Situation in occupied West Bank is ‘alarming and urgent’: UN

Gaza, The Gulf Observer: The situation in the occupied West Bank has become “alarming and urgent,” the United Nations said, citing in particular an escalation of violence by Israeli settlers towards Palestinians.

From October 7 to November 2, 132 Palestinians, including 41 children, had been killed in the occupied West Bank while two Israeli soldiers also perished, the UN human rights office said on Friday.

Much of the world’s attention has been focused on Gaza since the Israel’s war on the besieged Palestinian enclave began on October 7.

But “the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is alarming and urgent, amid the increasing and multi-layered human rights violations of Palestinians occurring there,” spokesperson Elizabeth Throssell told reporters in Geneva.

She said Israeli forces were increasingly using military tactics and weapons in law enforcement operations, including an operation involving air strikes on the Jenin refugee camp.

“Settler violence, which was already at record levels, has also escalated dramatically, averaging seven attacks a day. In more than a third of these attacks, firearms were used,” Throssell said.

She said in many cases settlers were accompanied by Israeli soldiers.

“Along with the near total impunity for settler violence, we are concerned that armed settlers have been acting with the acquiescence and collaboration of Israeli forces and authorities.”