UNITED NATIONS, Ahead of Sunday\u2019s emergency United Nations Security Council meeting to address the escalating violence between Israel and the Palestinians, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet appealed to all sides to take steps to de-escalate the increasingly alarming situation in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the past 10 days, the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel has deteriorated at an alarming rate,\u201d she said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe situation in Sheikh Jarrah in occupied East Jerusalem, triggered by threats of forced evictions of Palestinian families; the heavy presence of Israeli Security Forces and violence around the al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan; the severe escalation of attacks from and on Gaza; and the shocking incitement to racial hatred and violence in Israel have all led to vicious attacks and mounting casualties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Bachelet added that \u201crather than seeking to calm tensions, inflammatory rhetoric from leaders on all sides appears to be seeking to excite tensions rather than to calm them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, casualties continue to mount in exchanges between the Israeli troops and those from the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza. On Saturday, UNICEF Palestine reported on Twitter that eight children were killed overnight in Gaza, and that so far 40 children there, and two in Israel, have lost their lives.<\/p>\n
ON Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, will address the 15-member Council, officials said.<\/p>\n
Ms Bachelet warned that the firing of large numbers of indiscriminate rockets by Palestinian armed groups into Israel, including densely populated areas, amounts to war crimes.
\nThere are also concerns that some attacks by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza \u201ctargeted civilian objects that, under international humanitarian law, do not meet the requirements to be considered as military objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her statement said failure to adhere to the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in conducting military operations \u201camounts to a serious violation of international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI urge both sides to ensure strict respect for their obligations under international law. Israel, as the occupying power, also has a duty to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance to the Gaza strip,\u201d the UN rights chief said. \u201cThose found to be responsible for violations must be held to account.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Bachelet also called on the Israeli Government to take action against the \u201cdisturbing outbreak of violence\u201d between ultra-right wing groups, including Israeli settlers, and Palestinian citizens of Israel, in several cities of the country.<\/p>\n
She expressed particular concern over \u201cthe apparently highly organized nature of some attacks as well as inflammatory language that may amount to incitement to racial and religious hatred and violence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reports also indicate that in some cases, organized convoys arrived from Israeli settlements in the West Bank to join local groups. Violent attacks have also been perpetrated by some Palestinian citizens of Israel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am particularly concerned at reports that Israeli police failed to intervene where Palestinian citizens of Israel were being violently attacked, and that social media is being used by ultra-right wing groups to rally people to bring \u201cweapons, knives, clubs, knuckledusters\u201d to use against Palestinian citizens of Israel,\u201d Ms Bachelet said.<\/p>\n
She reminded the Israeli authorities of their duty to protect all residents and citizens, and urged political leaders to refrain from actions that will inflame tensions and instead work to prevent and address incitement to hatred and violence.<\/p>\n
The High Commissioner was also deeply disturbed by the reported use of live ammunition by Israeli Security Forces during protests and clashes in the West Bank, resulting in the death of 10 Palestinians on Friday alone.<\/p>\n
Ms Bachelet called for independent, transparent and thorough investigations into all allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know from recent history how such a grave situation can advance with utterly catastrophic consequences for thousands of civilians,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere can be no winner, no sustainable peace resulting from the furtherance of the cycle of violence. I urge all sides \u2013 and States with influence \u2013 to take immediate measures to to ensure respect for international law, ease tensions, and work to resolve \u2013 rather than fan \u2013 the conflict.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS, Ahead of Sunday\u2019s emergency United Nations Security Council meeting to address the escalating violence between Israel and the Palestinians, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet appealed to all sides to take steps to de-escalate the increasingly alarming situation in the region. […]<\/p>\n
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