UN condemns settler seizure of eight Palestinian homes in Jericho
Dozens of Palestinians fled their homes after Israeli settlers took over eight properties near Jericho, with the UN reporting assaults and barriers to humanitarian access.
By Yuki Kaminski ·
The United Nations has condemned the takeover of eight Palestinian homes by Israeli settlers on the outskirts of Jericho in the occupied West Bank. Dozens of people were forced to flee during the seizure on Wednesday, with some of the displaced families left without adequate shelter, according to the UN.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said settlers reportedly fired live ammunition, assaulted Palestinian residents and threw stones. Families fled to protect themselves, he said. The Israeli military subsequently designated the area a closed military zone, blocking humanitarian workers from reaching those affected. Dujarric reiterated the UN's condemnation of violence by Israeli settlers.
Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said about 30 settlers arrived in Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta on Wednesday afternoon to take over the houses. According to the group, they assaulted and robbed two Israeli activists and shot a Palestinian man in the leg during the incident.
The settlers maintain that the properties were legally purchased, a claim disputed by Palestinian officials, who say the sale documents were forged. Hanan Greenwood, a settler representative, told AFP that the right-wing Israeli organisation Nachala had bought all eight homes with assistance from his group. Nachala finances the creation of new settlements in the occupied West Bank and advocates Israeli annexation of the territory.
Hussein Hamayel, governor of the Jericho region, rejected the claim that a valid sale had taken place. He told AFP that the land belongs to the Palestinian Authority and cannot be sold. Hamayel described the purported transaction as a forgery and dismissed the claims being circulated about it as settler propaganda.
The disputed land lies in Area C of the West Bank, which has been under Israeli control since the Oslo Accords in the 1990s. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements across the territory, and those settlements are illegal under international law.
Settler violence in the occupied West Bank has neared record levels this year. Several Palestinian communities in the wider Jericho area have already been driven from their homes. Residents expressed concern that the settlers' arrival would lead to further attacks and a larger military presence in the area.
Similar conditions have developed in Hebron, where 400 settlers live in the Old City among 250,000 Palestinians. Peace Now said the Israeli presence there has brought persistent friction and violence, sharply restricted Palestinians' freedom of movement and contributed to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians.
