Israel’s continuous operation in the occupied West Bank has the British government “deeply concerned,” saying on Friday that there is a major risk of instability and that de-escalation is urgently needed.
“We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions,” a spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign Office said in a statement.
Clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank have escalated since Israel’s war with Hamas militants began in Gaza nearly 11 months ago.
More than 660 people — combatants and civilians — have been killed, according to Palestinian tallies, some by Jewish settlers who have carried out frequent vigilante-style attacks on West Bank Palestinian communities.
Israeli troops killed a local commander of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad movement in the West Bank and four other militants on Thursday in a gunbattle during one of the largest assaults in the Israeli-occupied territory for months.
“We recognize Israel’s need to defend itself against security threats, but we are deeply worried by the methods Israel has employed and by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
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