UN chief calls for 'immediate' end to Israel's West Bank military operation

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Israel must "immediately" end its large-scale military offensive in the occupied West Bank, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday, after 11 Palestinians were killed and several more injured.

Guterres strongly condemned "the loss of lives, including of children," and called for "an immediate cessation of these operations."

The secretary-general "calls on Israel to comply with its relevant obligations under international humanitarian law and to take measures to protect civilians and ensure their safety. He urges security forces to exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life," his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said in a lengthy statement.

Israel's military campaign is the largest in the West Bank since 2002 during the Second Intifada. Raids have occurred in the north of the occupied territory, including in the governorates of Nablus, Tulkarem, Jenin and Tubas.

Israel is using two army brigades, helicopters, drones and bulldozers, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth said.

Guterres emphasized that the injured "must have access to medical care, and humanitarian workers must be able to reach everyone in need."

"These dangerous developments are fueling an already explosive situation in the occupied West Bank and further undermining the Palestinian Authority," Dujarric said.

"Ultimately, only an end to the occupation and a return to a meaningful political process that will establish a two-state solution will bring an end to the violence. The United Nations will continue to work with all parties towards this end, to seek a de-escalation of the current situation and promote stability in the region," he added.

In a landmark opinion on July 19, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land unlawful and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.