UN sounds alarm over Israel’s West Bank military operation ahead of election

UN leaders condemn the operation

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres criticized the situation in a Monday post on X, citing settlement expansion and Palestinians being driven from their land. He warned of an increasingly coercive environment and said the threat of ethnic cleansing was growing.

UN human rights commissioner Volker Türk said the operation had forcibly displaced thousands of Palestinians, damaged homes and businesses, and restricted residents’ movement. He described collective punishment as a grave breach of international law and said threats to clear entire neighborhoods raised serious concerns about ethnic cleansing.

Residents ordered to leave

Israeli troops entered the Deir Baha neighborhood, where the assailants lived, and told residents to pack and leave. The Hebron municipality said more than 3,000 people, including 200 babies, were ordered out.

The Israeli military said its troops were conducting targeted searches to find and dismantle what it called terrorist infrastructure, locate weapons, and question suspects. It said the operation would focus on Deir Baha and was expected to last several days.

Shootout prompted military response

The operation began after a Friday shootout in the occupied West Bank. Two Israeli soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen were killed, while three other Israeli soldiers were injured.

Report rejected by Israel

A UN report released Monday accused Israel of committing war crimes in the West Bank. Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected its findings as propaganda and said the report undermined Israel’s right to self-defense.

The election comes as Netanyahu faces political pressure. He has often presented himself as the only person able to keep Israel safe, while opponents have accused him of having no plan.