Palestinian and Israeli deaths this year have surpassed last year's figures and are at their highest level since 2005, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland said on Monday.
More than 200 Palestinians and almost 30 Israelis have been killed in the occupied West Bank and Israel this year, Mr Wennesland told the UN Security Council in a briefing.
"Palestinians and Israelis are killed in near daily violence – including just hours before this briefing when another fatal shooting attack killed an Israeli in the West Bank," he said.
The UN official said the violence was "fuelled and exacerbated by a growing sense of despair about the future".
On Tuesday, Israeli forces killed a 17-year-old boy while searching for suspects in a fatal shooting of an Israeli father and son on Saturday in the Palestinian town of Huwara.
On Monday, an Israeli settler was shot dead and another was wounded in Hebron.
Mr Wennesland cited the current political climate as cause for these escalations.
"The lack of progress towards a political horizon that addresses the core issues driving the conflict has left a dangerous and volatile vacuum, filled by extremists on both sides," he said.
Mr Wennesland said the parties of the conflict had taken "some actions" towards improving the situation on the ground but "unilateral steps, including settlement growth and demolitions" have continued as has settler violence and Palestinian militant activity.
Construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank has reached record levels, Israeli advocacy group Peace Now said this month. Almost 13,000 new housing units were approved this year alone, it said.
Israel also continues to practise a form of collective punishment, illegal under international law, by destroying the family homes of people suspected of carrying out attacks, even after they have been killed.
The UN official also highlighted the Palestinian Authority's "dire" financial situation which has resulted in the cutting back of civil servant salaries and social assistance.
"Some $14 million continues to be held each month in line with an Israeli law mandating the withholding of what Israel says the Palestinian Authority pays to perpetrators of attacks against Israelis, or to their families," Mr Wennesland said.
The Palestinian Authority's projected deficit for this year is more than $370 million and UN-led efforts to provide assistance are only 30 per cent funded, Mr Wennesland said.
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
