West Bank crisis: UN Secretary General calls on Israel to immediately stop airstrikes
Mr Guterres’ intervention late on Wednesday came as the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) were conducting one of their largest operations in the West Bank in years – the ISF insists it is against terrorists – with raids, air strikes including drones that have left 17 people dead so far on Thursday, according to Palestinian media.
In a statement, the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson said he was deeply concerned by the airstrikes in Tulkarm and Tubas provinces that caused casualties and damage to public infrastructure. The UN Secretary-General also strongly condemned the loss of life, including that of children.
Palestinian Authority weakened
In an appeal for an end to violence in the West Bank, the Secretary-General asserted that the latest “dangerous developments” were “further inflaming the already tense situation in the occupied West Bank and further weakening the Palestinian Authority” there.
The UN secretary-general also called for the “status quo” to be maintained at holy sites in Jerusalem, and expressed deep concern over “recent dangerous and provocative actions and statements” by Israel’s national security minister following his recent visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.
Mr. Guterres stressed that the Israeli military should also comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, calling on Israel to “protect civilians and ensure their safety.” [and] to exercise maximum restraint and only use lethal force when absolutely unavoidable,” he said. In addition, all those injured in Israeli exercises “must have access to medical care,” while aid groups must be able to reach everyone in need, he said.
The Security Council will meet
UN chief’s comments ahead of hastily convened meeting Security Council The UN’s top forum for maintaining international peace and security will meet in New York late on Thursday amid heightened tensions and fierce fighting between northern Israel and Hezbollah militants based in southern Lebanon, in addition to the war in Gaza.
On Wednesday, the United Nations human rights office, OHCHR, warned that the Israeli military’s actions risked further inflaming an “already tense situation” – citing multiple airstrikes on the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem on Monday night that killed five people – three Palestinian men and two boys aged 13 and 15.
Settler violence gets attention
“Three of the deceased, including two boys, were killed as they passed by the targeted house.…located in one of the small and cramped alleys in the camp,” OHCHR said, citing multiple sources.
The UN office warned that the situation in the occupied West Bank “could get significantly worse” if the Israeli military continued to “systematically use lethal force and ignore settler violence”.
