No Israel prosecutions for killing Palestinian civilians in West Bank

No Israel prosecutions for killing Palestinian civilians in occupied West Bank since start of decade

Dozens of former Israeli military, police and spy chiefs describe situation as ‘organised Jewish terrorism’

Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem

The Guardian: 25 Mar 2026

Israel has not prosecuted its citizens for killing Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank since the start of this decade, a Guardian analysis of legal data and public records show, creating impunity for a campaign of violence.

Attacks have spurred former prime minister Ehud Olmert to call for an intervention by the international criminal court (ICC), to “save the Palestinians and us [Israelis]” from state-backed settler violence, carried out with the complicity and sometimes participation of the police and military.

“I have decided not only to not remain silent, but to draw the attention of the ICC in The Hague so that it may take enforcement measures and issue arrest warrants,’” Olmert said in written comments to the Guardian.

“We are no longer talking about a handful of lawbreaking hooligans. This is organised activity, which sometimes includes those wearing uniforms, who shoot at innocent people and burn the property and homes of civilians,” the letter said.

Signatories to the letter, which has not been previously reported, included two former heads of Israel’s military – one of whom also served as defence minister – five chiefs of the Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agencies and four former police commissioners.

Since 2020 Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, at least a quarter of whom were children, UN data shows. No one has been charged over any of these deaths.