UN Urges Israel to 'End Unlawful Killings' in West Bank as Conditions 'Rapidly' Deteriorate

Although Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip has received greater attention, the United Nations also cites numerous abuses in the occupied West Bank territory.

The United Nations released a report Thursday urging Israel to end “unlawful killings” in the West Bank, citing a “rapidly deteriorating human rights situation.”

The report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) cited the use of heavy handed tactics by security officials leading to “arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of Palestinians” as well as “discriminatory movement restrictions.”

“The UN Human Rights Office has verified the deaths of 300 Palestinians from 7 October to 27 December 2023 – including 79 children – in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” read a news release accompanying the report. Of those deaths, 201 involved no exchange of fire from the victim while 105 were caused by airstrikes and similar use of military force.

“The use of military tactics means and weapons in law enforcement contexts, the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force, and the enforcement of broad, arbitrary and discriminatory movement restrictions that affect Palestinians are extremely troubling,” read a statement from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

“The violations documented in this report repeat the pattern and nature of violations reported in the past in the context of the long-standing Israeli occupation of the West Bank. However, the intensity of the violence and repression is something that has not been seen in years,” he added.

“I call on Israel to take immediate, clear and effective steps to put an end to settler violence against the Palestinian population, to investigate all incidents of violence by settlers and Israeli Security Forces, to ensure effective protection of Palestinian communities against any form of forcible transfer, and to ensure the ability of herding communities displaced due to repeated attacks by armed settlers to return to their lands.”

The report documented the injury of 3,000 Palestinians by Israeli security forces, including “at least 355 children.” Israeli security often prevented the medical treatment of injuries by targeting Palestinian ambulances and paramedics or delaying their response.

Additionally, Israeli military incursions were blamed for “extensive damage to civilian objects and infrastructure” in densely-populated areas, something also observed in Israel’s more highly-publicized operation in Gaza where at least 21,320 people have been killed, according to the latest figures from local officials.

At least 4,700 Palestinians have reportedly been arrested in the West Bank, including some 40 journalists.

The release documents the humiliation and brutal treatment of detainees:

“Some were stripped naked, blindfolded and restrained for long hours with handcuffs and with their legs tied, while Israeli soldiers stepped on their heads and backs, were spat at, slammed against walls, threatened, insulted, humiliated and in some cases subjected to sexual and gender-based violence.”

The report refers to the Palestinian territory west of the Jordan River, including East Jerusalem, which has been illegally occupied under international law by the Israeli military since 1967. Türk accused Israel of taking advantage of the situation since October 7 to accelerate the occupation of the West Bank, with both settlers and Israeli security forces engaging in violence against Palestinians.

The rhetoric of Israeli officials has explicitly sanctioned the killing and displacement of Palestinians. “We are now rolling out the Gaza Nakba,” said Israeli security cabinet member Avi Dichter last month, referring to the Arabic word for “catastrophe” used to describe the forced displacement of Palestinians upon Israel’s founding in 1948. The Nakba led to the ethnic cleansing of some 500 Palestinian towns and villages and the killing of thousands.

Israel has acted with apparent disregard for civilian life during its operation in Gaza, where some two-thirds of the dead are reportedly women and children. “A child is killed every 10 minutes. Pregnant women are undergoing C-sections with no anesthetics,” reported the organization CARE International recently, citing a “collapse of the water, sanitation, hygiene, and health infrastructure as fuel storages run out and major hospitals shut down.”

Recently, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced the country would deny visas to UN staff members to protest the organization's criticism of Israel’s conduct.