Guterres says situation in occupied West Bank is "simply out of control"

OCCUPIED WEST BANK — UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the situation in the occupied West Bank is "simply out of control," according to a report by Anadolu Agency published on 22 October 2026.

Anadolu said Guterres made the remarks to reporters. Its summary of his comments said: "Palestinians continue to suffer daily attacks by Israeli settlers."

This report relies only on Anadolu Agency. Zenga News has not independently verified the remarks or the account of settler attacks.

What the source reports

According to Anadolu, the UN chief described conditions in the occupied West Bank in strong terms and tied them to violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians. The agency's headline quotes Guterres as saying the situation is "simply out of control."

The material available to Zenga News does not say where or in what setting Guterres spoke. It does not give the time of his remarks. It also does not say whether he referred to specific incidents, locations or casualty figures.

What is not confirmed

The source material does not include figures for people killed, injured or displaced in the West Bank. It does not include a response from the Israeli government, the Israeli military or settler representatives. It does not include a response from the Palestinian Authority.

Anadolu's summary does not say whether Guterres called for any specific action, or whether he addressed other issues in the same remarks, such as Gaza or a ceasefire.

Background

The West Bank is described in the Anadolu headline as "occupied," and Guterres's comments concern Palestinians living there. Beyond that, the source material gives no further background. Zenga News will update this report if more detail from Guterres's remarks, or responses to them, becomes available from additional sources.