UN raises ‘ethnic cleansing’ concerns over Israel’s Hebron operation

The United Nations has expressed serious concerns over Israel's ongoing military operation in the West Bank city of Hebron, warning of potential ethnic cleansing. The operation was launched following a deadly attack by Palestinian gunmen, who killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near the city. In response, Israeli troops entered the Ein Deir Baha neighborhood, where the assailants lived, and ordered residents to evacuate their homes.

According to the Palestinian municipality, 3,189 people have been forced to leave their homes due to the ongoing operation. This includes the demolition of homes and commercial properties, further exacerbating the displacement of Palestinians. UN Rights Chief Volker Turk stated that Israel's aggressive operation has resulted in the forcible displacement of thousands of Palestinians, and that the measures taken raise grave concerns of unnecessary and disproportionate use of force.

Turk emphasized that collective punishment is a violation of international law and called for the immediate return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, along with compensation and reparation for unlawful evictions and demolitions. He also condemned the lockdown imposed by Israeli authorities, which confines many residents to their homes and immediate neighborhoods.

In a separate statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep alarm over Israel's actions in the West Bank. He noted that evictions are ongoing and Palestinians are being driven from their lands, while settler violence has been surging. Guterres warned that the situation could lead to an increasingly coercive environment, with the specter of ethnic cleansing looming.

He stressed that there can be no durable peace in the Middle East without the realization of the Palestinian people's legitimate rights to self-determination.