United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has on Friday urged an end to the “illogic of escalation that has been building up, to the detriment of the human rights of Palestinians and Israelis”. Record numbers of Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2022, which also saw the highest number of Israeli fatalities inside Israel and the West Bank in years.
“Rather than doubling down on failed approaches of violence and coercion that have singularly failed in the past, I urge everyone involved to step out of the illogic of escalation that has only ended in dead bodies, shattered lives and utter despair,” Türk said. “I fear that recent measures being taken by the Government of Israel are only fueling further violations and abuses of human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law.”
In 2022, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) documented 151 killings of Palestinians by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem, plus one boy who was killed by either the Israeli security forces or a settler. Another two Palestinians were killed by Israeli settlers. In many of the cases involving security forces, there were serious concerns of excessive use of force and arbitrary killings.
“Last year saw record numbers of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem – and the highest number of fatalities of Israelis inside Israel and in the occupied West Bank in many years. Already this year, we have seen more bloodshed, more destruction, and the situation continues to grow more volatile,” Türk said.
According to the OHCHR, 32 Palestinians have already been killed in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces so far this year, with two more killed by settlers. In 2022, 24 Israelis were killed inside Israel and in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem by Palestinians, and seven more have been killed so far this year.
Israeli authorities on 29 January announced measures to seal off immediately family homes of those suspected of having perpetrated attacks on 27 and 28 January in occupied East Jerusalem, including an attack in a settlement near a synagogue. More than 40 people, including family members, were arrested purportedly in relation to the attacks.
Two families of the suspected attackers were forcibly evicted from their homes. Other proposed measures include revoking identity documents, citizenship and residency rights and social security benefits of family members of suspected attackers, and accelerating demolitions of houses for lack of building permits. If implemented, these may amount to collective punishment.
“Measures of collective punishment – including punitive forced evictions and house demolitions – are expressly prohibited under international humanitarian law and are incompatible with international human rights law provisions,” Türk said.
The High Commissioner called for urgent measures to de-escalate tensions, including – crucially – ensuring that killings and serious injuries are investigated in accordance with international standards.
Türk urged Israel to ensure that all operations of its security forces in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem, are carried out with full respect for international human rights law, in particular the rules regulating the use of force in law enforcement operations. Use of firearms is allowed only as a last resort, when there is an imminent threat to life or serious injury.
“The people of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory need their leaders to work – urgently – to create conditions conducive to a political solution to this protracted, untenable situation,” Türk stressed.
The overall humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is characterized by an ongoing political crisis marked by 55 years of Israeli military occupation. The humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by violence against civilians, lack of compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law, internal Palestinian divisions, and repeated escalation of hostilities between Israel and armed Palestinian groups.
The UN estimates that 2.1 million Palestinians across the OPT need some form of humanitarian assistance this year. Among them are more than 1 million children. The people in need represent 58 per cent of the population in Gaza and one quarter of people living in the West Bank.
Further information
Full text: Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory: UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk calls for the “illogic of escalation” to stop, OHCHR press release, published February 3, 2023
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/02/israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territory-un-human-rights-chief-volker-turk