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West Bank violence, annexation worsening: UN
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Slovakia /Conflict & Security

West Bank violence, annexation worsening: UN

From SME · () Slovak

Translated from Slovak, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • Violence and annexation of the West Bank by Israeli settlers are worsening, two years after the International Court of Justice declared the occupation illegal, according to the UN Human Rights Office.
  • The UN expressed concern over statements by Israeli leaders advocating for increased settlements and "revenge" against Palestinian communities.
  • Attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians have intensified since the Gaza war began in October 2023, with restrictions on Palestinian movement increasing.

Violence and annexation of the West Bank by Israeli settlers are escalating, two years after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled the Israeli occupation illegal, a UN human rights spokesperson stated. Ravina Shamdasani of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) described the situation as "only worsening."

"As attacks by Israeli settlers, and settlement and outpost building reach historically high levels, third states must act urgently and collectively to stop the killing and dispossession of the Palestinian people, and to end the Israeli occupation," Shamdasani said in a statement. The UN official voiced alarm over declarations from the Israeli government regarding increased settlement construction and public calls from Israeli leaders for "revenge and collective punishment" against Palestinian communities, with threats to turn the West Bank into "another Gaza."

The ICJ's advisory opinion in July 2024 declared Israel's occupation of the West Bank, ongoing since 1967, to be unlawful. The court mandated that Israel "must end its illegal presence as soon as possible."

Violence in the occupied West Bank has significantly intensified since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. Israeli settlers now attack Palestinians almost daily, frequently raiding Palestinian villages. Shamdasani reported that eight Palestinians, including a boy, were killed in the West Bank since the previous Thursday. Two Israeli soldiers also lost their lives.

Settlers and Israeli security forces, often acting in concert, are described as attacking local communities, families, destroying property, confiscating possessions, and burning mosques. Movement restrictions for Palestinians have become more stringent, hindering their access to essential services, Shamdasani added. Her remarks followed a statement by the UN's top official for the Middle East peace process, who expressed concern over the "rapidly deteriorating" situation and condemned the escalating settler violence.

Keฤลพe รบtoky izraelskรฝch osadnรญkov, budovanie osรกd a stanovรญลกลฅ dosahujรบ historicky najvyลกลกiu รบroveลˆ, tretie ลกtรกty musia urรฝchlene a jednotne konaลฅ, aby zastavili zabรญjanie a vyvlastลˆovanie palestรญnskeho ฤพudu, a aby ukonฤili izraelskรบ okupรกciu

โ€” Ravina ShamdasaniovรกUrging third states to act against escalating settler violence and occupation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by SME in Slovak. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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