UNITED NATIONS — A senior United Nations official has warned that the security situation in the occupied West Bank is deteriorating rapidly, citing escalating violence, civilian casualties, displacement and a surge in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov, said the latest escalation has heightened insecurity across the occupied territory and increased the risk of a broader regional crisis.
“In the past week, the escalating violence in the West Bank has resulted in civilian casualties, displacement, damage to property, and growing insecurity across affected communities,” Alakbarov told the council.
UN Condemns Settler Attacks
Alakbarov expressed concern over what he described as persistently high levels of attacks by Israeli settlers targeting Palestinian communities, homes, places of worship and civilian infrastructure.
“Israeli settler attacks against Palestinian communities, homes, places of worship and civilian infrastructure have persisted at alarming levels,” he said.
He urged the Israeli government to take immediate action to prevent further attacks, protect Palestinian civilians and ensure those responsible are held accountable.
“The Israeli government must take immediate and effective measures to prevent settler violence, protect Palestinian communities, and ensure that all perpetrators are held accountable,” he said.
Recent Clashes Heighten Tensions
Violence in the occupied West Bank has intensified since Hamas launched its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, triggering the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Last Friday, clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the village of Tell left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead.
In response, the Israeli military launched what it described as a counter-terrorism operation in the West Bank, conducting raids in Nablus and surrounding towns and announcing the arrest of dozens of Palestinians.
Palestinian officials also reported that Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques in the occupied West Bank overnight on Sunday, further fuelling tensions.
Call for Restraint
While criticising settler violence, Alakbarov also condemned attacks by Palestinians against Israelis and urged Palestinian leaders and communities to reject violence.
He warned that the worsening situation in the West Bank is compounding the humanitarian and security crisis across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“The rapidly deteriorating situation in the West Bank is compounding the already alarming conditions across the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with a wider escalation increasingly likely unless immediate steps are taken to reverse course,” he said.
The UN has repeatedly called on all parties to exercise restraint, protect civilians and pursue measures aimed at reducing tensions and preventing further escalation.
