UN warns of ongoing campaign of 'intimidation' of illegal Israeli settlers in West Bank

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN warned Friday of escalating illegal Israeli settler violence and forced displacement in the occupied West Bank, while humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip face mounting challenges, including an attack on a fuel tanker.

"In the West Bank, increased closure of Israeli checkpoints and road gates since the regional escalation began continues to restrict Palestinian’s access to services and workplaces. Emergency services and humanitarian work are also impacted," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference on the situation in Palestinian territories.

Stressing that "operations and violence by Israeli settlers and Israeli security forces is continuing," Dujarric said the moves by Israelis are "resulting in casualties, damage and forced displacement" of Palestinians.

After a campaign of "attacks, threats, trespassing, and intimidation" by illegal Israeli settlers from a newly established illegal outpost, he said at least "eight Palestinian families, some 45 people, were forced to leave their community, Shakara, in the Nablus governorate" on Thursday.

Noting that the UN and its partners have since moved in to provide mental health and psychosocial support, legal advice, shelter and cash assistance to the displaced families, Dujarric stressed that "Palestinians in the West Bank must be protected, and perpetrators must be held to account. "

Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 8, 2023, with Israeli forces and illegal Israeli settlers carrying out attacks that include killings, arrests, property destruction, home demolitions, displacement and settlement expansion.

The attacks have killed at least 1,121 Palestinians and injured 11,700, in addition to the arrest of nearly 22,000 Palestinians.

Palestinians warn that the violations could pave the way for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, effectively ending the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state as envisioned in UN resolutions.

The international community and the UN consider the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, an occupied Palestinian territory and view Israeli settlements there illegal under international law.

In Gaza, he said an oil tanker belonging to the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) was struck en route to collect fuel for humanitarian distribution, though no injuries were reported.

UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva called for a full investigation and said that "fuel must be allowed into Gaza consistently, its delivery facilitated safely and without interruption to keep humanitarian operations going."

UN humanitarian partners continue providing emergency health care, maternal services and trauma care inside Gaza, Dujarric said, while carefully managing dwindling fuel supplies.

"Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected," he said.