UN: Israel must end support for attacks by settlers

GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday called on Israel to halt its support of attacks by settlers in the West Bank, which has seen an uptick of raids by Israel since the Hamas-led October 7 attack.

The call came a day after two Palestinians were shot dead in the West Bank on Monday. Tensions have risen since October 7 but saw a spike over the last week, when Israeli teenager Binyamin Achimair (14) was killed near the outpost he lived on, and two Palestinians were killed in clashes that erupted during IDF raids in the nearby towns that followed Achimair’s killing.

“Israel, as the occupying power, must take all measures in its power to restore, and ensure, as far as possible, public order and safety in the occupied West Bank,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN

High Commissioner Human Rights.

“This obligation includes protecting Palestinians from settler attacks, and ending unlawful use of force against Palestinians by the Israeli Security Forces.”

She added: “The Israeli Security Forces must immediately end their active participation in and support for settler attacks on Palestinians.”

Violence in the West Bank was already on the rise before the Hamas massacre. It has escalated since, with stepped-up Israeli military raids, settler violence, and Palestinian street attacks.

Shamdasani described the escalating violence in the West Bank as “a matter of grave concern.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry has said that at least 466 people in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers. It does not distinguish combatants from non-combatants. for