Umm al khair: The UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OHCHR) has urged Israel to halt the mass demolition orders issued on October 28, which target 11 homes and critical community infrastructure in the Bedouin community of Umm Al Khair, located in the South Hebron Hills.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the demolition orders pose a threat of forced displacement to the residents of Umm Al Khair-a community consisting of 35 extended families who have resided there since their expulsion from Negev during the 1948-1949 mass displacement of Palestinians, known as the Nakba.
The OHCHR statement outlines that residents of Umm Al Khair have been subjected to discriminatory land regulations enforced by the Israeli Civil Administration for years. This has been accompanied by several rounds of systematic demolitions of Palestinian structures, leading to repeated displacements.
OHCHR highlighted that similar to other Palestinian villages in the South Hebron Hills and nearby Masafer Yatta, most Palestinian structures in Umm Al Khair are deemed illegal by Israeli authorities due to the lack of building permits, which are reportedly almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain.
The office noted that while Israeli settlers have been permitted to expand settlements and construct new outposts linked to the nearby Carmel settlement, harassment of Palestinian residents has intensified, particularly following the erection of an outpost in September.
Despite a temporary injunction by the Jerusalem District Court to halt construction and restrict settler access to the outpost, OHCHR reported inaction by authorities in enforcing the order, contrasting with the prompt demolitions of Palestinian structures.
The OHCHR statement also addressed unchecked settler violence, which has increased since October 7, 2023. It recalled the killing of Palestinian rights defender Owdeh Hathaleen by an Israeli settler on July 28, 2025, during a protest against a new settlement road on community land. Hathaleen recorded his own shooting, and another resident's video identified the shooter, who faced minimal consequences.
The office further pointed out that the International Court of Justice ruled in 2024 that Israel's settlement expansions, home demolitions, movement restrictions, and discriminatory zoning measures create a coercive environment compelling Palestinian displacement, amounting to forcible transfer and constituting a war crime.
Ajith Sunghay, Head of the UN Human Rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, emphasized that the situation in Umm Al Khair exemplifies the escalating measures by Israel to consolidate annexation of the West Bank, especially Area C, violating international law. He urged, "Time is ticking. The international community must exercise pressure to protect Umm Al Khair residents from the imminent threat of forced displacement, and from any further violence and dispossession."