As Israeli troops pushed deeper into Hebron in a sweeping post-attack operation, the United Nations issued a stark warning that actions on the ground are fuelling serious fears of “ethnic cleansing” in the occupied West Bank city.
Hebron’s municipality — in the Palestinian territory’s largest city — said the continuing operation has forced 3,189 people from their homes, according to a statement.
The crackdown followed Friday’s attack in which two Palestinian gunmen shot dead two soldiers at a checkpoint near the city, an incident that came just days before Israeli elections.
Israeli forces killed the assailants in a shootout.
In the wake of the killings, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a major military response.
Not long after, Israeli troops moved into the Hebron neighbourhood of Ein Deir Baha, where the attackers lived, and instructed residents to leave.
The attack near Hebron happened on Friday
Israel’s military told AFP it had detained 40 people across the West Bank — including 20 in the Hebron area — after searching more than 400 locations since the operation began.
The army said the campaign “is expected to continue for several days” and would concentrate on Ein Deir Baha, the area the attackers were from.
UN rights chief Volker Türk said Israel’s “aggressive operation” has brought “demolished homes and commercial property, and deprived residents of the ability to move freely”.
“Those who have been displaced must be allowed to return home,” he said in a statement.
“Threats to empty and erase entire neighbourhoods also raise serious concerns of ethnic cleansing,” he added.
Mr Türk said the “sweeping steps taken raise grave concerns of unnecessary and disproportionate use of force – which must end”.
He said the lockdown was leaving many residents confined to their homes and to the immediate areas around them.
“Declarations by senior Israeli government officials indicate that the measures implemented are punitive in nature and designed to instil fear,” he said, adding “this is unacceptable”.
Mr Türk said: “Those who have been displaced must be allowed to return home.
“Israel must ensure compensation and reparation for unlawful evictions and demolitions, and associated displacement.
“Collective punishment is a grave violation of international law.
“Threats to empty and erase entire neighbourhoods also raise serious concerns of ethnic cleansing.”
UN Secretary General António Guterres said ‘settler violence is surging’
Earlier, speaking in Cairo, UN Secretary General António Guterres said he was deeply alarmed by Israel’s actions in the West Bank.
“Evictions are unrelenting with Palestinians driven from their lands. Settler violence is surging,” he said.
He added: “We are seeing an increasingly coercive environment, with the spectre of ethnic cleansing looming ever larger.
“This must end.”
Mr Guterres said there could be no durable peace in the Middle East “without the realisation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination”.
Meanwhile, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported a dispute between Israel’s military leadership and political decision-makers over how long the Hebron operation should run.
According to Kan, during a situational assessment, military Chief of Staff Major General Eyal Zamir urged that the operation be brought to a close yesterday, saying the army had achieved its objectives.
Kan, citing a military source, reported that Mr Netanyahu insisted the operation continue regardless.
Mr Netanyahu also rejected reports that he had clashed with Mr Zamir over potential military action against Iran, denying the claims on the final day of campaigning ahead of tomorrow’s general election.
Last night, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Mr Zamir had pushed back against carrying out unspecified Iran-related military action and requested signed legal authorisation from the prime minister.
Mr Netanyahu dismissed that account, saying “there was no such confrontation”.
