The UN accuses Israel of seeking permanent control of Gaza and the West Bank.

BarcelonaThe Israeli government has demonstrated a "clear intention" to establish permanent control over Gaza and guarantee a Jewish majority in the West Bank. These are the conclusions of a United Nations commission that published a report on Tuesday in which it concludes that the policies of "extensive and systematic" destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza, along with forced displacement and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, are part of a broader strategy against the possibility of Palestinian self-determination.

The report, prepared by the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, details the policy promoted by Netanyahu, which has consisted of the systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure in the Strip, which has allowed Israel to expand its controlled area by up to 75% in the year. "Israeli forces also intentionally altered the geography of Gaza" by creating military corridors, expanding the border buffer zone and establishing security zones, according to the text.

The systematic destruction of civilian homes and other resources indispensable for survival has led the Commission to conclude that the Israeli authorities have created living conditions in Gaza calculated to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians, which constitutes an underlying act of genocide.

"Israel must immediately cease and reverse its seizure and use of Palestinian land in Gaza, including the creation and expansion of the buffer zone and corridors," said Commission Chair Navi Pillay. According to the Commission, these measures, presented as necessary for security, have not provided real security, but have instead intensified the misery of the Palestinian people and denied them basic resources, including the ability to produce food.

More settlements and impunity for settlers

Regarding the West Bank, the report notes that Israel has explicitly supported settler violence, with the intention of forcibly relocating Palestinian communities to expand settler settlements and annex the entire West Bank. It cites as an example the military operations in the Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams refugee camps this year, which resulted in the destruction of homes and infrastructure and the displacement of residents. The Commission considers these operations to be militarily unjustified and amount to collective punishment. "The increase in violent settler attacks has led to the forced displacement of communities and the subsequent Judaization of areas of the West Bank," the report says.

The commission chairwoman said she was "particularly dismayed" by Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich's recently announced plan to annex 82% of the West Bank, and by the approval of a settlement plan that divides the West Bank and has the explicit objective of preventing any Palestinian state. For Pillay, these acts confirm the commission's conclusions: the dispossession and relocation of Palestinian communities are now explicit objectives, which Israeli officials propagandize. "These plans and statements are abhorrent and must be widely condemned," he said.

Finally, the report names six leaders as primarily responsible for international crimes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is identified as globally and directly responsible for ordering actions that constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Also listed are Yoav Gallant (former Defense Minister), Israel Katz (current Defense Minister), Bezalel Smotrich (Finance Minister), Orit Strock (Settlement Minister), and Itamar Ben-Gvir (Minister of National Security).

But Israel, thow he dealt with the UN report that accused him of committing genocide in Gaza, has dismissed the report's conclusions. "Hamas has genocidal intentions toward Israel; the report has it all wrong. This Commission is not missing the opportunity to reveal its true character and political agenda," a representative of the Israeli delegation sent to Geneva told Reuters.