Oct. 28 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The UN special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, assured this Friday before the United Nations Security Council that the West Bank and Gaza are trapped in “a deadly spiral of violence that is increasingly difficult to contain” .
“I am horrified that children continue to be victims of violence. Children should never be subjected to violence or put in danger,” he said, adding that “the perpetrators of all acts of violence must be held accountable.”
Wennesland also explained “that the (Israeli) security forces must exercise the utmost restraint and use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life”, while stressing that “the immediate priority” is to work “to calm the situation”.
“This will require determined action from both sides, with the support of the international community,” he said, adding that “urgent efforts are needed to empower as well as strengthen the Palestinian Authority and move towards a return to a political process.”
According to the tally, during the investigation period, at least 32 Palestinians, including six minors, have been killed in clashes with Israeli security forces or in search and arrest operations, as well as in other incidents.
The number of injured has risen to 311, including a woman and eight children, while at least 106 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians have been recorded, causing 63 injuries or damage to their property.
On the Israeli side, two Army soldiers have died, while 25 civilians have been injured, including five women and three children. Likewise, at least 13 soldiers from the security forces have been injured by Palestinian attacks with shots, attacks, stones, Molotov cocktails or other means.
Wennesland has highlighted that, in total, there have been 115 recorded attacks against Israeli civilians, 100 of which were stone-throwing incidents, resulting in injuries or damage to Israeli property.
“Tensions were particularly high around Nablus, where settlers blocked main routes of Palestinian residents and, on several occasions, entered the Palestinian town of Huwwara, damaging Palestinian property and sparking clashes with residents, in some cases in the presence of the Israeli security forces,” he stressed.
Finally, Wennesland has highlighted that Israeli authorities have demolished, confiscated or forced owners to demolish 38 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and three in East Jerusalem, displacing at least 81 Palestinians.
“I call on the Israeli authorities to end the displacement and eviction of Palestinians and to approve additional plans that allow Palestinians to build legally and address their development needs,” he concluded.
