Palestinian children bearing brunt of West Bank conflict, UK tells UN
August 11, 2026 10:18 pm
Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Palestine | Home Office.
Palestinian children are among those bearing the impact of violence in the West Bank, with the United Kingdom saying they are being exposed to repeated violence, displacement and disruption to their education.
The UK condemned escalating violence across the West Bank, saying 13 Palestinians and two Israelis were killed in July alone.
“Children are among those most affected by conflict.
“They are being exposed to repeated violence, displacement, and disruption due to movement restrictions and military operations,” the UK said in a statement delivered at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday.
The statement said Israeli forces demolished three donor-funded classrooms at Sha’ab al Butum School on August 4, weeks before the start of the school year.
“We call on the Government of Israel to fulfil their obligations to protect the Palestinian population of the occupied territory,” the UK said.
The UK cited the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ July report, which recorded more than 1,300 settler-related incidents affecting over 250 Palestinian communities.
It said around 900 Palestinians had been injured and more than 3,200 displaced, while at least three Israelis had been killed and 24 injured this year.
The UK also condemned recent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and communities, saying some of the attacks occurred alongside Israeli Defense Force personnel.
“Recent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and communities, in some cases alongside Israeli Defense Force personnel, are appalling,” the statement said.
“These are not isolated incidents.”
The UK welcomed recent arrests and indictments by Israeli authorities of perpetrators of settler violence but said more needed to be done.
“We welcome recent arrests and indictments by Israeli authorities of perpetrators of settler violence.
“But perpetrators have acted with impunity for too long.
“And much more must be done to prevent and prosecute acts of violence,” the statement said.
The UK also said Israeli authorities’ security measures must be proportionate, consistent with international law and contribute to de-escalation.
On Gaza, the UK called for an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid and for safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access across the territory.
“As Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said, “conditions for the people of Gaza remain appalling,”” the statement said.
The UK also welcomed the recent focus on implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and called for its full implementation.
“That means all parties delivering on their commitments, including: respect for the ceasefire; Hamas fulfilling its decommissioning commitments; the phased withdrawal of the Israel Defence Forces as set out in the 20-point plan and the Roadmap for Phase Two; and the transition of governance and security control to the Palestinian Authority,” the statement said.
The UK encouraged the Palestinian Authority to continue implementing reforms needed to fulfil that role and thanked the US, Qatar, Türkiye and Egypt for their efforts to progress negotiations.
“The United Kingdom will continue to work with all our partners to end the conflict in Gaza, and the terror threat from Hamas,” the statement said.
On settlements, the UK said they were illegal under international law and undermined the viability of a two-state solution.
“Settlements are illegal under international law.
“They undermine the viability of a two-state solution, and they fuel insecurity for both Palestinians and Israelis,” the statement said.
The UK said the Government of Israel had approved 104 settlements in four years, an increase of 80 per cent, and allocated unprecedented funding to the construction of new settlements.
“The United Kingdom condemns threats to expand illegal settlements and outposts and opposes the decision to reintroduce the E1 settlement plan, which aims to cut the West Bank in half,” the statement said.
The UK also expressed concern over recent mass incursions at the Haram al Sharif / Temple Mount and called for the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites to be respected.
“We are alarmed by recent mass incursions at the Haram al Sharif / Temple Mount.
“The Status Quo on Jerusalem’s holy sites must be respected,” the statement said.
The UK said a two-state solution remained the only credible path to lasting peace and security.
“The United Kingdom is clear that the only credible path to lasting peace and security remains a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestinian state made up of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” the statement said.
The statement concluded by warning that developments in the West Bank should not undermine efforts towards implementing Resolution 2803.
“Madame President, in the past weeks we have seen renewed efforts to implement Resolution 2803, which offers the most viable pathway towards lasting peace.
“The deteriorating trajectory in the West Bank must not undermine that hard-won progress,” the statement said.
Tosin Oyediran is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over eight years of professional experience in reporting and storytelling. He is known for conducting incisive interviews and producing compelling human-angle stories that bring clarity and depth to the news. Tosin covers a broad range of beats including politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment, with a strong focus on people-centred reporting. His work reflects firsthand newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a commitment to accurate, engaging, and trustworthy journalism.
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