UN human rights chief Volker Turk has urged states to stop transferring arms to Israel when there is a risk they could be used to violate international law, while calling on companies to end business practices supporting illegal settlements.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk said Israel’s occupation of West Bank was “unfolding, unobstructed” despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice.
He called on states to act to prevent further entrenchment of Israel’s occupation and said international condemnation “rings hollow in the face of deliberate violations and suffering”.
On Gaza, Turk said more than 1,300 Palestinians had been killed in daily Israeli strikes despite a ceasefire deal announced almost a year ago, while humanitarian aid remained restricted.
He also said he was appalled by Israeli proposals for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, as well as reports of executions and torture of Palestinians accused of collaboration by armed groups affiliated with Hamas.
Wider conflicts and AI
Turk voiced alarm over the resumption of attacks between the US and Iran and their impact across the Gulf, citing reports of civilian deaths and injuries. He described the crisis as “entirely avoidable” and called for an immediate return to negotiations.
On Ukraine, Turk warned that Russia’s full-scale war was on a “menacing trajectory”, with rising civilian casualties and intensified attacks on energy infrastructure. He called for an urgent ban on fully autonomous weapons that can take lives without human involvement.
Turk also warned that advanced artificial intelligence could pose an “existential risk to humanity”, calling for international “red lines” on AI safety and security.
He said he would write to AI companies urging them to take immediate steps to reduce risks and warned that a “handful of men” wielded “almost unlimited power over AI”.
Other rights concerns
Turk urged the US to halt returns of people to countries where they could face “irreparable harm”, including Haiti, and called for due process in removals to third countries.
He said four more people had died in US immigration custody since his last update, bringing the 2026 total to 23, and called for accountability.
He also expressed concern over renewed hostilities in South Sudan and escalating tensions in Yemen, calling for restraint and greater international efforts to prevent a return to “all-out war”.
On Yemen, Turk renewed his call for the Houthis to release 73 UN and NGO personnel held by the group.
He also reiterated concerns over China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, urging Beijing to investigate allegations of human rights violations.
