UK Condemns Rising West Bank Violence at UN Security Council

(MENAFN) Britain has expressed strong concern at the United Nations Security Council over what it described as escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, warning that the situation is worsening and threatening the prospects for peace.

Speaking during Tuesday’s session, UK chargé d’affaires at the UN James Kariuki said London “deplores such egregious acts of settler violence,” calling for urgent measures to ensure accountability for attacks against Palestinians.

He described what he called a “deteriorating trajectory” in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem, pointing to increasing reports of violence, forced displacement, and illegal evictions affecting Palestinian communities.

Citing UN figures, Kariuki said that Israeli forces and settlers had killed 33 Palestinians and injured 790 others in the early months of the year.

He stressed that “condemnation alone is not enough,” urging Israeli authorities to take concrete steps to prevent further attacks, protect civilians in line with international law, and ensure accountability when violations occur.

While noting that some incidents have been condemned by the Israeli government and that certain investigations have been opened, he argued that “accountability for previous incidents has been severely lacking.”

Kariuki also warned that the pace of settlement expansion in the West Bank is “unprecedented,” and highlighted what he described as increasingly restrictive economic measures imposed in the territory, which he said are further worsening conditions on the ground.

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