Guterres says Mideast peace requires "realisation of the legitimate rights" of Palestinians

After two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near Hebron, Israel launched a military operation in the city, ordering residents of Ein Deir Baha to leave and detaining about 40 people across the West Bank, according to the army. The attack came days before Israeli elections. Hebron’s municipality said 3,189 people had been forced from their homes. UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned the operation raised serious concerns about excessive force, collective punishment and threats to depopulate whole neighborhoods, and called for displaced residents to be allowed back. In Cairo, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed alarm over Israel’s West Bank actions and violence by settlers, and linked lasting Middle East peace to addressing Palestinian national rights.