United Nations human rights experts have warned that Jerusalem is undergoing what they described as “irreversible de-Palestinisation”, as violence across the region intensifies and Israel accelerates policies that alter the city’s demographic and political character.
In a strongly worded statement released Friday, UN experts said the situation in Jerusalem is deteriorating rapidly as the broader regional conflict deepens. They warned that Israeli measures in the city are reshaping its religious, cultural and legal identity.
According to the statement, actions taken by Israeli authorities are eroding the historic coexistence that Jerusalem has long represented for Muslims, Christians and Jews.
“What is being done to this world symbol of spiritual coexistence and shared heritage is irreversible,” the experts said.
The warning comes at a time when violence in Gaza continues to spill over into the West Bank and other areas, raising international concerns about the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian communities.
Rising Violence and Displacement in East Jerusalem
The UN experts reported a sharp increase in extrajudicial killings, forced displacement and large-scale demolitions across occupied East Jerusalem.
Authorities have also intensified checkpoints and restrictions, effectively separating Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian communities.
These measures, the experts say, are isolating residents from their social, economic and religious life while undermining their rights to development and self-determination.
The UN statement said punitive policing and restrictions on religious freedoms have placed significant pressure on Palestinians living in the city.
“These are not security measures,” the experts said. “They are components of a systematic project of demographic engineering and domination.”
According to the experts, the goal appears to be establishing exclusive Israeli control over the city.
Arrests, Demolitions and Legal Pressure
Data cited by the UN experts highlights the scale of the situation.
Between 2021 and 2025, at least 144 Palestinians were reportedly killed in Jerusalem’s governorate. During the same period, more than 11,500 Palestinians were arrested, with allegations of arbitrary detention and mistreatment.
Israeli authorities also issued 2,386 deportation orders and carried out more than 1,700 demolitions and land-levelling operations, the report said.
In some cases, Palestinian families were forced to demolish their own homes to avoid heavy fines or imprisonment.
Human rights experts argue that these actions are pushing many Palestinians to leave Jerusalem.
Bedouin Communities Facing Displacement
The UN experts also raised alarm over the situation facing Bedouin communities in the region.
According to the statement, 33 Bedouin communities, representing more than 7,000 Palestinians, are at risk of displacement.
Repeated demolitions and land confiscations have severely limited their access to natural resources and economic opportunities.
Experts say these pressures have already forced several families to abandon their homes.
The situation reflects broader concerns about forced population transfers in the region.
Property Laws and Ongoing Evictions
The UN report also criticized Israeli legislation related to property ownership.
According to the experts, Israeli law prevents Palestinians from reclaiming properties lost during the 1947–1949 period, while allowing Jewish Israelis to pursue such claims.
This legal framework has played a key role in ongoing eviction cases in neighborhoods such as Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan.
Human rights experts argue that these policies facilitate the transfer of Palestinian property and contribute to demographic changes in Jerusalem.
Under international humanitarian law, confiscation of private property and the forcible transfer of a protected population are prohibited.
The UN experts noted that such actions could constitute grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and potentially amount to war crimes.
Restrictions on Education and Religious Access
The UN experts also warned that Palestinian children’s access to education has deteriorated.
Recent legislation affecting the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has disrupted services for Palestinian refugees.
According to the statement, UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem have been violated and restrictions have hindered the agency’s work.
Religious freedoms have also been affected.
Frequent military incursions and an expanding settler presence have increased harassment and restrictions on access to holy sites.
The report said more than 73,000 settler incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound were recorded in 2025.
Access restrictions have become particularly severe during religious periods such as Ramadan.
Christian Communities Also Affected
Christian communities in Jerusalem have also reported harassment and restrictions.
UN experts said attacks on Christian religious sites and limitations on worship have increased in recent years.
These developments, they said, threaten the pluralistic character that has defined Jerusalem for centuries.
The experts stressed that the city’s diverse cultural and religious heritage is now under serious threat.
Call for International Action
The UN experts urged the international community to take immediate action to address the situation.
They pointed to the International Court of Justice advisory opinion, which declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful.
According to the experts, governments must avoid recognizing or supporting policies that contribute to the occupation.
They called for coordinated international efforts to uphold international law and protect the rights of Palestinian communities.
“Inaction is not neutrality,” the experts said. “It is complicity.”
They warned that the erosion of Jerusalem’s cultural diversity and community heritage could become permanent if urgent action is not taken.
