At UN Security Council, Britain deplores ‘egregious’ occupier violence in West Bank

At the UN Security Council, Britain on Tuesday denounced escalating occupier violence in the West Bank, warning that attacks against Palestinians are rising and undermining prospects for peace.

Addressing the council, Ambassador James Kariuki, the British charge d’affaires at the UN, said London “deplores such egregious acts of settler violence,” calling for urgent action to ensure accountability.

Kariuki pointed to a “deteriorating trajectory” in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, citing increasing incidents of violence, forced displacement, and illegal evictions.

According to UN data, he said, Israeli forces and occupiers killed 33 Palestinians and injured 790 others in the first months of the year alone.

“Condemnation alone is not enough,” he said, urging Israeli authorities to take “concrete steps to prevent attacks against Palestinians,” ensure the protection of civilians in line with international law, and guarantee accountability where crimes have been committed.

He added that while the Israeli government has condemned certain incidents and launched investigations, “accountability for previous incidents has been severely lacking.”

Kariuki also warned that the pace of illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank is “unprecedented,” alongside what he described as severe economic restrictions imposed by Israel.

“These must stop,” he said, stressing that such measures “undermine the 20-point plan and the very viability of the two-state solution,” referring to a plan introduced last fall by US President Donald Trump and endorsed by the Security Council in November.

Beyond the West Bank, he said the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains “grave,” pointing to significant declines in aid delivery and increasing constraints on humanitarian operations.

Citing UN figures, he said aid entering Gaza fell 37% in the first quarter of the year compared to the previous three months, adding that this falls short of targets outlined in the internationally backed plan.

“The UN, including UNRWA (agency for Palestinian refugees) and other humanitarian partners, must be able to operate unimpeded, with unrestricted entry and functioning crossings,” he said.

Kariuki stressed that Israel “must allow much needed medical equipment, shelter items, and fuel in to support essential and life-saving services,” describing current restrictions as “unacceptable.”

He concluded by urging all sides to “show courage” and engage in good faith to seize what he described as a “historic opportunity” to advance a two-state solution.