Urging end to violence, UN Middle East envoy warns of rise in security-related incidents in West Bank

Increasingly concerned by the continued deadly incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, against Israelis and Palestinians, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov today called for an immediate end to the violence.

“I condemn today's fatal shooting by Israel Defense Forces of a 17-year-old Palestinian during an alleged stone-throwing incident,” said Mr. Mladenov in a press statement issued by his Office, in which his underscored that all sides must exercise restraint, maintain calm and promptly bring the perpetrators of the violence to justice.

“These tragic incidents, once again, highlight the need for a return to a political process with the goal of establishing two states living side-by-side in peace and security,” he declared and added that the incidents are also taking place at time when the Middle East faces a “vicious tide of terror and extremism.”