© Adobe Stock/Voddol Construction site of an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. West Bank: Security Council meeting warns of ‘tipping point’ for region Peace and Security
The situation in the occupied West Bank has reached a “critical point” and requires immediate international action. Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov stated this, speaking at a meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday.
The region is experiencing a systematic deterioration in the security situation, accelerated by the expansion of Israeli settlements, rising violence and the deepening crisis of the Palestinian Authority, he said.
“The West Bank is at a turning point… It is the result of decades of unresolved conflict that has strengthened the illegal Israeli occupation, brought the Palestinian National Authority to the brink of collapse and undermined prospects for the creation of an independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state,” Alakbarov said.
Sharp increase in violence and large-scale population displacement
According to the UN, 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the West Bank since the beginning of the year as a result of the actions of the Israeli military and settlers. Three Israelis were also killed in the clashes.
Since January 2023, total or partial displacement has affected 127 Palestinian communities, with 47 of them completely displaced. In 2026, settler violence, demolitions and evictions displaced some 3,800 Palestinians, nearly half of them children.
Alakbarov noted that the level of settler violence is “unprecedented,” with more than 1,430 incidents documented in 2026, affecting some 260 Palestinian communities. Many of the attacks, he said, took place in the presence of Israeli forces.
The situation remains particularly dire in the Nablus area, where settler attacks on July 24 resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers, as well as widespread destruction.
Accelerated expansion settlements
Alakbarov reported that Israel has significantly accelerated the construction and legalization of settlements. Since the beginning of the year, plans for the construction of approximately 12,360 housing units have been advanced or approved, including 5,160 in East Jerusalem. In the middle In July, the Israeli government announced $431 million for the creation of 34 new settlements previously approved in 2026.
Alakbarov emphasized that these steps are systemic in nature: “These are interconnected actions, not separate events. They are completely changing the West Bank, weakening Palestinian governance and promoting de facto annexation.”
The threat of financial collapse of the Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian Authority is experiencing an acute financial crisis: Israel is withholding about six billion dollars in revenue, which does not allow it to pay salaries and provide basic services to the population. An additional threat is posed by the possible cessation of processing shekel transactions by Israeli banks as of September 1.
Call for Immediate Action
Alakbarov called for action “without delay” to ensure progress towards a two-state solution. He stressed that further deterioration of the situation in the West Bank would jeopardize not only the implementation of international decisions, but also the prospects for a peaceful settlement as a whole. was afraid to leave the house after a grenade was thrown through the kitchen window where her grandchildren were. the death of 174 Palestinian children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. More than 1,500 children were injured, almost half of them from bullets. During the same period, three Israeli children were killed and 15 more were injured.
Suleiman also expressed deep concern that 355 Palestinian children from the West Bank are in Israeli military custody, the highest number in the last eight years.
Suleiman called on the Security Council to protect children, to end forced displacement of Palestinian families, ensure access to education and health care, and protect humanitarian operations.
“Children in the West Bank have the same rights as children everywhere – to live, learn, feel protected and represent their a future without violence and fear,” she emphasized.