(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) GENEVA, Nov 14 (KUNA) -- The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday described images of masked Israeli settlers carrying out arson attacks this week in the West Bank as "abhorrent" affirming that they reflect a growing pattern of violence against Palestinians.
Speaking to journalists in Geneva, the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Thameen Al-Kheetan during Al-Kheetan noted that several people were injured in the attacks, which included a raid on a dairy factory and the torching of delivery trucks and homes.
He explained that the surge in violence comes as Israeli occupation authorities have ramped up home demolitions the seizure of property arrests and movement restrictions alongside the unabated building of settlements and outposts and the forcible displacement and transfer of thousands of Palestinians by Israeli settlers and the military.
Al-Kheetan stressed that the permanent displacement of Palestinians within occupied territory amounts to unlawful transfer which is a war crime and that the transfer by Israeli occupation of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies also amounts to a war crime.
He underlined that the Israeli occupation's assertion of sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and its annexation of parts of it constitute clear violations of international law and of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination as affirmed by rulings of the International Court of Justice.
He reiterated UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk's affirmation of the need to stop immediately attacks against Palestinians and their property, hold those responsible accountable, end the illegal Israeli presence in the occupied Palestinian territories, halt all new settlement activities, and evacuate settlers in a manner that ensures the Palestinians' right to self-determination.
Al-Kheetan stated that October witnessed the highest number of settler attacks since 2006 with the Office recording more than 260 attacks.
He added that Israeli occupation forces and settlers have killed at least 1.017 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank including 221 children between 7 October 2023 and 13 November 2025.
He explained that this figure does not include Palestinians who have died in Israeli occupation detention describing the conditions of detention as "extremely harsh".
Al-Kheetan said the Office had previously documented cases of torture ill-treatment and sexual violence in Israeli occupation detention facilities.
He reiterated the call for investigations and accountability for these violations the immediate cessation of such practices and the release of all those arbitrarily detained.
Concerning the draft law allowing the imposition of the death penalty on Palestinian detainees including children, Al-Kheetan stressed that the Office maintains a firm and consistent stance opposing the death penalty noting that the absence of due process and fair-trial guarantees under occupation further heightens the gravity of such legislation. (end)
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