UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland said in a briefing to the Security Council (UNSC) on Monday that more than 200 Palestinians and nearly 30 Israelis have been killed so far this year, which represents the highest death toll in the conflict since 2005.
Wennesland added that "Palestinians and Israelis are killed and injured in near-daily violence" and demonstrated "concerning trends" regarding Gaza and the West Bank.
The only party escalating the conflict is Israel as it launches military operations that seek to provoke Palestinians, who are growing increasingly frustrated with the daily brutality imposed on them by their occupiers. Israel's ultimate goal is to terrorize the Palestinian people into surrender. The international community must put pressure on Israel to end the occupation and its apartheid policies.
All of Israel's military actions in the last year and a half have been in response to Palestinian militancy and terrorism. Israel wants peace, which is why it seeks to prevent Palestinian terror attacks against Israeli civilians. The UN, which consistently singles out the Jewish state, must end its unfair treatment of Israel. By singling out one party, the other is emboldened to commit more violence.