicians for Human Rights, Yesh Din, B'Tselem, and HaMoked Center for the Defense of the Individual petitioned the Supreme Court on February 13, 2025, demanding that the military and the head of the Civil Administration regularly publish orders that impose movement restrictions on Palestinians in the territories. The petition explains that without transparency, movement restrictions are imposed chaoticall

Apr 283 min read

Stop the Ethnic Cleansing and Expulsion of West Bank Palestinian Communities

Illegal settlement, 2015. Photo: © Rita Phessas | Dreamstime.com Since the current government began its term, and with even greater intensity since the October 7 massacre and the outbreak of the war, there has been a steep escalation in the West Bank in the establishment of outposts, the private settler takeover of lands, violence against Palestinian residents, and in the deliberate and planned creation of impossible living conditions for Palestinian residents to the point

Apr 154 min read

Remove a Violent Settler from the West Bank and Ensure Palestinian Farmers are Protected

View of Jordan Valley (photo is not connected to the events in this article). Photo: © Vladimir Blinov | Dreamstime.com On June 29, 2025, ACRI submitted a petition on behalf of 12 farmers from the Wadi Fara area in the Jordan Valley, who have been unable to reach their plots of land and cultivate them since October 2023 due to harassment by the settler Moshe Sharvit. Sharvit is the founder and leader of Emek Tirtza Farm, a violent and unauthorized outpost established near th

Apr 103 min read

The Death Penalty Law: Q&A

Photo: © Alanhutcheson | Dreamstime.com The Knesset has passed a death penalty bill : Penal Code (Amendment—Death Penalty for Terrorists). Below is information about the law, which ACRI unequivocally opposes. What does the law say? The proposal addresses the application of the death penalty in military courts in the territories and in civilian courts in Israel, separately, since these operate within two separate and distinct legal systems. The bill passed and became law o

Mar 307 min read

Increasing Violations of Palestinians' Rights in the West Bank Under Cover of War

A village in the West Bank. Photo: © Jose Hernandez | Dreamstime.com Since the beginning of the war with Iran, sweeping and draconian movement restrictions have been imposed on Palestinians (and only Palestinians) in the West Bank, which include checkpoint closures, road blockages, and the installation of new gates deepening the isolation of towns and communities. The army is also not providing residents with even minimal protection--whether from the war or from attacks by s

Mar 82 min read

Soldiers Attempt to Forcibly Expel Palestinian Families in the West Bank

Illustrative. A shepherd in the West Bank. Photo: © Rrodrickbeiler | Dreamstime.com On January 23, 2026 ACRI contacted the army on behalf of two shepherd families from the village of al-Nakhb in the West Bank. The families have been living in this location for decades, and according to them, the land is privately owned and belongs to the estate of the family’s grandfather. In mid-January, a military jeep arrived at the home of Youssef’s family (name has been changed for

Jan 252 min read

Bad Fences from Bad Neighbors

Map of some of the fences erected on the roads. Map courtesy of Dror Atkes, "Kerem Navot" Wide swaths of major roads northern Jordan Valley have been illegally fenced off over the past few months. The fences were installed by local settlers, with the clear purpose of restricting the movement of the area’s Palestinian residents. As a result of the fencing, Palestinian communities are disconnected from grazing and agricultural fields, and are burdened with further restrictions

Jan 202 min read

Return Bail Money to Palestinians

Photo: © Designer491 | Dreamstime.com ACRI submitted a petition to the Supreme Court against the head of the Civil Administration, demanding the return of bail funds deposited by Palestinians for release from detention or as deposits to ensure their appearance at court. The Civil Administration has accumulated approximately 53 million shekels belonging to Palestinian residents, which it is required by law to give back. State Comptroller reports and journalistic coverage have

Jan 142 min read

Remove Movement Restrictions Imposed on Hebron's Palestinian Residents

© Maksym Voitenko | Dreamstime.com Since the beginning of the war, major movement restrictions have been imposed on Palestinian residents of Hebron. Palestinians in the city are under curfew, which means that all residents, including young children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, are prohibited from leaving their homes; they are not allowed to open their shops; driving in private Palestinian vehicles is not allowed and emergency and service vehicles must coordinat

Dec 26, 20252 min read

No to Masked Soldiers in the West Bank

Illustrative. © Bialasiewicz | Dreamstime.com On November 24, 2025, ACRI sent an appeal the Commander of the Central Command, the Legal Advisor for Judea and Samaria, and the Military Advocate General, with the demand that soldiers be prohibited from carrying out routine policing activities against civilians in the West Bank with their faces covered. In the appeal, Attorney Reut Shaer, Director of the Human Rights in the Occupied Territories Department, noted that it has bec

Nov 24, 20251 min read

Water Access in the Northern Jordan Valley

Water supply in a remote Palestinian community. Photo: Bimkom On March 19, 2025, ACRI, together with Bimkom-Planners for Planning Rights, and Jordan Valley activists, approached the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and the General of the Central Command demanding that they act immediately to enable access to water for Palestinian agricultural communities in the northern Jordan Valley. The communities of Farsiya, Ein al-Hilwa, Samra, Khalat Makhoul,

Nov 17, 20252 min read

Stop Settler Violence that Leads to the Expulsion and Displacement of Palestinian Communities

A military vehicle and property damage in a community's residential compound in the Ramallah District. Photo: Muhannad Anati, ACRI Since the outbreak of the war in October 2023, expulsions and displacements of Palestinian communities (especially smaller and more vulnerable communities) in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley have increased. This is the result of harassment and violence by settlers, including: blocking access to grazing lands, harassment, threats, and violence.

Oct 26, 20256 min read

Open an Investigation Against the Commander of the Central Command for War Crimes

Illustrative (archive): Uprooting trees in the West Bank in preparation for the construction of the separation fence. © Rrodrickbeiler |...

Aug 24, 20252 min read

Allow Residents of the Northern West Bank to Return to their Homes

Soldiers in Jenin, January 2025. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit, (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wikimedia In January 2025, the army launched a military operation in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, an operation that was later expanded to additional refugee camps. The operation resulted in extensive destruction of buildings, roads, and infrastructure; the blocking of access routes; and the closure of businesses, institutions providing essential services, as well as pharmacies and med

Aug 18, 20254 min read

The Road of Death

Part of the dangerous road section. Photo: ACRI On August 16, 2025, ACRI approached the Civil Administration demanding that it maintain traffic safety measures and enforcement on the Eastern Ring Road (Road 4370), in the section between the villages of Anata and Az-Za'eem. This section of the road is frequently used by Palestinians traveling between the major cities in the West Bank: Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Hebron. Nonetheless, it lacks basic safety standards: lanes and shou

Aug 16, 20252 min read

Settler Violence and Community Expulsions: Amicus Curiae Request

Photo: © Hafakot | Dreamstime.com On August 10, 2025, ACRI submitted a request to the Supreme Court to join as a friend of the court...

Aug 10, 20252 min read

Probable Arson in the Evacuated Nur a-Shams Refugee Camp in the West Bank

Property on fire in the Nur a-Shams refugee camp (screenshot from the refugee camp's Facebook page) On July 10, 2025, ACRI contacted...

Jul 9, 20252 min read

Removing All Obstacles to West Bank Annexation

Settlement construction, 2019. Photo: Garry Walsh/Trócaire (cc-by-2.0 via Wikimedia) From the beginning, Israel's 37th government has...

May 28, 20252 min read

Major Delays and Invasive Inspections at the Beit Furik Checkpoint

Traffic at the Beit Furik Checkpoint, April 2025 On April 9, 2025, we approached the IDF commander in the West Bank together with...

Apr 8, 20252 min read

Settler Violence Against the Ein al-Hilweh Shepherding Community

Settlers in the grazing area near Ein al-Hilweh, March 2025 In the northern Jordan Valley, there are currently at least eight illegal...

Mar 31, 20252 min read

Against the Proposed Law Allowing for Private Land Purchases in the West Bank

Feb 11, 20251 min read

The Duty to Protect Palestinians in the West Bank against Violence by Israelis and to bring the Perpetrators to Justice

Jan 21, 20252 min read

Privacy and Surveillance in the West Bank

Dec 29, 20241 min read

Registration of Stateless Children in Educational Institutions in Beer Sheva

Israeli law, as well as the policies laid out by the Ministry of Education, states that every child starting from the age of three has...

Dec 9, 20243 min read

Visiting Permits for Palestinians with First-Degree Relatives in Israel

Since the outbreak of the war, Israel has not accepted applications from Palestinians in the West Bank for permits to visit their...

Nov 14, 20242 min read

Sweeping Use of "Combat Detention" in the West Bank

Since the outbreak of the war, all Palestinians arrested in the West Bank for offenses under security legislation have been detained in...

Nov 5, 20243 min read

One Year of War: The Collapse of Human and Civil Rights Protections in Israel and the West Bank

A Review of Human Rights Violations in Israel and the West Bank Over a Year of War Since the horrific massacre carried out by...

Oct 6, 20243 min read

Abolish the New Regime Structure in the West Bank, Which Constitutes as Annexation

On September 26, 2024, we, along with Yesh Din, filed a petition with the High Court of Justice challenging the amendment to the Order on...

Sep 25, 20242 min read

Repeal the Ban on Red Cross Visits to Palestinian Prisoners

On February 22, 2024, ACRI, Physicians for Human Rights, HaMoked and Gisha petitioned the High Court of Justice (Hebrew) demanding that...

Aug 24, 20242 min read

Water supply in the Kfar Aqab neighborhood in Jerusalem

The Kfar 'Aqab neighborhood is located within the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem, beyond the separation wall, and is home to tens of...

Aug 17, 20242 min read

A Silent Takeover: Changing the Nature of Israeli Control of the West Bank

On December 29, 2022, the 37th government of the State of Israel was sworn in. Against the backdrop of the "judicial reform," the Hamas...

Jul 20, 20242 min read