Following increased Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, European Heads of Mission and representatives of West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC) member states and like-minded countries today visited Beita village, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, which has been engulfed for several months in the daily struggle against an Israeli settlement plan on their land.
The delegation included Heads of Mission and representatives from Belgium, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
320 Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire in Beita, Palestine. pic.twitter.com/1NWLMGMk7M
— Muhammad Smiry (@MuhammadSmiry) July 23, 2021
A statement by the delegation and Ireland said the visit took place in response to increasing concerns – across the West Bank and in Beita in particular – about the rising levels of settler violence and to touch upon the worrying establishment of an illegal settlement outpost on top of Jabal Sabih, on the outskirts of Beita village.
The outpost is causing regular clashes between Palestinian residents, Jewish settlers and the Israeli forces, which left six Palestinians shot dead by the Israeli army and hundreds of others wounded since the beginning of May.
Yesterday, Israel killed a 16 year old child in Beita village in Palestine. pic.twitter.com/emTk5rdBfg
— Muhammad Smiry (@MuhammadSmiry) June 17, 2021
All participants reiterated their continued strong opposition to Israel’s settlement policy and actions taken in this context, said the statement. They recalled how Israel, as the occupying power, was obliged to protect the Palestinian population from attack.
Under international law, Israel has an obligation to maintain public order in an impartial manner and to protect Palestinians and their property.
(WAFA, PC, Social Media)
