World

Blinken requests immediate action from Israel regarding settler violence in West Bank

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel on Thursday to take urgent action to stop settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Blinken made the request during a phone chat with Benny Gantz, an opposition leader who joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet, while in San Francisco for an Asia-Pacific summit.

“Blinken stressed the urgent need for affirmative steps to de-escalate tensions in the West Bank, including by confronting rising levels of settler extremist violence”, said Matthew Miller, State Department spokesman.

Blinken also discussed ongoing talks to liberate hostages kidnapped by Hamas militants during a large foray into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7.

According to Israeli officials, over 240 persons were taken captive during the Hamas strikes, which killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

Since then, Hamas government officials claim that Israel’s airstrikes and ground offensive have killed around 11,500 people, predominantly civilians, and included thousands of children.

Unlike the Gaza Strip, which is under Hamas authority, the West Bank is mostly under Israeli occupation with limited autonomy provided by the Palestinian Authority, whose officials are enemies of Hamas.

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank allege Israeli settlers have upped their harassment since the war began.

Gantz, a centrist retired general, decided to form a wartime cabinet with Netanyahu, who had retaken power in a coalition with far-right parties that supported the Jewish settlement of the West Bank.

Also read: United Nations says Gaza’s civilians face immediate possibility of starvation amid war

Spriha Rai

Recent Posts

‘In Kabul, A Cat Has More Freedom Than A Woman’: Revisiting Women’s Struggles Under The Taliban

The Taliban’s regime has since imposed over 100 laws restricting women's rights, stripping them of…

29 minutes ago

PM Modi’s Gifts: A Glimpse Of India’s Cultural Heritage In Global Diplomacy

These gifts to world leaders reflect the diverse traditions, arts, and crafts of India, emphasizing…

3 hours ago

Dr Rajeshwar Singh Calls For Bold Goals To Make India A Global Power By 2047

Dr Singh stressed the importance of reaching a GDP of $15 trillion by 2047 to…

4 hours ago

Gautam Adani Faces Indictment In US: Legal Expert Vijay Aggarwal Dismisses Immediate Repercussions

Criminal lawyer Vijay Aggarwal weighed in on the charges against Adani. He believes the indictment…

4 hours ago

Adani Group Stocks Recover As Sensex nd Nifty Post Gains

After a major sell-off earlier in the week, Adani Group stocks, led by Ambuja Cements…

5 hours ago

Sensex Soars 1,961 Points, Nifty Gains 557 In Broad-Based Market Rally

A sharp rally in financial stocks and encouraging US labor market data fueled the uptrend.…

6 hours ago