The United Nations humanitarian office on Friday denounced Israel’s use of what it described as “war-like” tactics against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, saying nine Palestinians had been killed there in a week.

OCHA also voiced concern about Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians and olive trees during the annual October-November harvest, saying it was affecting the economic lifeline of tens of thousands of Palestinian families.

“Israeli forces have been using lethal, war-like tactics in the West Bank, raising serious concerns over excessive use of force and deepening people’s humanitarian needs,” OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters at a Geneva press briefing, saying that nine people had been killed between Oct. 8-14, including one child.

Laerke added that Israeli forces had accused most of those killed of being involved in attacking Israelis.

He also said there had been dozens of Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians during the olive harvest this month. OCHA has received reports that a Palestinian woman was killed while harvesting olives in Jenin, he added.

“It is, frankly, very concerning that it’s not only attacks on people, but it’s attacks on their olive groves as well,” he said, adding that hundreds of olive trees and saplings had been vandalised, sawed off or stolen by Israeli settlers.

(Reuters)