UN condemns Israeli settlers' seizure of eight Palestinian homes in Jericho
Settlers reportedly used live ammunition and assaulted residents during the takeover in the occupied West Bank, forcing dozens to flee, the UN says.
At a glance
- UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said settlers reportedly used live ammunition and assaulted residents in Jericho on Wednesday.
- About 30 settlers took over eight homes in Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta, according to the Israeli watchdog Peace Now.
- Settlers say the homes were bought legally, while Palestinian officials say the sale documents were forged.
The United Nations has condemned the seizure of eight Palestinian homes by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho, saying residents were assaulted and dozens of people forced to flee.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters on Thursday that settlers reportedly used live ammunition during the takeover the previous day. He said they also physically assaulted Palestinian residents and threw stones, prompting families to flee for their safety. Some of those displaced now lack adequate shelter, he added, while the Israeli military has since declared the area a closed military zone, keeping humanitarian workers from reaching those affected.
"We once again condemn all of these violent activities by the Israeli settlers," Dujarric said.
What happened
About 30 settlers took over the houses in Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta, on the outskirts of Jericho, on Wednesday afternoon, according to Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog. The group said reports indicated the settlers assaulted and robbed two Israeli activists and shot a Palestinian man in the leg.
Rival accounts of the purchase
The settlers say they bought the homes legally. Hanan Greenwood, a settler representative, told the AFP news agency that Nachala, a right-wing Israeli organisation, had bought the eight homes "with our help", and said he was "very excited" to be there. Nachala funds the creation of new settlements in the occupied West Bank and campaigns for Israel to annex the territory.
Hussein Hamayel, governor of the Jericho region, told AFP the land belongs to the Palestinian Authority and cannot be sold. "What is being promoted is a forgery, not a sale, and what is being circulated is settler propaganda," he said.
Land status and wider tensions
The land lies in Area C of the West Bank, which has been under Israeli control since the Oslo Accords of the 1990s. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements there, which are illegal under international law.
Attacks by settlers in the occupied West Bank have approached all-time highs this year, and several Palestinian communities in the greater Jericho area have already been driven from their homes. Residents said they feared the new settlers would step up such attacks and bring a heavier military presence.
That pattern has played out in Hebron, where some 400 settlers live in the Old City, in a city of about 250,000 Palestinians. According to Peace Now, the Israeli presence in Hebron has led to constant friction and violence and severe restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement, and has resulted in the displacement of thousands of Palestinians.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- What happened in Jericho?
- About 30 Israeli settlers seized eight Palestinian homes in Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta, on the outskirts of Jericho, on Wednesday afternoon, according to Peace Now. The UN says residents were assaulted and dozens of people were displaced.
- Who owns the land and the homes in Jericho?
- Settler representative Hanan Greenwood told AFP that the right-wing organisation Nachala bought the eight homes with settlers' help. Jericho governor Hussein Hamayel said the land belongs to the Palestinian Authority and cannot be sold, calling the documents a forgery.
- What has the UN said about the seizure?
- UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric condemned the settlers' actions, saying they reportedly used live ammunition and assaulted Palestinian residents, prompting families to flee for their safety.
