The UN today denounced a “sharp increase in hatred” in the world since the war between the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Israel began on October 7 and that “both Jews and Muslims do not feel safe.”
“The impact of this crisis has shocked all regions, dehumanizing both Palestinians and Jews,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
“We are witnessing a sharp increase in hate speech, violence and discrimination, deepening social fractures and polarization,” he added, according to the AFP news agency.
“The impact of this crisis has been dramatic, at a regional and global level,” lamented the UN representative and denounced the tendency to “dehumanize” both Jews and Palestinians, in a statement reproduced by the Europa news agency. Press.
Likewise, he declared that he fears that “social fractures and polarization will increase”, which is why he appealed for containment and to limit any form of discrimination, also through the Internet.
“Both Jews and Muslims say that they no longer feel safe, and this saddens me,” added Türk, with the focus on the acts that may be committed, on the persecution of symbols and on the words that political leaders may pronounce and that , “without a doubt”, have consequences.
In this sense, he recalled that international law is “clear” and prohibits “any defense of hatred for reasons of nation, race or religion that constitutes an incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence.”
At the same time, he urged the authorities to respect freedom of expression and the right to assembly, after some countries have imposed limits on gatherings in favor of Israelis or Palestinians, in many cases citing security concerns. national or the need to contain certain discourses.
However, he stated that he understands that there were “generalized or disproportionate restrictions” on the right to demonstrate and that they “predominantly” limited the call for pro-Palestinian mobilizations.
Governments must undertake measures in a “proportionate” manner and “ensure that there is a safe space for participation and debate”, without restricting critical statements or “expressions of solidarity” with any of the parties, he said.
“When tensions and emotions are on the surface, it is the law that must guide us in the protection of Human Rights,” he warned.
Source: Ambito
