Follow Us on Google News
BRUSSELS: The United Nations (UN) rights office today (Tuesday) said it was “deeply concerned” by the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, east Jerusalem and Israel.
“We are deeply concerned at the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and Israel in the past days,” Rupert Colville, spokesman for UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet’s office, told reporters in Geneva.
The body also condemned the violence and “all incitement to violence and ethnic division and provocations.” The spokesperson also urged Israeli security forces to allow “the right to freedoms of expression, association and assembly”.
“The use of indiscriminate weapons, such as the rockets being fired into Israel, is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop immediately,” said Colville.
“Israel must respect international humanitarian law,” said Colville, adding that any attacks should be directed at military objectives, with precautions taken to avoid civilian deaths.
Tensions in Jerusalem have flared into the city’s worst disturbances since 2017 after Israeli riot police clashed with large crowds of Palestinian worshippers on the last Friday of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Israel and Hamas exchanged heavy fire on Tuesday, with at least 25 Palestinians killed in Gaza. More than 200 rockets have been fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip towards Israel since Monday. Israel has responded with 130 strikes carried out by fighter jets and attack helicopters on military targets in the Gaza enclave.