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Palestine seeks UNSC protection after illegal Israeli settlers storm Huwara

Palestine's appeal comes two days after hundreds of illegal settlers escorted by Israeli troops raided Huwara town and adjacent villages, setting fire to homes and cars and wounding nearly 400 residents of occupied West Bank.

AFP

Some 400 illegal Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian town of Huwara near Nablus in the occupied West Bank on Sunday.

The Security Council has an obligation to find ways to "provide protection" for Palestinian civilians, Palestine's ambassador to the United Nations pleaded after hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers attacked a town in the Israel-occupied West Bank, wounding nearly 400 Palestinians and killing one.

"We believe that the Security Council has a responsibility to shoulder, especially with regard to ... taking steps to provide protection to the civilian population, especially after the criminal and terrorist act by settlers" in Huwara and nearby villages, envoy Riyad Mansour told reporters on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting of the council.

The emergency meeting was requested by the United Arab Emirates after armed illegal settlers attacked Huwara town in the northern West Bank late on Sunday, throwing stones at Palestinian homes, killing a Palestinian, and setting fire to dozens of buildings and cars.

Illegal settlers shot dead Sameh Aktash, a Palestinian who recently helped victims of February 6 quakes in Türkiye.

Aktash was killed by illegal Israeli settlers under the protection of the Israeli army in the village of Zatara, south of Nablus, according to the Palestine's Health Ministry.

Mansour said it would have been helpful for Security Council representatives to visit Huwara so they could "see with their own eyes (and) feel the horror in the minds and hearts of children and mothers and their families."

The Security Council's 15 member countries "should try to see if there are ways that we can stop any incitement to further violence, and to promote dialogue" between Israelis and Palestinians, said ambassador Vanessa Frazier of Malta, which chaired the council in February.

Meanwhile both sides "need to ... refrain from any violent acts," she stressed.

“An attack like this has never happened in this village.”

Illegal Israeli settlers escorted by Israeli forces stormed the occupied West Bank’s Huwara, setting fire to a number of homes and cars.

At least one Palestinian was killed and hundreds were injured in the attacks pic.twitter.com/KEeK3j0cgW
— TRT World (@trtworld) February 27, 2023

'Protection, protection, protection'

Last week, for the first time in six years, the Security Council denounced the building of illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories, in a statement also approved by the United States.

"We will continue knocking on the door of the Security Council, not only to speak in one voice but to take further steps," Mansour said.

"Protection, protection, protection is what the Palestinian civilian population is asking for."

While the Israeli occupation of Palestine's lands continues, officials on both sides pledged during a meeting on Sunday in Jordan to prevent new unrest.

Israeli and Palestinian estimates indicate there are about 700,000 illegal settlers living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.

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

SOURCE: AFPTRT World