PCHR Weekly Report

PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory	No. 05/2006 02 - 08 February 2006

Israeli Occupation Forces continue to shell border areas in Gaza Strip.

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

Israeli violations of international law continued in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during the reporting period (2 – 8 February 2006):

Killing: During the reported period, IOF escalated extra-judicial executions against members of Palestinian factions. An IOF spokesman stated that IOF would continue to pursue "launchers of locally made rockets at Israel”. During the reported period, IOF committed 5 extra-judicial executions, including 4 in the Gaza Strip. Eleven Palestinians, including a civilian bystander, were killed, and 5 others, including 3 children, were injured. These executions were committed between 5-7 February 2006. During the reported period, IOF shelled Palestinian communities in the Gaza Strip. They also fired at Palestinian civilians during incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. As a result, 27 civilians were wounded, including 5 who were wounded during extra-judicial executions.

Incursions: IOF conducted 40 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 78 Palestinian civilians, including 12 children. IOF also transformed a house into a military site. IOF used undercover units and trained dogs during these incursions.

Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a big jail. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world, has been partially reopened. The crossing point is operated for 8 hours a day only. During the reported period, IOF partially reopened al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing after it had been closed for more than 3 weeks. IOF allowed 4,000 Palestinian workers to travel to their work places inside Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. Palestinian workers are also checked in a special room that is equipped with an as yet unidentified type of x-ray machine. There are concerns that these rays could be similar to those that were used at Rafah International Crossing Point, when it was under IOF's direct control.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. These measures have violated Palestinian civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints arrested 9 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children.

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF continued to raze areas of land in Marda village, southwest of Nablus. They uprooted 120 olive trees in Jamroura area, west of Hebron, and confiscated 280 dunums of agricultural land in the villages of Hijja, Kufor Laqef, Kufor Thuluth and 'Azzoun near Qalqilya and Deir Estia near Nablus. IOF also issued a military order confiscating 129 dunums of agricultural land in Beit Hanina village, north of Jerusalem. The leader of the Israeli Likud Party, Benjamin Netanyahu, called for moving the route of the Wall several kilometers deeper into West Bank territory. IOF also used force against Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli solidarity activists who demonstrated in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal'ein village, west of Ramalah. Two demonstrators were injured and IOF arrested an Israeli solidarity activist. In addition, IOF have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians on both sides of the Wall.

Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. During the reported period, Israeli settlers attacked at least 40 Palestinian school children, who were traveling in a bus near al-'Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They also attacked a Palestinian civilian in Yatta village, south of Hebron. In addition, IOF demolished 5 under-construction houses in Shaqba village, northwest of Ramallah, for the purpose of settlement expansion.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (2 – 8 February 2006)

1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including two children:

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Qubbat Janeb neighborhood in the southeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-'Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They fired lived bullets and sound bombs. They patrolled the streets, but no casualties or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Warda, 25, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Beit Ellu village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family Muthanna Mohammed Mar'ei, 24, in the al-Malsat neighborhood in the north of the town and arrested him. They also raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Amjad Ghazi 'Awad, 27, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Taqqou' village, southeast of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of 'Eissa Ameen al-Sabbah, 21, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Bani Na'im village, east of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 03:10, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mahmoud Riad Furaij, 21, and arrested him.

· At approximately 15:00, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Yassin Suleiman Saba'na, 30, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 15:00, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They fired live bullets and sound bombs at Palestinian civilians. 'Abdullah Nayef Ramadan, 16, from al-Duhaisha refugee camp, was wounded by a live bullet to the right thigh, when he was playing with his friends. IOF imposed a curfew on the north and center of the village. They arrested 3 Palestinian children who were near their homes:

· At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Dar Mahmoud neighborhood in the south of al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinians:

2. Wissam Hassan al-'Ejli, 26, a member of the Palestinian National Security Force.

· At approximately 22:30, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of 'Abdul Halim Jouda Mahmoud, 38, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

· At approximately 16:30, IOF positioned the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Jabalya, fired a number of artillery shells at uninhabited areas to the west of the border. By midnight, IOF had fired at least 50 artillery shells at uninhabited areas in the northern Gaza Strip. No damage or casualties were reported.

· At night, IOF moved into the main road near al-Duhaisha refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. They surrounded an apartment building in the area. They opened fire at the building and raided and searched it. No casualties or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Duha village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Nizar Khalil Mas'oud, 27, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-'Obaidiya village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of 'Aaref Ahmed al-Wahesh, 27, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian children:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF fighter jets launched 7 missiles at the entrance to Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. As a result, the bridge liking the town with other areas in the Gaza Strip was destroyed and a number of houses were damaged. No casualties were reported. Then, IOF threw leaflets warning the Palestinian civilian population not to be present in the north of Beit Lahia and the east of Beit Hanoun.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Karza village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Jasser Shihda Doudin, 41, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into 'Askar refugee camp, northeast of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 06:30, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They patrolled in the streets, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 16:00, Israeli soldiers in a military jeep that was patrolling on the main streets to the west of Jenin fired at Mohammed 'Eissa Kannouh, 22, from Rummana village, when he was walking near the entrance of the village. He was wounded by two live bullets to the legs.

· At approximately 20:00, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, southwest of Jenin. They opened fire at Palestinian civilians. Ussama Mahmoud 'Aabed, 17, was wounded by shrapnel to the face. IOF also held a number of Palestinian civilians for long hours.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of 'Alaa' Suleiman Faraj, 24, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into al-'Azza refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Sami 'Abdul Hamid al-'Azza, 45, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Bilal Khaled Kulaib, 21, in the Hindaza neighborhood in the south of the town and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 9 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:00, an IOF aircraft launched a missile at al-Shaimaa' School in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Zubaida Nash'at al-Keilani, 15, was wounded by shrapnel to the face while she was inside her house near the school.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF fighter jets launched 4 missiles at a bridge that links Beit Hanoun with other areas in the Gaza Strip. The bridge was destroyed and only one entrance was now remains for the town. In addition, a car driven by Ahmed Mahmoud Ahmed, 23, fell into a crater near the bridge. He sustained injuries and bruises throughout the body. Electricity was also cut off in the northern Gaza Strip. This was the second attack on the same bridge in less than one week.

· At approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mustafa Ahmed 'Aabed, 55, the mayor of the village. They arrested his three sons: Nour, 23; Mohammed, 20; and 'Ameed, 18. They also confiscated the sons' passports and mobile phones.

· Also at approximately 04:00, an IOF undercover unit moved into Nablus. Members of the unit surrounded al-Ashqar apartment building in Rafidya neighborhood in the west of the city. Soon, at least 25 IOF vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved into the city to reinforce the undercover unit (see extra-judicial executions below). A few hours later, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in the area and threw stones at IOF. Immediately, IOF fired at these civilians wounding 11, including 9 children:

1. Yasser Sameeh al-Bizra, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head;

2. Nour Mo'in al-Masri, 15, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right foot;

3. Ayman Haitham Shahin, 13, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right foot;

4. 'Ali Mahmoud Abu Baker, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right foot;

5. Firas Bassem Hassuna, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right foot;

6. Yousef Hani al-Zammar, 15, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg;

7. Hassan Fares Jarrar, 24, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg;

8. Jalal Fathi Mansour, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left thigh;

9. Ma'ath Kazem Hassiba, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the back;

10. Ahmed Mohammed al-Du'aifi, 116, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg; and

11. Muntasser Mahmoud al-Masri, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left leg.

· At approximately 05:00, IOF fighter jets launched a number of missiles at Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. The missiles made craters and destroyed a number of branch roads.

· At approximately 12:00, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. Dozens of Palestinian school children gathered and threw stones at IOF. Immediately, IOF fired the these children wounding 3 of them:

1. Qusai Mohammed Houshiya, 15, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the foot;

2. Ahmed Maher Houshiya, 15, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the face; and

3. Ahmed 'Abdullah Houshiya, 13, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the hand

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Qalandya refugee camp, south of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of shops. They also opened fire indiscriminately. Two Palestinian children and a woman were wounded:

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Kharsa village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Muntasser 'Eissa Shadeed, 35, and arrested him.

· At approximately 13:00, an IOF undercover unit moved into 'Aaida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem, using a civilian car with a Palestinian registration plate. The car stopped near a restaurant and 5 Israeli soldiers got out of it. They arrested two Palestinian civilians:

During the reported period, IOF committed 4 extra-judicial executions in the Gaza Strip and a fifth one in the West Bank, which left 11 Palestinians dead, including a civilian bystander, and wounded 5 others, including 3 children.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 00:30 on Sunday, 5 February 2006, an IOF aircraft launched 3 missiles at the al-Shams sports club, belonging to the Fatah movement, in the densely populated Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. The club was totally destroyed and one of its members, 30-year-old Hani Tal'at al-Qayed, was seriously wounded. A number of members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah movement, had just finished a meeting inside the club and left the building when the attack occurred. Following the attack, two members of the club – Nasser Ramadan Marshoud, 28, and Yassin Jamal Barghout, 25 – offered help to al-Qayed. They evacuated him in a civilian car to the hospital. When the car arrived at the headquarters of the Preventive Security Service in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, while it was on its way to the hospital, an IOF aircraft launched a missile at the car. The car was destroyed and the three young men were instantly killed. In addition, 3 Palestinian civilian bystanders were wounded by shrapnel:

1. Rami al-Sheikh Khalil, 23, seriously wounded by shrapnel to the head and died from his injury on Tuesday, 7 February 2006;

2. Sameh Mohammed al-Ja'bari, 23, wounded by shrapnel to the face and the legs; and

At approximately 21:15 on Sunday, 5 February 2006, IOF aircrafts launched two missiles at two civilian cars (a white Renault and a Volkswagen minibus) that were traveling near the Doula building in the densely populated al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza City. The two cars were destroyed and the two drivers, who are members of the al-Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad, were killed:

An IOF spokesman stated that the Israeli Air Force targeted a number of members of Islamic Jihad in Gaza City.

At approximately 20:00 on Monday, 6 February 2006, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Jabalya, fired an artillery shell at a civilian car (a white Hyundai), which was traveling on a dirt road near Hammouda fuel station, nearly two kilometers to the west of the border. The shell did not hit the car and members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah, who were traveling in the car escaped, apart from two who did not have enough time to escape as an IOF aircraft launched a second missile at the car. The two members were instantly killed:

At approximately 04:00 on Tuesday, 7 February 2006, an IOF undercover unit moved into Nablus. Members of the unit surrounded the al-Ashqar apartment building in the Rafidya neighbourhood in the west of the city. Soon afterwards, at least 25 IOF vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved into the city to reinforce the undercover unit. IOF opened fire at a flat on the first floor and prevented ambulances from entering the area. At approximately 11:15, IOF withdrew from the area and ambulances evacuated a body from the targeted flat to Rafidya Hospital. The victim was identified as Ahmed Suleiman Raddad, 32, from Saida village near Tulkarm, a leader of the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad. According to medical crews, he was hit by at least 15 live bullets to the head, the right shoulder and hand. PCHR's field worker in Nablus, who saw the victim's body, reported that the face was severely injured. It is worth noting that Raddad survived an attack on 5 February 2006, when IOF set an ambush targeting him on the road linking Balata and 'Askar refugee camps, east of Nablus.

At approximately 17:15 on Tuesday, 7 February 2006, an IOF aircraft launched a missile at a civilian car that was traveling near the Islamic Compound in the densely populated al-Sabra neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. The car was destroyed and two members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah movement, who were traveling in the car, were killed:

In addition, 3 Palestinian children living in the area were wounded by shrapnel:

1. Baraa' Wa'el al-Mana'ma, 4, seriously wounded by shrapnel to the head and the leg;

IOF have continued to impose tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

Even though IOF were redeployed around the Gaza Strip, they have maintained the occupation of the Gaza Strip though controlling all outlets and crossings.

· Rafah International Crossing Point: Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. Work hours at the crossing have been limited to 8 hours a day. It is noted that, contrary to media reports, the commercial crossing in Rafah has not been opened. The commercial crossing still requires some technical preparations parallel to those being conducted at the Kerem Shalom crossing to the southeast of Rafah, which is designated for imports under joint Israeli-Palestinian control. For more information on the border crossings agreement between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, please refer to previous PCHR's reports.

· Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: This is the only crossing point for Gaza Strip workers, medical cases, traders and ordinary citizens into Israel and to the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF have allowed nearly 4,200 out of 6,000 Palestinian workers who have valid work permits to reach their work places inside Israel through the crossing. Since 20 January 2006, IOF handed the responsibilities, regarding the passage of people through the crossing, to an Israeli private company. Only one out of 24 routes has been operated for the passage of workers, which causes congestion. Palestinian workers are also checked in a special room that is equipped with an, as yet, unidentified x-ray machine. There are concerns that these rays could be similar to those that were used preciously at Rafah International Crossing Point, when it was under IOF's direct control. A few medical cases have been allowed to travel to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank, but only under strict regulations.

· Al-Mentar (Karni) Commercial Crossing: Since the evacuation of Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, IOF have repeatedly closed the crossing. On 5 February 2006, IOF reopened the crossing after it had been closed for more than 3 weeks, during which all aspects of trade were paralyzed. Following the reopening of the crossing, only foodstuffs have been permitted into the Gaza Strip. Palestinian farmers have not been able to export agricultural products, especially strawberries and flowers. IOF closed the crossing for undisclosed security reasons. IOF requested the Palestinian side to dig around the crossing as they suspect the existence of a tunnel in the area. This closure has severely impacted Palestinian agricultural exportation.

· Sofa crossing: IOF also control Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah, which is designated for the transportation of construction raw materials. They close the crossing from time to time for no particular reason, as occurred on 18 January 2006.

The closure of border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of movement, education and health.

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Approximately 35,000 people in and around Gaza’s coastal communities rely on the fishing industry, including 2,500 fishermen, 2,500 support staff and their families.

Fishermen have been routinely subjected to intensive monitoring by the Israeli military. The military have used helicopter gunships and gunboats to monitor the fishermen. On a number of occasions the Israeli military opened fire against the civilian fishermen in order to enforce the 9 nautical mile limit imposed on them. The Oslo Accords make provision for Gaza’s sea to be fished to 20 nautical miles.

IOF have continued to impose a strict siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank Territory. They have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and imposed curfews on a number of Palestinian communities.

· Jerusalem: IOF have maintained the isolation of East Jerusalem from the rest of the OPT. They have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city. According to eyewitnesses, IOF positioned at various checkpoints around the city conduct prolonged checking of Palestinian civilians. On Friday, 3 February 2006, IOF prevented Palestinian civilians aged below 45 from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque.

· Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. During the reported period, IOF closed the iron gate at the entrance of the road leading to Bani Zaid area several times. They also erected a number of checkpoints on the Ramallah – Nablus road. On Monday noon, 6 February 2006, IOF closed Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, after an Israeli soldier was injured by one of his colleagues. Hundreds of Palestinian civilians were not able to cross the checkpoints in order to go back home.

· Bethlehem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Monday noon, 6 February 2006, IOF closed a checkpoint in Beit Jala, west of Bethlehem, and also closed Kfar Etzion checkpoint on the Bethlehem – Hebron road. They prevented thousands of Palestinian civilians from crossing the two checkpoints. This closure continued until the following evening.

· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose strict closure measures in Nablus. On Thursday, 2 February 2006, IOF closed Za'tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and prevented Palestinian civilians from traveling to the south of the West Bank. They have also continued to prevent Palestinian civilians living in Jenin and Tulkarm from crossing the checkpoint. During the reported period, IOF erected a number of checkpoints on al-Bathan road, northeast of the city. They imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They conducted prolonged checking and verified the identity cards of Palestinian civilians. On Saturday, 4 February 2006, IOF erected a checkpoint at the entrance of Hawara village, south of Nablus. They stopped and searched many civilian vehicles. On Monday, 6 February 2006, IOF erected a checkpoint on the road that links Nablus with Tulkarm and Qalqilya. They checked Palestinian civilians and verified their identity cards. IOF detained a number of Palestinian civilians for nearly an hour. These civilians were released when a number of activists of the Israeli No Checkpoints. IOF prevent these civilians from talking with the Israeli activists.

At approximately 13:30 on Thursday, 2 February 2006, IOF closed Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus. They arrested two Palestinian civilians, claiming that they were carrying explosives: