The United Nations Asks Israel To End Support For Residential Attacks On Palestinians In The West Bank

Illustration of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. (Wikimedia Commons/men'smen)

JAKARTA - The United Nations Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Israel to stop its support for attacks carried out by settlers in the occupied West Bank, where attacks on Palestinians have increased since the latest Hamas-Israeli conflict broke out last October.

The call came a day after Israeli settlers shot dead two Palestinians in the West Bank on Monday, after Israeli forces killed a Palestinian teenager in a military attack.

"Israel, as a occupation force, must take all measures they have to recover, and ensure public order and security as much as possible in the occupied West Bank," said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. April 17th.

"This obligation includes protecting Palestinians from settlers' attacks, ending the unlawful use of violence against Palestinians by Israeli Defense Forces," he said.

He added: "Israel Defense Forces must immediately end their active participation and support for the settlers' attacks on Palestinians."

It is known that violence in the West Bank had escalated before Israel's attack on Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7. Since then, the conflict has escalated, with increasing Israeli military attacks, settlers' violence, and Palestinian street attacks.

Shamdasani described the increasing violence in the West Bank as a very concerning problem.

In addition to the 33,843 deaths and injuries to 76,575 since the Israeli-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, according to Hamas-run authorities, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said at least 466 people in the West Bank had been killed by Israeli troops or settlers.