Tel aviv: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has expressed concerns over Israel's recent decisions to expand land confiscation operations in the occupied West Bank. These actions by Israel's Security Cabinet are seen as a move towards annexing Palestinian land, which Turk claims is a direct violation of the Palestinian right to self-determination.
According to Jordan News Agency, Turk emphasized that these decisions would make the formation of a viable Palestinian state increasingly difficult. He warned that the implementation of these measures could lead to accelerated dispossession and forced displacement of Palestinians. This would pave the way for more illegal Israeli settlements while depriving Palestinians of their natural resources and restricting their human rights.
The Israeli Security Cabinet has approved measures that enhance the powers of Israel's Civil Administration in Areas A and B of the West Bank. These areas were initially under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority as per the Oslo Accords. Turk noted that these measures would lead to changes in laws that violate the law of occupation, enabling Israeli authorities to acquire land in these regions. He highlighted that this would further integrate the occupied West Bank into Israel, reinforcing what he described as illegal annexation.
Turk also pointed out that the Israeli decisions have curtailed the Palestinian Authority's planning and construction powers in parts of Hebron, including significant cultural sites like the Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs. In Bethlehem, Israeli administrative control has been imposed over Rachel's Tomb to facilitate settlement expansion.
The UN rights chief remarked that these actions infringe on Palestinians' rights to their land and cultural heritage, set against a backdrop of increasing attacks by settlers and Israeli security forces. This includes forced displacement, evictions, home demolitions, land seizures, movement restrictions, and other documented violations by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Turk concluded by stating that these measures aim to alter the demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territory, supported by rhetoric and practices from senior Israeli officials. He called for the revocation of these decisions and urged the evacuation of settlements, reiterating the need to end the occupation.