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UN briefing says West Bank settlement approvals and rising settler violence threaten communities
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Summary
Khaled Fayari told the Security Council Israeli planning advanced 1,080 housing units in the West Bank and 400 in East Jerusalem and warned increased settler attacks and military operations have caused civilian deaths and displacement, eroding prospects for a political process.
In a Security Council briefing, Khaled Fayari reported that Israeli authorities advanced plans for roughly 1,080 housing units in the West Bank — including 680 in Area C — and 400 housing units in East Jerusalem during a recent reporting period, and that the Israeli cabinet approved 34 settlements across Area C on March 25. He warned that settlement expansion and regularization are contributing to heightened tensions in the West Bank.
Fayari said the reporting period saw 21 Palestinians, including six children, killed by Israeli forces or settlers and 310 Palestinians, including 45 children, injured. He also cited an Israeli report of one Israeli killed and 11 injured in attacks by Palestinians.
Fayari described an escalation in settler attacks, sometimes occurring in the presence of Israeli soldiers or with their participation, and said operations and access restrictions have led to prolonged displacement of more than 33,000 residents from refugee camps, including Jenin. He called on Israeli authorities to take immediate action to stop the violence and stressed the urgency of protecting civilians.
Fayari linked the worsening security environment to further erosion of prospects for a political solution, saying the situation undermines livelihoods, increases reliance on humanitarian assistance and contributes to a fiscal crisis for Palestinian institutions. He urged measures to protect civilians and to restore conditions conducive to political progress.
