Israeli settlement expansion in West Bank must be treated as emergency, UN official says

The United Nations has called for urgent action to address the alarming situation in the West Bank, with a UN official stating that the ongoing situation must be treated as an emergency. Deputy Special Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov highlighted the rapid and systematic expansion of Israeli settlements, as well as the violent actions of settlers against Palestinians. Israel has allocated significant resources, amounting to $431 million, for new settlements in mid-July alone, according to Alakbarov.

The West Bank has experienced some of its worst violence in months, with settlers storming into Palestinian communities, attacking individuals and property. The UN also reported that over 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, with 76 fatalities this year. Military raids have led to the detention of hundreds of Palestinians, and settler violence against Palestinians is on the rise due to a climate of impunity.

China emphasized the need for swift action to curb the violence, while Palestine's representative urged the Security Council to put its words into action, as it is the Security Council's responsibility to act and enforce international law. The Palestinian representative also stressed that annexation is currently underway, described as brutal and relentless.

Both Israel and the United States rejected claims that settlers were acting with impunity, with the US highlighting Israel's condemnation of violence and increased actions to counter it. Israel has taken steps such as increasing law enforcement actions, boosting the army's presence, and allocating substantial financial resources to counter violence.

However, the US has also reiterated its opposition to the annexation of the West Bank. Israel's representative criticized the Security Council for denouncing settler violence while ignoring attacks on Israelis, emphasizing that Israel is combating extremism in all its forms and prosecuting violent acts, which represent a tiny fraction of the population.