This 2025 annual report from HLRN’s Violation Database (VDB), Imagining Reparation: Data, Numbers and Entitlements from Protracted Habitat Rights Violations, focuses on the concept of reparation for housing, land, and property (HLP) rights violations, particularly in the context of Palestine. It builds on previous HLRN reports analyzing violations documented in the VDB, which contains some 2,000 records of habitat-related human rights violations globally. ​

This year’s report highlights the historical and ongoing violations of Palestinians habitat-related human rights, including forced eviction, demolition, dispossession and environmental harm under Zionist colonization, including the Nakba, the demolitions of Palestinian villages in the southern Naqab, the occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, and the destruction in Gaza. ​ It estimates that over 16.5 million Palestinians have been victimized by habitat rights violations since 1900, with significant economic and non-economic losses. ​ The report emphasizes the need for reparations, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, guarantees of non-repetition, and victim satisfaction. ​

The document identifies Israel as the primary liable party for these violations, supported by international legal rulings, including those from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). ​ It also highlights the role of third-party states in enabling Israel`s actions through military, economic and diplomatic support. ​ The report stresses the importance of transitional justice mechanisms and international best practices to address the trauma and ensure accountability. ​

Imagining Reparation discusses the economic costs of the occupation, including lost GDP, infrastructure damage, opportunity costs, cumulative pain and suffering and restricted access to resources, estimating cumulative losses in the billions of dollars. ​ It also emphasizes the importance of reliable documentation for pursuing reparations, citing the Bseiso Family Archive as an example of evidence for dispossession claims. ​

Finally, the report proposes repurposing Israeli parastatal institutions, such as the World Zionist Organization/Jewish Agency and Jewish National Fund, to administer reparations to Palestinian victims. ​ It concludes by emphasizing the urgency of preparing for reparations to restore justice and deter future violations. ​