The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Friday the situation in the West Bank was deteriorating sharply, adding that Israeli forces had killed at least seven Palestinians, including children, in a refugee camp.
“Violence this week in the occupied West Bank threatens to spiral out of control, fueled by harsh political rhetoric and an escalation in Israel’s use of advanced military weapons,” Volker Turk said in a statement through a spokesman at a UN news conference. They call on Israel to bring its actions into line with international law.
Weapons included attack helicopters and drones, the spokesman added.
The airstrikes on the Jenin refugee camp represented a “significant intensification of the use of weapons related to the conduct of armed hostilities rather than law enforcement,” he said.
Palestinians burn tires and throw stones at Israeli forces during a protest on the border with Israel, east of Gaza City January 26, 2022. (Credit: ATTIA MUHAMMED/FLASH90)
“Israel urgently needs to align its policies and actions in the West Bank with international human rights standards, including protection and respect for the right to life,” he said.