UN condemns Israeli violence in occupied Jenin

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres yesterday strongly condemned the Israeli attack on the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

“Israel’s airstrikes and ground operations in a crowded refugee camp were the worst violence in the West Bank in many years,” Guterres told reporters in New York.

“The use of airstrikes is inconsistent with the conduct of law enforcement operations,” he said. Guterres reminded Israel that “as the occupying power, it has a responsibility to ensure that the civilian population is protected against all acts of violence”.

READ: Palestinians kick PA officials out of Jenin

The UN chief called on Israel “to abide by its obligations under international law”, exercise restraint and use only proportional force.

Though he understood Israel’s “legitimate concerns over its security,” Guterres said that “escalation is not the answer.”

“It simply bolsters radicalisation and leads to a deepening cycle of violence and bloodshed,” he explained.

More than 12 people, including four minors, were killed in the offensive, while 120 others were injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Some 80 per cent of the homes in the camp were damaged as a result of Israel’s assault.

READ: Israel military raids in Jenin may constitute war crime: UN experts