UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank

“The deadly Israeli operations in recent days raise serious concerns about unnecessary or disproportionate use of force, including methods and means developed for war fighting, in violation of international human rights law norms and standards applicable to law enforcement operations,” said Thameen Al-Kheetan, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson.

“This includes multiple airstrikes and apparently random shooting at unarmed residents attempting to flee or find safety,” the spokesperson told reporters at the UN bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.

He said that Israel, as the occupying power, had the responsibility to protect the population in the territory it occupies. As UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has stressed, Israel must adopt and enforce rules of engagement that are fully in line with applicable human rights norms and standards.

“Our Office has verified that at least 12 Palestinians have been killed and 40 injured by Israeli security forces since Tuesday, most of them reportedly unarmed. Among the injured were a doctor and two nurses, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent,” Al-Kheetan said.

“All killings in a law enforcement context must be thoroughly and independently investigated and those responsible for unlawful killings must be held to account,” he added.

“By persistently failing, over the years, to hold accountable members of its security forces responsible for unlawful killings, Israel is not only violating its obligations under international law, but risks encouraging the recurrence of such killings,” he said.

After weeks of violence by both Israeli and Palestinian security forces in Jenin, over 3,000 families have been reportedly displaced. Essential services such as water and electricity have been interrupted for weeks. The Israeli security forces have also shut down entrances to major Palestinian cities such as Hebron, closed checkpoints, and initiated long, individual searches of vehicles at those that remained open. This has cut off thousands of Palestinians from neighboring communities, and paralysed daily activities. Thirteen new iron gates have reportedly been installed at entrances to other towns across the occupied West Bank.

“Following the Gaza ceasefire announcement last week, settlers have been attacking Palestinian villages and stoning vehicles, injuring several Palestinians. Houses and vehicles have been set on fire,” Al-Kheetan said

“We are also concerned by repeated comments from some Israeli officials about plans to expand settlements further still, in a fresh breach of international law. We recall again that the transfer by Israel of its own civilian population into territories it occupies also amounts to a war crime,” the spokesperson said.

“The High Commissioner calls on Israeli authorities to cease all settlement expansion and instead evacuate all settlements, as soon as possible, as required by international law,” he said.

Al-Kheetan also called for an immediate end to the violence in the West Bank, urging “all parties, including third States with influence, to do everything in their power to ensure peace is achieved in the region”.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Geneva

Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or

Liz Throssell - + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or

Thameen Al-Kheetan: +41 22 917 4232 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org

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