• The UN reports systemic discrimination against Palestinians in the West Bank, calling it an 'apartheid system.'
• This marks the first time a UN rights chief has used the term 'apartheid' regarding Israeli policies.
• Volker Turk, UN rights chief, states every aspect of Palestinian life is controlled by discriminatory practices.
• The report highlights large-scale land confiscation and escalating settler violence as critical issues.
• Israeli authorities face allegations of violating international human rights conventions.

The United Nations has officially accused Israel of implementing a system resembling apartheid in the West Bank, citing decades of **systematic discrimination** and segregation against Palestinians. The UN rights chief, Volker Turk, characterized the situation as a "systematic asphyxiation of the rights of Palestinians," affecting essential aspects of their lives such as access to water, education, and healthcare, as detailed in a report released on Wednesday. This is a critical assertion as it marks the first instance of a UN rights chief employing the term 'apartheid' to describe Israel's policies, according to SCMP, Le Monde, BBC, and Al Jazeera.

The report elaborates on how Israeli authorities maintain a dual legal system that treats Israeli settlers and Palestinians quite differently, leading to **unequal treatment** in several critical areas, such as land access and legal protections. It underscores a trend of **large-scale confiscation of land** from Palestinians, often justified by military courts that violate due process and fair trial rights. This has contributed to the dispossession of Palestinian homes and resources, as stated by Turk, according to SCMP, Le Monde, BBC, and Al Jazeera.

Current *settler violence* and escalating assaults against Palestinians have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the West Bank, with reports indicating that Israeli troops and settlers have killed over **1,100 Palestinians** since October 7, 2023. This period coincides with heightened tensions following Hamas’s attack, which has seen Israeli authorities arrest nearly **21,000 Palestinians**, further underlining the severe implications of the ongoing conflict. The UN reports such violence often occurs with the **acquiescence** of Israeli security forces, according to SCMP, Le Monde, BBC, and Al Jazeera.

The ramifications of these conditions are profound, leading to a significant deterioration in the human rights situation for Palestinians over the past few years. The situation has been described as indicative of **systemic oppression**, suggesting that the separation and subordination of Palestinians appear intended to be permanent. The UN rights office has called for Israel to dismantle settlements and cease its discriminatory policies, marking an urgent plea for adherence to international human rights conventions, according to SCMP, Le Monde, BBC, and Al Jazeera.