The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner recently expressed serious concerns over the escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. As articulated in their official statement released on Friday, the body highlights what it categorizes as “multi-layered human rights violations of Palestinians.” Since the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel and subsequent Israeli responses, the statement notes, 132 Palestinians have died, including 41 children. Two Israeli soldiers have also lost their lives during this period.
The UN body suggests that the Israeli military’s active presence in the region significantly contributes to settler violence. The statement points out instances of military weapons and tactics used against civilians, including an airstrike on the Jenin refugee camp as well as daily attacks by individuals wielding firearms. The Office alleges that Israeli forces often accompanied these settlers, or the settlers themselves were in military uniforms and armed with army rifles.
In a concerning claim, the UN report observes indications of near total impunity for settler violence, with growing concern that armed settlers have been seemingly acting in conjunction with Israeli forces and authorities. Since October 7, close to a thousand Palestinians from herding communities have reportedly been displaced. These displacements often occurred under the threat of violence, with Palestinians purportedly receiving ultimatums to leave their homes or risk being killed.
According to the Israel Policy Forum, Israeli settlements in the West Bank consist predominantly of Jewish communities in territories acquired following the 1967 Six-Day War with no official Israeli sovereignty enacted over these areas. This policy of settlement has been met with opposition from the international community, including the United States. Despite international pressure, the Israeli government has approved plans for the expansion of West Bank settlements as recently as July.
With human rights bodies and the global community expressing apprehension over the growing tension and violence in the West Bank, it remains critical to monitor how the situation unfolds in the coming days.