UN High Commissioner warns of escalating settler violence, accelerated annexation of land in West Bank

NEW YORK, July 31 (YPA) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned of an unprecedented escalation in settler violence and the annexation of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, stressing that these violations have increased significantly over the past two years.

The Shihab News Agency quoted the High Commissioner on Friday as saying that this escalation comes two years after the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, which affirmed the illegality of the occupation of Palestinian territory and the construction of settlements, and called for the withdrawal of the occupation forces.

He explained that settler attacks are often carried out in cooperation with occupation soldiers, and include storming Palestinian communities, assaulting families, destroying and confiscating property, and burning mosques, in addition to imposing severe restrictions that impede Palestinians’ access to basic services.

Türk stressed that settler violence and measures amounting to de facto annexation of land are accelerating at a dangerous pace, calling on the international community to take immediate action to stop these violations and ensure respect for international law and resolutions of international legitimacy.