The UN Security Council called on Israel and the Palestinians to avoid actions that can further inflame tensions in the volatile West Bank.
This came in a statement backed on Tuesday by both the United States and Russia in a moment of unity on a divisive issue, reflecting the widespread international concern at the escalating violence especially by Israeli forces and settlers.
According to the statement, about 137 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank in 2023, while 24 people on the Israeli side have been killed in Palestinian attacks.
In the same connection, the UN Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland called an alarming spike in violence in the West Bank that led to numerous Palestinian and Israeli casualties.
Tor also warned the council that “unless decisive steps are taken now to rein in the violence, there is a significant risk that events could deteriorate further.”
Follow the latest news on Google News
