Israeli Military Actions in West Bank Spark UN Concern

APP

United Nations: Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a senior official from the UN human rights office, OHCHR, highlighted a substantial increase in Israeli actions against Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank.

Ajith Sunghay, head of the OHCHR Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stated that the Israeli defense force (IDF) is behaving as though there is an armed conflict in the West Bank. Sunghay emphasized that the situation was already dire prior to the eruption of hostilities in Gaza on October 7th.

Last year marked the deadliest period for Palestinians in the West Bank since the UN began recording data in 2005, with a notable surge in violations, including settler violence, excessive use of force by the IDF, demolitions, and evictions.

Demolitions were reported on Tuesday in the northern village of Furush Beit Dajan, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on social media. 

Sunghay said that while global attention has been focused on Gaza, the intensity and frequency of violations increased in the West Bank. 

“If we consider the toll in terms of casualties, due to the extensive IDF operations in the West Bank, particularly in Tulkarem, Jenin, Nablus, and occasionally in Jericho and other areas, there has been a notable increase,” he remarked. He also stated that the number of people detained has seen a significant surge, nearing 9,000.

He emphasized the interconnectedness of events between Gaza and the West Bank, highlighting that “whatever happens in Gaza has a massive impact on the West Bank, and vice versa, because they are the same people.”

“There is now widespread fear among the West Bank population, with concerns about incursions, raids, arrests, settler violence, and significant movement restrictions, all of which affect their daily lives profoundly,” he concluded.