The last year marked the deadliest in seven years for Palestinians, with 230 deaths, the Palestinian envoy in Ankara said Tuesday. He warned that the escalation is expected to continue in 2023, as 13 Palestinians, including three children, have already been killed since the beginning of January.
"2022 was not a year of cold and peace, but rather a hot, bloody year in which the suffering of our people and nation increased," Ambassador Faed Mustafa said at a news conference titled "2023: Year of major challenges facing the State of Palestine under the far-right Israeli government."
He said 171 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank last year and 59 in the blockaded Gaza Strip, making up "the highest death toll in seven years."
The Israeli army and settlers injured another 9,353 Palestinians, while over 6,500 were detained, including around 5,000 still languishing in Israeli prisons, he added.
Over 830 homes and other facilities were demolished, over 13,000 olive trees damaged and uprooted, and over 13,000 settlement units have been built in the West Bank, he said.
There were over 262 incursions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque by some 48,000 extremists who were protected by Israeli forces, the Palestinian diplomat said.
The new Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the "most extreme" and has a "fascist and racist ideology," Mustafa warned.
In the few days of 2023, 13 Palestinians, including three children, have already been killed, he said.
"It will be a bloody year as well as we have seen in this short period," he added.
The Israeli government continues to "hold the bodies of 118 martyrs" and has buried over 256 that it refused to hand over to their families, said Mustafa.
He condemned far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, criticizing him for turning the holy site into "an arena of religious conflict."
Mustafa said the new Israeli government has also started expanding illegal settlements.
"We direct our message to our partners in the international community. It is not enough to denounce and condemn the Israeli government," he said, calling for "decisions that help end the injustices against Palestinians."
Citing recent remarks by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the Palestinian ambassador said the new right-wing government led by Netanyahu is creating "sharp divisions" in Israeli society.
Netanyahu had "to get rid of the corruption cases against him" and "had no way out but to return as prime minister by relying on these parties," said Mustafa.
"They are blackmailing Netanyahu," he asserted.
He said Netanyahu is trying "to control the judiciary through amendments" that would undermine its "impartiality" and make it subservient to the government, moves that some people have even described as "an internal coup."
Mustafa urged governments and countries to reconsider "seeking to improve relations with an entity ruled by racists and fascists."
