Israel’s Settlement Expansion in Occupied Territories ‘Amounts to War Crime’: UN Rights Chief
The UN human rights chief stated that Israel’s ongoing settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, “amounts to a war crime,” Anadolu Agency reported. In a report released on Tuesday, Volker Turk emphasized that the transfer of Israeli civilians into occupied territories violates international law and the Palestinian right to self-determination.
Covering the period from November 2023 to October 2024, the report highlights a significant increase in Israeli settlement activities, including plans for over 20,000 housing units in East Jerusalem and the establishment of 49 new outposts in the West Bank. It also notes that Israeli authorities demolished 1,779 Palestinian structures, displacing over 4,500 people.
The report recorded an average of 118 incidents of settler violence per month, up from 108 in 2023. Turk urged the international community to take decisive action, calling for an immediate halt to settlement activities and compliance with international law.
