The situation in the West Bank “threatens to spiral out of control,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned Friday. “The latest killings and violence, along with the inflammatory rhetoric only serve to plunge Israelis and Palestinians deeper into the abyss,” he said in a statement.
About 20 people – mostly Palestinians – have been killed since the start of the week in the West Bank, in Israeli military incursions or attacks by Palestinian assailants or Israeli settlers, bringing the death toll to more than 200. to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the beginning of the year. “Israel must urgently review its policies and actions in the occupied West Bank, in line with international human rights standards, including the protection and respect for the right to life,” the high commissioner said.
“As the occupying power, Israel also has an obligation under international humanitarian law to ensure public order and security in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” he added. “For this violence to end, the occupation must end,” he said. “On all sides, those in power know this and must take immediate action to achieve this. »
Since the beginning of the year, at least 174 Palestinians, 25 Israelis, a Ukrainian and an Italian have been killed in violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to an AFP tally compiled from official Israeli and Palestinian sources . These statistics include, on the Palestinian side, combatants and civilians, including minors, and on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, including minors, and three members of the Arab minority.
According to the High Commission, Israeli security forces have killed at least 126 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of the year. “Among them were 21 boys and one girl. In the whole of 2022, 155 Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is the highest number in the last 17 years,” the High Commissioner said. Office. “The highest number of Israelis were killed last year since 2016,” he adds.