New York, March 24 (SANA) UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned recent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, calling for immediate de-escalation and measures to protect civilians.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters, according to Palestinian news agency WAFA, that Guterres “condemns the attacks targeting Palestinians and their property,” noting the escalation has resulted in deaths, injuries and widespread damage.
He said the repeated attacks have, in some cases, led to the displacement of entire Palestinian communities, warning of a worsening situation on the ground.
Guterres reiterated that Israeli settlements and related infrastructure are “illegal under international law and constitute a clear violation of UN resolutions.”
He called for an immediate end to violence against civilians and urged concrete steps to reduce tensions and restore stability.
The West Bank has seen a recent rise in settler violence, including incidents in which five Palestinian workers were run over in two separate attacks.
In the town of Nahalin, west of Bethlehem, two incidents were reported, while settlers also vandalized homes and a school and set fire to a house in the Jordan Valley and Masafer Yatta areas.
According to the Palestinian Information Center, Israeli forces and settlers have carried out 18,595 attacks in the West Bank since the start of the year, resulting in 34 deaths and 616 injuries.
The center said settlers were responsible for 1,112 of those incidents, many targeting villages and farmland, including the destruction of property and uprooting of olive trees, particularly in Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron.
R.D
