'Violence only begets more violence': UN rights chief on Israel-Palestine tensions

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The UN human rights chief on Tuesday decried violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel.

"The recent operation in the Occupied West Bank and car ramming attack in Tel Aviv worryingly underscore an all too familiar pattern of events: that violence only begets more violence," Volker Turk said in a statement. "The killing, maiming and the destruction of property must stop."

Regarding the Israeli military raid in Jenin, Turk said that the scale of the operation, the use of repeated airstrikes, and the destruction of property raise "a host of serious issues with respect to international human rights norms and standards, including protecting and respecting the right to life."

He said the deaths resulting from such airstrikes may also amount to “willful killings.”

"Israeli forces operations in the occupied West Bank need to abide by international human rights standards on the use of force; these standards do not change simply because the goal of the operation is stated as 'counter-terrorism'," he said.

Turk added that Israel must also ensure timely access to medical care for all those injured.

Meanwhile, seven Israelis were injured in a suspected car-ramming attack in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, according to the Israeli police.

The attack came a day after the Israeli army raid in Jenin killed at least 10 Palestinians and injured more than 100 others, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Nearly 190 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of this year, according to the Health Ministry. At least 25 Israelis have also been killed in separate attacks during the same period.

Estimates indicate that about 700,000 Israeli settlers are living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the occupied West Bank.

Under international law, all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal.