Three Palestinians, including a paramedic,
wounded by Israeli forces that used force against a peaceful demonstration in
Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.

 

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

 

Israeli
warplanes fired 9 missiles at a Palestinian resistance group and civilian
targets, but no injuries were reported.

 

Two
camels died and a greenhouse was destroyed.

 

A
Palestinian civilian died out of his wounds in Khan Yunis, north of the Gaza
Strip.  He was wounded in the beginning
of al-Aqsa Intifada. 

 

A
Palestinian was wounded and arrested by IOF at Qalandya checkpoint, north of
Jerusalem.

 

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

Three
civilians, including a paramedic, were wounded during al-Nabi Saleh weekly
demonstration.

 

IOF
conducted 60 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  

IOF
arrested 25 Palestinians, including a child and 2 women.

Among
those arrested by IOF, there were PLC Members Khaled Tafish and Abdul Jabbar
Foqaha

 

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

IOF arrested at least 3 Palestinians
at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

Dr. Aziz Dweik, PLC Speaker, was
among those arrested at military checkpoints, and he was placed under
administrative detention.

A patient from the northern Gaza
Strip was arrested at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing while he was going to the
West Bank for treatment.

 

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

IOF
stormed ICRC’s head office in Jerusalem and arrested PLC Member Toutah and
former Minister Abu ‘Arafa.

IOF
demolished a house and leaving 20 individuals homeless, and ordered the
demolishing of another house.  

 

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

Nine
stores were demolished in Jericho.

IOF
demolished a house and ordered the demolition of an under construction school
and another three houses in Hebron.

Hundreds
of settlers stormed Joseph Tomb in Nablus. 

 

 

Summary

 

IOF
continued targeting the Palestinian Legislative Authority, as they arrested the
Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Dr. Aziz Dweik, and PLC
Member, Khaled Tafish, from the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to Hamas
movement.  IOF also stormed the head
office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sheikh Jarrah
neighborhood in East Jerusalem and arrested PLC Member Mohammed Toutah, from
the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to Hamas, and the former Minister of
Jerusalem Affairs, Khaled Abu ‘Arafa. 
PCHR believes that these actions are a continuation of targeting the
elected PLC Members following the Palestinian legislative elections of 2006.  PCHR views such detentions as a retaliatory
act and a form of collective punishment prohibited under Article 33 of the
Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War
of 1949.  

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (19 – 25 January 2012):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli
warplanes launched a number of air strikes against members of the Palestinian
resistance and civilian targets, while the artillery bombarded several areas in
the Gaza Strip, but no injuries were reported. 
Additionally, four Palestinian civilians were wounded in the West Bank.
One of them was wounded when IOF positioned at Qalandya checkpoint, north of
Jerusalem, opened fire at him, while the three others, including a paramedic,
were wounded in Nabi Saleh weekly demonstration, northwest of Ramallah.

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 21 January
2012, Israeli warplanes fired two missiles at a Palestinian resistance group in
al-Shouka village, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.  Members of the group survived the attack, but
two camels died as a result of the attack.

 

On 23 January 2012, IOF positioned
at watchtowers to the west of Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northwest of
Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily fired at open areas in the
industrial zone.  They also fired an
artillery shell at the same area, but no injuries were reported.

 

On the same day, IOF fired 4
artillery shells at Abu Samra farmland in the north of Hamdoush area, north of
Beit Lahia.  No injuries were reported.

 

On 24 January 2012, Israeli
warplanes fired 3 missiles at a greenhouse inside a land belonging to Mohammed
Shehda Hamdouna, 45, northeast of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.  The attack resulted in completely destroying
the greenhouse.  However, no injuries
were reported.

 

On the same day, Israeli warplanes fired
a missile at an empty land belonging to Sa’eed Mohammed Salem al-Da’our, in
al-Sayafa area, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.  Neither injuries nor damages to civilian
property were reported.

 

Also on the same day, Israeli
warplanes fired two missiles at greenhouses in ex-settlements, northwest of
Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. 
No injuries were reported. 
Approximately 15:00 minutes later, warplanes fired a third missile at a
farmland in al-Zanna area, east of Khan Yunis.

 

In the West Bank, on 22 January
2012, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by a bullet to the foot when IOF
positioned at Qalandya checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, fired at him.  IOF arrested him and transported him to
receive the necessary medical treatment and to be questioned.  They claimed that he was holding an iron bar
and was running towards the Israeli soldiers at the checkpoint to attack
them.  IOF then raided his family’s house
in al-Basha village, south of Jenin, damaged its contents and questioned some
of the family members.

 

In the context of excessive use of
force against peaceful protests in the West Bank, two Palestinian demonstrators
and a paramedic from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) were wounded
in Nabi Saleh demonstration, northwest of Ramallah.  Moreover, a number of Palestinian civilians
and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation as in
demonstration throughout the West Bank.

  

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 60 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 25 Palestinian
civilians, including a child two women. 
In addition, a PLC Member, former Minister and other two Palestinians
were arrested from a sit-in tent at ICRC’s head office in Jerusalem. 

 

The
detainees included 3 PLC Members: Khaled Tafish, who was arrested from his
house in Za’tara village, south of Bethlehem, on 20 January 2012; Mohammed
Toutah, who was arrested from the sit-in tent at ICRC’s head office in Sheikh
Jarrah neighborhood, in the center of East Jerusalem, on 23 January 2012; and
Abdul Jabbar Foqaha’, who was arrested from his house in Ramallah on 24 January
2012.  Moreover, the Speaker of PLC Dr.
Aziz Dwaik was arrested at Jaba’ checkpoint, northeast of Jerusalem; and former
Minister Khaled Abu ‘Arafa, was arrested with Toutah.  With the detention of PLC Speaker and the
three other PLC Members, the number of PLC Members detained in the Israeli
jails has mounted to 27 members; 24 of whom are from the Change and Reform Bloc
affiliated to Hamas.  Additionally, the
number of former ministers detained by IOF has mounted to three, all of whom
served in the tenth Palestinian government: Khaled Abu ‘Arafa, former Minister
of Jerusalem Affairs; Wasfi Qabha, formers Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs; and
Isa al-Ja’bari, former Minister of Local Government.

 

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 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.  

 

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 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 the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed, on
04 January 2010, 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 continue to depend on elementary
aid provided by UNRWA and other relief agencies, rates of families who are
living below the poverty line continue 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 exportation of
Gaza’s products, especially industrial products, leading to undermining any
real chances to run local business.  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 prolong 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 complete, 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

 

On 23 January
2012, an IOF undercover unit comprised of 30 members stormed the yard of ICRC’s
head office in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem.  They attacked the sit-in tent in which PLC
Member Mohammed Omran Saleh Toutah, 43, and former Minister Khaled Abu ‘Arafa,
51, were staying and arrested both men. 
They further arrested Toutah’s brother, Mo’tassim, 48, and Amr Abu
‘Arafa, 26, who were in the tent as well. 
Israeli police spokeswoman for the Arab media, Loba Samri, stated that
with the assistance of the General Security Service “Shabak,”
interrogators of the Minorities Department of the Central Investigations Unit,
Jerusalem District, arrested PLC Member Mohammed Toutah and former Minister of
Jerusalem Affairs, Khaled Abu ‘Arafa, from East Jerusalem at ICRC’s head office
in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.  Samri
said: “They have been hiding in that place for about a year and a half after
their Israeli ID’s had been canceled by the Israeli Ministry of Interior
following their activities and work in an illegal terrorist organization,”
as described by Samri.  She also claimed
that there is no diplomatic status in the ICRC’s office.

 

On 24 January
2012, IOF demolished the house belonging to Ahmed Omar al-Lahalyah in the east
of ‘Anata village, northeast of East Jerusalem. 
Al-Lahalya said that IOF surrounded his house in the early morning and
ordered him and his family, comprising of 20 members to leave that house, whose
area is 100 square meters, in order to demolish it.  Israeli staff started to get the furniture
out of the house to allow the bulldozers demolish it.

 

On 21 January
2012, the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem sent Inad Abu Sarhan a notice to
demolish his house in Emlisoun area near Ras al-‘Amoud neighborhood, south of
al-Aqsa Mosque.  The notice was issued
under the pretext of building the house without obtaining a license.  Nine members live in the house that was built
in 1999.  The Israeli municipality issued
fines and financial irregularities that mounted to 100,000 NIS.

 

Settlement
activities

 

On 23 January
2012, IOF supported by two bulldozers and “Civil Administration”
officers moved into the northern area of al-Oja village near road (90),
northeast of Jericho.  They closed the
area and prevented Palestinians and journalists from moving in.  At approximately 09:30, two bulldozers
started demolishing 9 under-construction stores, claiming that they had been
established without obtaining a license from the Israeli “Civil
Administration”.  The stores belong
to seven Palestinians.

 

On 25 January
2012, IOF demolished a house in Kherbet Om al-Kheir, east of Yatta in the far
south of Hebron.  The house belong Salem
Eid Yamin al-Hadaleen.  It consists of
two rooms and was resided by a family comprising of eight members, including
six children.  It should be noted that
the said house is 20 meters far from the fence of “Carmiel” settlement and it
was demolished without a prior notice.

On 24 January
2012, IOF sent three Palestinians notices to demolish an under-construction
school and three houses in Khelet Abu Beida area, west of Bani N’aim, under the
pretext of “not licensed buildings”.

 

 

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (19 – 25 January 2012)

 

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

 

Thursday, 19 January 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Abu al-‘Asja area, south of Dora in the southwest of Hebron.  They raided and searched the house of Hatem
Ahmed Jamal al-‘Awawda, 30, and damaged its contents.  Before they withdrew, they arrested
al-‘Awawda and transported him to Kfar Etzion detention center, southwest of
Bethlehem.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided a number of houses, forced
their residents to go out and kept them in the open air.  IOF searched the houses and damaged their
contents.  Before they withdrew, IOF
arrested Abdul Fattah Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Hashhash, 20; and Jihad Jamal Salam
Jundiya, 17, and transported them to Kfar Etzion detention center, southwest of
Bethlehem.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Fassayel village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported

 

Also at approximately 09:00, IOF
moved into Marj Na’ja village, north of Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved
into Om Saffa village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Deir Qeddis village, west of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

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

 

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

 

At approximately 16:00, IOF moved
into al-Jeftlik village, north of Jericho. 
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 al-‘Oja village, northeast of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  At approximately 18:00, they withdrew and
neither house raids nor arrests were reported.  

 

At approximately 23:00, IOF moved
into al-Bireh town.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

 

Friday,
20 January 2012

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Za’tarah village, southeast
of Bethlehem.  They raided the house of
PLC Member from the Change and Reform Bloc, Khaled Ibrahim Tafish Thwaib, 48.  According to Thwaib’s wife, Aaisha Jameel
Thwaib, 50, IOF raided the house and after verifying the ID cards of members of
the family, they forced her husband out.   They held him under the
rain, and held his five sons in one room.  Aaisha Jameel insisted on being
present while Israeli soldiers were searching the house.  IOF confiscated
PLC Members Thwaib’s mobile phone, laptop, phone book, a hard disk of a
computer set and some documents relating to his work.  They then handcuffed
and blindfolded him and transported him in a military jeep to an unknown
destination.  On the following day, it was revealed that he was taken to
Ofar detention facility, southwest of Ramallah.

 

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village, southwest
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:40, IOF moved into Tarmas’ya village, north of
Ramallah.  They provocatively patrolled
in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Beitin village, northeast of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later.  No
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:30, IOF moved into Shweika suburb, north of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later.  No
arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 17:00, IOF moved into the agricultural land
between al-Yamoun and Kafr Dan villages, northwest of Jenin.  They stationed in the area patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately19:15, IOF moved into Qalqilya town.  They patrolled in the streets and detained
Mahmoud Hasanein and Ahmed Khaled Wahdan while they were near their land in the
eastern part of the town.  At
approximately 19:40, IOF released them and withdrew.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Kafr Dan village, northwest
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 21:00, IOF moved into al-Dyouk village, north
of Jericho.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Shweika suburb, north of
Tulkarm, 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 22:30, IOF moved into Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:50, IOF moved into Jayous village, northeast of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew at approximately 00:12.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Saturday, 21 January 2012 

 

At approximately 00:10, 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 00:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Ommar village, North of
Hebron.  They raided and the house of
‘Azmi Mohammed ‘Azmi Ikhleil, 19, and damaged its contents.  Before they withdrew, they arrested Ikhleil
and transported him to Kfar Etzion detention center, southwest of Bethlehem.

 

Also at approximately 07:10, the Israeli warplanes fired two missiles
at a Palestinian resistance group.  The missiles
landed in a farm hired and planted by Khairi ‘Atwa al-Dbari, which is located
near al-Shouka UNRWA school in al-Shouka village, east of Rafah in the southern
Gaza Strip.  The group survived, but two
camels died in the said farm.

 

Also at approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Barham village, northwest
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Deir Debwan village,
northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 15:00, IOF positioned and patrolled in the center
of Hebron raided a community center in the southern part of Tal Rumaida
neighborhood in the center of Hebron. 
They provoked those who were in the center, searched the center and
damaged its contents.  In the meanwhile,
IOF wrangled with those available in the center, and consequently, the Israeli
officer in charge ordered the arrest of the activist Isa Talab Amr, 33,
coordinator of Youth against Settlement. 
Amr was handcuffed, blindfolded and taken by a military vehicle.  Approximately an hour and a half later, he
was released.

 

At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into al-Jalama village, north of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Sunday, 22 January 2012

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Mazra’a al-Sharqiya
village, northeast of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:55, IOF moved into Habla village, south of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time, checked water wells and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Jericho town.  They patrolled in the streets for some time, and
then moved into ‘Abaqet Jabr refugee camp and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF positioned at Qalandya checkpoint,
north of Jerusalem, fired at Abdul Hakim Zeidan Mohammed Ghawadra, 29, from
Beer al-Basha village, south of Jenin. 
As a result, he was wounded by a bullet to the foot.  IOF arrested Ghawadra and transported him to
receive the necessary medical treatment and to be questioned.  IOF claimed that Ghawadra was holding an iron
bar and was running towards the Israeli soldiers at the checkpoint to attack
them.

 

At approximately 12:00, IOF moved into Beer al-Basha village, south
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and surrounded the middle neighborhood.  IOF raided the house of Ghawadra, searched
the house and damaged its contents.  They
questioned the parents of Ghawadra and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.  It should be noted that Ghawadra was a
teacher and had resigned before 8 months. 
He moved to Ramallah to look for another job, especially under disputes
with his family that heard nothing about him since then.

    

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

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Jericho for the second time.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 11:50, IOF moved
into Kafr Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and searched a house.  At approximately
13:30, they withdrew.  No arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 17:00, IOF moved
into Kafr Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya for the second time.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:00, IOF moved
into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:20, IOF moved
into Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 23 January 2012

 

At approximately 02:45, IOF moved into ‘Anabta village, east of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and stationed at al-Batin area in the eastern neighborhood of the
village.  They raided a number of houses:

The house of Ihab Mohammed Rashid Qabaj, 22:  IOF searched the house and damaged its
contents before arresting Qabaj.  They
then stationed near al-‘Amer hall for wedding in the same neighborhood.

The house of Mohammed Mostafa Abdul Razzaq al-Najjar, 22: They
searched the house and then arrested him. 
They moved to al-Bostan area and stationed near the graveyard of the
village.

The house of Hani Sobhi Mohammed Abdul Dayem, 22: They arrested him
after searching the house.  They then surrounded
the area adjacent to ‘Anabta police station.

The house of Raslan Mahmoud Ali Shraqa, 21, who was arrested.

At the same time, IOF surrounded the house of Mohammed Ahmed Hassan
Nour, 27, on al-Sikka street, south of the village, and arrested him.  They withdrew later taking the five persons
to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Balata refugee camp, east of
Nablus.  They surrounded the house of
Yusef Ahmed Saleh Sharay’a, 33, near the old Balata mosque in the center of the
refugee camp.  IOF knocked on the door,
so Sharay’a opened the door.  After
verifying his ID card, he was transported by a military vehicle to his computer
store that is located near the Balata Youth Center at the northwestern entrance
of the refugee camp.  IOF started
searching the store, confiscated computer memory cards and hard desks and
transferred Sharay’a to the detention center at Hawwara, southeast of Nablus.

 

At approximately 08:30, IOF positioned at watchtowers to the west
of Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northwest of Beit Hanoun, north of the
Gaza Strip, heavily fired at open areas in the industrial zone, ex-settlement
of “Nissanit”.  They also launched
an artillery shell at the same area, but no injuries were reported.

 

At approximately 12:05, on the same day, IOF launched 4 artillery
shells at Abu Samra farmland in the north of Hamdoush area, north of Beit
Lahia.  The last one was launched at
approximately 12:30 on the same day, but no injuries were reported.

 

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

 

At approximately 00:40, the Israeli warplanes fired 3 missiles at a
greenhouse inside a land belonging to Mohammed Shehda Hamdouna, 45.  The land, whose area is 2,000 square meters,
is located to the  northeast of Beit Lahia
in the northern Gaza Strip.  The attack
resulted in completely destroying the greenhouse and a 3-meter hole.  However, no injuries were reported.

 

At approximately 00:45, Israeli warplanes fired a missile at an
empty land belonging to Sa’eed Mohammed Salem al-Da’our, 55.  The land whose area is 70 dunums[1]
is located in al-Sayafa area, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza
Strip.  No injuries were reported.

The attack resulted in heavy explosions that rocked the northern
area, due to which, women and children were terrorized.

 

At approximately 01:10, Israeli warplanes fired two missiles at
greenhouses in ex-settlements, northwest of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza
Strip.  As a result, damage was caused to
the place, but no injuries were reported. 
It should be noted that the same area had been bombarded several times.

 

At approximately 01:26, Israeli warplanes fired a missile at the
farmland in al-Zanna area, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.  No injuries were reported.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Kafr Qaddoum village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and sent notices to Salah Saleh Mohammed Hassan, 21;
Baha’ Mohammed Ishtiwi. 19 and ‘Alqama Mahmoud Ameen Jom’a to refer to the
Israeli Intelligence Service.  IOF
withdrew later, but no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:00, Hamed Ahmed Ali Abu Sahloul, 53, from Khan
Yunis refugee camp, south of the Gaza Strip, died out of his wounds.  Abu Sahloul had been wounded by shrapnel of an
artillery shell in the head when he was guarding an UNRWA school.  As a result he had been suffering from
paralysis since 2001.

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately
01:00 on Wednesday, 14 November 2001, IOF positioned at al-Nouriya military site,
west of Khan Yunis refugee camp, continuously shelled the residential
neighborhoods and civilian property in Khan Yunis for approximately 45
minutes.  As a result, seven Palestinians
were wounded, while heavy damage was caused to the houses.  Besides, 18 artillery shells landed in the
UNRWA primary school “D”, due to which, heavy damage was caused to
the building and the school guard, Hamed Ahmed Ali Abu Sahloul, sustained
serious wounds, as he was wounded by shrapnel in the head and back.

 

He fainted and was then transported to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.  Later, he was transferred to Shifa Hospital
in Gaza City and then to the Israeli hospitals, but he was returned to Shifa
Hospital and Gaza European hospital, as his wounds resulted into full
paralysis.  Additionally, shrapnel
remained in his head, because it was difficult to remove them.  Abu Sahloul has been receiving medical
treatment and physical therapy before it was found out that it was in
vain.  He stayed at home without movement
except his eyes moving and saying simple words.

 

At approximately 22:00 on Friday, 20 January 2012, he felt severe
pain in the head, as a result, his family called the doctor before he vomited
and fainted.  He was then transported to
Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.  He was
admitted to the intensive care unit after discovering that he was suffered from
hemorrhage in the head.  He remained in
the intensive care unit until he was pronounced dead today at 02:00.

 

Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into ‘Ein Menjed
neighborhood, west of Ramallah.  They raided
the house of PLC Member from the Change and Reform Bloc, Abdul Jaber Mostafa
Abdul Jaber Foqaha’, 45.  In her
testimony to PCHR, Foqaha’s wife said that IOF had raided the house.  They searched the house and damaged its
contents after they verified the ID cards of the family members.  Before they withdrew at approximately 02:45,
they handed Foqaha’s son, Mojahed, 21, a notice to refer to the Israeli
Intelligence Service.  They confiscated
Foqaha’s mobile, computer set and papers relative to his work as a PLC
Member.  They handcuffed and blindfolded
him and forced him to get into a military jeep. 
They then transported him to an unknown destination.

 

Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Rafidya neighborhood in
the west of Nablus.  They raided the
house of Ayman Abdul Latif Jom’a, 35, in al-Mreij building near Rafidya
Hospital.  The Israeli soldiers knocked
on the door.  When Jom’a opened the door,
they asked him for his ID.  They took the
ID card and after verification, they took him by a military vehicle to a
detention center in Hawwara, southeast of Nablus.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Oula, northwest of
Hebron.  They raided the house of Diya’
‘Aziz Farah al-‘Amlah, 32.  They searched
the house and damaged its contents.  Before
they withdrew, they arrested al-‘Amlah and transported him to Kfar Etzion
detention center, southwest of Bethlehem.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into ‘Aroura village, northwest
of Ramallah.  They raided the house of
Nirmeen Mohammed Nemr Saleh, 37.  In her
testimony to PCHR, the wife of Nirmeen’s brother, ‘Awatif Saleh Ibrahim Saleh,
36, said that IOF raided the house searched it and damaged the contents.  Before they withdrew at approximately 03:15,
IOF confiscated three mobile phones and a laptop.  They also arrested Nirmeen and transported
her to al-Masqoubiya detention center in Jerusalem.  It should be noted that Nirmeen works as a geography
teacher in Sanjal village, north of Ramallah.

 

At approximately 11:00, Israeli soldiers present in the military
court at Ofer detention center, southwest of Ramallah, arrested Nisreen Ayoub
Shaheen,32.  They arrested her, because
she got close to her imprisoned son, ‘Ala’ Ghassan Hamza Shaheen, 18, to hug
him while he was brought to appear before the court.  An Israeli police officer had strongly pushed
the mother away from her son before other three officers surrounded and
arrested her.  Nisreen was transported to
Binyamin police station, where she was detained under the pretext of breaching
the laws of the court.  She was kept
under detention under the pretext of her refusal to sign on the testimony given
in the investigation in Hebrew.  At
approximately 19:00, on the same day, she was taken by a military vehicle and left
at an intersection in the far north of Ramallah.

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Kafel Hares village, north
of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and detained a number of Palestinians.  Those Palestinians were subjected to
questioning until 12:30, under the pretext that they threw stones at the
Israeli vehicles passing on the main road. 
IOF released them later and withdrew. 
Neither arrests nor house raids were reported.          

    

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

 

At approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Yatma village, south of Nablus.  They raided three houses and arrested three
Palestinians:

Waddah Abdul Mo’ti Mohammed Snoubar, 19, who was arrested from his
house in al-Sahel area, in the eastern part of the village;

‘Asim Mahmoud Khalil Snoubar, 19, who was arrested from his house
in the northern part of the village; and

Tareq Omar Ahmed Snoubar, 18, who was arrested from his house in
the northeastern part of the village.

IOF transported them to Hawwara detention center, southeast of
Nablus.

 

At approximately 05:00, IOF moved into Abu Kteila neighborhood,
northwest of Hebron.  They raided and
searched a small house belonging to Mohanned Ahmed Mohammed al-Hawamdah, 24,
from al-Sammou’ village.  They also
attacked him by gun butts.  Before they
withdrew, IOF handcuffed and blindfolded him and transported him to Kfar Etzion
detention center, southwest of Bethlehem.

 

 

Use of Excessive Force against Peaceful
Demonstrations 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, two Palestinian
civilians were wounded; one of whom was wounded by a bullet to the head and the
other was wounded by a bullet to the right leg. 
Besides, a paramedic was hit by a tear gas canister in the right foot.  The wounded received the medical treatment
needed, but PCHR’s field worker was not able to identify them as they came out
of the village.  Besides, they were not
transferred to any hospital or health center for treatment.  A number of Palestinian civilians and human
rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation as well.  

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 20 January 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized
a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to
the construction of the annexation wall and support for 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, dozens
of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday prayer on 20 January 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, two Palestinian civilians were wounded; one of whom was wounded by a
bullet to the head and the other was wounded by a bullet to the right leg.  Besides, a paramedic was hit by a tear gas
canister in the right foot.  The wounded
received the medical treatment needed there, but PCHR’s field worker was not
able to identify them as they came out of the village.  Besides, they were not transferred to any
hospital or health center for treatment.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer, on the same day, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a
peaceful demonstration in Ne’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.  Additionally, they raised the Palestinian
flag and portraits of the Palestinian released prisoners who were released in
the recent prisoner swap.  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.

 

At approximately 11:30 on Tuesday, 24 January 2012, IOF positioned
along the border fence in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire
and tear gas canisters at a group of Palestinian and international
demonstrators, who were walking along the border area from Beit Hanoun (Erez)
crossing to the landfill.  They protested
the imposition of the buffer zone along the borders.  There were approximately 60 demonstrators,
including 5 international activists and 10 journalists.  After they were approximately 200 meters far
from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, they suffered from gas
inhalation.

In
his testimony, the Beit Hanoun Local Initiative coordinator, Saber al-Za’aneen,
said that at approximately 10:30 on that day, demonstrators gathered in front
of the Agriculture School of al-Azhar University, north of the Beit Hanoun and
headed to the border area.  When they
were approximately 200 meters to the southeast of Beit Hanoun crossing, they
started walking along the border fence until they reached the landfill, north
of Beit Hanoun.  IOF fired tear gas
canisters at the demonstrators, but they kept walking.  IOF then heavily fired at the
demonstrators.  As a result, a number of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.  However, they kept moving until they reached
the memorial area, southeast of Beit Hanoun. 
IOF fireed at them, as a result, they were obliged to get out of there.

It
should be noted that the demonstration started at approximately 11:30 and
finished at approximately 13:40 on the same day.

 

 

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 and 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

18 –
25 January 2012

 

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

18 –
24 January 2012

Imports:

 

 

Exports:

 

On Wednesday, 18 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 4
tons of bell peppers.

On Thursday, 19 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 2 tons
of strawberries, and 82,000 flowers.

On Sunday, 22 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 67,000
flowers and 18 pieces of home furniture.

 

Notes:

 

On Wednesday, 18 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 2,800 tons
of construction aggregate, 234 tons of cement and 40 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 770 tons of construction aggregate for USAID.  They allowed the entry of 1,677 tons of wheat
as well.

 

On Thursday, 19 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 2,800 tons
of construction aggregate, 153 tons of construction steel and 320 tons of
cement for UNRWA.  They also allowed the
entry of 1,872 tons of fodders.

 

On Sunday, 22 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 280 tons of
cement, 2,730 tons of construction aggregate and 113 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 1,365 tons of wheat.

 

 

 

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. 
It should be noted that patients who apply for traveling for medical
treatment at hospitals in the West Bank and Israel suffer from serious
illnesses and in need for urgent treatment that is not available at the Gaza
Strip hospitals.  During the reporting
period, IOF arrested Bassam Sha’ban Fu’ad Raihan, 24, from Jabaliya refugee
camp in the northern Gaza Strip on 19 January 2012, as he was traveling to
al-Mezan Hospital in Hebron through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to undergo
surgery.  In her testimony to PCHR, the
patient’s aunt and companion, Na’ima Fu’ad Sha’ban Raihan, 49, said that the
Israeli officer at Beit Hanoun crossing informed her that Bassam was arrested,
gave her Bassam’s belongings and ordered her to return to Gaza.  Sha’ban Fo’ad Raihan, 50, the patient’s
father, said that he received a phone call from IOF informing him that his son
is detained in Ashkelon prison.  The
patient has been detained so far.

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

18 –
25 January 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 09:00 on Thursday, 19 January 2012, IOF re-established their
presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah.  At approximately 08:00, on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein Yabroud village, northeast of
Ramallah. At approximately 08:30 on Friday, 20 January 2012, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.  At the same time, IOF established a
checkpoint at the intersection of Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa, southwest of Ramallah,
while at approximately 10:30 they established a checkpoint under Kharabtha
al-Misbah Bridge, southwest of Ramallah. 
At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 21 January 2012, IOF established a
checkpoint on Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa – Beitunia road, southwest of Ramallah.  At approximately 11:00, on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Abwein village, northwest of
Ramallah.  At approximately 15:00, on the
same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Seera village,
southwest of Ramallah. 

 

Qalqilya:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Thursday, 12 January 2012, IOF established
4 checkpoints around Qalqilya.                                                                                                                                             On
Thursday, 19 January 2012, IOF established 6 checkpoints on Nablus – Qalqilya
road.

At approximately 18:15 on Friday, 20 January 2012, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Jeinsafout village, east of Qalqilya.  At approximately 20:50 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Saniria village, southeast of
Qalqilya.

 

On Saturday morning, 21 January 2012, IOF established 3 checkpoints
around Qalqilya.  On Sunday, 22 January
2012, IOF established 7 checkpoints around the town.

On Monday, 23 January 2012, IOF established 4 checkpoints around
the town.

At approximately 07:40 on Tuesday, 24 January 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint at the intersection of Imatin village, northeast of Qalqilya.

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 08:00 on Thursday, 19 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin.                                             

At approximately 10:30 on the same day, IOF established a
checkpoint at the intersection of Jaba’ village, south of Jenin.  At approximately 13:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at the intersection of ‘Arraba village, south of Jenin, while
another checkpoint at the entrance of Ya’bad village, south of Jenin at
approximately 16:30.  In the meanwhile,
IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kafreet village, southwest of
Jenin.

 

At approximately 10:30 on Friday, 20 January 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint at the entrance of Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin.

 

At approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 21 January 2012, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Romanna village, northwest of Jenin.

 

At approximately 08:00 on Sunday, 22 January 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint at the entrance of Zebda village, southwest of Jenin.  At approximately 08:30 on  the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at
the entrance of Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin.  At approximately 11:30, IOF established a
checkpoint on the road linking Jenin with Tulkarm and Nablus, south of Jenin.

 

At approximately 09:30 on Monday, 23 January 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin.  At approximately 10:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Seilet al-Harthiya village, northwest of Jenin.

 

Tulkarm:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 14:30 on Thursday, 19
January 2012, IOF positioned at ‘Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed
restrictions on the movement of Palestinians.

 

At approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 21 January 2012, IOF positioned
at ‘Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed more restrictions on the
movement of Palestinians.  At
approximately 22:00, on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm.  At
approximately 20:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the intersection of al-Jaroushiya
village, north of Tulkarm.

 

At approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 22 January 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint on ‘Allar – Saida road, northeast of Tulkarm.  At approximately 00:30, IOF stationed at
‘Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed more restrictions on the movement
of Palestinians.

 

Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 13:25 on Saturday, 21 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the western entrance of Kafr al-Dik village, west of Salfit.   At approximately 15:25 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of Yasouf village, east of
Salfit.  At approximately 17:00, IOF
established a checkpoint at the western entrance of Deir Istia village, north
of Salfit.

 

Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 12:00 on Wednesday, 25
January 2012, IOF closed the dirt road leading to Tal al-Romaida neighborhood,
in the center of Hebron.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR and testimony of
Hana’ Jameel Haikal, IOF closed the dirt road used by her family and other
families in the area by huge concrete cubes. 
As a result, they were prevented from reaching their houses that are
surrounded by military sites and the settlement of Beit Yishai.  This measure was taken to impose more
restrictions on the residents of the area.

    

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

At approximately 12:30 on Thursday, 19 January 2012, Sha’ban Fo’ad
Raihan, 50, received a phone call from IOF informing him that his son Bassam,
24, from Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, is detained in
Ashkelon prison.  It should be noted that
Bassam Raihan had been referred to al-Mezan Hospital in Hebron to undergo
surgery in the nerves, as he was wounded three times during al-Aqsa Intifada;
one of which is in the belly, the second is in the two thighs while the third
is in the right knee.  Bassam was passing
with his aunt Na’ima Fo’ad, 49, through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the
northern Gaza Strip when they were stopped by IOF.  The Israeli soldiers handed Bassam’s jacket
to his aunt, ordered her to return to Gaza and told her that Bassam is under detention.  The patient has been detained so far.

 

At approximately 08:30 on Thursday, 19 January 2012, as Dr. Aziz
Salem Murtada Dwaik, 63, Speaker of the PLC, was on his way from his work in
Ramallah back to his house in Hebron, Israeli soldiers stationed at Jaba’
checkpoint, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, stopped the car in which he was
traveling together with his driver and the director of his office.  Israeli soldiers forced the three to step
down from the car and seized their ID cards. 
Approximately 10 minutes later, Israeli soldiers informed Dr. Dwaik that
he was being detained, and ordered his driver and the director of his office to
leave the area.  Israeli soldiers were
seen handcuffing and blindfolding Dr. Dwaik and forcing him to get into a military
jeep that traveled away from the area. 
This morning, it was revealed that Dr. Dwaik was taken to Ofar detention
facility, southwest of Ramallah.  On 25
January 2012, the Israeli military court at Ofer detention facility decided to
put Dr. Dwaik under administrative detention for six months without issuing in
indictment against him.

 

At approximately 12:00, on Sunday, 22 January 2012, IOF positioned
in the southern area of Hebron arrested Tareq Rabah Shhada ‘Asfour, 22, from
Hebron.  The Israeli soldiers at a
checkpoint established on the road leading to the Ibrahimi mosque searched
‘Asfour and detained him under the pretext that he had a knife.  He was transported to the Israeli police
station near Kiryat Arba settlement, southeast of Hebron.  ‘Asfour was charged of “trying to kill
an Israeli soldier”, and was then transferred to Kfar Etzion settlement,
southwest of Bethlehem.     

 

 

3. 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 in the city.

 

At
approximately 13:15 on Monday, 23 January 2012, an IOF undercover unit
comprised of 30 members stormed the yard of ICRC’s head office in Sheikh Jarrah
neighborhood in East Jerusalem.  They
attacked the sit-in tent in which PLC Member Mohammed Omran Saleh Toutah, 43,
and former Minister Khaled Abu ‘Arafa, 51, were staying and arrested both men.  They further arrested Toutah’s brother,
Mo’tassim, 48, and Amr Abu ‘Arafa, 26, who were in the tent as well.  Eyewitnesses indicated that the undercover
unit directly headed to the tent and introduced themselves as police.  They took Toutah and Abu ‘Arafa out of the
head office, put each of them in a vehicle and transported them to
al-Masqoubiya detention center in Jerusalem. 
In the meantime, other members of the undercover unit stormed the ICRC’s
head office and confiscated computer sets and cell phones belonging to Toutah and
Abu ‘Arafa, which indicates that they went up to the second floor of the
building, where Toutah and Abu ‘Arafa used to sleep, and confiscated their
belongings.

Israeli police spokeswoman for the Arab media, Loba Samri, stated
that with the assistance of the General Security Service “Shabak,” interrogators
of the Minorities Department of the Central Investigations Unit, Jerusalem
District, arrested PLC Member Mohammed Toutah and former Minister of Jerusalem
Affairs, Khaled Abu ‘Arafa, from East Jerusalem at ICRC’s head office in Sheikh
Jarrah neighborhood.  Samri said:
“They have been hiding in that place for about a year and a half after
their Israeli ID’s had been canceled by the Israeli Ministry of Interior
following their activities and work in an illegal terrorist organization,”
as described by Samri.  She also claimed
that there is no diplomatic status in the ICRC’s office.

 

PLC Member Mohammed Toutah, former Minister Khaled Abu ‘Arafa and
PLC Member Ahmed ‘Attoun had decided to sit-in at the ICRC head office in
Jerusalem since June 2010 rejecting an Israeli decision to withdraw the ID’s of
Jerusalemite PLC Members and give them temporary permits instead that expire
after a month.  This decision was taken
under the pretext that PLC Members are affiliated to a banned organization and
participating in the Palestinian legislative elections representing Hamas.  On 06 September 2011, an IOF undercover unit
kidnapped PLC Member ‘Attoun from the same sit-in tent in Jerusalem and he was
kept in custody until he was deported to Ramallah on 06 December 2011.

 

On
Tuesday, 24 January 2012, IOF demolished the house belonging to Ahmed Omar al-Lahalyah
in the east of ‘Anata village, northeast of East Jerusalem.  Al-Lahalya said that IOF surrounded his house
in the early morning and ordered him and his family comprising of 20 members to
leave that house, whose area is 100 square meters, in order to demolish
it.  As a result, an Israeli staff
started to get the furniture out of the house to allow the bulldozers demolish
it.  Lawyer Hossam Yunis who was responsible
for the case and member of the Committee against the Wall in Ramallah, said
that he started legal action on at the previous night to reject the demolition
of al-Lahalya’s house before the Israeli Supreme Court.  However, the lawyer received a phone call
from the owner of the house telling him that IOF demolished the house.  Yunis pointed that the latest 3-day
demolition notice was sent to al-Lahalya on 18 January 2012.  He explained that the new demolition notice
was issued upon a previous demolition order issued against a previous house
belonging to al-Lahalya with an area of 180 square meters.  He lived in that house in 1996 and it was
demolished then.  IOF claimed that the old
house was built without obtaining a license, as a result, al-Lahalya was obliged
to build his house that was demolished on the day mentioned above.

 

In
the same context, on 21 January 2012, the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem
sent Inad Abu Sarhan a notice to demolish his house in Emlisoun area near Ras
al-‘Amoud neighborhood, south of al-Aqsa mosque.  The notice was issued under the pretext of
building the house without obtaining a license. 
Nine members live in the house that was built in 1999.  The Israeli municipality issued fines and
financial irregularities that mounted to 100,000 NIS.

 

 

4. 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 09:00 on Monday, 23 January 2012, IOF supported by two bulldozers
and “Civil Administration” officers moved into the northern area of
al-Oja village near street (90), northeast of Jericho.  They closed the area and prevented
Palestinians and journalists from moving in. 
At approximately 09:30, two bulldozers started demolishing  9 stores under construction, claiming that
they had been established without obtaining a license from the Israeli
“Civil Administration”.  The
stores belong to :

1. A
store belonging to Diab Abdul Hamid Njoum. 
The store’s area is 35 square meters;

2. A
store belonging to Jaser Abdul Rahman Njoum. 
The store’s area is 35 square meters;

3. A
store belonging to Yaser Abdul Rahman Njoum. 
The store’s area is 35 square meters;

4. A
store belonging to Mohammed Abdul Rahman Njoum. 
The store’s area is 35 square meters;

5. A
store belonging to Faysal Hussein Njoum. 
The store’s area is 70 square meters;

6. Two
stores belonging to Nayef Njoum.  The
stores’ area is 70 square meters; and

7. A
store belonging to Fakhri Njoum.  The
store’s area is 35 square meters.

 

On
Tuesday morning, 24 January 2012, IOF sent a number of Palestinians notices to
demolish a school and houses in Bani N’aim village, southeast of Hebron, under
the pretext of “not licensed buildings”

According
to information collected by PCHR, IOF accompanied by an officer from the
“Civil Administration” sent notices to Palestinians living in Khelet
Abu Beida area, west of Bani N’aim, to demolish an under construction school
and three empty houses belonging to:

1. Haroun
Mohammed Tarayra, who owns a 2-storey house and a storehouse with an area of
360 square meters;

2. Shehda
Sulaiman Ya’qoub Tarayra, who owns a 2-storey house and a storehouse with an
area of 240 square meters; and

3. Nafez
‘Atiya Zeidat, who owns a house with an area of 160 square meters.

 

On
Wednesday morning, 25 January 2012, IOF demolished a house in Kherbet Om
al-Kheir, east of Yatta in the far south of Hebron.

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR and testimony of Abdullah Salem
al-Hadaleen, 25, at approximately 08:15, IOF moved into Kherbet Om al-Kheir and
surrounded a house belonging to Mrs. Halima al-Hadaleen, 65, who is the widower
of Salem Eid Yamin al-Hadaleen.  They
then started demolishing the house consisting of two rooms and was resided by a
family comprising of eight members, including six children.

It
should be noted that the said house is 20 meters far from the fence of Carmiel
settlement and it was demolished without a prior notice. It is the second house
belonging to the same family that was demolished by IOF, as the first house was
demolished in 2008.  During the recent
demolition, IOF attacked the son of the house owner, eyewitness Abdullah Salem
al-Hadaleen, after he intervened to stop the demolition.  

 

On Tuesday, 24
January 2012, hundreds of settlers using tens of buses stormed the Joseph Tomb
in Balata village, east of Nablus. They performed Talmudic prayers there until
the early morning.  Local sources stated
that approximately 10 buses of settlers reached the grave of Yusef under IOF’s
protection, during which they performed their religious rituals.   

………………………………………………………

 

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 policy 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 ([email protected]) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).