The
occupational forces dropped dozens of bombs on Bil’in village near Ramallah

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

 

 

· IOF killed a
Palestinian civilian at a military checkpoint in the West Bank.  

– 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded by Israeli air strikes in the
Gaza Strip.

 

· IOF continued
to fire at Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the
Gaza Strip.

– IOF arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and
confiscated their boat.

 

· Israeli
warplanes attacked a number of targets in the Gaza Strip. 

– A number of training sites were bombarded and 6 houses were
damaged.

 

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

– A Palestinian
woman was killed in Bil’ein village.

– 5 Palestinian
civilians, including a child and a paramedic, were wounded.

– IOF arrested an
Israeli journalist. 

 

· IOF conducted 30
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one into
the Gaza Strip.  

– IOF arrested 28
Palestinian civilians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative
Council and 9 children.

 

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

 

· Israel has
continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in
Jerusalem.

– IOF demolished
two houses in East Jerusalem.

 

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

– IOF ordered the demolition of more Palestinian houses.

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (30 December 2010 – 05 January 2011):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF
killed two Palestinian civilians, including a woman, and wounded 5 others,
including a child and a paramedic, in the West Bank. Three Palestinian civilians were also wounded
by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

 

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. As a result, a Palestinian woman
was killed, and 5 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a paramedic,
were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human
rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises. IOF also arrested an Israeli journalist.

 

Ms. Jawaher Ibrahim Ahmed Abu Rahma, 35, who extremely suffered
from difficulties in breathing and fainted.  She was evacuated to Palestine
Medical Compound in Ramallah, but at approximately 09:30 on Saturday, 01
January 2011, she was pronounced dead. and others sustained bruises as they
were beaten by Israeli soldiers.  IOF
also arrested an Israeli journalist, Silan Dalal, 23.  

 

Medical sources in Palestine Medical
Compound in Ramallah, Abu Rahma died as a result of weakened performance of her
respiratory apparatus due in inhalation much tear gas. In the same context, the Israeli daily Ha’aretz
reported on Monday, 03 January 2011, that the Israeli military uses CS tear
gas, which was first manufactured 50 years ago and was described as dangerous,
to disperse Palestinian demonstrations. According to the newspaper, extensive research around the world proved
that the gas is lethal. According to an
Israeli doctor, Daniel Argo, who participates in organizations against the
annexation wall, the gas causes extreme difficulties in breathing, and stresses
that the Israeli military has continued to use it. Dr. Argo stated that the same gas killed the
woman’s brother, Bassem Abu Rahma, a year and a half ago, but the Israeli
military denied responsibility for his death. The Israeli military claimed that Jawaher Abu Rahma died because of
various health problems she was suffering from.

 

On 02 January 2011, Israeli soldiers
positioned at al-Hamra checkpoint, east of Tubas, shot dead a Palestinian
civilian. They claimed that he attempted
to stab a soldier, but an Israeli radio reported according to military sources
that the victim was unarmed and that he was carrying a beverage bottle. The radio reported that “initial
investigations conducted by the Israeli military revealed that the man was not
carrying any tool that might hurt soldiers, his behavior did not reflect any
terrorist intention and he was not a member of any terror organization.

During the reporting period, Israeli
warplanes attacked a number of targets in the Gaza Strip. They bombarded site of the ‘Izziddin
al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas). The site were heavily damaged and
6 houses were damaged. IOF also
bombarded tunnels along the Egyptian border south of Rafah. Three Palestinian civilians were also
wounded.  

 

IOF also arrested 6 Palestinian
fishermen and confiscated their boat opposite to Gaza beach.

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 30 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 28
Palestinian civilians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative
Council and 9 children.

 

In
the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one limited incursion, during which they leveled
areas of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.

 

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. 

 

· 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.

 

· Expanding the list of items allowed into Gaza
does not change the illegality of this policy, which is inconsistent with
Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying Power and under international
human rights treaties to which it is party, such as the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the
ground refute Israeli claims with
respect to the easing of the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and the
reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of goods.

 

· Israeli
declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes
an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the
minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have
continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip. 

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip. 

 

· Israel had
continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing
to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social
visits.

 

· Israel has
imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

 

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
at 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, further confiscating 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 a permit issued by the IOF.
These 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.

 

Measures Aimed
at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem: 

 

IOF have continued to take measures
at creating a Jewish majority in Jerusalem.

 

During the reporting period, IOF
demolished two houses in East Jerusalem, claiming that they were built without
licenses.

 

Settlement
Activities:

 

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

 

On 30 December
2010, IOF handed notices to Palestinian civilians in the southeast of Yatta
town, south of Hebron, ordering the dismantlement of 5 tents to the west of
“Sousia” settlement. These
orders coincided with attempts by Israeli settlers to seize large areas of
Palestinian land near the settlement.

 

On 02 January
2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Rafafa” settlement, north of
Salfit, attempted to attack a number of Palestinian farmers who went to their
agricultural lands, which were razed by IOF. 

 

On 03 January 2011,
IOF moved into Arab al-Zayed area to the north of Jericho. They handed 15 notices to Palestinian
civilians ordering the demolition of a number of houses and a mosque, claiming
that they were built without licenses. The affected property is located nearly one kilometer away from
“Miva’ot” settlement. IOF
threatened to implement the order this month and requested the affected
civilians to refer to the Israeli military liaison.

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (30 December 2010 – 05
January 2011)

 

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

 

Thursday, 30 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Yatta town, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to
Khalil Mousa Reb’ei, 50, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)
from the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to Hamas, and arrested him. Reb’ei was released from Israeli jails 13
months ago after 40 months of detention. Thus, the number of PLC Members arrested by IOF in less than 3 months
has mounted to 5. 

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Barta’a village, southwest of Jenin. They raided a shop belonging to Tha’er
Sa’diya, from Jenin, and confiscated large amounts of fireworks. They also arrested two workers: Mohammed Fu’ad Abu Shqair, 24; and Mohammed
Ibrahim Zayoud, 24.

 

· At
approximately 03:50, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of
Tulkarm. They raided and searched a
house belonging to the family of Ibrahim ‘Ali al-Da’ma, 23, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Ma’awia Ahmed Shurafa, 25, and arrested him. They then raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Mohammed Ahmed Salah, 25, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 17:30, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

Friday,
31 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. ‘Imad
   Hafez al-Rajabi, 46;
2. ‘Abdullah
   ‘Imad al-Rajabi, 23;
3. Mohammed
   Yousef Abu al-Halawa, 25; and
4. Nour
   al-Din ‘Imad al-Rajabi, 22.

 

Sunday, 02 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Manya village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Mohammed
   ‘Ali Kawazba, 15;
2. Mohammed
   Jamal Kawazba, 16; and
3. Mohammed
   Ra’ed al-‘Orouj, 14.

 

· At
approximately 01:55, IOF moved into Bedya village, west of Salfit. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Islam Mohammed Shatat, 21, and summoned him for interrogation. Shatat was released from Israeli jails one
month ago.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a site of the
‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in Mas’oud Street in
Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. Two rooms in the site were destroyed and 4
nearby houses and a tract of agricultural land were damaged. Additionally, Ahmed Mohamme Mansours, 48, was
injured by fragments of glass in the head when he was inside his house. 

 

· At approximately
02:10, an Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at a barrack in the
northeast of al-Nussairat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. As a result, Tha’er ‘Awni Jad al-Haq, 23, was
wounded by shrapnel to the head. Additionally, two nearby houses belonging to ‘Awni Sa’id ‘Abdul Haq and
Jamal ‘Abdul Karim al-Ghefari were damaged.

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Yatta town, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to
Mohammed Salem Meghnem, but no arrests were reported.

 

· In the morning,
Israeli soldiers positioned at al-Hamra checkpoint, east of Tubas, shot dead a
Palestinian civilian. They claimed that
he attempted to stab a soldier, but an Israeli radio reported according to
military sources that the victim was unarmed and that he was carrying a
beverage bottle. The radio reported that
“initial investigations conducted by the Israeli military revealed that
the man was not carrying any tool that might hurt soldiers, his behavior did
not reflect any terrorist intention and he was not a member of any terror
organization. 

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, in the morning,
Ahmed Mahmoud Mohammed Daraghma, 25, from Tubas, arrived at al-Hamra checkpoint
southeast of the town, on his way to his work. At approximately 07:45, he moved towards the checking room, and there a
female Israeli soldier shouted on him. Immediately, an Israeli soldier stationed on an observation tower in the
area fired at Daraghma, wounding him with a bullet to the leg. Another Israeli soldier in the area also
fired at Daraghma, killing him with a
bullet to the heart.

 

In his testimony to PCHR, an eyewitness, ‘Othman Ahmed
al-Maslamani, 25, from Tubas, stated: 

 

“At approximately 07:45 on Sunday, 02 January 2011, I crossed
a checking area on the pedestrian route at al-Hamra checkpoint towards my work
in Jericho. Ahmed Mahmoud Mohammed
Daraghma, 25, was behind me. While he
was crossing the checking area, I saw him carrying a bottle of orange
juice. When he got close to the checking
area, a female Israeli soldier shouted on him and he moved back. Soon after, I saw an Israeli soldier
stationed on an observation tower at the checkpoint, nearly 150 meters away
from the checking area, firing at Daraghma and wounding him with a bullet to
the leg. However, an Israeli soldier,
who was nearly 30 meters away fired a number of bullets at Daraghma, killing
him. After coming this crime, the
soldiers drove people several meters away from the checkpoint and closed it for
more than 75 minutes. During the
closure, a number of Israeli soldiers checked Daraghma’s body before delivering
him to a Palestinian ambulance. “

 

· At
approximately 09:55, IOF moved into Jayous village, north of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported. 

 

· At
approximately 11:35, IOF moved into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:50, IOF moved into Zibda village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 18:30, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 20:20, IOF moved into al-Fundoq village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 03 January 2011

 

· At approximately 00:05, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jaba’ village, south of
Jenin. They raided and searched a house
belonging to Ahmed Salim Salatna, 46, and arrested him. They also confiscated some contents of the
house.

 

· At approximately 07:00, IOF moved nearly 500 meters into the east
of Khuza’a village, east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis. The opened fired and leveled areas of
Palestinian land. Two schools in the
area were evacuated at 10:00 in order to protect children from the Israeli
gunfire. 

 

· At approximately 09:25, IOF moved into Hijja village, east of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
and photographed a number of houses. They withdrew later and no house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 09:50, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the
streets. They stopped a number of
passing Palestinian civilians and summoned them for interrogation. IOF withdrew from the village at
approximately 11:15 and no arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into al-Zababda village,
southeast of Jenin. They patrolled in
the streets and interrogated a number of Palestinian civilians. They withdrew later and no house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 10:10, IOF moved into Kufor al-Dik village, west
of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 12:00, IOF moved into Wad Bourqin village, south
of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 13:30, Israeli soldiers moved into Nabi Saleh
village, northwest of Ramallah, and patrolled in the streets. A number of Palestinian children threw stones
at the soldiers. Immediately, the
soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs
at the children. They also arrested Majd
Taha al-Tamimi, 16, when he was near his house. The child was released at 20:00.

 

· At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Brouqin village, west of
Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Beit Leed village, east of
Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 04 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Madama village, south of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 7 Palestinian civilians, including two children:

 

1. Tha’er
   Yousef Nassar, 21;
2. Sari
   Tayeb Faraj, 19;
3. ‘Emayar
   ‘Abbas Nassar, 25;
4. Mohammed
   ‘Awadh Qit, 27;
5. Mohammed
   Rizq Nassar, 16;
6. Jihad
   Mohammed Nassr, 16; and
7. Hussam
   ‘Ali Nassr, 29. 

 

· At
approximately 08:30, Israeli naval troops arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen who
were on board of a fishing boat that was sailing nearly 4 kilometers away from
Gaza beach. They also confiscated the
boat. The fishermen were released at
approximately 20:00. They are:

 

1. Mohammed
   ‘Abdul Qader Baker;
2. Ziad
   Mohammed Baker, 25;
3. Mohammed
   Mahmoud Baker. 28; and
4. Ra’ef
   Nabeel Baker, 25.

 

· At
approximately 16:00, IOF moved into the agricultural area to the south of
Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. They
searched the area and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 16:40, IOF moved into al-Ras village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets and arrested 3
Palestinian civilians:

 

1. ‘Essam
   ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Majdoub, 42, from al-Ras village;
2. Suhaib
   ‘Azmi Saleh, 21, from Shoufa village; and
3. Mohammed
   Lutfi Rajab, 28, from Kufor al-Labad village.

 

· At
approximately 22:00, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a training site of
the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam (the armed wing of Hamas) in the west of the central
Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah. A room
and a kitchen were destroyed, but no casualties were reported. 

 

· At
approximately 22:30, Israeli warplanes bombarded a tunnel on the Egyptian
border near Block “J” in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. The tunnel was destroyed, an a worker,
‘Abdul Salam Mohammed al-Ghalban, 35, from
Khan Yunis, was injured. 

 

Wednesday, 05 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Taqqou’ village. Southeast of
Bethlehem. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested two Palestinian children:

 

1. Hamza
   Jaber Kawazba, 17; and
2. Ahmed
   Jaber Kawazba, 15.

 

· At
approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Deir al-‘Assal village, southwest of
Hebron. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested Ghassan ‘Abdullah al-Shawamri, 16.

 

2. 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. As a result, a Palestinian
woman was killed due to tear gas inhalation, and 5 Palestinian civilians,
including a child and a paramedic, were wounded. Dozens of Palestinian civilians and human
rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained
bruises.  Additionally, IOF arrested an
Israeli journalist.   

   

· Following the
Friday Prayer on 31 December 2010, 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. The
demonstrators included: Dr. Salam Fayad, Palestinian Prime Minister; Jamal
Zaqqout, Advisor of the Palestinian Prime Minister; Sultan Abu al-‘Ainain,
Member of Fatah Central Committee; Qais Abu Leila, Member of the Palestinian
Legislative Council (PLC); Khaleda Jarrar, PLC Member; Dr. Wassel Abu Yousef,
Secretary General of Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); Hisham Abu Raya, Member
of the PLF Political Bureau; Ramzi Rabah, Member of the Political Bureau of
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine; and other national activists.
 They moved towards the annexation
wall.  Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
demonstrators. As a result, 3
Palestinian civilians were wounded:

 

1. Hammad Hosni
‘Aassi, 46, hit by a tear gas canister to the face;

2. ‘Ali Saleh
al-Khatib, 19, hit by a tear gas canister to the right shoulder; and

3. Suleiman ‘Ali
Khattab, 19, hit by a tear gas canister to the chest. 

 

Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas
inhalation, including Ms. Jawaher Ibrahim Ahmed Abu Rahma, 35, who extremely
suffered from difficulties in breathing and fainted.  She
was evacuated to Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah, but at approximately
09:30 on Saturday, 01 January 2011, she was pronounced dead. and others
sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli soldiers.  IOF also arrested an Israeli journalist,
Silan Dalal, 23.  

 

Medical sources in Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah, Abu
Rahma died as a result of weakened performance of her respiratory apparatus due
in inhalation much tear gas. In the same
context, the Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported on Monday, 03 January 2011, that
the Israeli military uses CS tear gas, which was first manufactured 50 years
ago and was described as dangerous, to disperse Palestinian
demonstrations. According to the
newspaper, extensive research around the world proved that the gas is lethal. According to an Israeli doctor, Daniel Argo,
who participates in organizations against the annexation wall, the gas causes
extreme difficulties in breathing, and stresses that the Israeli military has
continued to use it. Dr. Argo stated
that the same gas killed the woman’s brother, Bassem Abu Rahma, a year and a
half ago, but the Israeli military denied responsibility for his death. The Israeli military claimed that Jawaher Abu
Rahma died because of various health problems she was suffering from.

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 31 December 2010, 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 clashed with Israeli troops
positioned near the Wall. Israeli troops
fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at
demonstrators. As a result, dozens of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises. 

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 31 December 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in commemoration of
the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, and in protest against land
confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi Saleh and
Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators
attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near
“Halmish” settlement, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a paramedic and a child were
wounded:

 

1. Nariman
Mohammed al-Tamimi, 28, hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot; and

2. Islam Saleh
al-Tamimi, 14, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right foot.

 

A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation
and others. 

 

3. 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.

 

· Expanding the
list of items allowed into Gaza does not change the illegality of this policy,
which is inconsistent with Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying
Power and under international human rights treaties to which it is party, such
as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the
ground refute Israeli claims with respect to the easing of the closure imposed
on the Gaza Strip and the reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of
goods.

 

· Israeli
declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes
an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the
minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have
continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip. 

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip. 

 

· Israel had
continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing
to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social
visits.

 

· Israel has
imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

At
approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the Egyptian authorities decided
to open Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border in both
directions without specifying a date for its closure. The Egyptian decisions came following the
Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla in international water. On the following morning, the crossing point
was effectively opened and restricted categories of Palestinian civilians were
allowed to travel through it.

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

29 December
2010 – 04 January 2011

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

29 December
2010 – 04 January 2011

 

 

Exports through Karm Abu Salem Crossing:

 

On Wednesday, 29 December 2010, IOF allowed the export of 154,720
flowers and 6 tons of strawberries. 

 

On Thursday, 30 December 2010, IOF allowed the export of 13.4 tons
of strawberries. 

 

On Sunday, 02 January 2011, IOF allowed the export of 134,000
flowers and 19.5 tons of strawberries.

 

On Monday, 03 January 2011, IOF allowed the export of 7 tons of
strawberries. 

 

On Tuesday, 04 January 2011, IOF allowed the export of 168,700
flowers and 8.4 tons of strawberries.

 

Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: During the
reporting period, IOF partially opened the crossing on Monday, 03 January 2011,
and allowed the entry of 2,301 tons of wheat, and 4,680 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

29 December
2010 – 04 January 2011

 

 

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. Restrictions of the
movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim
Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.      

 

· Hebron:  IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Friday noon, 24 December 2010, IOF closed
alls northern and eastern entrance to Hebron and the nearby Halhoul town. The closure continued until the following day
evening, during which time IOF stopped and searched Palestinian civilian
vehicles.   On Monday noon, 27 December 2010, IOF
established a number of checkpoints on roads around Hebron. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. 

 

· Ramallah: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian
civilians in Ramallah. IOF troops
positioned at the Jaba’ and Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have
imposed additional restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged checks of
Palestinian civilians. During the
reporting period, IOF established a number of temporary checkpoints, and
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 18:00 on Friday, 31 December
2010, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint at the northern
entrance of Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately 18:30
on Saturday, 01 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of
Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 19:50 on Saturday, 01
January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at Ematin intersection, northeast of
Qalqilya.  On Sunday, 02 January 2011, IOF established 5
checkpoints around Qalqilya. On Monday, 03
January 2011, IOF established 4 checkpoints around Qalqilya. Israeli soldiers stationed at these
checkpoints stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.   

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:00 on Thursday, 30
December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the northern entrance of Beit
Leed village, east of Tulkarm. They stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 01 January 2011, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of al-Jaroushiya village, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
08:15 on Monday, 03 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near the
northern entrance of Beit Leed village at Tulkarm-Nablus road, east of
Tulkarm. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At the
same time, Israeli soldiers positioned at Ennab checkpoint on the same road
imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 07:00 on Wednesday, 05
January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near Far’oun intersection, south of
Tulkarm. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 17:00 on Thursday, 30
December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint on Deir Abu Da’if-Deir Ghazala
road, east of Jenin. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 17:00 on Sunday, 02 January 2011, IOF established a
checkpoint on the road linking al-Zababda village with the Arab American
University, southeast of Jenin. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 08:15 on Monday, 03 January
2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Zabbouba village, west of
Jenin.  They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 10:30 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of al-Kfair village, southeast of Jenin. At approximately 12:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Seilat al-Harthiya village, northwest of
Jenin. At approximately 13:00, IOF
established a checkpoint near Haddad tourist village, southeast of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
10:00 on Tuesday, 04 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at Rummana intersection,
northwest of Jenin. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.  

 

· Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to close the northern
entrance of Salfit with cement blocks and sand barriers since 2000. They have also continued to close two roads
linking Marda village with agricultural land belonging to it.  At approximately 20:30 on Monday, 03 January
2011, IOF established a checkpoint on Brouqin-Qarawat Bani Zaid road, south of
Salfit. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 20:40 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian
vehicles. 

 

· Jericho: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 19:00 on Thursday, 30
December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk
village, north of Jericho. They stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

4. Measures
Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem

 

Israel
has recently escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East
Jerusalem in order to force them to leave the city. PCHR has devoted this section in the Weekly
Report to highlighting violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against
Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem.

 

· At approximately 09:00 on Monday, 03 January
2011, IOF, accompanied by a bulldozer of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem,
moved into Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. The surrounded a 100-square-meter house
belonging to Nasser Siam. Only a child
was inside the house. IOF took the child
out and demolished the house, claiming that it was built without a
license. According to the owner, the
family submitted 4 applications to license the house, but the Israeli
municipality rejected them. It also
confiscated two donums[1]
of land belonging to the family. In 2004,
an Israeli court ordered the demolition of the house, but the family appealed
the order and it was halted. However, in
2010, the court issued a final ruling ordering the demolition of the house. 

 

· At approximately 04:00 on Tuesday, 04 January
2011, IOF, accompanied by officials of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem
and a bulldozer, moved into Beit Hanina village, north of Jerusalem. They surrounded a 55-square-meter, two-storey
house belonging to Nayef Is’haq ‘Owaida. They forced the family out and demolished the house. According to the owner, the family applied
for a license, but the municipality rejected it. An Israeli court ordered the demolition of
the house, but the family appealed the order. However, the municipality demolished the house. It is worth noting that IOF had already
demolished two houses belonging to the family.

 

5. Settlement
Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian Civilians and Property

 

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

 

· On Thursday, 30 December 2010, IOF handed
notices to Palestinian civilians in the southeast of Yatta town, south of
Hebron, ordering the dismantlement of 5 tents to the west of “Sousia”
settlement. These tents belong to: ‘Eissa Hussein al-Jbour; Mahmoud Ahmed
al-Jbour; ‘Eissa Badawi al-Jbour; ‘Omar Badawi al-Jbour; and Mohammed Hussein
al-Jbour. These orders coincided with
attempts by Israeli settlers to seize large areas of Palestinian land near the
settlement.

 

· On Sunday morning, 02 January 2011, a number of
Israeli settlers from “Rafafa” settlement, north of Salfit, attempted
to attack a number of Palestinian farmers who went to their agricultural lands,
which were razed by IOF. 

 

Mr. Nazmi
Salman, Mayor of Deir Estia, stated to PCHR that:

 

“At
approximately 10:30 on Sunday, 02 January 2010, a number of farmers from the
village and I went to lands located near ‘Rafafa’ settlement to document the
damages incurred to the area by IOF, as we were requested to do that following
taking legal action. When we arrived
there, a number of guards of the settlement surrounded us and called IOF. Israeli soldiers who arrived at the area took
our identity cards and confiscated a camera that we were using. They detained us for more than 3 hours. When we were released, Israeli soldiers
ordered one of us, ‘Aayed al-Manshi, to refer to the Israeli intelligence on
Wednesday, 05 January 2011.”

 

· At approximately 09:30 on Monday, 03 January
2011, IOF moved into Arab al-Zayed area to the north of Jericho. They handed 15 notices to Palestinian
civilians ordering the demolition of a number of houses and a mosque, claiming
that they were built without licenses. The
affected property is located nearly one kilometer away from “Miva’ot”
settlement. IOF threatened to implement
the order this month and requested the affected civilians to refer to the
Israeli military liaison.

 

…………………………………………………………

 

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