Israel weaponises AI for West Bank demolitions

As the world wrestles with the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and the dangers of removing humans from life-altering decisions, Israel has pressed ahead with deploying AI as part of its military arsenal.

In Gaza, AI systems have been used to determine potential bomb targets, contributing to the scale of the killing of Palestinians there as recently documented in the award-winning documentary NAZA.

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Israel has not only used AI in its genocidal war on Gaza but also in the occupied West Bank, where it has systematically been weaponised to survey Palestinian land and expedite forced displacement, according to researchers and rights activists.

The Turkish media outlet PalDigital, citing rights activists and Israeli media reports, highlighted how Israel uses AI tools – and specifically a product called ImiSight developed by the Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael – to monitor vast swathes of land and observe changes that can then be used as justifications for demolitions.

The tool was initially used by Israel in the Naqab desert, targeting Bedouin Palestinian citizens of Israel, PalDigital reported in July. Many Bedouins live in villages in Israel not recognised by the government, with authorities issuing few building permits. Activists say the actions are discriminatory and aim to force the Bedouin community out to create Jewish settlements.

In many cases when the tool identified changes to the landscape deemed to be unauthorised structures, bulldozers moved in.

According to PalDigital, Israel has now brought that tool to the occupied West Bank where it has regularly demolished Palestinian homes for years – citing building violations in areas where it is extremely difficult for Palestinians to obtain permits.