EU calls on Israel to take measures to protect Palestinians

RAMALLAH, Palestine

The EU has called on Israel to take measures to protect the Palestinians, expressing its concern about the increasing violence of Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

“Under IHL (international humanitarian law), IL (international law), authorities (of Israel) must take all necessary measures to protect Palestinians and their property against settler violence,” the EU Delegation to the Palestinians tweeted on Wednesday.

The delegation said it was “concerned about the recent violence by settlers in the village of At Tuwani and the South Hebron Hills carried out against Palestinian residents and human right defenders.”

It pointed out that two Israeli human rights defenders were accompanying on Monday a Palestinian shepherd and his flock of sheep on private Palestinian land when more than a dozen settlers began harassing and threatening them.

“This is entirely unacceptable,” it said.

“Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against HR (human rights) violations and fundamental freedoms,” the EU said.

From the beginning of this year until March 21, Israeli settlers carried out 128 attacks in the West Bank, 113 of which caused property damage, and in 15 of them, Palestinian were injured, according to the UN.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat