Israel must uphold its obligations under international law and take urgent steps to halt the violence in the West Bank: UK statement at the UN Security Council
ONP Summary
The U.S. and Iran, following a ceasefire agreement signed on June 17, engaged in a series of strikes over the weekend—beginning with Iranian drone attacks on a commercial vessel, U.S. responses near the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian strikes on American bases, and further U.S. defensive operations. Both nations subsequently announced they would stand down, allowing commercial shipping to resume through the strategic waterway, with technical negotiations expected to continue toward implementing their broader agreement.
Progressive: Progressive-leaning outlets emphasize Iran's deliberate use of Strait control as strategic leverage in peace negotiations, framing the strikes as Tehran's willingness to risk the ceasefire to maintain bargaining power.
Moderate: Centrist outlets focus on the practical agreement to de-escalate and its immediate outcomes—resumption of commercial shipping and continuation of technical talks—without speculating on underlying strategic motives.
Conservative: Conservative-leaning outlets stress the frustrating cycle of escalation and counter-escalation, raising concerns about the stability of the ceasefire arrangement and expressing exasperation with the repeated pattern of tensions.
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Israel must uphold its obligations under international law and take urgent steps to halt the violence in the West Bank: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Palestine.
The United Kingdom is clear that a two-state solution remains the best way to bring lasting peace to the region and end the cycle of violence that has scarred generations of Palestinians and Israelis.
As we have said numerous times in this Council, the implementation of President Trump’s comprehensive peace plan, endorsed by resolution 2803, is an important step forward towards ending that violence.
Both sides must meet their commitments, with Israel removing restrictions on humanitarian aid, and Hamas decommissioning its weapons.
Today, we focus on the West Bank, where Israel’s policies are eroding the prospects for peaceful co-existence.
And I will highlight three areas.
First, settlement expansion continues in violation of resolution 2334, including the E1 project that aims to cut the West Bank in half and separate East Jerusalem.
This is accompanied by demolitions, evictions, and the displacement of Palestinian communities.
In early June, we saw the approval of over 2,000 settlement housing units across the West Bank, bringing the total approved this year to over 6,000.
On 24 June, Israel declared another 465 dunams of private Palestinian land as state land to make way for a settlement outpost.
My Prime Minister has been clear that we categorically oppose expansion of settlements, which are a violation of international law.
We join this Council in rejecting any attempt at annexation.
Second, as we’ve heard today from the briefers, violence and lawlessness on the ground remain alarming.
According to the UN, there has been an average of six attacks every day against Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of 2026.
The Secretary-General’s recent report highlighted the staggering rise in attacks by settlers on Palestinian children, reportedly often supported by Israeli security forces.
On 17 June, extremist settlers launched arson attacks on two mosques.
These are not isolated incidents but coordinated attacks on civilians, livelihoods, and religious sites, facilitated by a culture of impunity.
The Government of Israel must uphold its obligations under international law and take urgent steps to halt this violence and hold those responsible accountable.
The UK, alongside partners, has imposed sanctions on individuals and entities that finance and enable settler violence.
And as my Foreign Secretary has made clear, we stand ready to take further action if the Government of Israel does not take urgent steps to address the situation on the ground.
Third, economic conditions in the West Bank are deteriorating sharply.
Israel has withheld over 5 billion USD of Palestinian revenues, placing severe strain on the Palestinian Authority and its ability to sustain essential services, particularly healthcare and medical supplies.
The Government of Israel also continues to attack and undermine Palestinian financial institutions, which risks undermining economic stability more broadly, with consequences for livelihoods and regional stability.
So President, to return to where I started, this Council has given its support to the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza.
We cannot allow progress toward peace to be undermined by this deeply concerning trajectory in the West Bank.
We must redouble efforts to stabilise the West Bank and inject renewed momentum into implementation of Resolution 2803 in Gaza.
Both Israel and Hamas must meet their commitments.
These are essential steps towards a just and lasting peace, in which Israelis and Palestinians can live in security and dignity.