Guterres expresses his “deep concern” over the recent violent episodes in the West Bank

“Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure that the civilian population is protected against all acts of violence”

June 22 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has expressed his “deep concern” over the recent violent episodes in the West Bank between Israelis and Palestinians.

“It is crucial to reduce tensions and prevent further escalation. Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure that the civilian population is protected against all acts of violence and that perpetrators are held to account,” Guterres said in a statement.

In addition, it has condemned “all acts of violence against civilians”, including the four Israelis killed by two armed Palestinians and the subsequent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages in Nablus and Ramallah.

He has also shown his concern about the death of seven Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli Army after an operation in Jenin on Monday.

“We have been very clear about the need to end the occupation. We have been very clear about our support for the two-state solution which has as its ultimate goal the establishment of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side on the another in peace and security,” added Guterres’s spokesman, Farhan Haq, during a press conference.

The Secretary General has assured that the only way to end “the devastating cycle of violence and senseless loss of life” is with “a return to a meaningful political process.”