Palestinians Passing Through Bethlehem Checkpoint on
their Way to Pray at al-Aqsa Mosque

 

Israeli
Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian
Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

 

 

In a
new extra-judicial execution crime, the IOF killed a Palestinian activist and
wounded another.

 

IOF used
force to disperse peaceful protest organized by Palestinian civilians in the
West Bank.

2
Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, were wounded in the Kafr Qaddoum
demonstration, northeast of Jenin.

 

IOF
conducted 36 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  

IOF
arrested 17 Palestinians, including 4 children.

 

Israel
has continued to impose a total closure on the OPT, and has isolated the Gaza
Strip from the outside world.

IOF
established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank and hindered the movement of
Palestinian civilians.

IOF
arrested two children at a checkpoint in the old town of Hebron. 

 

IOF
have continued to target civilian objects.

IOF
fired artillery shells at the vicinity of Gaza International Airport, but no casualties
were reported.

 

IOF
have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

Israeli
settlers blew up a Palestinian vehicle in the Senjel village, north of Ramallah.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (02 – 08 August 2012):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, a Palestinian
activist was killed and another was wounded when an IOF aircraft targeted them
in the south of the Gaza Strip.  The IOF
also wounded many Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human
rights defenders in peaceful demonstrations in protest of the annexation wall
and settlement activities in the West Bank.

 

On 05 August 2012, the IOF
positioned at the border with Israel near Karm Abu Salem crossing in the south
of Rafa fired shells at the vicinity of Gaza International Airport and the
eastern outskirts of Rafah. Helicopters flying in the sky of the area also
opened fire for approximately two hours. The local population panicked, but no
casualties were reported.

 

During the reporting period, the IOF
used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest of the
construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West
Bank.  As a result, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded, including a journalist,
Ashraf Abu Shawish (42), who sustained wounds from a tear gas canister to his
right leg.  The other civilian sustained
wounds from a tear gas canister to his right hand.  Dozens of demonstrators also suffered from
tear gas inhalation. 

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, the IOF conducted at least 36 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 
During these incursions, the IOF arrested 17 Palestinians, including 4
children.  

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

Israel
had continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

The illegal Israeli-imposed closure
of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a
disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
 The illegal closure has caused not only
a humanitarian crisis, but a crisis of human rights and human dignity for the
population of the Gaza Strip.  Measures
recently declared to ease the blockade are vague, purely cosmetic and fail to
deal with the root causes of the crisis, which can only be addressed by an
immediate and complete lifting of the closure, including lifting the travel ban
into and out of the Gaza Strip and the ban on exports.  Palestinians in Gaza may no longer suffer from
the same shortage of goods, but they remain economically dependent and unable
to care for themselves, and socially, culturally and academically isolated from
the rest of the world.  

 

The IOF have continued to impose
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the
West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.  Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.

 

Settlement
Activities: 

 

Israel
has continued its settlement activities in the OPT in violation of
international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack
Palestinian civilians and property.

 

On
Thursday morning, 02 August 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from the “Giv’at
Ariel” settlement, north of Ramallah, tried to blow up a car belonging to a
Palestinian.  The car, belonging to Abdul
Kareem Khalil, was parked in the yard of a house.  The settlers put flammable materials under the
vehicle, where they also put cigarettes with matches fixed at the end; as a
result, when the cigarette is finished the matches start and blow up the
vehicle.  The cigarette was put out and
nothing happened.  The settlers wrote on
the walls of the house Hebrew statements that mean “Get away from our land,
paying the price.”  

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (02 – 08 August 2012)

 

1. Incursions into
Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip

 

Thursday, 02 August 2012

 

At approximately 02:00, the IOF
moved into Bartaa al-Sharqiya, southwest of Jenin, behind the annexation wall.  They raided and searched a shop belonging to
Shadi Kmeil.  Before withdrawing, they
arrested Hamza Yehya Zayoud (23), from Silat al-Harithiya, who was in the shop.
 

 

At approximately 08:30, the IOF
moved into al-‘Oja village, northeast of Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  No arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 22:30, the IOF
moved into al-Jiftlek village, north of Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

Friday,
03 August 2012

 

At approximately 00:30, the IOF moved into Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and then they drove to the
south and raided the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp.  They patrolled in the refugee camp for some
time and withdrew later.  Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, the IOF
moved into al-Tira village, southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 14:00, the IOF
moved into the Bidia village, northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew at 14:30.  Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 14:10, the IOF
moved into al-Zawya village, northwest of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew at 14:25.  Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:45, the IOF
moved into the Azzoun village, west of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 17:30, the IOF
moved into the Beit ‘Or al-Tahta village, southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

At approximately 19:15, the IOF
moved into Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 04 August 2012  

 

At approximately 02:00, the IOF
moved into the Bidia village, northwest of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew at approximately 15:40. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:15, the IOF
moved into the Kafr Addik village, west of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew at approximately 14:45. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 06:00, the IOF
moved into the Bitello village, northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 21:30, the IOF
moved into the Kherbtha al-Mesbah village, northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:00, the IOF
moved into the Deir Jarir village, northeast of Ramallah.  They provocatively patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:30, the IOF
moved into the Marj Ghazal village, north of Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

Sunday, 05 August 2012

 

At approximately 01:30, the IOF
moved into the Solwad village, northeast of Ramallah.  They raided and searched 2 houses.  Before withdrawing, they arrested 2 children –
Alaa Abdul Karim al-Kharraj (16); and Ahmed Raji Ayad (17) – and transferred
them to the Ofer’ military detention center.  

 

At approximately 02:00, the IOF
moved into Halhoul, north of Hebron. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and raided the house of
Mohammed Abdul Hadi al-Baw and delivered him a notice requiring him to appear
before the Israeli intelligence.  The IOF
withdrew later and no further incidents were reported.

 

At approximately 11:00, the IOF
moved into the Barqa village, east of Ramallah. 
They provocatively patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew
later.  Neither house raids nor arrests
were reported.

At approximately 19:10, the IOF,
positioned at the border with Israel near Karm Abu Salem crossing in the south
of Rafah, fired shells at the vicinity of the Gaza International Airport and
the eastern outskirts of Rafah.  Helicopters flying in the sky of the area also
opened fire for approximately 2 hours.  The local population panicked, but no casualties
were reported.  

 

At approximately 23:30, the IOF
moved into the Taqou’a village, east of Bethlehem.  They ambushed Muthallath al-Halqoum in the Taqou’a
village, and arrested Ahmed Mohammed Jebril (17) and Hisham Khalil al-‘Omour
(19) and transferred them to the the Israeli police station in the Kriat Arbaa
settlement.  Jebril and al-‘Omour were
released the following day, 06 August 2012.

 

Monday, 06 August 2012

 

At approximately 02:00, the IOF moved into Dora, southwest of Hebron.
 They patrolled in the streets for some
time, and raided and searched the house of Ahmed Abdul Hamid Mohammed Aberyoush
(27). Before withdrawing, they arrested Aberyoush.

 

At approximately 02:30, the IOF moved into the Safa village, west
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time, and raided and searched the house of Khaled Akram Zaki
Mansour (30). Before withdrawing, they arrested Mansour.

 

At approximately 05:00, the IOF moved into al-‘Oja village,
northeast of Jericho.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:20, the IOF moved into the Deir Estia village,
north of Salfit.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew at approximately 00:30.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Tuesday, 07 August 2012

 

At approximately 00:30, the IOF moved into Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 01:30, the IOF moved into the Borham village,
northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:00, the IOF moved into Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and then raided the house of the Arram family, claiming that they were searching
for Mohannad Fawzi Arram (24).  Mohannad
was not in the house.  Before
withdrawing, IOF delivered a notice to the Arram family requiring Mohannad to
appear before the Israeli intelligence in the Israeli Military Liaison Office
in Qalqilya.  At approximately 08:30, Mohannad
headed to the Israeli Military Liaison Office, where he was arrested.

At approximately 02:20, the IOF moved into Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets while firing
sound bombs and tear gas canisters at Palestinians, claiming that they were
subjected to stoning.  They then raided
and searched a number of houses.  They
withdrew at approximately 03:15 and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:45, the IOF moved into the Kafr Qaddoum
village, northeast of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time. 
Before withdrawing, they arrested 3 Palestinians, including a child:

 

1. Mamoun Rafiq Mustafa Eshteiwi (33);

2. Moahmmed Saleh Yousef Eshteiwi (23); and

3. Qusai Marwan Mahmoud Aqel (17).

 

At approximately 04:05, the IOF moved into Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew at approximately 06:00. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 07:30, the IOF moved into al-Mazraa al-Sharqiya
village, northeast of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, the IOF moved into the Bartaa al-Sharqiya
village, southwest of Jenin, which is located behind the annexation wall.  They raided and searched a shop selling
agricultural supplies owned by Hadi Mohammed Nyaz (20).  Before withdrawing, they arrested Nyaz.  

 

Wednesday, 08 August 2012

 

At approximately 02:00, the IOF moved into the Kafr Ra’i village,
southwest of Jenin.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time.  Before
withdrawing, they arrested 2 Palestinians: Munib Mohammed Munib al-Sheikh
Ibrahim (32); and Munjed Jamil Ahmed al-Sheikh Ibrahim (38).

 

At approximately 04:00, the IOF moved into the Beit Ummar village,
north of Hebron.  They raided and
searched 2 houses.  Before withdrawing,
they arrested Alaa Mousa Hassan Zaaqiq (22) and Taqi Addin Abdul Fattah Jawabra
(21) and transferred them to the military detention center in the Kfar Etzion
settlement.

 

At approximately 17:00, the IOF moved into the Muthallath
al-Shuhada village, south of Jenin.  They
raided and searched a car repair workshop owned by Nabil Subuh.  Before withdrawing, they arrested Subuh.

 

 

2. Use of
Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrations Protesting Settlement
Activities and the Construction of the Annexation Wall

 

During
the reporting period, the IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations
organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights
defenders in protest of the construction of the Wall and settlement activities
in the West Bank.  As a result, 2
Palestinian civilians were wounded, including journalist Ashraf Abu Shawish (42),
who was hit by a gas canister to his right leg and another gas canister to his
right hand.  In addition, dozens of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.  

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 03 August 2012, dozens of Palestinian
civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a
peaceful demonstration in the Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest of
the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities.  They moved towards areas of the annexation
wall.  They called through megaphones for
Israeli settlers in the Mitityahu settlement to leave Palestinian land.  Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
demonstrators.  As a result, a number of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 03 August 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in the Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in
protest of the construction of the annexation wall and settlement
activities.  The demonstrators moved
towards areas of the annexation wall.  
Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated
metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators.  As a result, some demonstrators suffered from
tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 03 August 2012,
dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights
defenders gathered in the center of the Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah, to start the weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the
annexation wall and settlement activities.  The protesters walked towards
the gate erected by the IOF near the entrance of the village and leading to
Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby Halmish settlement are
trying to seize.  Israeli soldiers, who had been extensively deployed in
the area and near all the entrances of the village since the morning, began to
confront the protesters who wanted to walk towards the affected lands.
 Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and
tear gas canisters at the protesters.  As
a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others
sustained bruises.

 

At approximately 13:15, also on Friday, on 03 August 2012,
Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a
peaceful demonstration in the Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in
protest to the continued closure of the eastern entrance of the village by the IOF.  They moved towards the entrance.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at them.  As a
result, 2 Palestinian civilian were wounded, including journalist Ashraf Abu
Shawish (42), who was hit by a tear gas canister in his right leg and another
tear gas canister in his right hand. 

 

3. Extra-judicial
killings

 

In
the context of extra-judicial killings, on Sunday, 05 August 2012, the IOF
killed a member of the Palestinian resistance, seriously wounded another member,
when their motorbike was targeted in Tal al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, southern
Gaza Strip.  The IOF later declared that
they targeted 2 Palestinians under the pretext of their affiliation to “Global
Jihad” who were planning and implementing attacks against the IOF.

 

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 14:00 on Sunday, 05
August 2012, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a motorbike that was ridden
by 2 Palestinian resistance members. 
They were close to Canada Well in Tal al-Sultan in Rafah, southern Gaza
Strip.  As a result, Eid Nadi Eid Okal (20),
from Rafah, was killed due to shrapnel wounds throughout his body and Ahmed
Salem Sa’id Isma’il (22), from al-Toffah neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded
by shrapnel throughout his body. 
Isma’il’s health conditions are serious. 
He was transported to the Abu Yusef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah, but due
to his serious wounds, he was transferred to Nasser Hospital in Khan
Yunis.  Medical sources in Nasser
Hospital state that Isma’il sustained second degree burns and his left leg was
amputated.

 

The
IOF’s statement that was published on their website mentioned that, as a result
of their cooperation with the General Security Service, the Israeli Air Forces
attacked a group of (terrorists) in the southern Gaza Strip who belong to the
Global Jihad movement.  The target was
precisely attacked.  That statement added
that a member of the group, Ahmed Sa’id Isma’il, is a member of the Global
Jihad movement in the Gaza Strip and Sinai.  In addition, he participated in the attack
that was carried out on 18 June 2012 at the Israeli-Egyptian borders, which led
to killing an Israeli person.     

 

4. Continued Closure
of the OPT

 

Israel has continued to impose a tightened closure on the OPT and
imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

Gaza
Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all
border crossings to the Gaza Strip for nearly 5 years.  The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the
Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous
impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.  

 

The IOF
have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and essentially made Karm Abu
Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing for the Gaza Strip, although it is
not appropriate for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and
operational capacity.

 

The IOF
have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the strangulation of
the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing total control
over the flow of imports and exports.

 

The
total closure of al-Mentar “Karni” crossing on 02 March 2011 has created a
bitter situation that has seriously affected the Gaza Strip.  Following this closure, all the economic and
commercial establishments in Gaza Commercial Zone were shut off.  It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is
the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip, in terms of its operational capacity to
absorb the flow of imports and exports. 
The decision to close al-Mentar crossing was the result of a series of
decisions to totally close Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip, in the
beginning of 2009, and Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which was
dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the
beginning of 2010.

 

The IOF
have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the
Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities.  The limited quantities of raw materials
allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population in
the Gaza Strip.

 

The
cooking gas crisis which erupted last November has continued to affect the Gaza
Strip.  This crisis was created when the
Israeli occupation authorities totally closed, on 04 January 2010, Nahal Oz
crossing, which used to be dedicated to the delivery of fuel and cooking gas
supplies to Gaza, and shifted fuel and cooking gas supplies to Karm Abu Salem
crossing, which is not technically equipped to receive Gaza’s needs of fuel.
 The Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum absorptive capacity, can
receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day.

 

Approximately
80% of Gaza civilians continue to depend on aid provided by UNRWA and other
relief agencies, the rate of families who are living below the poverty line
have continued to rise and approximately 40% of Gaza’s manpower has continued
to suffer from permanent unemployment as a result of the shutting down of the
majority of Gaza’s economic establishments.

 

The IOF
have continued to impose a total ban on the exportation of Gaza’s products,
especially industrial products, leading to the undermining of any real chance
to start up economic establishments again. 
The situation has been aggravated, especially after making the Karm Abu
Salem crossing the Gaza sole commercial crossing and the repeated closure of
this crossing, which negatively affects the quantity of Gazan products that
were allowed to be exported last April.

 

For approximately 6 consecutive years, the IOF have continued to
ban the delivery of construction materials to Gaza.  During the reporting period, the IOF approved
the delivery of a limited quantity of construction materials for a number of
international organizations.

 

Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for
Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip. 
The IOF only allowed the movement of limited groups amidst severe
restrictions, including long hours of waiting in the majority of cases.  The IOF have also continued to adopt a policy
aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit
Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the
West Bank and Jerusalem.  The IOF denied
new categories of Gazan patients permission to access hospitals via the
crossing.  

 

Approximately 3 weeks ago, the IOF allowed the families of
Palestinian prisoners detained in prisons in Israel to visit their relatives
after 5 years of denying their right to family visitation, in violation of
international humanitarian law.  

 

The Rafah crossing continued to be open for Palestinian patients
seeking medical treatment abroad, Palestinian students enrolled in
international universities and those who have international residency permits.  Facilitations were announced to allow men
above the age of 40, women of all ages and children under 18 to move via the
crossing.  Up to this moment, the
crossing has not witnessed any normal movement reflecting the announced
facilitations.  The crossing has been
totally closed since 06 August 2012 in the wake of incidents that took place in
the Sinai, resulting in the death of Egyptian soldiers.  The recent closure of the crossing has created
a crisis due to the increasing numbers of persons wishing to leave Gaza,
especially pilgrims and those who came from abroad to visit their relatives in
Gaza.  This has also affected the health
of Palestinian patients who need medical treatment abroad.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at the Rafah International Crossing Point

01 –
07 August 2012

 

 

Note: The Rafah Crossing Administration did not publish a daily
report on 05 August 2012 because the crossing was closed on Monday morning, 06
August 2012, and the staff members did not go to work.  The Rafah crossing was closed by the Egyptian
authorities in the wake of the killing of 16 Egyptian soldiers and wounding of
another 7 soldiers after an unknown armed group attacked an Egyptian military
post near Rafah city in the Egyptian side.  The members of the armed group also seized 2
armored vehicles belonging to the Egyptian army and drove them to an Israeli
military post close to the Palestinian-Egyptian borders in the southeast of
Rafah, southeast of the Gaza Strip.  One
of the vehicles exploded near the border and the other was destroyed when it
was targeted by an Israeli aircraft.

 

Movement at the Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

 

PCHR apologies for being unable to include the movement at the Karm
Abu Salem crossing for the reporting period, due to technical problems.  PCHR will include the movement at the crossing
for this reporting period in its next weekly report.

 

Movement
at the Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

01 –
08 August 2012

 

 

Note: At approximately 05:45 on Monday, 06 August, the IOF positioned
at the Beit Hanoun crossing allowed 54 Palestinians who have relatives detained
in Israeli jails to pass through the crossing to visit their relatives in jail.
 It should be noted that this is the fourth
group of Palestinians who have been allowed to travel via the crossing after 6
years of denial of the right to family visitation.  

 

The West Bank

 

Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank.  During the reporting period, the IOF imposed
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

 

There are approximately hundreds of permanent roadblocks and manned
and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank.

 

When complete, the illegal annexation wall will stretch 724 kilometers
around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population.  350 kilometers of the wall has already been
constructed.  Approximately 99% of the
wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, confiscating more
Palestinian land.

Many of the main roads that lead to Palestinian communities in the
West Bank are closed or fully controlled by the IOF.

 

The IOF have continued to restrict the access of Palestinian
civilians from the West Bank to East Jerusalem, through a strict system of
permits and a network of checkpoints.

The IOF have completely controlled access to the Jordan Valley
through 4 permanent checkpoints established at its entrances.  Palestinians living outside the area are not
allowed to enter it without permits.

 

Settlement activities and the expansion of settlements impose
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.   

 

The IOF have continued to restrict access to gunfire areas and
natural reserves, which constitute about 26% of the total area of the West
Bank.

 

Israeli military checkpoints restrict the movement of goods
throughout the West Bank.

 

Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by the IOF in
Jerusalem and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped, searched
and even arrested in the streets by the IOF.

 

Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank.  During the reporting period, the IOF imposed
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians:

 

Jerusalem: The
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians to and from the city.  Thousands
of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied
access to the city.  The IOF have
established many checkpoints around and inside the city.  Restrictions of
the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing
young Muslim Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.

 

On
Friday, 03 August 2012, the IOF imposed restrictions on the movement of
Palestinians wanting to perform the Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque.  The Israeli occupation police announced that
they would allow Palestinians from the West Bank who are above the age of 4 to
have access to the Mosque without permits.  They also announced they would allow women of
all ages and children under the age of 12 to have access to the Mosque.  This is not applicable to Palestinians from
the Gaza Strip, who are denied access to the al-Aqsa Mosque during the Holy
Month of Ramada for prayers.

 

In
this context, the IOF deployed thousands of policemen and members of the border
guard to different parts of Occupied Jerusalem, especially the old town and the
vicinity of the al-Aqsa Mosque and at checkpoints at the main entrances of the
city.  They also closed main streets and
roads adjacent to the walls of the city and in neighborhoods near the city.

 

Ramallah
and al-Bireh:  The IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 08:30 on Friday, 03 August
2012, the IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of
Ramallah.  At approximately 20:00, the IOF
established a checkpoint at the Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta intersection, southwest of
Ramallah.  They stopped Palestinian cars
and checked passengers’ ID cards.  The 2
checkpoints were removed later and no arrests were reported.  

 

At
approximately 09:00 on Sunday, 05 August 2012, the IOF re-established their
presence at the ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah.  At approximately 11:30, they established a
checkpoint near the entrance of al-Mazraa al-Sharqiya village, northeast of Ramallah.  At approximately 21:30, they established a
checkpoint near the ‘Oyoun al-Haramiya intersection on the road between
Ramallah and Nablus.  They stopped
Palestinian cars and checked passengers’ ID cards.  The checkpoints were removed later and no arrests
were reported.

 

Qalqilya:  The IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 15:40 on Thursday, 02 August
2012, the IOF established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of Qalqilya.  They established another checkpoint at
approximately 16:30 at the entrance of the ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qalqilya.  A third checkpoint was
established at approximately 22:55 near the Nabi Elias village.  The 3 checkpoints were established on the Qalqilya-Nablus
road, east and northeast of Qalqilya.  The
IOF checked passengers’ ID cards and searched Palestinians’ vehicles and
luggage. The checkpoints were removed and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 02:10 on Friday, 03 August 2012, the IOF established a checkpoint
between the villages of al-Funduq and Jinsafout.  They established another checkpoint at
approximately 02:15 near the intersection of the Imatin village and a third
checkpoint at approximately 14:55 at the eastern entrance of Qalqilya.  They re-established a checkpoint at the
eastern entrance of Qalqilya at approximately 23:55.  The 4 checkpoints were established on the Qalqilya-Nablus
road, east and northeast of Qalqilya.  The
IOF checked passengers’ ID cards and searched Palestinians’ vehicles and
luggage.  The checkpoints were removed
and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 03:00 on Saturday, 04 August 2012, the IOF established a
checkpoint near the Jit village.  They
established another checkpoint at approximately 10:30 at the intersection of the
Jinsafout village and a third checkpoint at approximately 17:10 at the entrance
of the Kafr Laqef village, east of Qalqilya.  A fourth checkpoint was established at
approximately 21:45 at the entrance of the Azzoun village. The checkpoints were
established on the Qalqilya-Nablus road, east and northeast of Qalqilya.  The IOF checked passengers’ ID cards and
searched Palestinians’ vehicles and luggage.  The checkpoints were removed and no arrests
were reported.

 

Jericho: The
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.  At approximately 21:00 on
Thursday, 02 August 2012, the IOF established a checkpoint at the southern
entrance of Jericho.  They prevented
Palestinians from moving via the entrance. 
They searched vehicles and checked passengers’ ID cards.  They created a severe traffic crisis.  The checkpoint was removed later and no
arrests were reported.  

 

At
approximately 08:30 on Saturday, 04 August 2012, the IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of the Ein al-Dyouk village, north of Jericho, while
another checkpoint was established at approximately 11:30 at the southern
entrance of the city.

 

At
approximately 08:30 on Sunday, 05 August 2012, the IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of al-Zbeidat village, north of Jericho.  At approximately 19:00, the IOF established a
checkpoint at the southern entrance of the city.  At approximately 21:30, the IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of the Marj al-Na’ja village.  No arrests were reported.

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

On Sunday, 05 August 2012, the IOF positioned
at the Abu al-Reesh checkpoint near the Ibrahimi mosque in the old town of
Hebron arrested 2 brothers, Mohammed ‘Atef Hamdan Taha (14) and Mahmoud (13),
who were transported to an unknown destination. 

 

Settlement
Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian Civilians and Property

 

Israel
has continued its settlement activities in the OPT in violation of
international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack
Palestinian civilians and property.

 

On
Thursday morning, 02 August 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from the “Giv’at
Ariel” settlement, north of Ramallah, tried to blow up a car belonging to a
Palestinian.  The car, belonging to Abdul
Kareem Khalil, was parked in the yard of a house.  The settlers put flammable materials under
the vehicle, where they also put cigarettes with matches fixed at the end; as a
result, when the cigarette is finished the matches start and blow up the
vehicle.  The cigarette was put out and
nothing happened.  The settlers wrote on
the walls of the house Hebrew statements that mean “Get away from our land,
paying the price.”     

 

…………………………………………………

 

Recommendations to the International
Community

 

1. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under Article 1 of the
Convention to ensure Israel’s respect for the Convention in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory.  PCHR believes
that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community has
encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages Israel to continue
to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

 

2. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention to convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel’s
respect of the Convention in the OPT and to provide immediate protection for
Palestinian civilians.

 

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention to comply with their legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of
the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave
breaches, namely war crimes.

 

4. PCHR calls for the immediate implementation of the Advisory Opinion
issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction
of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal.

 

5. PCHR recommends that international civil society organizations,
including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs, participate in
the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law
and urge their governments to bring the perpetrators to justice.

 

6. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the
Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect
human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states
and Israel.  PCHR further calls upon the
EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements
in the OPT.

 

7. PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza
disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is –
not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the
humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. 

 

8. In recognition of the ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in
the OPT, including the facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian
prisoners in Israeli jails.

 

9. PCHR appreciates the efforts of international civil society,
including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and
urges them to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure
Israel’s respect for human rights in the OPT and to demand Israel end its
attacks on Palestinian civilians.

 

10. PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel to
lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its
occupation forces on access for international organizations to the OPT.

 

11. PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on
international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful
and just solution of the Palestinian question. 
Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and
instability in the region.  Any peace
process or agreement must be based on respect for international law, including
international human rights and humanitarian law.

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Public Document

For further information please visit
our website (www.pchrgaza.org) or contact
PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email ([email protected]) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).