A Palestinian woman checks the damage after an Israeli raid, in Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 3, 2023. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta
The United Nations human rights office issued a concerning report on the situation in the occupied West Bank, describing it as “alarming.” Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), emphasized the urgent nature of the conditions in the region, including East Jerusalem. The report highlighted that at least 132 Palestinians, including 41 children, lost their lives in the West Bank, with 124 of them killed by Israeli forces and eight by Israeli settlers. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed in the ongoing violence.
Israeli military operations against militants in the West Bank significantly escalated following the October 7 attack by Hamas, leading to approximately 1,260 arrests, with around 760 of those individuals being associated with Hamas. The worsening violence in the West Bank has raised concerns that the territory could become a third front in the ongoing conflict, in addition to clashes along Israel’s northern border with Lebanese Hezbollah forces.
While Hamas and the smaller Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad are primarily based in Gaza, they have expanded their presence in the West Bank in recent years, particularly in volatile cities like Jenin and Nablus.
Throssell noted that Israeli forces in the West Bank were increasingly employing military tactics and weapons in law enforcement operations. Furthermore, incidents of settler violence against Palestinian residents, already at record levels, have seen a dramatic escalation. The report documented instances where settlers were accompanied by members of the Israeli forces or where settlers themselves wore uniforms and carried army rifles.
The report raised concerns about the near-total impunity for settler violence and the perception that armed settlers were acting with the tacit approval and collaboration of Israeli forces and authorities. Ammar Al-Dwaik, Director General of the Independent Commission of Human Rights of Palestine, based in Ramallah, the seat of limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank, conveyed the growing fear among the local population. He highlighted the increased military presence and noted that the Israeli army’s treatment of people had become more aggressive and demeaning, leading to a sense of insecurity and confinement among the residents.
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