UN: violence and discrimination against Palestinians must stop

A UN Human Rights Rapporteur has condemned attacks on Palestinian by extreme right-wing groups in Israel, including settlers with the backing of state security forces. The international organisation’s Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues urged the Israeli government to protect all of its citizens fully and equally without discrimination, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has reported.

Fernand de Varennes insisted that Israel must stop the oppression of the Palestinian people. “Reports of extreme right-wing violence and disproportional use of force by law enforcement officials during protests in recent weeks, including in Sheikh Jarrah, Damascus Gate and Al-Aqsa Mosque, have led to some of the worst cases of violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel,” he pointed out.

There are around 1.5 million Palestinian citizens of Israel, representing about 20 per cent of the total population. They face institutional discrimination in many areas of life. Dozens of laws in the country entrench such discrimination within the legal system.

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