UN accuses Israel of suffocating Palestinians under alleged apartheid regime

United Nations Human Rights Office Issues Report on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has released a report detailing allegations of systemic discrimination against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The report, issued on Wednesday, accuses Israel of “oppression and domination” of Palestinians, citing restrictions on movement through checkpoints and limited access to roads, natural resources, land, and basic social facilities.

According to the report, every aspect of life in the occupied West Bank is controlled by Israeli discriminatory laws, policies, and practices. The report also notes that Israeli authorities treat Palestinian residents and settlers under two distinct bodies of law and policies, resulting in unequal treatment on a range of critical issues.

The report highlights large-scale confiscation of land and deprivation of access to resources as key aspects of the discrimination faced by Palestinians. It also notes that Palestinians have been dispossessed of their lands and homes alongside other forms of systemic discrimination, including criminal prosecution in military courts where due process and fair trial rights are systematically violated.

Israel has previously rejected accusations of apartheid, stating that its policies are driven by “security concerns” rather than racial or ethnic discrimination. The UN human rights office notes that the situation is further complicated by ongoing settler violence, with the acquiescence, support, and participation of Israel’s security forces.

The report comes as more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, alongside approximately three million Palestinians. Violence has surged in recent months, with Israeli attacks killing over 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023.

Source: Al Jazeera