World leaders condemn Israel at UN as Palestinians protest prison bans

Palestinian activists staged demonstrations on Monday to denounce Israel’s recent prohibition on family visits to inmates held in West Bank prisons, a measure the authorities say is intended to tighten security amid rising tensions. The protests, organized by several local NGOs and coordinated through social‑media calls, gathered in the cities of Ramallah and Nablus, where participants held signs and chanted slogans calling for the restoration of visitation rights. Israeli officials explained that the ban, which affects roughly 2,000 detainees, is a temporary response to “security concerns” following a series of attacks on prison facilities, though they declined to specify a timeline for its reversal.

At the same time, human‑rights monitors reported a continuation of settler‑linked violence across the occupied West Bank, describing a series of incidents that local authorities have labeled “pogroms.” Over the past week, at least six Palestinian civilians were injured in clashes near the settlements of Itamar and Elon Moreh, and several homes were reported damaged by arson. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incidents and had deployed additional forces to the area, while Palestinian leaders condemned what they called “systematic aggression” and urged the international community to intervene. The overlapping issues of prison‑visit restrictions and settler attacks underscore the volatile security situation in the territory, with both sides awaiting further developments.