United Nations: Israeli settlers in the occupied territory have developed a new pattern of violence against Palestinians under which they exact a 'price' from victim's property in response to attempts by the authorities to dismantle 'unauthorised' settlement, says a UN report.
The main objective of the strategy, termed as "price tag" by the Israeli settlers, is to deter the Israeli authorities from removing such outposts. It emerged in 2008.
"The 'price tag' strategy entails the exertion of systematic, widespread and indiscriminate violence against Palestinian civilians and Israeli security forces, following attempts by the Israeli authorities to evacuate settlement outposts," according to a study conducted by the Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The report pointed out that 23 settlement outposts in the West Bank have not been removed. Several accounts of violence surrounding attempted evacuation process are also mentioned in it.
It concludes that nearly 2,50,000 Palestinians in 83 communities on the West Bank are at risk of heightened violence in so-called "price tag" revenge attacks.
Expressing concern at the "inadequate level of law enforcement", OCHA asked Israeli authorities to protect Palestinians against attacks by Israeli settlers.
Considering the country's obligations under international law, the Israeli authorities must adopt the necessary measures to prevent greatest extent possible attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians civilians and their property, in response to the removal of settlement outposts, it said.
OCHA also finds overall growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
The study released here finds that 13 Palestinians on an average have been injured in a month this year in settler-related incidents.
On occupied East Jerusalem, OCHA finds that while Israel has expropriated around 35 per cent of that zone for Israeli settlements, only around 13 per cent is available for Palestinian construction.
Further, in those areas where construction is possible, Israeli bureaucratic restrictions make it extremely difficult for Palestinians to get building permits, it said.
Meanwhile, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon condemned Israel's decision to expand Jerusalem's Gilo settlement, saying that the settlement was built on the occupied territory.
"The Secretary-General reiterates his position that settlements are illegal, and calls on Israel to respect its commitments under the Road Map to cease all settlement activity," a statement from his office said yesterday.
"He believes that such actions undermine efforts for peace and cast doubt on the viability of the two-State solution," it added. Ban later said, "Palestinians have waited too long for an end to occupation and a State of their own."
Bureau Report