UN experts warn of uptick in settler violence against Palestinians
In the first three months of 2021, the UN human rights experts documented 210 incidents of violence against Palestinians.
Human rights experts appointed by the United Nations warned Wednesday that Israeli settler violence against Palestinians has risen significantly in recent months.
In the first three months of 2021, the experts documented 210 incidents of violence, including one Palestinian death at the hands of Israeli settlers — acts of violence they said were aimed at making daily life “untenable” for Palestinians.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recorded 771 incidents of settler violence in 2020, which injured 133 Palestinians and damaged 9,646 trees and 184 vehicles. Most of the incidents were ideologically motivated and took place in Hebron, Jerusalem, Nablus and Ramallah, the experts said.
“They primarily target the livelihoods of rural Palestinians, vandalizing livestock, agricultural lands, trees and homes,” they said, adding the attacks were also aimed at intimidating and terrorizing residents.
