A grocery shop that was bombarded by Israeli
warplanes in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip – 03 February

 

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

 

A
Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF in Gaza City.

Three
civilians, including 2 children, were wounded by glass shrapnel, a woman
suffered nervous trauma and a woman sustained wounds in the foot.

An
agricultural room, a shop and several warehouses were totally destroyed.

Partial
damages were caused to 28 houses, 2 shops, a legal firm, a sports club, a school
and 4 civilian cars.

A
tunnel was destroyed in the south of the Gaza Strip. 

 

IOF have
continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.

7 protesters,
including a child and a solidarity activist, were wounded in the al-Nabi Saleh
weekly protest.

 

IOF
conducted 47 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited
one into the Gaza Strip.   

IOF
arrested 22 Palestinians, including 2 children, in the West Bank.

IOF
arrested 3 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip while trying to infiltrate Israel.

 

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

Israeli soldiers arrested 2
Palestinian civilians at checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

Israel
has continued efforts to create a Jewish majority in East Jerusalem.

IOF bulldozed
20 dunums, 3 natural caves, 2 walls and a dust road in al-Tour village, east of
Jerusalem.

A
Palestinian family was forced by IOF to demolish a flat and 2 shops belonging
to the family.

 

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

IOF implemented
bulldozing works in the north of Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya, with
the aim to annex these lands to “Tsufim” settlement.

Israeli
settlers organized provocative tours in Hebron under IOF protection.

Israeli
settlers raided Palestinian villages and wrote racist slogans against Arabs and
offending the Prophet Mohammed.

– IOF bulldozed
lands in Kafr Qaddoum village with the aim to annex these lands to nearby
settlements.

Summary

 

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

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF wounded
7 protesters, including a child and a French solidarity activist, in al-Nabi
Saleh weakly protest in the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, three civilians,
including 2 children, were wounded by glass shrapnel, a woman suffered nervous
trauma and a woman sustained wounds in the foot when IOF warplanes fired a
missile at a civilian target.

 

In
the West Bank, during the reporting period, IOF used excessive force to
disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement
activities and the construction of the annexation wall in the West Bank.  As a result, 7 protesters, including a child
and a French solidarity activist, were wounded in al-Nabi Saleh weakly protest,
northwest of Ramallah.  Additionally,
dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders participating in
peaceful demonstrations suffered from tear gas inhalation.  IOF also held Ali Dar Ali, 27, a reporter for
Palestine TV, and Najib Allah Hussein Sharawna, 23, a cameraman of Palestine
TV, in a military jeep for 4 hours.

 

In the Gaza
Strip, IOF warplanes attacked civilian targets, including residential houses.
As a result, three civilians, including 2 children, were wounded by glass
shrapnel, a woman suffered nervous trauma and a woman sustained wounds in the
foot.  The airstrikes also resulted in
the destruction of an agricultural room, a shop, several warehouses and a
tunnel.  Additionally, the strikes
resulted in damages to 28 houses, 2 shops, a legal firm, a sports club, a
school and 4 civilian cars.

 

At approximately
01:10 on Friday, 03 February 2012, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a tunnel in
Yebna refugee camp near the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, south of
Rafah.  The targeted tunnel was totally
destroyed and civilians were in panic as a result.  No casualties were reported.

 

At
approximately 01:15 also on Friday, 03 February 2012, IOF warplanes fired a
missile at house in al-Shoka village, east of Rafah.  The missile hit a tin-roofed room in the
front yard of the house.  The room was
totally destroyed. No casualties were reported. 

 

At approximately
01:39 on Friday, 03 February 2012, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a farm in
al-Zanna area, east of Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.  No casualties were reported. 

 

At approximately
01:50 on Friday, 03 February 2012, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a piece of
land in the east of al-Nusseirat on Salah Addin Street in the middle of the
Gaza Strip. A room built on the targeted land was destroyed and four
neighboring houses were damaged as a result.

 

At approximately
02:15 on Friday, 03 February 2012, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a grocery
shop measuring 35 square meters in Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip. Three
civilians, including two children, were wounded by glass shrapnel from windows
crushed in their houses as a result of the attack. The targeted shop was
totally destroyed.  Additionally, 13
neighboring houses, 2 shops, a law firm and 4 civilian vehicles were
damaged. 

 

At approximately
02:45 on Friday, 03 February 2012, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the roof
of the house of Awad Ali al-Abed Meqdad, 46, near Jabalia al-Nazla Boys
Elementary School, north of Jabalia in the north of the Gaza Strip. As a result
of the attack, a part of the roof collapsed, some of the windows in the targeted
house broken and a 1000 liter water tank was destroyed.  No casualties were reported.

 

At approximately
02:50 on Friday, 03 February 2012, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a warehouse
in the house of Ammar Abu Warda, 35, north of Jabalia in the north of the Gaza
Strip.  The warehouse was totally
destroyed and the house was heavily damaged as a result of the attack. Another
8 neighboring houses sustained damages. 
Additionally, the eastern external wall of Jabalia al-Nazla Sports Club
was totally destroyed and some windows of Jabalia al-Nazla Boys Elementary
School crushed. Najah Ibrahim Abed Safi, 52, suffered nervous trauma as she was
in her house which is to the east of Abu Warda’s house.  Muna Yousif Ali Ghanim, 37, sustained light
wounds in the left leg.

 

At
approximately 19:05 on Tuesday, 07 February 2012, IOF warplanes opened fire at
open areas in Abu Rahma area in the north of the Agricultural School, north of
Beit Hanoun. No casualties were reported as a result of this indiscriminate
firing. 

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 47 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 22 Palestinian
civilians, including 2 children and a university professor.  

 

In a
provocative operation on 04 February 2012, IOF moved into ‘Arraba village,
southwest of Jenin.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and then positioned themselves in the eastern
neighborhood, near a tent erected by Palestinians in solidarity with Khader
Adnan Musa, a Palestinian prisoner holding an open-ended hunger strike in an
Israeli jail.  IOF raided the tent and
removed some of the solidarity banners, flags of the Islamic Jihad movement and
Musa’s photos.  They confiscated some of
these materials and tore up others. 
Later, IOF raided houses near the eastern mosque.  Palestinians living in these houses are
actively engaged in the activities held in the solidarity tent.  IOF questioned people from the raided
houses.  IOF withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.  It should be noted
that the health condition of Musa, who is a prominent leader of Islamic Jihad
in Jenin, has deteriorated as he has been on hunger strike since 17 December
2011.  Semi-official sources reported
that IOF are intentionally taking Musa from one hospital to another in order to
hinder any contacts between Musa and his lawyers.  A number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli
jails have begun hunger strike in solidarity with Musa and Palestinian lawyers
have refrained from attending sessions in Israeli courts in protest against the
continued detention of Musa.

 

In
the Gaza Strip, on 04 February 2012, IOF positioned at the border fence in the
east of al-Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip arrested three Palestinians
who were trying to infiltrate Israel apparently to seek work.  The families of the arrested Palestinians
called the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) telling them about
the relatives being missing.  Later, ICRC
told the calling families that their relatives were arrested by IOF.  It should be noted that Palestinian young men
try to infiltrate Israel to seek work.

 

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.

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all
border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over four 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.  

 

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

 

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 of al-Mentar crossing was the culmination 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.

 

These
statistics which were made available to PCHR by the Border and Crossings
Department indicate a continued drop in the number of truckloads of Gaza
imports and exports.

 

IOF
have continued to impose 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 has erupted last November has continued to affect the
Gaza Strip.  This crisis was created when,
on 04 January 2012, the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed Nahal Oz
crossing, which used to be dedicated for 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.
 Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum absorptive capacity, can
receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day.

 

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

 

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

 

IOF
have continued to delay the implementation of their decision to allow 60 cars
into Gaza weekly although more than 11 months have passed since they announced
this decision after three years of ban imposed on the delivery of cars to
Gaza.  As a result, the prices of cars in
Gaza have been on the rise and local markets experience serious shortage in
spare parts.

 

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

 

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

 

Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on international
diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza
Strip.

 

For approximately 55 months, IOF have continued to deny
approximately 700 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails
their visitation rights without providing any justification to this measure,
which violates the rules of the international humanitarian law.

 

West
Bank

 

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.

 

IOF have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely
restricting Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented
from praying in the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

 

There are approximately 585 permanent roadblocks, and manned and
unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank.

 

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

 

At least 65% of the main roads that lead to 18 Palestinian
communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF.

 

There are approximately 500 kilometers of
restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of
the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to
Palestinians without permits issued by IOF. Such permits are extremely
difficult to obtain.

 

IOF continue to harass and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful
protests against the construction of the annexation wall.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Efforts to
Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem

 

At
approximately 08:00 on Monday, 06 February 2012, IOF bulldozed lands in Khelat
al-‘Ein area in the east of al-Tur village in the occupied East Jerusalem.  The targeted lands belong to the families of
Abu al-Hawa, Abu Sbeitan, Khweis, Hneiti, al-Kazmi and al-Mwaswas. A wall of 10
meters in length, belonging to Mohammed Ishaq al-Kazmi, and another wall of 13
meters, belonging to Adnan Abdullah Ali al-Mwaswas, were demolished by Israeli
bulldozers.  In the same incident, the
Israeli bulldozers bulldozed three natural caves in a piece of land belonging
to Wael Hneiti and damaged a dust street leading to the houses of Ghaith
family, Sha’alan family, Aramin family and al-Daya family.  The bulldozers also destroyed the networks
supplying waters to these houses.

 

On Tuesday
evening, 07 February 2012, IOF forced the family of Issa Musa Ahmed al-Abbasi
to demolish an apartment under-construction and two shops belonging to the
family in Ras al-Amoud in occupied East Jerusalem.  On 10 January 2012, the Israeli Municipality
in Jerusalem issued an order requiring the al-Abbasi family to demolish the
mentioned apartment and shops and gave them a deadline until 10 February
2012.  The order stated that if the family
would not implement the order, they would be required to pay a fine and Akram
al-Abbasi, the son of Issa al-Abbasi, would be arrested.

 

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. 

 

At
approximately 08:30 on Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF bulldozers started to
raze lands in the north of Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya, with the aim
to annex these lands to “Tsufim” settlement which was established in
1992 on the lands of Jayous village. The bulldozed lands, which measure around
30 dunums, are owned by Fahmi Hussein Slim.

 

During
the reporting period Israeli settlers, protected by IOF, implemented 7 attacks
in Hebron, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah and the Jordan Valley.  The attacks were concentrated in Hebron and
included attacks on mosques, religious and archaeological places, farms and
civilian property.  Israeli settlers
attacked Mahdi Daraghmeh, 24, in the Jordan Valley near Tubas, while grazing
cows. Daraghmeh was transferred to hospital for treatment.

 

Settlers
also raided al-Labal al-Shrqi village, south of Nablus, and wrote racist
slogans in Hebrew offending the Prophet Mohammed and calling for taking revenge
from Arabs.

 

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

 

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

 

Thursday, 02 February 2012

 

At approximately 08:00, IOF moved
into Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Khrebtha al-Mesbah village, southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:10, IOF moved
into al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved
into Sunjul village, north of Ramallah.  They
provocatively patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Qbaya village, west of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved
into Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya, for the second time within few hours.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved
into al-Janyeh village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved
into Beit ‘Aor al-Tahta village, west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 16:00, IOF moved
into Alar village, northeast of Tulkarm. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 16:00, IOF moved
into Saida village, northeast of Tulkarm. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:30, IOF moved
into Hajja village, east of Qalqilya.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 17:30, IOF moved
into Qafin village, north of Tulkarm.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 19:00, IOF moved
into Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Friday,
03 February 2012

 

At approximately 01:10, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a tunnel
in Yebna refugee camp near the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, south
of Rafah.  The targeted tunnel was
totally destroyed and civilians were in panic as a result.  No casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 01:15, Tamam Salama Abed al-Teir, from al-Shoka
village, south of Rafah, received a phone call from someone who said he was a
member of the Israeli army.  The called
asked al-Teir to evacuate the house of her family within five minutes, telling
her that the house would be targeted by a missile from a warplane.  Five minutes later, al-Teir received another
call from the same person.  She told the
caller to give her 15 minutes to make sure that everyone, including three
children, two elderly persons and al-Teiri and her husband, would be out.  The caller refused her request and asked her
to evacuate the house within two minutes and to walk to a dust street near her
house.  Al-Teiri rushed to evacuate the
house.  Five minutes later, IOF warplanes
fired a missile at al-Teiri’s house.  The
missile hit a tin-roofed room in the front yard of the house.  The room, which is used by al-Teiri’s
mother-in-law and father-in-law, was totally destroyed.  No casualties were reported. 

 

At approximately 01:39, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a farm in
al-Zanna area, east of Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.  No casualties were reported.  It should be noted that the targeted place
was previously targeted on 24 January 2012. 

 

At approximately 01:50, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a piece of
land measuring 200 square meters in the east of al-Nusseirat on Salah Addin
Street in the middle of the Gaza Strip. A room built on the targeted land was
destroyed and four neighboring houses were damaged as a result.

 

At approximately 02:15, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a grocery
shop measuring 35 square meters in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.  The shop, which is owned by Mahmoud Asaad
Mohammed Salman, 28, was totally destroyed as a result.  Additionally, 13 neighboring houses, 2 shops,
a law firm and 4 civilian vehicles were damaged. 

 

As a result of the attack, three civilians, including two children,
were wounded by glass shrapnel from windows crushed in their houses, being:

Hayat Fadel Ibrahim Taha, 3, sustained wounds in her left ear;

Mohammed Mustafa Mohammed Salman, 30, sustained wounds in the right
foot. Salman was transferred with Hayat Taha to Kamal ‘Odwan Hospital in Beit
Lahia for treatment.  His wounds were
described to be light;

Wadi’ Mahmoud Asa’ad al-Ashqar, 3, sustained light wounds in the
face.

 

At approximately 02:20, IOF moved
into Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the
streets and raided a number of houses while firing sound bombs.  Before withdrawing at approximately 04:40,
they arrested Mahmoud Jalal Abu Hamed, 25, and Mohammed Harb Abu Wadi, 26.  In addition, they held Wafa’a Odeh Arar, 24,
for several hours and released her later.

 

At approximately 02:45, an Israeli
drone fired a missile at the roof of the house of Awad Ali al-Abed Meqdad, 46,
near Jabalia al-Nazla Boys Elementary School, north of Jabalia in the northern
Gaza Strip. The two-storey house measures 125 square meters and is dwelled by a
family of 8 members, including 8 children. As a result of the attack, a part of
the roof collapsed, some of the windows in the targeted house were scattered
and a 1000-liter water tank was destroyed.  No casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 02:50, IOF warplanes
fired a missile at a warehouse in the house of Ammar Abu Warda, 35, north of
Jabalia in the north of the Gaza Strip. 
The targeted house is composed of one storey and is built on an area of
130 square meters. A family of 4 members, including 2 children, lives in the
house.  The warehouse was totally
destroyed and the house was heavily damaged as a result f the attack. Another 8
neighboring houses sustained damages. 
Additionally, the eastern external wall of Jabalia al-Nazla Sports Club
was totally destroyed and some windows of Jabalia al-Nazla Boys Elementary
School were scattered. Najah Ibrahim Abed Safi, 52, suffered nervous trauma as
she was in her house which is to the east of Abu Warda’s house.  She was transferred to Kamal ‘Odwan Hospital
in Beit Lahia for treatment.  Muna Yousif
Ali Ghanim, 37, sustained light wounds in the left leg.

 

At approximately 08:30, IOF moved
into al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Sunjul village, north of Ramallah.  They
provocatively patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:40, IOF moved
into Dora al-Qare’a village, northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

 

Saturday, 04 February 2012  

 

In the early morning, IOF moved into ‘Arraba village, southwest of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time and then positioned themselves in the eastern neighborhood, near a
tent erected by Palestinians in solidarity with Khader Adnan Musa, a
Palestinian prisoner holding an open-ended hunger strike in an Israeli
jail.  IOF raided the tent and removed
some of the solidarity banners, flags of the Islamic Jihad movement and Musa’s
photos.  They confiscated some of these
materials and tore up others.  Later, IOF
raided houses near the eastern mosque. 
Palestinians living in these houses are actively engaged in the
activities held in the solidarity tent. 
IOF questioned people from the raided houses.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.  It should be noted that the
health condition of Musa, who is a prominent leader of the Islamic Jihad in
Jenin, has deteriorated as he has been on hunger strike since 17 December
2011.  Semi-official sources reported
that IOF are intentionally taking Musa from one hospital to another in order to
hinder any contacts between Musa and his lawyers.  A number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli
jails have begun hunger striking in solidarity with Musa, and Palestinian
lawyers have refrained from attending sessions in Israeli courts in protest
against the continued detention of Musa.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into Kober village, northwest of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Berham village, northwest of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Beitin village, northeast of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:20, IOF moved into Kafr Laqef village, east of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 20:00, IOF positioned at the border fence in the
east of al-Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip arrested three
Palestinians who were trying to infiltrate Israel apparently to seek work:

 

Yousif Maher Hussein al-Awadat, 20, from al-Maghazi refugee camp;

Mohammed Marwan Ibrahim Ismail, 20, from al-Maghazi refugee camp,
and;

Ahmed Mahmoud Salman al-Awawda, 20, from Juhr Addik village.

 

Ammar Maher al-Awadat, the brother of Yousif al-Awadat who was
arrested by IOF, told the PCHR fieldworker that when he did not find his
brother on Sunday morning, 05 February 2012, he called the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to tell the organization about his brother
being missing.  Several hours later, ICRC
told Ammar that his brother and two of his brother’s friends were arrested by
IOF.

 

Mohammed Mahmoud al-Awawda, 22, the brother of Ahmed al-Awawda who
was arrested by IOF, reported that at approximately 20:00 on Saturday, 06 February
2012, he heard firing and he could see flash bombs in the sky near the border
area in the east of al-Bureij refugee camp. 
Mohammed also called the ICRC to tell the organization about his brother
being missing and ICRC told him that his brother was arrested with two of his
friends by IOF.  It should be noted that
Palestinian young men try to infiltrate in Israel to seek work in the majority
of cases.

 

At approximately 22:40, IOF moved into Kafr Qaddoum village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

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

 

At approximately 23:20, IOF moved into Kafl Hares village, north of
Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and they raided the house of Taysir Ismail Saleh.  They delivered a notice to Saleh requesting
him to appear before the Israeli intelligence service.  IOF withdrew later and neither house raids
nor arrests were reported. 

 

Sunday, 05 February 2012

 

At approximately 00:50, IOF moved into Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew at approximately 23:30.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 08:30, IOF moved
into Kafr ‘Ein village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Deir Nezam village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and then positioned themselves in the industrial zone.  They raided some of the shops in the
area.  An eyewitness told the PCHR
fieldworker that IOF raided some shops in the industrial zone and the soldiers
took photos of some shops.  IOF withdrew
later and neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Beit Sira village, southwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  They raided and
searched a number of houses.  They
withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 19:00, IOF moved
into al-Mughir village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 22:30, IOF moved into Ya’bad village, southwest
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Faqqou’a village, northeast
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 06 February 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  Then they raided and searched a
number of houses.  Before withdrawing,
IOF arrested 5 Palestinians and transferred them to “Huwara”
detention center in the southeast of Nablus:

 

Ala’a Hamdan Abdul Karim Abu Khadr, 38, who was arrested from his
house in Rafidia neighborhood, in the western part of Nablus;

Fahmi Jihad Fahmi Slim, 24, who was arrested from his house in
al-Naser street in the old city of Nablus;

Rami Walid Issa, 26, who was arrested from his house in al-Naser
street in the old city of Nablus;

Ma’an Said Shbaro, 27, who was arrested from his house in al-Mreij
neighborhood in the west of Nablus; and

Maher Rebhi Shahin, 28, who was arrested from his house in Bekar Street
in the northeast of Nablus.

 

At approximately 01:25, IOF moved into Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  They then raided and searched the
house of Anas Mohammed Mesleh, 22. 
Before withdrawing from the house, they arrested Mesleh and confiscated
a computer from his house.  Then they
raided the house of Abdul Karim Salem Abu Shallouf and delivered him a notice
requiring him to appear before the Israeli intelligence service.  IOF withdrew from Qalqilya at approximately
03:20.

 

At approximately 02:20, IOF moved into Yasouf village, east of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They then raided and
searched the houses of Usama Nemer Mahmoud Abdul Razzaq, 23, and Yasin Ata
Yasin Juda, 22.  Before withdrawing at
approximately 03:00, IOF arrested Abdul Razzaq and Juda.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-Nabi Saleh village,
northwest of Ramallah.  They raided and
searched a number of houses.  Before
withdrawing, they arrested two Palestinians and transferred them to
“Ofer” detention center in the southwest of Ramallah:

 

Louay Abdul Razzaq Mustafa al-Tamimi, 19; and

Ta’min Mohammed al-Tamimi, 29.

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into ‘Arraba village, southwest
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also, at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Mughir village,
northeast of Ramallah.  They raided and
searched a number of houses.  Before
withdrawing, they arrested 4 Palestinians, including 2 children, and
transferred them to “Ofer” detention center in the southwest of
Ramallah:

 

Basel Raqi Saleh Abu Alia, 18;

Alaa Raqi Saleh Abu Alia, 17;

Khaled Lutfi Abu Alia, 17; and

Bilal Nayef Abdul Rahman Abu Alia, 20.

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved
into Beit ‘Aor al-Tahta village, west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 21:00, IOF moved
into Deir Jarir village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 22:35, IOF moved
into Eskaka village, east of Salfit.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew at approximately 23:50.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 07 February 2012

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Sabastia village, northwest
of Nablus.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  Then they raided and
searched a number of houses.  Before
withdrawing, IOF arrested 3 Palestinians and transferred them to “Huwara”
detention center southeast of Nablus:  

 

Wajdi Ahmed Raja Shehada, 19, who was arrested from his house in
the center of Sabastia village;

Raja Ahmed Raja Shehada, 19, who was arrested from his house in the
center of Sabastia village;  and

Majd Abdul Karim Mohammed Azem, 23, who was arrested from his house
near the main entrance of Sabastia village.

 

Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Ertah suburb, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They stationed themselves
in the center of the suburb and raided and searched the house of Mohammed
Mustafa Abdul Haq Abu al-Tin, 18.  Before
withdrawing, they arrested Abu al-Tin. 

At approximately 19:05, IOF warplanes opened fire at open areas in the
Abu Rahma area in the north of the Agricultural School, north of Beit Hanoun.
Palestinian locals, especially women and children, were in panic as a
result.  No casualties were reported as a
result of the indiscriminate firing.  

 

Wednesday, 08 February 2012

 

At approximately 03:40, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, north of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time.  They stationed in the eastern
neighborhood and raided and searched the house of Samed Abdul Ghani Slim Abu
al-Hayja, 23.  They arrested Abu al-Hayja
and transferred him to “Salem” detention center where they questioned
him.  Abu al-Hayja was released in the
morning on the same day.

 

At approximately 12:30, IOF moved into al-Taybeh village, west of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time.  They stationed themselves near
the Village Council in the center of the village.  They raided a shop and checked the ID card of
Ashraf Said Jabarin, 25.  They arrested
Jabarin and transferred him to an unknown destination.

 

Use of Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrators Protesting
Settlement Activities and the Construction of the Annexation Wall

 

During the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful
demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli
human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall and
settlement activities in the West Bank, and in protest to the establishment of
a buffer zone in the Gaza Strip.  As a
result, 7 protesters, including a child and a French solidarity activist, were
wounded in the weekly al-Nabi Saleh protest, northwest of Ramallah.  Additionally, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and human rights defenders participating in peaceful demonstrations suffered
from tear gas inhalation.  IOF also held
Ali Dar Ali, 27, a reporter for Palestine TV, and Najib Allah Hussein Sharawna,
23, a cameraman of Palestine TV, in a military jeep for 4 hours.

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 03 February 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, protesting
the construction of the annexation wall and in support of efforts to achieve
national reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah movements.  They raised
the Palestinian flag and called for ending the political division. They then
moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court ordered
to be returned to their Palestinian owners.  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 civilians suffered from
tear gas inhalation. IOF also held Ali Dar Ali, 27, a reporter for Palestine
TV, and Najib Allah Hussein Sharawna, 23, a cameraman of Palestine TV, in a
military jeep for 4 hours.

 

Also following the Friday prayer on 03 February 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and Israeli  and international human rights
defenders gathered in the center of al-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 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, 7 protesters, including a child and a French solidarity activist, were
wounded. The French solidarity activist sustained wounds by a tear gas canister
to the head and she was transferred to Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah
for treatment.  Additionally, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas
inhalation.  Further, IOF held Ali Dar
Ali, 27, a reporter for Palestine TV, and Najib Allah Hussein Sharawna, 23, a
cameraman of Palestine TV, in a military jeep for 4 hours.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer, on the same day, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a
peaceful demonstration in Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against
the construction of the annexation wall.  They chanted slogans calling for
Palestinian reconciliation, adherence to the Palestinian inalienable rights and
resistance of the occupation.  They clashed with Israeli troops positioned
near the annexation wall.  Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators.  As a
result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer, at approximately 12:20 on the
same day, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights
defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Kafr Qaddoum village, northeast
of Qalqilya, in protest against closing the eastern entrance of the
village.  The demonstrators headed towards that entrance. Israeli soldiers
fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them, due to which, a number of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

  

2. Continued
Closure of the OPT

 

Israel has continued to impose a tightened closure of 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 over three 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 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 declared recently 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.
PCHR is concerned that the new Israeli policy is simply shifting Gaza to
another form of illegal blockade, one that may become internationally accepted and
institutionalized. Palestinians in Gaza may no longer suffer from the same
shortage of goods, but they will remain economically dependent, unable to care
for themselves, and socially, culturally and academically isolated from the
rest of the world.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

01 –
07 February 2012

 

 

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

01 –
06 February 2012

 

Imports:

 

 

 

 

Exports:

 

On Wednesday, 01 February 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 3
tons of strawberries.

On Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 127,000
flowers.

On Sunday, 05 February 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 185,300
flowers and 28 tons of tomato.  

 

Notes:

 

On Wednesday, 01 February 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 276 tons
of cement, 3,850 tons of construction aggregate and 54 tons of construction
steel for UNRWA.  They also allowed the
entry of 273 tons of wheat.  They also
allowed the entry of 52 tons of cement and 840tons of construction aggregate
for the French Cultural center.  IOF
allowed the entry of 1,521 of fodders.

 

On Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 400 tons of
cement, 3,220 tons of construction aggregate, 40 tons of rubble stones and 146
tons of construction steel for UNRWA. 
They also allowed the entry of 1,326 tons of fodders.

 

 

Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: Israel
has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the movement of
Palestinian civilians. IOF have allowed only diplomats, a number of
international journalists, employees of international agencies and a limited
number of patients who suffer from serious diseases to pass through the
crossing. They have continued to prevent Palestinian civilians from visiting
their relatives who are detained in Israeli jails. The small number of patients
permitted to pass through the crossing is only able to do so under severe
restrictions that include prolonged checking. 

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

01 –
07 February 2012

 

 

The West Bank

 

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

 

Jerusalem: 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. IOF have
established many checkpoints around and inside the city.

 

Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 10:30 on Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah. At approximately
14:00, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha al-Misbah Bridge, southwest
of Ramallah. At approximately 17:30, IOF re-established their presence at
‘Attara checkpoint, North of Ramallah. 
At approximately 08:30 on Friday, 03 February 2012,  IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. 
At approximately 10:00, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance
of Kharabtha Bani Hareth, west of Ramallah. 
Also at approximately 10:00, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of Bil’in village, west of Ramallah. 
At approximately 15:00, IOF established a checkpoint the entrance of
Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa village, southwest of Ramallah.  At approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 04
February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Shaqba village,
west of Ramallah.  At approximately
10:00, IOF established a checkpoint on the road between Beit Liqya village and
Kharabtha al-Misbah village, southwest of Ramallah.  At approximately 09:30 on Sunday, 05 February
2012, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha al-Misbah Bridge, southwest
of Ramallah.  At approximately 10:40, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Nizam, northwest of
Ramallah. 

 

Qalqilya:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF established
5 checkpoints around Qalqilya.  IOF
established the first checkpoint at around 09:00 at the entrance of Izbat
al-Tabib village, the second at around 10:00 between Hajja village and Kafr
Qaddoum village, the third one at around 15:00 between Azzoun village and Izbat
al-Tabib village, the fourth at around 15:40 at the crossroads of Jeet village,
and the fifth at around 16:30 at the entrance of Kafr Qaddoum village.  At the last checkpoint, IOF held Fida Samir
Abdul Latif Ubeid, a policeman, and Hamed Sadeq Eshteiwi, a university
student.  On Saturday, 04 February 2012,
IOF established 3 checkpoints around Qalqilya. IOF established the first
checkpoint at around 11:10 at the entrance of Hajja village, the second at
around 14:50 at the entrance of Kafr Qaddoum village, and the third one at
around 21:20 at the entrance of Imatin village. 
On Monday, 06 February 2012, IOF established 5 checkpoints around Qalqilya.  IOF established the first checkpoint at
around 09:30 between Hajja village and Kour vilalge, the second at around 18:55
at the entrance of Azzoun village, the third one at around 18:55 between Azzoun
village and Kafr Thulth village, the fourth at around 19:25 at the entrance of
Izbat al-Tabib village, and the fifth at around 00:45 at the eastern entrance
of Qalqilya.

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 12:00 on Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
near the crossroads of Jaba’a village, south of Jenin, on the main road that
connects Jenin with Tulkarm and Nablus. 
At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 04 February 2012, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin. At
approximately 16:00 on Sunday, 05 February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Tora al-Gharbeya village, southwest of Jenin.  At approximately 23:00 on Tuesday, 07
February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the road between Ya’abad village
and Arraba village, southwest of Jenin.

 

Tulkarm:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 16:00 on Thursday, 02
February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint near the crossroad of Bazaria
village, east of Tulkarm. At approximately 22:30, IOF established a checkpoint
near the gate of Jbara village, which is isolated from the surrounding areas by
the annexation wall in the south of Turlkarm, on the road between Tulkarm and Qalqilya.
At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 04 February 2012, IOF established a
checkpoint at the crossroads of al-Jarousheya village, north of Tulkarm.  At approximately 15:30 on Tuesday, 07
February 2012,  IOF positioned at ‘Ennab
checkpoint, east of Tulkarm.

 

Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 11:00 on Saturday, 06 February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
between the villages of Kafl Hares and Hares, northwest of Salfit.  IOF established another checkpoint in the
same area at approximately 22:15.  At
approximately 08:30 on Monday, 06 February 2012, IOF established another
checkpoint in the same place.  At
approximately 09:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the western crossroad of
Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit. 

 

Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the southern entrance of Jericho.  At
approximately 10:30, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance of Fasayel
village, north of Jericho.  At
approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 05 February 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of al-Jiftlik village, north of Jericho.  At approximately 09:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of al-Zbaidat village, north of Jericho.  At approximately 16:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk village, north of Jericho.  At approximately 11:00 on Monday, 06 February
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk village,
north of Jericho.  At approximately
11:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho. At
approximately 16:30, near the entrance of Fasayel village, north of
Jericho. 

 

 

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

At approximately 16:00 on Monday, 06 February 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint on the road between the villages of Qabatya and Marakeh, south of
Jenin.  They stopped Palestinian cars
travelling to Marakeh village and checked the ID cards of the passengers.  They arrested Samir Shafiq Naf’e Musa, 24,
from Marakeh village, while travelling in a car via the checkpoint.

 

At approximately 22:30 on Tuesday, 07 February 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint on the road connecting between Arraba and al-Mansoura villages,
south of Jenin.   They stopped
Palestinian cars travelling in both directions and checked the ID cards of
passengers.  They stopped a black Toyota
jeep travelling to Jenin.  The soldiers
checked the ID card of Yazid Farouq Mohammed Melhis, 32, from Sila al-Hartheya
village, north of Jenin, who was driving the car.  The soldiers told Melhis that he was wanted
and that they would arrest him.  They
allowed him to call his brother and ask him to take the car and the money he
had.  As Melhis’s brother arrived at the
checkpoint, IOF arrested Melhis.

 

 

Efforts to Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem

 

Israeli
occupation authorities have continued to make persistent efforts to create a
Jewish majority in East Jerusalem and expel Palestinian civilians from the
city.

 

At
approximately 08:00 on Monday, 06 February 2012, a force from the Israeli
police, the Israeli border guards, and an undercover unit moved into Khelat
al-‘Ein area in the east of al-Tur village in the occupied East Jerusalem, with
a number of officers from the Israeli Municipality in Jerusalem.  They brought bulldozers and bulldozed 20
dunums of lands belonging to the families of Abu al-Hawa, Abu Sbeitan, Khweis,
Hneiti, al-Kazmi and al-Mwaswas.  The
bulldozing works continued till around 14:00. A wall of 10 meters of length
belonging to Mohammed Ishaq al-Kazmi and another wall of 13 meters belonging to
Adnan Abdullah Ali al-Mwaswas were demolished by the Israeli bulldozers.  In the same incident, the Israeli bulldozers
bulldozed three natural caves in a piece of land belonging to Wael Hneiti and
damaged a dust street leading to the houses of Ghaith family, Sha’alan family, Aramin
family and al-Daya family.  The bulldozers
also destroyed the water networks that supplied these houses. 

 

On
Tuesday evening, 07 February 2012, IOF forced the family of Issa Musa Ahmed
al-Abbasi to demolish an apartment (which was under construction) and two shops
belonging to the family in Ras al-Amoud in the occupied East Jerusalem.  On 10 January 2012, the Israeli Municipality
in Jerusalem issued an order requesting the al-Abbasi family to demolish the
mentioned apartment and shops before the 10 February 2012.  The order stated that if the family did not
implement the order, they would be required to pay a fine and Akram al-Abbasi,
the son of Issa al-Abbasi, would be arrested.

 

Akram
al-Abbasi reported that over the past years, he has been trying to get
construction licenses and has submitted all the required documents. Later, he
was required to pay a fine of 50,000 NIS for lacking the said licenses.
Al-Abbasi paid the fine in full. He said that on 10 January 2012, the Israeli
court issued a decision rejecting his application to obtain licenses and
ordered the implementation of the demolition order.

 

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.

 

At
approximately 08:30 on Thursday, 02 February 2012, IOF bulldozers started to
raze lands in the north of Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya, with the aim
to annex these lands to “Tsufim” settlement which was established in
1992 on the lands of Jayous village. They bulldozed 30 dunums which are owned
by Fahmi Hussein Slim.

 

Ma’azouz
Qaddoumi, member from the Municipality of Jayous village, reported that the
Israeli authorities established a crushing plant several years ago in that
area.  He noted that the Israeli workers
who implemented the bulldozing works are doing so based on a military order
aiming at confiscating the targeted lands. 
Mobile houses have been also erected in the area with intention to annex
the land to the “Tsufim” settlement.

 

At
approximately 09:30 on Monday, 06 February 2012, IOF moved into Hares village,
northwest of Salfit.  They delivered 7
notices to 7 civilians ordering them to stop construction works under the
pretext of lack of licenses.  The seven
houses under construction are one-storey buildings and belong to Ihsan Sadeq
Souf, Ahmed Mustafa Souf, Hussam Subhi Souf, Yasser Hussein Suleiman, Saber
Fawwaz Dawood, Fahid Abdul Latif Dawood and Fares Fawwaz Dawood. IOF also
delivered an eighth notice to Asa’ad Mustafa Souf ordering him to demolish his
one-storey house due to the lack of construction license.

 

On
Friday morning, 03 February 2012, dozens of Israeli settlers organized a provocative
tour in the lands surrounding the village of 
Beit Ummar, north of Hebron under the protection of a large force from
the Israeli army and police.

 

According
to data made available to PCHR and statements made by Mohammed Ayad Awad, an
activist in the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements, the Israeli
settlers raided several neighborhoods in Beit Ummar village and walked in the
streets.  Around 100 settlers, some of
them armed, participated in the tour which began from “Kfar Etzion”
settlement, southwest of Bethlehem at the north of Beit Ummar village.  The settlers passed by the archaeological
area of Kherbat Marina, Beit Za’ata, al-Qarn mountain which overlooks Beit
Ummar village, al-Arroub refugee camp, Asida neighborhood, and Wadi al-Sheikh
area along the main Street (Jerusalem-Hebron) in the east of Beit Ummar.

 

Meanwhile,
IOF prevented Palestinians from being present where the settlers were.  They chased a number of people from the Asida
neighborhood, east of Beit Ummar village, amid extensive firing of sound bombs
and tear gas canisters.

 

Also
on Friday morning, 03 February 2012, another group of Israeli settlers
organized a similar provocative tour in al-Karmel village, southeast of Yatta
in the south of Hebron.  The settlers, under
protection provided by the Israli army and police, started from
“Ma’on” settlement.  The
settler’s tour covered the archeological pool of al-Karmel and the ancient
Roman palace where they performed religious rituals.

 

Naser
al-Nawaja’a, activist of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements
in the east of Yatta, declared that this provocative tour coincided with the
erection of six mobile houses in “Otneil” settlement in the west of
Yatta and another two mobile houses in “Avigail” settlement in the
south of “Ma’on” settlement.

 

At
approximately 10:00 on Friday, 03 February 2012, Mahdi Qadri Elian Daraghmeh,
24, from ein al-Helweh area in Wadi al-Maleh in the northern Jordan Valley,
east of Tubas, was grazing cows in al-Fareseya area, 1,000 meters from the
nearby settlement of “Rotem”. 
Suddenly, Darghmeh was surprised by 5 armed Israeli settlers who were
carrying pistols and M16 guns. The security officer of “Rotem”
settlement joined them.  The settlers
beat and stoned Daraghmeh and abandoned in the site.  Later, a group of Israeli soldiers arrived at
the scene and provided him with first aid. The soldiers also  called an ambulance from the Palestinian Red
Crescent Society (PRCS) in Tubas.  The
PRCS ambulance transferred Daraghmeh to Martyr Dr. Khalil Suleiman Public
Hospital in Jenin for treatment.

 

At
approximately 02:00 on Saturday, 04 February 2012, 6 heavily armed settlers
from “Halmish” established in the Palestinain lands of al-Nabi Saleh
, Deir Nezam and Um Safa villages, northwest of Ramallah and they walked to
al-Nabi Saleh village.  They arrived at
“Tamim Ibn Aws al-Dari Mosque in the center of the village to set it
alight.  The settlers, who were on three
motorcycles, were surprised by Palestinian young men who rushed to save the
mosque and stoned the settlers who fled the area.

 

At
approximately 02:00 on Sunday, 05 February 2012, a group of armed settlers from
“Talmon” settlement established on lands of al-Janyeh village, northwest
of Ramallah, raided the village.  The
settlers raided the front yard in the house of Ismail Musa Mazloum which is
around 200 meters from “Talmon” settlement.  They wrote racist slogans in Hebrew on the
walls and on a taxi parking in the area offending the Prophet Mohammed and
other slogans calling for taking revenge from the Arabs.  They damaged two tires of the said taxi.  As Palestinians in the area knew about the
presence of those settlers, the settlers fled the village, running back to the
settlement.

 

At
approximately 12:00 on Sunday, 05 February 2012, protected by IOF, Israeli
settlers from “Kedumim” settlement bulldozed lands in the north of
Kafr Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya. 
They targeted lands belonging to Hassan Abdullah Saleh Eshteiwi, Bashar
Mohammed Abdul Rahman Eshteiwi, Ya’aqoub Ahmed al-Sheikh and Helmi Jamil
Eshteiwi.

 

Saqer
Subhi Ubeid, President of the Village Council in Qaddoum, reported that
approximately at 12:00 on Sunday, 05 February 2012, a number of Palestinians
from the village walked to the targeted lands after they heard about the
bulldozing works in the lands.  The
Israeli settlers were planting trees in the bulldozed lands.  In the morning of the following day,
Palestinians from the village walked to the targeted lands and stood in front
of the Israeli bulldozers implementing the bulldozing works, trying to prevent
them from proceeding.  However, IOF
soldiers beat these Palestinians, wounding an old man who was transferred later
to Dr. Darwish Nazzal Hospital in Qalqilya.

 

On
Monday morning, 06 February 2012, hundreds of Israeli settlers raided farms
belonging to a number of Palestinians in the east of Hebron.  They stayed in the targeted farms and planted
trees under the protection of IOF.

 

According
to investigations made by PCHR, at approximately 09:00 on Monday, 06 February
2012, hundreds of settlers protected by IOF, raided 150 dunums of farms in
al-Mzaian area along the al-Buqa’a area. 
The settlers planted forest trees in these farms which belong to
Palestinians

 

Ata
Abdul Jawad Jaber, 55, who lives in the targeted area reported that several
buses carrying settlers and vehicles carrying officers from the Municipality of
“Kriat Arba” settlement in the south east of Hebron raided the
mentioned area and its surrounding.  An
IOF force was accompanying the settlers while they planted forest trees.  The settlers returned to “Kriat
Arba” settlement shortly before midday. Jaber reported that IOF prevented
Palestinians from reaching the targeted farms and warned them of causing any
damages to the new trees.  He added that
IOF told the Palestinians that the military order preventing Palestinians from
reaching their lands in that area without prior coordination with the Israeli
Civil Administration was extended to 2014.

 

The
targeted farms include farms that belong to Husni al-Ashhab and Umar
Sultan.  The Israeli settlers managed to
plant trees in 20 dunums.

 

At
approximately 01:15 on Tuesday, 07 February 2012, three settlers from
“Eli” settlement in the east of al-Laban al-Sharqi village, south of
Nablus, wrote slogans against Arabs ad offending the Prophet Mohammed on the
walls of a stone cutting workshop belonging to Mahmoud Mustafa Daraghmeh on the
main road (Nablus-Ramallah).

 

The
same settlers caused damages in a construction materials shop belonging to
Mahmoud Ahmed Musa Azaar from Qablan village in the south of Nablus.  They tore whitewash bags which were placed in
from of the shop.  They walked to the
northern entrance of al-Laban al-Sharqi village and wrote racist slogans on a
blue Subaru belonging to Bashar Ghassan Daraghmeh.  The car was parking in front of a shop
belonging to Daraghmeh.

 

………………………………………………………

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 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 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 (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).