Nablus, West Bank – The United Nations and the United Kingdom have expressed serious concerns regarding the escalating violence in the West Bank. Calls have been made for Israeli security forces to immediately cease supporting settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied territory.
Recent events have been marked by tragedy, with two Palestinian men being killed by Israeli settlers in a northern village south of Nablus. The incident reportedly stemmed from a clash in which settlers entered Palestinian-owned land and assaulted residents. Tensions in the area have been on the rise since the killing of a 14-year-old boy from a settler family over the weekend.
Reports from Palestinian authorities indicate an increase in attacks carried out by settlers across the West Bank, with Israeli security forces allegedly present during some of the incidents. The mayor of Aqraba, a town near Nablus, witnessed a violent attack where armed settlers targeted members of the community, resulting in casualties among Palestinian youths.
The UN’s human rights office has condemned the attacks, stating that Palestinians in the West Bank have faced waves of violence from Israeli settlers, often with the apparent support of Israeli security forces. The office emphasized the need for Israeli authorities to prevent further attacks and bring those responsible to justice.
In response, the UK Foreign Office has also expressed alarm over the “shocking levels of violence” in the occupied West Bank. The UK government called the settler attacks “completely unacceptable” and urged Israeli authorities to restore calm, conduct transparent investigations into all deaths, and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has seen a surge in violence over the past year, with official Palestinian sources reporting at least 468 Palestinian deaths at the hands of Israeli forces or settlers since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The recent wave of settler attacks has prompted the US and UK to impose sanctions against violent individuals involved in displacing Palestinian communities from their land.
Efforts to address the escalating violence include UK sanctions against four Israeli nationals identified as “extremist settlers” who have engaged in violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. The UK government has called on Israel to take stronger action to curb settler violence and prevent further abuses of human rights in the region.
The situation in the West Bank remains tense, with ongoing concerns about the safety and security of Palestinian communities amidst the growing violence. International pressure continues to mount on Israeli authorities to address the root causes of the conflict and work towards a peaceful resolution in the region.