JERICHO, West Bank, November 6 (Aalimi Nation) – The United Nations has condemned the takeover of eight Palestinian homes on the edge of Jericho by Israeli settlers, as the two sides dispute whether the properties were lawfully sold.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said on Thursday that the settlers had reportedly used live ammunition, assaulted Palestinian residents and thrown stones, forcing families to flee the homes in Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta.
What happened
Israeli families moved into eight houses just outside Jericho's city limits on Wednesday, near the ancient Hasmonean Palaces, with families with children seen arriving, according to an eyewitness account. Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog, said about 30 settlers took over the houses. The group also said that, during the takeover, settlers assaulted and robbed two Israeli activists and shot a Palestinian man in the leg. Aalimi Nation has not seen a response from the settlers to the allegations of violence.
A dispute over ownership
The settlers say they bought the homes legally. Hanan Greenwood, a spokesman for the regional council representing settlers in the area, said the Nachala movement, a right-wing Israeli organisation that funds new settlements in the West Bank and campaigns for annexation of the territory, bought the houses "with our help". He said he was "very excited" to be there.
Palestinian officials reject that account. Hussein Hamayel, governor of the Jericho region, said the land belongs to the Palestinian Authority and cannot be sold, calling the transaction a forgery.
Legal and political background
The land lies in Area C of the West Bank, which has been under full Israeli control since the 1990s Oslo Accords. The site is close to parts of Jericho that fall under Palestinian civil and security control. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements there, alongside more than three million Palestinians. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.
Concerns about further tension
Peace Now warned that settlers living next to Palestinian homes can lead to displacement and friction. It pointed to Hebron, where about 400 settlers live in the Old City among roughly 250,000 Palestinians, saying their presence has led to constant friction, restrictions on Palestinian movement and the displacement of thousands of Palestinians. The group added that even a genuine purchase would not settle the matter, because it is the Israeli government that decides whether a settlement may be established.
Palestinians in the area fear the new presence could bring a heavier military deployment and more settler violence. Several Palestinian communities around Jericho have been driven from their homes over the past year. Settler attacks in the West Bank have reached near-record levels this year, according to reports.
The UN spokesperson did not announce any specific steps by the world body. Aalimi Nation has not seen a response from the Israeli government to the UN's remarks.
