UN human rights chief condemns wave of hatred sparked by Gaza war

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk (Volker Tiurkas) strongly regretted the increased number of cases of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and hate speech, both online and offline.

“The impact of this crisis (…) has sent shock waves across regions, dehumanizing both Palestinians and Jews,” Turk said in a statement on Saturday.

“We have seen a sharp rise in hate speech, violence and discrimination, deepening social divisions and polarization. I’ve heard from both Jews and Muslims that they don’t feel safe, and that saddens me,” he added.

Israeli troops have surrounded Gaza’s largest city in an attempt to destroy Hamas, in response to the Oct. 7 attacks that Israeli officials say killed 1,400 people in the country. people, mostly civilians.

The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza claims that nearly 9,500 people, mostly women and children, were killed during the Israeli military campaign.

V. Turk says that “Islamophobic and anti-Semitic attacks, attacks and cases of hate speech have increased worldwide, including in the context of conflict-related protests.”

Homes and religious buildings were painted with threatening symbols, he said, along with other images and messages designed to “intimidate and provoke hatred”.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also expressed outrage at the “inflammatory, toxic and hateful rhetoric” of political leaders.

“The flow of hateful language being used on social networks is abhorrent,” V. Turk said.

“International human rights laws are clear here. Any promotion of national, racial or religious hatred that incites discrimination, hostility or violence is prohibited,” noted the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.