UN urges Israel, Palestinians to halt violence in statement backed by US

The UN Security Council has urged Israel and the Palestinians to avoid actions that can further inflame tensions in the volatile West Bank.

The statement was backed by both the United States and Russia in a moment of unity on a divisive issue, reflecting the widespread international concern at the escalating violence especially by Israeli forces and settlers.

Tuesday's statement followed what UN Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland called an alarming spike in violence in the West Bank that led to numerous Palestinian and Israeli casualties. He warned the council that unless decisive steps are taken now to rein in the violence, there is a significant risk that events could deteriorate further.

Wennesland said he was particularly alarmed by the extreme levels of settler violence, including large numbers of settlers, many armed, systematically attacking Palestinian villages, terrorizing communities, sometimes with support from Israeli forces.

Council members called for restraint and encouraged additional steps to restore a durable calm and de-escalate tensions.

This year has been one of the deadliest for Palestinians in the West Bank in years, and last week saw a major escalation in settler violence. At least 137 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank in 2023. As of Saturday, 24 people on the Israeli side have been killed in Palestinian attacks.

The United States, Israel's closest ally, supported the council statement and US deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the council that the Biden administration shares Wennesland's alarm.

He said the United Stated was horrified by the brutal terror attack against Israelis near the West Bank town of Eli on June 21 that killed four and injured several others and condemned it in the strongest terms. He also condemned the recent extremist settler attacks against Palestinian civilians, which have resulted in a death, injuries and significant damage to their property.

At a time of escalating violence, there was widespread council criticism of plans by Israel's far-right government to build over 5,000 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and speed up settlement approvals.

Under international law, all Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal.

Wennesland warned that Israel's relentless expansion of settlements is fueling violence and is impeding access by Palestinians to their land and resources, reshaping the geography of the occupied West Bank and threatening the viability of a future Palestinian state.

Wood said the United States is "deeply troubled by Israel's announcement of new settlement homes and reports that it is taking measures to expedite the planning and approval of settlements.

Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia also expressed serious concern at the escalating violence, pointing to an Israeli raid on June 19 in the Jenin Refugee Camp that killed seven Palestinians, clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians, and intensified Israeli activity to broaden and legalize settlements.

Nebenzia warned that the situation will remain "explosive until negotiations resume on a two-state solution that sees Israel and the Palestinians living side by side in peace. He reiterated Russia's call for a meeting with the Arab League and neighbouring countries to give impetus to long-stalled talks.