UN cites 'ethnic cleansing' concerns around Israel's Palestinian displacement operation in Hebron

AI Summary

The UN raised concerns about possible ethnic cleansing after Israeli forces displaced more than 3,000 Palestinians from their homes in Hebron, in the West Bank. UN rights chief Volker Türk called for the operation to end and warned that collective punishment violates international law; the operation followed a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint.

The United Nations on Monday raised "ethnic cleansing" concerns following Israel's operation to displace by force more than 3,000 Palestinians from their homes in Hebron in the West Bank after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near the city on Friday. UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement that the "aggressive operation" must end, and that "collective punishment is a grave violation of international law".