GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights office on Tuesday expressed concerns about possible “ethnic cleansing,” denouncing an acceleration of Israeli settlements and displacements of thousands of Palestinians in large parts of the occupied West Bank that has grown “more relentless” in recent months.
A new report from the office of Volker Türk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, covers a yearlong period through the end of October and warns of expanded settlements in large parts of the West Bank and the forced displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians.
Since then, "the pace of the concerted efforts by the Israeli government to seize as much Palestinian land as possible — with as few Palestinians in it as possible — is only becoming more relentless,” Ajith Sunghay, the head of the rights office in occupied Palestinian areas, told a U.N. briefing in Geneva.
Sunghay said Israeli security forces “have continued to kill Palestinians with impunity,” have launched daily raids across the West Bank, and increased movement restrictions in the territory that have impeded access to health care, jobs, education and other basic services.
“Yet Israeli settlers are roaming free with complete impunity, often armed, forcing Palestinian family after Palestinian family off their lands," Sunghay said.
Türk, in a statement, alleged that Israeli authorities were “playing the central role in directing, participating in or enabling this conduct,” and the report denounced harassment, intimidation and destruction of farmland and homes of Palestinians.
Israel's Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in Geneva didn't immediately comment.
Much of the displacement of thousands has taken place in the northern West Bank, where Israel launched a broad military offensive in early 2025. Israel's government says the operation is aimed at stamping out militant groups active in the area.
The report says the displacement "appears to indicate a concerted Israeli policy of mass forcible transfer throughout the occupied territory, aimed at permanent displacement, raising concerns of ethnic cleansing.”
At the same time, Israel's hard-line government has pressed ahead with an increase in new Israeli settlements across the West Bank. The international community overwhelmingly considers settlements illegal, though the Trump administration has been more tolerant of the construction. Israel's government is dominated by settler leaders and their political allies.
The rights office, which falls under the secretariat of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, said that Israeli authorities approved or moved forward on nearly 37,000 housing units in occupied east Jerusalem and more than 27,000 elsewhere in the West Bank.
Türk called for an immediate halt to the settlements and a reversal of their impact, along with the evacuation of all settlers and “an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territory.”
The construction boom has been accompanied by an increase in settler violence against Palestinians. Israeli leaders have portrayed the violence as the work of a tiny minority, but Palestinians and human rights groups say the Israeli army has done little to prevent the attacks and note that settlers are rarely held accountable.
Earlier this month, three Palestinians were killed in a violent clash with settlers near Khirbet Abu Falah, east of Ramallah, and in a rare rebuke, the Israeli military strongly condemned the settler violence.
While outside the period covered by the U.N. report, the Palestinian Authority accused Israel of “exploiting the atmosphere of war” and the lack of international attention to issues in the West Bank to intensify intimidation, violence and forced displacement.
Palestinians mourn at the funeral of four members of the Odeh family who were killed in their car by Israeli security forces during an army operation in Tammun, West Bank, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 17, 2026--
The Aga Khan Museum is pleased to announce the launch of Youth Access and Wellbeing Through Art in partnership with GreenShield, a new initiative designed to give youth free access to art, space and other wellbeing resources.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317039209/en/
“At GreenShield, we know that improving youth mental health requires working alongside communities to remove barriers and support wellbeing in practical, accessible ways,” said Mandy Mail, Executive Vice President, Head of GreenShield Cares. “Our partnership with the Aga Khan Museum reflects the importance of supporting initiatives that create inclusive spaces, foster connection, and contribute to mental health and wellbeing, particularly for youth who may otherwise face barriers to access.”
The need to improve youth mental health is urgent and evident, and arts institutions can play a meaningful role. According to the Government of Canada, young adults aged 15 to 24 are most susceptible to mental health issues. A Harvard University research project found that “Slow looking” in museum settings can increase observational skills, reflective thinking and emotional awareness.
Led by this shared commitment to supporting youth mental health and wellness, the Aga Khan Museum and GreenShield are joining forces to create space for reflection and self-care for youth through art without financial barriers.
GreenShield, Canada’s only national non-profit health care and insurance organization, is dedicated to improving health equity for underserved populations, with youth mental health as a key area of focus. Through GreenShield Cares, GreenShield works closely with community partners to help remove barriers to care and apply its health expertise in ways that improve access, wellbeing, and outcomes for young people.
The initiative also introduces the Slow Looking Experience, a self-guided journey that invites visitors of all ages to spend extended, intentional time with selected artworks in the galleries. By slowing down and giving focused attention to fewer works, participants are encouraged to notice details, reflect more deeply, and form personal connections with art. This practice supports stress reduction, cultivates mindfulness, and fosters a sense of calm in an increasingly fast-paced world.
"Art has the transformative power to strengthen youth mental health and foster a sense of belonging. Providing free admission is a critical step in helping youth engage with the Museum’s collections, exhibitions, and programs,” said Dr. Sascha Priewe, Director of Collections and Public Programs at the Aga Khan Museum. “Through special programming developed for this initiative, we invite young visitors to explore and engage with art in ways that nurture their curiosity and sense of community. We are grateful to GreenShield for their collaboration, which allows us to create experiences that are not just about seeing art, but feeling and immersing themselves in it in a meditative way.”
To mark the launch throughout the month of March, the Museum is presenting enhanced Sunday programming designed to support moments of pause, reflection, and creative exploration. These special Sunday experiences, which include talks and creative workshops, will invite all visitors to engage with art in ways that nurture wellbeing and community, reinforcing the Museum’s role as a space of belonging and shared exploration.
This partnership builds on GreenShield’s broader Youth Mental Health initiative, launched in 2025, which was developed alongside youth and community partners to respond to the growing mental health needs of young people across Canada. The initiative introduced two foundational elements: the Youth Mental Health Data Hub, a publicly accessible dashboard that provides a national snapshot of youth mental health, and GreenShield’s Youth Mental Health Ecosystem, a centralized digital platform offering timely, culturally informed supports. To date, more than 100,000 youth have accessed free, culturally appropriate mental health services and resources through these efforts.
To learn more about Youth Access and Wellbeing Through Art visit agakhanmuseum.org/wellbeing.
About the Aga Khan Museum
The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, has been established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational activities and performing arts, the Museum’s mission is to spark wonder, curiosity, and understanding of Muslim cultures and their connection with other cultures through the arts. Designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, the Museum shares a 6.8-hectare site with Toronto’s Ismaili Centre, which was designed by architect Charles Correa. The surrounding landscaped park was designed by landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic.
About GreenShield
As Canada's only national non-profit health care and insurance organization, GreenShield believes health care is a right, not a privilege. We're dedicated to improving health outcomes, driving systemic change, and building a future where every Canadian can reach their full health and well-being potential.
We are revolutionizing the health care and insurance experience by bringing coverage and care together in one place. Through our unique integrated payer-provider ("payvider") model, we offer insurance, administer benefits and pay claims as a ‘payer’ while offering health care services such as mental health, pharmacy, telemedicine and chronic disease management as a ‘provider’.
As a non-profit social enterprise without shareholders, we reinvest our excess earnings to directly support underserved communities. Through GreenShield Cares, we positively impacted the health and well-being of over one million Canadians between 2020 and 2025.
What’s driving us now is the commitment to measurably impact an additional three million Canadians by 2030 – across mental health, essential medicines, and chronic disease management – through scalable initiatives that deliver meaningful change in pursuit of our mission of Better Health for All.
GreenShield is proud to be recognized multiple times as one of Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures, certified annually as a leading Imagine Canada Caring Company, and honoured with repeat placement on Fortune’s prestigious Change the World list – a testament to our sustained commitment to purpose-driven innovation and impact.
Slow Looking Experience at the Aga Khan Museum. Credit: Raheel Azim
