Jerusalem Attack Prompts Calls for Dissolution of Palestinian Authority, UN Accuses Israel of ‘Genocidal Rhetoric’
Jerusalem/Geneva - A shooting attack in Jerusalem this morning left five Israelis dead and two Palestinian assailants killed, triggering immediate and escalated calls from Israeli far-right Minister Bezalel Smotrich for the dismantling of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Concurrently, the United Nations has accused Israeli leaders of employing “genocidal rhetoric” regarding the Gaza strip, intensifying international scrutiny of the ongoing conflict.The attack,details of which are still emerging,occurred in Jerusalem and prompted Smotrich to declare on X (formerly Twitter),”The State of Israel cannot accept a Palestinian national authority that grows and educates its children to kill Jews.” He further stated, “the Palestinian national authority must disappear from the map and the villages from which the terrorists come should look like Rafah and beit Hanoun,” referencing the heavily damaged gazan cities. This statement draws a direct parallel between the fate of Palestinian villages and the widespread destruction seen in Gaza during the current war.
The escalating rhetoric from Israeli officials has drawn sharp condemnation from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. Addressing the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk described Gaza as “a cemetery” and accused Israeli leaders of “shameful inhumanization of the Palestinians.” He warned that further “militarization, occupation, annexation and oppression will do nothing but fuel further violence, reprisals and terror.”
Türk implored the international community to take “decisive steps to prevent genocide,” questioning where such action was, and urging member states to halt arms flows to Israel that could violate international law. He also called for maximum pressure to achieve a ceasefire, the release of hostages and arbitrarily detained individuals, and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The PNA, established in 1994 as part of the Oslo Accords, exercises limited self-governance over parts of the West Bank. Smotrich’s call for its dissolution represents a significant escalation in the Israeli government’s position and raises concerns about the future of Palestinian self-determination and the potential for further instability in the region.The situation remains fluid, with ongoing investigations into the Jerusalem attack and continued international efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
