Settler Violence and Community Expulsions: Amicus Curiae Request
- ACRI
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
On August 10, 2025, ACRI submitted a request to the Supreme Court to join as a friend of the court (amicus curiae) in proceedings brought by residents of the village of Ras al-Ain in the West Bank. This involves five communities of approximately 110 families. Our petition is intended to prompt a response to prevent the forced displacement of the communities by violent settlers, some of whom are residents of the illegal settlement outpost established near the communities.
Within the framework of providing an expert opinion, we surveyed the instances of expulsions of Palestinian communities in the West Bank since the summer of 2022, including data about the events themselves and the settlers' "modus operandi," which includes: physical violence, threats, blocking access to grazing areas and agricultural lands, establishing nearby outposts for the purpose of harassing and intimidating Palestinian residents, invading private homes, and damaging property. As a result of these activities, the personal safety and economic security of Palestinian communities are significantly harmed, in ways that leave residents no choice but to flee.
The expert opinion describes the State's responsibility for the community expulsions, whether passively, due to its failure to enforce the law against violent settlers, or actively, by adopting and approving settlers' illegal takeover of lands through the regularization of outposts and the provision of financial and material support to settlers, whose goal of ethnically cleansing the West Bank is well known and in no way hidden. Moreover, the State's responsibility for the displacement of communities may amount to forced transfer and ethnic cleansing, both of which are war crimes.
HCJ 52750-03-25 Junama v. General Avi Bluth, Military Commander of the West Bank Area
Attorney: Reut Shaer
Request to Join Proceedings as Friend of the Court, August 10, 2025 (Heb)
The request was written with the help of Elza Bugnet
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