UN Condemns Violent Seizure of 8 Palestinian Homes in Jericho by Israeli Settlers, Displacing Dozens

The United Nations has strongly condemned the forceful takeover of eight Palestinian homes by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho. According to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, a representative for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, settlers reportedly used live ammunition, physically assaulted Palestinian residents, and threw stones during the incident on Wednesday. These actions compelled dozens of people to flee their homes for safety, leaving some without adequate shelter.

The Israeli military has since declared the area a closed military zone, hindering humanitarian access to those affected. Dujarric reiterated the UN's condemnation of such violent activities by Israeli settlers.

The incident involved approximately 30 Israeli settlers, associated with the right-wing Nachala organization, who targeted homes in Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta, on the outskirts of Jericho. Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog, reported that during the seizure, settlers allegedly assaulted and robbed two Israeli activists and shot a Palestinian man in the leg. While settlers claim legal purchase of the homes, Palestinian officials assert the sale documents are forged.

Hanan Greenwood, a settler representative, told AFP that Nachala, an organization focused on establishing new settlements and advocating for annexation, had acquired the homes. However, Hussein Hamayel, governor of the Jericho region, stated that the land belongs to the Palestinian Authority and cannot be sold, labeling the claims as settler propaganda and forgery.

The land is situated in Area C of the West Bank, under Israeli control since the Oslo Accords. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, with over 500,000 Israelis residing in settlements deemed illegal under international law. This event follows a trend of increased settler violence in the occupied West Bank, with several Palestinian communities near Jericho already displaced. Residents express fears of escalating violence and a heightened military presence, a pattern observed in areas like Hebron where settler presence has led to significant friction, violence, and displacement of Palestinians.