· More land is leveled and
more houses and civilian facility are demolished.
In a very
serious escalation, Israeli occupation forces’ combat helicopters shelled the
cities of Ramallah, Gaza, Jabalya, Deir El-Blah and Khan Yunis. This shelling targeted several Palestinian
security services’ positions. The
shelling resulted in the death of Akram ‘Omar El-Hindi, a 25-year-old member of
the Palestinian President’s Guards (Force 17) in Ramallah originally from
Gaza. Other shelling targeted
Palestinian residential neighborhoods and resulted in the death of Su’ad
El-Sheikh Kahalil, 45, from Bitounia in Ramallah. She received a heavy caliber bullet in the
head, while she was driving her car home.
Moreover, dozens of Palestinians were wounded with shrapnel, and a
number of civilian facilities, including schools, mosques, clinics and houses,
were severely damaged.
This
report covers Israeli human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories during the period of March 22-29,
2001. During such period, the Israeli
occupation forces continued to resort to the excessive use of force against
Palestinian civilians. They fired at
Palestinian civilians and shelled residential areas. As a result, a number of Palestinian
civilians were killed and dozens were wounded and a number of houses and
civilian facilities were severely damaged.
On
Saturday, March 24, 2001, at approximately 20:15 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces opened fire on Khaled Mohammed Awadh Badawi, 21, from
Al-‘Arroub refugee camp in Hebron, killing him with five live bullets.
In the
morning of Tuesday, March 27, 2001, Kahaireya Qassem ‘Ali Fashafsha, 70, from
Jaba’ village in Jenin, died after she inhaled tear gas that had been employed
by the Israeli occupation forces.
On the
same day, at approximately 20:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces
indiscriminately opened fire at Palestinian houses in Al-Kenar neighborhood in
Hebron, killing the child Mahmoud Ismail Darawish, 11, with a live bullet in
the chest.
On
Wednesday, March 28, 2001, at approximately 10:30 local time, a 12-year-old
child from Rafah, Yahia Fathi Mohammed El-Sheikh, was killed, after a
suspicious object thrown by the Israeli occupation forces at the border in
Rafah exploded between his hands.
Another three children were wounded in the same incident.
On the
same day, at approximately 23:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces,
positioned at Al-Shuhada; (Netzarim) junction, killed Hussam Ghanem Al-Kronz,
23, from Al-Boreij refugee camp, with a live bullet in the chest.
In the
morning of Thursday, March 29, 2001, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire
on a number of school students who were demonstrating near a military site at
Erez industrial zone in the north of the Gaza Strip. As a result, a 16-year-old from Jabalya
refugee camp, Mahmoud Khaled Abu Shehadeh, was killed with a live bullet in the
chest; and Mohammed Salman Abu Shamleh, 18, from Jabalya, was killed with a
live bullet in the chest. Furthermore,
an additional 17 people were wounded in the ongoing clashes.
During
the period covered by this report (March 22-29, 2001), Jewish settlers
escalated their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their
properties. Such attacks reached the
climax in Hebron, where Jewish settlers, under full protection by the Israeli
occupation forces burnt a number of houses, commercial stores and cars.
Also
during the same period, the Israeli occupation forces razed large area of
agricultural land and demolished civilian facilities, particularly in the
northern area of the Gaza Strip and in Rafah.
On
Monday, March 26, 2001, a dam collapsed inside Israeli territories, causing
severe damage to large area of agricultural land in the east of Gaza, which
were flooded by water that destroyed agricultural products and facilities as
well as killed animals and birds.
1. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
In the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces
opened fire on a number of Palestinian civilians who were demonstrating at the
southern entrance of Qalqilya. As a
result, Nehad ‘Abdel-Rahaman Abu El-Ya’eish, 36, was wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right leg and Mohammed Kamel Ali Ghoneim, 20,
was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh. Furthermore, Israeli occupation soldiers
severely beat ‘Abdel-Nasser Mohammed Salem, a 24-year old passer-by who was not
participating in clashes. He received
serious bruises throughout the body.
Also in the afternoon, clashes erupted between
Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces at the northern
entrance of Al-Bireh. The Israeli forces
opened fire and used tear gas against Palestinian civilians. As a result, three Palestinian Health Relief
Committees Union health workers were wounded while they were trying to offer
medical assistance. They are:
1) Baschar Hashem, 22, from
Ramallah, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh;
2) ‘Arafat Zayed, 24, from
Ramallah, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand; and
3) ‘Eissa Rawhi, 26, who
fainted and suffered from breath difficulties due to tear gas inhalation.
Additionally,
the child Mohammed ‘Abdel-Rahman Mahmoud Mahmoud ‘Eid, 13, was wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
His health condition was described as stable. Moreover, journalist Ahmed Zaki, a
28-year-old Oman Television Channel correspondent was wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left knee.
Dozens of Palestinian civilians also lost consciousness and suffered from
breathing difficulties due to tear gas inhalation.
Also
in the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a number of
Palestinian civilians who were demonstrating more than 150m away from these
forces positioned at the entrance of a bypass road used by settlers, near
Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City. As a result, seven Palestinian civilians,
mostly children, were wounded with live bullets as follows:
1) Ahmed Talal Abu Jabal, 11, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City,
wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh;
2) Saber Ra’fat Baker, 12, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, wounded
with a live bullet in the left arm;
3) Sa’ed Musbah El-Khawar, 15, from Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City,
wounded with a live bullet in the right hand;
4) Ra’ed ‘Abdel-‘Azziz El-D’alseh, 17, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in
Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;
5) Nedhal ‘Ezzat El-Sheikh Khalil, 14, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza
City, wounded with a live bullet in the chest;
6) Mohammed Yasser Erhim, 15, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City,
wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen; and
7) Mohammed Ismail Hamada, 19, from Jabalya, wounded with a live bullet in
the right shoulder.
At
approximately 17:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers positioned at an observation
tower near Salah El-Din Gate on the border in Rafah, threw a sound bomb towards
a mission of Amnesty International, while its members were in a visit to the
area. The mission, headed by the
Secretary General of Amnesty International (AI) Pierre Sneih, and the Head of Public Relations at AI Kamal
Smari and the Head of the Middle East Department at AI Elizabeth Hodkins as
members, was in a field visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories to
investigate the human rights situation, to express solidarity with the
Palestinian victims of the Al-Aqsa Intifada and their families, and Palestinian
human rights organizations. The mission
was accompanied by Jaber Weshah, Deputy Director of PCHR, who stated that the Israeli
forces threw a sound bomb toward them.
In a press conference held at the Palestinian Journalist Association in
Gaza on March 24, 2001, Pierre Sneih stated that the mission of Amnesty
International was targeted by the Israeli occupation forces with a sound bomb
during a visit to Rafah.
Saturday,
March 24, 2001
At
approximately 11:30 local time, a peaceful Palestinian march arrived at Al-Ram roadblock of the Israeli
occupation forces, to the north of Jerusalem, calling for lifting the siege
imposed on Palestinian cities by the Israeli occupation forces. As soon as the this march arrived at the
roadblock, the Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas
canisters, and threw sound bombs at participants who kept the peaceful nature
of their march. Eleven Palestinian
civilians were wounded, including the Coordinator of the Field Work Unit at the
Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
(LAW) Fahmi Hamdi Shahin, 40, from Hebron, who suffered from breathing
difficulties due to tear gas inhalation.
He was exposed to the tear gas while he was observing the march near the
headquarters of LAW near Al-Ram roadblock.
He was evacuated to Ramallah hospital for treatment. Furthermore, two on-duty journalists suffered
from burns. Mahfouzh Abu Turk, a 52-year
old Reuters correspondent and a France 2 cameraman from Jerusalem suffered from
burns in the left hand; and Journalist Rassem ‘Abdel-Wahed, a 42-year-old
Director of the Palestinian Press Agency (Wafa) in Jerusalem, suffered from leg
burns. The other wounded were:
1) Ihsan Mohammed ‘Atta ‘Azzam, 23, from Al-Jadira in Ramallah, wounded
with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
2) Rami Jamal El-Soudani, 19, from Qalandya refugee camp, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the abdomen;
3) Samar Hawash, 40, from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet
in the chest;
4) Reem Meqdadi, 26, suffered from burns in the left leg;
5) Nassif Mo’allem, 40, from Ramallah, suffered from burns in the left leg;
6) Eftekhar Na’el ‘Arar, 25, from Qarawat Bani Zeid village in Ramallah,
suffered from burns in the right leg;
7) Elham Nadi ‘Arar, 25, from Qarawat Bani Zeid village in Ramallah,
suffered from burns in the left leg; and
8) Samiha Adib El-Rimawi, 55, from Beit Reema village in Ramallah, received
bruises in the chest and the shoulders after having been beaten by Israeli
soldiers.
At
approximately, 20:25 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on
Khaled Mohammed Awadh Badawi, 21, from Al-‘Arrob refugee camp in Hebron,
killing him with five live bullets in the chest, the limbs and the back. According to the Palestinian Society for the
Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), the Israeli soldiers,
positioned on the roof of a Palestinian house at the northern entrance of
Al-‘Arroub refugee camp, willfully opened fire on Badawi from a distance of
approximately 10m.
Sunday,
March 25, 2001
At approximately 10:30 local time, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned in a military site in Tal Zourob area in the
southwest of Rafah, opened fire on a number of Palestinian young men in Block
“J” area in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the border. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
these young men were approximately 1,000m away from the mentioned military site
from which fire were unjustifiably opened.
As a result, Majdi Ahmed El-Natour, 33, from Rafah, was seriously
wounded with a live bullet that entered the back and exited the chest. He was evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in
Rafah for treatment.
At
approximately 12:30 local time, a Palestinian peaceful march moved towards a
military roadblock of the Israeli occupation forces at Beit Fourik junction, to
the east of Nablus. Israeli occupation
soldiers indiscriminately opened fire and used tear gas against Palestinian
civilians participating in the march. As
a result, 26 Palestinian civilians, including three medics and a physician of
the medical staff of the Palestinian Union of Medical Relief Committees, were
wounded as follows:
1) Ghassan Hamdan, 40, a
physician from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right
arm;
2) ‘Ammar El-‘Assi, 26, a
medical reliever from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-caoted metal bullet in the
left foot;
3) Mohammed Kalbouna, 24, a
medical reliever from Nablus, wounded with two rubber-coated metal bullet in
the shoulder and the left leg;
4) Suhad Hisham Shureim, 32,
a nurse from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left
thigh;
5) ‘Amer Ahmed Mustafa Abu
Shehadeh; 22, from ‘Anabta village in Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head;
6) Taher Mohammed Hanani, 14,
from Beit Fourik village in Nablus, wounded with a live bullet in the head;
7) Ahmed Fuad Abu Hamdeh, 22,
from Balatta refugee camp in Nablus, wounded with a live bullet in the head;
8) Akram Mohammed Hussein
Hamed, 12, from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left
leg;
9) Mohammed Na’eim Mohammed
Hussein, 17, from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left
leg;
10) Samer Ahmed Amin El-Torabi, 23, from Surra village in Nablus, wounded
with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right eye;
11) Mohammed Yousef Ahmed Qawariq, 29, from ‘Awarta village in Nablus,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left side;
12) Bilal ‘Abdel-Jad Mohammed Zoreiqi, 20, from Balatta refugee camp,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left foot;
13) Mahmoud ‘Abdel-Rahman El-Deb’ei, 15, from Nablus, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh;
14) Ra’ed Nehad Hassan ‘Abdel-Jalil, 18, from Nablus, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the chest;
15) Zuhair Ghazi Mustafa Zamel, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the mouth;
16) Eyad Mohammed Mahmoud Harb, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the back;
17) ‘Amer Mohammed Hassan Hbeisha, 16, from Nablus, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left foot;
18) Manna’ Majed Muleitat, 30, from Beit Fourik village, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
19) Eyad ‘Abdel-Rahim Hanani, 18, from Beit Fourik village, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
20) Mahdi Yousef Fadhel, 12, from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the back;
21) Mo’tassem Nassouh ‘Abed Eshtayeh, 18, from Salem viallege, wounded with
two rubber-coated metal bullets in the right shoulder and the right hand;
22) Fares Bassam Ahmed El-‘Att, 20, from Balatta refugee camp, wounded with
a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand;
23) Jamal Zuhair Yousef, 18, from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the left leg;
24) Wassim ‘Ayyesh ‘Abdel-Rahman Hanani, 16, from Beit Fourik village,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
25) Jehad Shaker ‘Abdel-Latif Abu ‘Ayyash, 12, from Balatta refugee camp,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the face; and
26) Sa’ed ‘Adel Wadi’ El-Ratrout, 16, from Nablus, wounded with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the chest.
Monday,
March 26, 2001
In
the afternoon, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Al-Mentar (Karni)
Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets at
a number of Palestinian civilians, who were demonstrating approximately 100m
away. The Israeli forces again resorted
to the use of a new highly effective gas that left symptoms different from
those of the highly effective gas used first against Palestinian civilians in
Khan Yunis, starting from February 12, 2001.
Three Palestinian civilians were wounded with live and rubber-coated
metal bullets and were evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City for
treatment. They were:
1) Hassan Sufian Mansour, 15,
from Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
abdomen;
2) Mohammed Farajallah
El-‘Emrani, 24, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live
bullet in the leg; and
3) Majdi El-Sarasak, 20, from
Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the left foot.
Furthermore,
another three Palestinian civilians were evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza
City, after having inhaled a highly effective gas. They were:
1) Eyad Fahim Zaqout, 23,
from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City;
2) Ra’ed Suleiman Hassan, 30,
from Al-Boreij refugee camp; and
3) Ra’fat ‘Abed El-Masri, 26,
from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
According
to one of them, the new gas is orange-colored and has a nice-smell and
delicious taste upon inhalation. Then,
the inhaler feels tired throughout the body, their muscles loosen, and they
suffer from breathing difficulties. The
gas also leaves red signs on the skin, causing agitation. Some hours later, the inhaler suffers severe
abdominal pains.
Tuesday,
March 27, 2001
At
approximately 7:30 local time, Palestinian residents of Jabe’ village near
Jenin confronted the Israeli occupation forces that had burst into the their
village for the second time on the same day, in order to arrest a village
resident. The Israeli forces opened fire
and used tear gas against Palestinian civilians and houses. A tear gas canister fell into a house. As a result, Khaireya Qassem ‘Ali Fshafsha,
70, died after she suffered from breathing difficulties due to tear gas
inhalation. Other members of her family,
including a 30-year-old pregnant woman, also suffered from breathing
difficulties. Additionally, ‘Abdullah
‘Abdel-Qader ‘Alawneh, 18, was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
hand.
At
approximately 9:00 local time, a demonstration organized by preparatory school
students moved from Nusseirat refugee camp in the middle area of the Gaza Strip
towards Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of Gaza City. Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the
junction, opened fire and used tear gas against students who demonstrated
approximately 150m away. As a result,
Majdi Mohammed Abu Hamdeh, a 14-year-old from Nusseirat refugee camp, was
wounded with a live bullet in the left hand.
He was evacuated to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir El-Balah for
treatment.
At
approximately 11:00 local time, approximately 300 Palestinian civilians moved
from Al-‘Awda square in Rafah towards a junction leading to Marag settlement,
and organized a peaceful sit-in, in protest to the continued closure of
Rafah-Khan Yunis road since December 14, 2000.
During the sit-in, which lasted for approximately one hour, Israeli
occupation forces opened fire at a number of Palestinian children, who were
trying to reach the border of Morag settlement, approximately 300m away from
the sit-in. As a result, the 13-year-old
child Ashraf Fayez Madhi, from Rafah, was wounded with a live bullet in the
left leg. He was evacuated to Al-Joneina
hospital in Rafah for treatment.
In
the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian
civilians who were demonstrating at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh. As a result, three Palestinian civilians were
wounded, including a field officer of the Israeli B’tselem Nisreen Kahlil
‘Oleyan, 22, who was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
head. The other wounded were:
1) Samer Sa’di Al-Weheidi,
18, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left knee; and
2) ‘Abdel-Hamid ‘Abdel-Rahman
Hamed, 24, from Al-Bireh, wounded with a live bullet in the left foot.
Wednesday,
March 28, 2001
At
approximately 10:30 local time, there was an explosion near the border in
Brazil refugee camp in Rafah. Residents
hurried to the location of the explosion, finding a child lying on the ground
with his chest and abdomen torn, his bowels on the ground and his face
deformed. The body of the unidentified
child was taken, along with another three wounded children, to Al-Joeneina
hospital in Rafah. Later, the child was
identified as Yahaia Fathi Mohammed El-Sheikh ‘Eid, a 12-year-old from ‘Amer
housing project in the east of Rafah.
The other wounded children were:
1) Mohammed Jaber ‘Abed, 12,
from Brazil refugee camp in Rafah, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
2) ‘Ammar Mohammed El-Kurd,
12, Brazil refugee camp in Rafah, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
and
3) Walid ‘Abdel-Fattah
Mansour, 12, from Brazil refugee camp in Rafah, wounded with shrapnel
throughout the body.
According
to PCHR’s investigation and eyewitness and wounded testimonies, the explosion
resulted from an explosive object left behind by the Israeli occupation forces,
positioned at the border in Rafah.
Investigation also asserted that the four children were on their way to
school, when a civilian living near the border asked them to help him carry two
household gas jars home. The children
carried the two jars into the house. After they noticed a cylindrical metal
piece, an iron hammer and a colored leather glove, the children entered the
border area through a hole in the border fence.
The child Yahia El-Sheikh ‘Eid picked up the metal piece and the hammer,
and ‘Ammar El-Kurd picked up the glove.
Then, the four children left the area.
Approximately 10m away from the border, the child Yahia started to
fidget with the metal piece and the hammer, which exploded between his hands.
At
approximately 23:00 local time, shooting from a military site of the Israeli
occupation forces at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of Gaza
City, was heard. In the morning of
Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces handed over to the Palestinian side the
body of Hussam Ghanem ‘Ali Al-Kronz, a 23-year-old member of the Palestinian
Preventive Security Service from Al-Boreij refugee camp. According to medical sources at Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City, Al-Kronz received a live bullet in the chest. According to initial information, Al-Kronz
was shot at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, but no addional details were
available.
Thursday,
March 29, 2001
At
approximately 8:00 local time, approximately 250 students of schools of Beit
Hanoun, in the north of the Gaza Strip, move towards Beit Hanoun (Erez)
Crossing, and a number of them started to throw stones at an Israeli occupation
forces site inside Erez industrial zone.
Israeli occupation soldiers immediately opened fire on students. At approximately 9:30 local time, the child
Mahmoud Khaled Abu Shehadeh, 16, from Jabalya refugee camp, a student of the 10th
grade at Ahmed El-Shaqanqiri school near Beit Hanoun, was killed with a live
bullet that penetrated the left arm and entered the chest, settling in the
heart. Additionally, the child Mohammed
Salman Abu Shamla, 18, from Jabalya refugee camp, was wounded with a live
bullet that entered the right side of the back and exited the left side of the
chest. He died at the surgery unit of
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. The number
of the wounded in these clashes, which have continued up to now, was 17. They are:
1) Mohammed Zeid Mahanna, 19,
from Jabalya refugee camp, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen;
2) Sueiman Marwan ‘Okasha,
13, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with shrapnel in the left arm;
3) Ahmed Majed ‘Obeid, 16,
from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
mouth;
4) Naji Khader Salem, 18,
from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the left foot;
5) Ramez ‘Awdallah El-Z’anin,
17, from Beit Hanoun, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;
6) Ahmed Fayez Abu Es’ifan,
18, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
7) Fadi Ahmed Bader, 17, from
Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right
hand;
8) Bassam Fathi Khader, 18,
from Beit Hanoun, wounded with a live bullet in the left hand;
9) Ossama Abu Zhaher, 16,
from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the hand;
10) Sa’ed Mohammed ‘Awadallah, 24, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a
sound bomb in the knee;
11) Mahmoud Samir Abu ‘Oun, 14, from Beit Lahia, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand;
12) Mohammed Abu ‘Amsha, 15, from Beit Lahia, wounded with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head;
13) Sa’ed Abu Setteh, 16, from Beit Hanoun, wounded with a rubber-coated
metal bullet under the left eye;
14) Kamal El-Taramsi, 16, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a live
bullet in the right foot;
15) Mohammed Samir Qarmout, 17, from Beit Lahia, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the face;
16) Mohammed Nezar Rayyan, 14, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with three
rubber-coated metal bullets in the right thigh, the back and the foot; and
17) Mahmoud Wahid Abu El-Qumsan, 15,
from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
left hand.
2. Shelling of Residential Neighborhoods
Thursday,
March 22, 2001
At approximately 10:00 local time, after an
exchange of fire between armed Palestinians and the Israeli occupation forces,
that were razing areas of land to the west of Al-Nemsawi neighborhood in Khan
Yunis, these forces started to fire artillery shells and heavy and medium
caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the area. Such shelling and indiscriminate shooting by
the Israeli forces, which lasted for approximately two hours, resulted in
wounding four Palestinian civilians as follows:
1) the child Mohammed Salem
El-Zeini, 14, wounded with a live bullet in the shoulder when he was passing
approximately 800m away from military sites of the Israeli forces;
2) ‘Abdel-Mon’em Suleiman Abu
Shoqeir, 28, wounded with shrapnel in the face and the shoulder;
3) ‘Essam Mohammed Fayyadh,
27, wounded with shrapnel in the face and the eye;
4) ‘Omar ‘Abdullah Abu
Setteh, 30, wounded with shrapnel in the head and the right shoulder.
Such shelling also resulted in severe damage to a
number of houses and buildings as follows:
1) An artillery shell hit the
southern façade of housing unit 1 of the Austrian Housing Project, and dispersed,
causing damage and breaking windows of an apartment owned by Riadh ‘Ali Abu
Shammaleh.
2) An artillery shell hit the
western façade of building 3 of the same housing project, causing damage and
breaking windows of an apartment owned by Ahmed El-Ghemari.
3) A number of artillery
shells and live bullets hit six housing units owned by Al-Farra Company from
the west and the south, making holes 2-7cm in diameter and breaking a number of
windows.
At approximately 20:30 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces resumed shelling Al-Nemsawi neighborhood in Khan Yunis, and
targeted the western area of Khan Yunis refugee camp and Al-Amal
neighborhood. They fired artillery
shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and civilian
facilities. PCHR’s field officer in Khan
Yunis reported that six military sited of the Israeli occupation forces in the
vicinity of Gani Tal and Neve Dekalim settlements and Al-Tuffah roadblock,
participated in such indiscriminate shelling which lasted up to 24:00 local
time. Such shelling caused severe damage
to a number of Palestinian houses.
Furthermore, a number of Palestinian civilians were wounded as follows:
1) Sahar Mustafa Hneideq, 16,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the head;
2) Khaled Hussein Abu Khoreis,
28, wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the head;
3) Khaled Ahmed Abu Mousa,
25, wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the right hand;
4) Sami Hussein Boreis, 26,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the neck;
5) Wa’el Abu Hadrous, 31,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the neck and the left hand;
6) Noufal Ibrahim Abu ‘Awadh,
34, wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the head;
7) Mahmoud Subhi ‘Amer, 24,
wounded with a live bullet in the left hand.
Friday,
March 23, 2001
In
the morning, the Israeli occupation forces shelled Palestinian houses in
Kherbet Karma in the southwest of Hebron, from their military site in Enta’eil
settlement in Zhaereya village, to the southwest of Hebron. These forces fired heavy and medium caliber
bullets at Palestinian houses for 20 minutes, causing severe damage.
In
the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy
and medium caliber bullets at Al-Nemsawi (the Austrian) neighborhood in the
east of Khan Yunis. At approximately
21:30 local time, the same neighborhood was shelled again, and Palestinian
houses in the western area of Khan Yunis refugee camp was also targeted by the
Israeli occupation forces. Such shelling
lasted sporadically up to 3:00 local time on the following day. It resulted in severe damage to a number of
Palestinian houses. Furthermore, four
Palestinian civilians were wounded as follows:
1) Nayfa Mohammed Abu ‘Aker,
35, wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the head, when she was
passing on a street in Khan Yunis refugee camp, approximately 150m away from
military sites of the Israeli occupation forces;
2) Ahmed Walid El-Bashiti, 6,
wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh when he was playing with other
children near his family’s house in Al-Nemsawi neighborhood, approximately 200m
away from military sites of the Israeli occupation forces;
3) Rami Kahlil ‘Oudeh, 22,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the right hand; and
4) Ayman Sufian Al-Farra, 22,
wounded with a medium caliber bullet in the left foot, when he was in the
market of Khan Yunis, approximately 2km away from military sites of the Israeli
occupation forces.
In
his testimony to PCHR, Ayman Al-Farra said:
“On
Friday, March 23, 2001, at approximately 10:30 (local time), I was in the
market road, approximately 20m away from my home, watching some young men
playing football. Then, I heard sounds
of shooting, which we have gotten accustomed to hearing everyday. The source of shooting was military sites of
the Israeli occupation forces at Al-Tuffah roadblock and in the vicinity of
Neve Dekalim settlement, approximately 2km away from us. Suddenly, I heard the sound of an object that
hit the ground. Then, I felt severe pain
in my left foot and saw it bleeding. Young
men took me to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis by a civilian car. X-rays showed that I was wounded with a
medium caliber bullet, and I had to undergo a surgical operation to extract
it.”
In
her testimony to PCHR, Nayfa Mohammed Hussein Abu ‘Aker said:
“At
approximately 22:30 (local time), on Friday, March 23, 2001, I went from my
house, in the south of Khan Yunis refugee camp, to my uncle’s house near
Al-Shafi’ mosque, 30m away from my house.
When I was approximately 5m away from my uncle’s house, I heard sounds
of shooting from An Israeli military site near Al-Tuffah roadblock, 250m
away. Suddenly, an explosion
boomed. I felt pains in my head. I fell down on the ground with my head
bleeding. Neighbors took me to Nasser
hospital in Khan Yunis.”
In
the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy
and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and farms in Gizan Al-Najjar
area in the southeast of Khan Yunis, to the north of Morag settlement. In his testimony to PCHR, Shukri Sha’ban
Al-Najjar said that at approximately 16:00 local time, he was with some
laborers cultivating vegetables from his greenhouse in Gizan Al-Najjar area,
approximately 200m to the north of Morag settlement. Then, Al-Najjar added, two tanks and a
bulldozer of the Israeli occupation forces got out of Morag settlement, and
started to uproot tamarisks surrounding his tract of land, approximately 100m
away from Morag settlement.
Approximately 15 minutes later, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire,
hitting his greenhouse, so he and laborers were forced to flee. The Israeli occupation forces continued to
fire artillery shells and live bullets at Palestinian houses and farms in the
area up to 22:00 local time, causing the following damage:
1) Bullets penetrated the
window of a balcony of a 150-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11 people
live, owned by Shukri Sha’ban Al-Najjar.
2) Bullets damaged a water
saving tank and parts of the asbestos roof of a 200-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which ten people live, owned by Kamel Mohammed
El-Dabbas.
3) Bullets broke windows and
made holes in the southern façade of a 200-square-meter, one-story house, owned
by Musbah Sha’ban Al-Najjar.
4) Bullets made holes in
walls and damaged a water saving tank of a 400-square-meter, one-story house,
owned by Nabil Mohammed Al-Najjar.
5) Bullets made holes in
walls and broke windows of a 100-square-meter, one-story house, in which four
people live, owned by Sa’id Suleiman Al-Najjar.
6) Bullets made holes and
broke windows of a 120-square-meter, one-story house, in which three people
live, owned by Yasser Mohammed Salameh Al-Najjar.
7) Bullets made holes in
walls an damaged water saving tanks of a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in
which 14 people live, owned by Ahmed ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Al-Najjar.
Saturday,
March 24, 2001
At
approximately 10:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement, to the west of Khan Yunis, fired heavy and
medium caliber bullets at housing units owned by Al-Farra Company in Al-Nemsawi
(the Austrian) neighborhood. As a
result, these units received additional damage as they were frequently shelled
in the past weeks. Bullets also hit the
fence of Khan Yunis cemetery, to the south of Al-Nemsawi neighborhood.
At
approximately 00:45 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement and at Al-Tuffah roadblock, to the west of
Khan Yunis, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at
Palestinian houses in the western area of Khan Yunis refugee camp. In his testimony to PCHR, Hassan Mohammed Abu
Namous said that he, his wife, and his children were awoken by sounds of
explosions. Shrapnel fell onto the
asbestos and tin roof of his house, which is located approximately 70m away
from Al-Tuffah roadblock. He added that
he and his family were forced to flee their house to the house of a relative
(located approximately 150m away from the roadblock) where he stayed up to 5:00
local time. PCHR’s field officer reported
that more than ten artillery shells and several heavy and medium caliber
bullets were fired at the area, causing the following damage:
1) An artillery shell fell on
the roof of the children bedroom and the kitchen of a 140-square-meter,
asbestos and tin-roofed house, in which 12 people live, owned by Hassan
Mohammed Abu Namous, damaging the roof and a water saving tank.
2) An artillery shell fell on
a 140-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 21 people live, owned by
Hussein Mohammed Abu Khoreis, damaging the roof.
3) Four artillery shells hit
a 250-square-meter, four-story house, in which 18 people used to live, owned by
Abdullah Hassan Abu ‘Obeida, causing damage to its walls. The family left the house a few months ago
due to frequent shelling by the Israeli occupation forces.
4) An artillery shell hit a
130-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11 people used to live, making
holes in walls. The family left the
house a few months ago due to frequent shelling.
5) Two artillery shells hit a
350-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 30 people used to live, owned
by Mahmoud Hassan Abu Radwan. The family
left the house a few months ago due to frequent shelling.
Monday, March 26, 2001
At approximately 17:00 local time, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned in a settlement center, known as “Avraham Avino,”
and in a military barracks in Ossam Ben Monqeth school, in the area of Hebron
under the control of these forces, shelled Palestinian houses in Hebron. These forces fired artillery shells and heavy
and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian house in Qubbat Janeb, Al-Takrouri
and Abu Sneineh neighborhoods. As a
result, six Palestinian civilians were wounded with, and a number of houses
were severely damaged after having been hit with artillery shells and live
bullets. According to eyewitnesses,
Palestinian ambulances were not able to reach the targeted areas due to intense
shelling. Among the wounded was a
22-year-old Reuters cameraman from Hebron, Lu’ai ‘Abdel-Salam ‘Orabi Abu
Haikal, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left side, the back and the right
hand, while he was in duty. The other
wounded were:
1) Ibrahim Salameh Abu
Sneineh, 6, wounded with shrapnel in the right hand and suffered from a nervous
breakdown;
2) Khalil ‘Eissa Sa’idi, 30,
wounded with shrapnel in the chest and the abdomen;
3) ‘Emad ‘Eissa El-Barad’ei,
25, wounded with shrapnel in the left eye and the forehead;
4) Fadi Khalil Abu Hadid, 25,
wounded with shrapnel in the right leg; and
5) Samer Ahmed Mattar, 18,
wounded with shrapnel in the right shoulder.
At
approximately 21:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at an
observation tower and on a tank in the vicinity of Morag settlement, opened
fire at Palestinian houses and farms in Gizan Al-Najjar area in the southeast
of Khan Yunis. As a result, the
11-year-old child ‘Abdel-Rahman Mohammed Al-Najjar, was wounded with shrapnel
in the right hand, when he was near his family’s house. He was evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan
Yunis for treatment. The shelling also
caused severe damage to a number of Palestinian houses.
At
approximately 23:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement and Al-Tuffah roadblock, to the west of
Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis
refugee camp and in the vicinity of Al-Amal neighborhood, and housing units in
Al-Newsawi (the Austrian) neighborhood.
As a result, Fayez ‘Abdel-Mo’ti Abu Jaber, 22, was wounded with shrapnel
of an artillery shell while he was passing near Al-Nemsawi neighborhood. He was evacuated to the hospital of the
Palestine Red Crescent Society in Khan Yunis for treatment. The shelling also
caused severe damage to a number of houses.
Tuesday,
March 27, 2001
At
approximately 20:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces indiscriminately
opened fire on Palestinian civilians and houses in Kenar neighborhood in the
southwest of Hebron. As a result, the
11-year-old child Mahmoud Ismail Darawish, was killed with a live bullet in the
chest that was fired by Israeli soldiers positioned in a military site at
Al-Fawar-Doura junction.
At
approximately 21:40 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
vicinity of Kharsina settlement, to the east of Hebron, shelled Palestinian
houses in Sh’aba and Nemer neighborhoods, under control by the Palestinian
National Authority. These forces fired
heavy and medium caliber bullets, causing severe damage to a number of houses,
and electricity, telephone and water networks.
Furthermore, the child Wassim Mohammed Fahmi Da’na, 10, was wounded with
shrapnel in the left eye. He was
evacuated to Al-Mizan hospital in Hebron for treatment.
Wednesday,
March 28, 2001
In
the evening, the Israeli occupation forces started to shell Palestinian cities
from their military sites and using combat helicopters. This resulted in killing two Palestinians,
including a 45-year-old civilian, and wounding dozens. It also caused severe damage to a number of
civilian facilities and buildings of the Palestinian security services.
At
approximately 19:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned on ‘Eibal
and Jarzim mounts, to the north and south of Nablus respectively, fired heavy
and medium caliber bullets at Khellet El-‘Amoud and Iraq El-Tayeh neighborhoods
and Balatta refugee camp. As a result,
Farid ‘Abdel-Hamid Badran, 57, from Balatta refugee camp, was wounded with
shrapnel in the head and the chest, and some houses were severely damaged.
At
approximately 19:35, the Israeli occupation forces shelled a site of the
Palestinian President’s Guards (Force 17) in Ramallah, killing one of its
members, Akram ‘Omar Ahmed El-Hindi, 25, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza
City, whose body completely burnt after having been directly hit with a rocket. Such shelling coincided with shelling
Palestinian residential neighborhoods in Bitounia by Israeli occupation forces
positioned in ‘Ofar military site, to thee south of Ramallah. Such shelling resulted in the death of Su’ad
El-Sheikh Khalil, 45, after she received a heavy caliber bullet in the head,
while she was driving her car towards her house in Bitounia.
At
approximately 19:45 local time, combat helicopters of the Israeli occupation
forces started to fire rockets at a site of the Palestinian President’s Guards
(Force 17) in Al-Twam area in Jabalya in the northern area of the Gaza
Strip. As a result, three members of
Force 17 were wounded as follows:
1) Anwar El-Faq’awi, 25, from
Khan Yunis, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
2) Eshteiwi El-‘Azayza, 23,
wounded with shrapnel throughout the body; and
3) ‘Abdullah Zeid, 22,
wounded with shrapnel throughout the body.
The
shelling also resulted in severe damage to a number of nearby houses and
civilian facilities as follows:
1) Twenty-one windows of a
180-square-meter, three-story house (newly established and not inhibited),
owned by ‘Alla’ As’ad El-Saftawi, were broken.
2) Seven windows of a
200-square-meter, two-story house, owned by Tahsin Saleh Khalil El-Halimi, were
broken.
3) Eight windows of a
200-square-meter, three-story house, in which four people live, owned by Khamis
Ramadan El-Hessi, were broken and walls cracked.
4) Four windows of the second
floor of a 150-square-meter, three-story house, in which 11 people live, owned
by Tahsin Saleh Khalil El-Halimi, were broken.
5) Three windows of the
second floor of a 370-square-meter, three-story house, in which 30 people live,
owned by Tawfiq Ahmed ‘Atteya ‘Oweida, were broken.
6) Seven windows of ‘A’esha
mosque, established on a 350-square-meter area, were broken.
7) Nine windows of Hijazi
Medical Center of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, established on a
450-square-meter area, were broken.
The
shelling coincided with similar shelling by combat helicopters of the Israeli
occupation forces that targeted the headquarters of the Palestinian President’s
Guards (Force 17) in Ma’n village, to the east of Khan Yunis. The building was severely damaged. In addition, nearby UNRWA clinic and Ma’n
elementary school were severely damaged.
At
the same time, combat helicopters of the Israeli occupation forces shelled a
site of the Palestinian National Security Forces near Al-Qarara crossroads, to
the north of Khan Yunis. As a result,
one of the site’s members, Nour ‘Abed Abu Hattab, 24, was wounded with shrapnel
in the back, and the site was severely damaged.
PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that a number of the area’s
residents arrived at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, after they suffered from
nervous breakdowns and bruises in the body.
He added that a number of houses and civilian facilities near the
targeted site were severely damaged as follows:
1) Windows of a
120-square-meter, two-story house, in which 25 people live, owned by
‘Abdel-Rahman Mohammed Hassan El-‘Abadleh, were broken and walls cracked.
2) Windows of a 140-square-meter,
two-story house, in which 10 people live, owned by Sharif Ibrahim El-‘Abadleh,
were broken.
3) Windows of a
120-square-meter, three-story house, in which three people live, owned by Ahmed
‘Abdullah Ahmed El-‘Abadleh, were broken.
4) Windows of a 100-square-meter
fuel station, owned by ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Hassan Temraz, were broken.
5) Windows of a medical
clinic of the Palestinian Ministry of Health were destroyed.
6) Windows of Al-Salam mosque
were broken and walls cracked.
At
approximately 20:00 local time, combat helicopters of the Israeli occupation
forces fired rockets at a site of the Palestinian President’s Guards (Force 17)
at Deir El-Balah seashore, destroying six rooms used as administrative offices.
At
approximately 23:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at
Al-Tuffah roadblock and in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement, fired
artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in
the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp and in Al-Nemsawi neighborhood. As a result three Palestinian civilians were
wounded as follows:
1) Naji Abu ‘Awadh, 35,
wounded with shrapnel in the right thigh;
2) Akmal Anu Khadra, 36,
wounded with shrapnel in the right leg; and
3) Ahmed ‘Atteya Abu Sahloul,
25, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot.
3. Other Assaults and Arrests by the Israeli Occupation Forces against
Palestinian Civilians
Early
in the morning of Friday, March 23, 2001, an undercover unit of the Israeli
occupation forces, known as Al-Mosta’reboun (Arabanizers) burst into Kherbet
Al-Hejri Dora town in Hebron governate, and arrested Ibrahim Younis Mohammed
Sahadid, 32, taking him to an unknown destination.
Also
in the morning of the same day, the Israeli occupation forces burst into
Al-Hareth secondary school in Ethna village in Hebron, and arrested the
teacher, Mohammed ‘Eissa Farjallah.
Also
on the same day, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at military roadblocks
arrested four Palestinian civilians from Qalqilya. They are:
1) Ra’ed ‘Abdel-Fattah Daoud,
30;
2) Shadi ‘Abed El-‘Ajez, 25;
3) Hazza’ Bassam Hazza’, 21;
and
4) Hussam El-Ghazzawi.
On
Monday, March 26, 2001, Israeli occupation forces at Rafah Border Crossing
arrested Riadh ‘Abdel-Rahim El-Maddah, 49, from Gaza City, when he was on his
way to Egypt.
At approximately 13:00 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces arrested two Palestinian fishermen from Al-Mawasi area in
Rafah, and released them two hours later.
They are: Ziad ‘Abed Meqdad, 25, and Khalil ‘Abed Meqdad, 20. They were sailing in their rubber boat at
Rafah seashore, when Israeli occupation soldiers forced them to leave the sea
and arrested them. The Israeli forces
claimed that they exceeded the 200-meter-limit in which fishing is
allowed. According the
Palestinian-Israeli Interim Agreement, Palestinian fishermen are allowed to
sail up to 20 miles across the sea, but Israeli does not commit to this.
4. Attacks and Shooting on Palestinian Civilians by Settlers
On
Sunday, March 25, 2001, at approximately 13:00 local time, Murtada Salem Abu
‘Eisha, 76, from Hebron, received bruises and injuries throughout the body,
after he was attacked by Jewish settlers.
A number of Jewish settlers in settlement centers inside Hebron beat and
threw stones at some Palestinian civilians in Al-Sahleh area and Al-Shallala
Street in the city, and damaged goods of hawkers, under full protection by the
Israeli occupation forces.
On
Monday, March 26, 2001, at approximately 17:00 local time, a number of Jewish
settlers from Ganim and Qadim settlements, to the east of Jenin, severely beat
three Palestinian farmers from Faqou’a village with hands, feet and gun
butts. As a result, the three farmers
received bruises throughout the body.
They were:
1) As’ad Fayez El-Khatib, 32;
2) Radwan Salah, 22; and
3) Zuhair Salah, 35.
In
the evening of the same day and the morning of Tuesday, March 27, 2001, Jewish
settlers attacked Palestinian houses and properties in Hebron, under full
protection by the Israeli occupation forces.
As a result, ‘Abdel-Salam El-Sarahneh, received bruises throughout the
body while he was in the market of the city.
Settlers also crashed a car of S’ada El-Sharbati, and broke windows of a
number of cars and six houses.
Also
on Tuesday, March 27, 2001, at approximately 13:20 local time, Jewish settlers
Al-Zaytoun quarter in Hebron, and destroyed a Palestinian civilian car owned by
Salah El-Zaro, a Director General at the Palestinian Ministry of Labor. On the same day, settlers attacked three
Palestinian commercial stores in the market of vegetables in Hebron, destroying
the doors of some and setting fire to them.
They also burnt a carpentry workshop in Khan El-Kayala, owned by Qassem
Abu Mayala.
On
Wednesday, March 28, 2001, at approximately 2:30 local time, more than 100
Jewish settlers and units of the Israeli occupation forces burst into Al-Karantina
area, and entered up to approximately 350m inside areas under the control of
the Palestinian National Authority.
Settlers, under full protection by the Israeli occupation forces,
attacked Palestinian houses, throwing stones and incendiary materials at them,
and breaking their windows with iron bars.
They also attacked a number of Palestinian civilian cars in the area,
and set fire to nine of them, two of which belong to Hebron Municipality. In the afternoon, Jewish settlers set fire to
a part of the headquarters of the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments,
located near a settlement center known as “Avraham Avino,” causing severe
damage to its furniture.
5. Razing of Agricultural Land
Thursday,
March 22, 2001
At
approximately 7:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of wooded land in Al-Mawasi area in Rafah. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
such action lasted up to the evening, and affected 25 donums of governmental
wooded land, to the south of the Sea road between Rafah and its Al-Mawasi
area. He added that more areas are
likely to be razed to pave the way for establishing greenhouses for Jewish
settlers, and that the Israeli occupation forces and settlers seized
approximately 10 donums of land in the area around a year ago, o which they
established greenhouses.
At
approximately 9:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces resumed razing
areas of agricultural land in the north of Beit Hanoun, in the north of the
Gaza Strip. PCHR’s field officer in the
area reported that such action included:
1) Continuing to raze a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with
citrus, most of which (approximately 10 donums) was razed on Tuesday, March 20,
2001, owned by Ahmed Joudeh Mohammed ‘Okasha.
In addition, a 16-square-meter storing room was demolished and an
irrigation network was destroyed.
2) Razing a six-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Mohammed Younis ‘Okasha. In addition,
an irrigation network was destroyed.
3) Razing a six-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Mustafa ‘Abdel-Jawad ‘Okasha. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
4) Razing a six-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Khaled ‘Okasha. In addition, an irrigation network was
destroyed. The Israeli occupation forces
also started to raze more areas planted with citrus, owned by the same citizen.
5) Razing a three-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus,
owned by ‘Abdel-Karim ‘Abdel-Jawad ‘Okasha.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
6) Razing an eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus,
owned by Mohammed ‘Abdel-Jawad ‘Okasha.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
7) Razing a seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus,
owned by the heirs of ‘Abdel-Karim Abu ‘Oudeh.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
8) Continuing to raze a 17-donum area of agricultural land planted with
citrus, most of which (approximately 12 donums) was razed on Tuesday, March 20,
2001, owned by Amin Mohammed Hassan Zweidi.
9) Razing an eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus,
owned by ‘Ali Hussein Zweidi. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
10) Razing a six-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Khalil Mohammed Hassan Zweidi. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
11) Razing a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by ‘Abdel-Hamid Hussein. In addition, an
irrigation network was destroyed.
12) Razing a 4.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Farid ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Mohammed
Zweidi. In addition, an
irrigation network was destroyed.
13) Razing a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Ahmed Hussein Zweidi. In addition, an
irrigation network was destroyed.
14) Razing a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Yazan ‘Emad Amin Zweidi.
15) Razing a six-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Rafiq ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Mohammed Zweidi.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
16) Razing a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Jamil Mohammed Hassan. In addition,
an irrigation network was destroyed.
17) Razing a six-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by ‘Attallah ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Zweidi. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
18) Razing a seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus,
owned by Ibrahim Hussein Hassan Nasser.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
19) Razing a 3.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by the heirs of Hussein Hassan Nasser.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
20) Razing a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by Mohammed Mohammed Nasser. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
21) Razing a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by the heirs of ‘Abdel-Ghani Nasser. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
22) Razing a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by the heirs of Ahmed Hassan Nasser. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
23) Razing a four-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by ‘Attallah, ‘Ali and Holayel Nasser Nasser.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
24) Razing a three-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus,
owned by ‘Abdel-Karim Mohammed Nasser.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
25) Razing a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned
by ‘Abdel-Rahman Mohammed Nasser.
Sunday,
March 25, 2001
At
approximately 12:00 local time, tanks and bulldozers of the Israeli occupation
forces burst into agricultural land, adjacent to the border, to the east of
Beit Hanoun, in the northeast of the Gaza Strip. They fired artillery shells and live bullets
to terrify Palestinian civilians, forcing them to leave the area before staring
to raze agricultural land. In his
testimony to PCHR, Sa’id Fahmi Salah Abu Salah, 34, from Beit Hanoun, said:
“At
approximately 14:00 (local time), I was with my family on my 35-donum tract of
agricultural land planted with citrus, olives and fruits. I was with my brothers and children
organizing a sit-in on my land, on which my 150-square-meter house, in which 16
people live, is established. Then, I saw
a number of tanks of the Israeli occupation forces bursting into our land. Israeli soldiers shot in the air to terrify
and force us to leave the area. An
Israeli combat helicopter and a small plane, apparently an exploratory one,
were flying over the area. The combat
helicopter threw a barrel-like object, which fell onto our land, approximately
150m away from us. The object exploded
and white smoke raised in the air. As a
result, my father Fahmi Salah Abu Salah, 74, and my mother Warda ‘Abdel-Karim
Abu Salah, 65, suffered from hysteria.
We took them by an ambulance to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. After the explosion, a tank fired an
artillery shell that penetrated walls of two asbestos-roofed pigeon farm, and
fell near our house, without exploding.
Then, a minesweeper came to comb our land for mines, and tanks and
bulldozers entered the area and started to raze it. I confronted a bulldozer with my body and a
tree fell on me. As a result, I lost
consciousness and regained it only at hospital.
Later, I knew that razing our land lasted for approximately 90
minutes.”
PCHR’s
field officer in the northern area reported that razing of agricultural land in
the area lasted up to the evening and included:
1) Razing a 35-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, olives and fruits, owned by Fahmi Salah
Abu Salah and sons. In addition, a water
motor, an irrigation network and a store of agricultural equipment were
destroyed.
2) Razing a 16-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, almonds and fruits, owned by ‘Ezzat
‘Abdel-Karim Suleiman Kharawat. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
3) Razing a five-donum area
of agricultural land planted with almonds, owned by Nasser ‘Ezzat Qassem
El-Kafarneh.
4) Razing a 4.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and olives, owned by ‘Ali Nasser
Nasser. In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.
5) Razing a four-donum area
of agricultural land planted with citrus and olives, owned by Holayel Nasser
Nasser. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
Monday,
March 26, 2001
At
approximately 14:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land in Al-Shouka area, to the south of Sofa Crossing, to
the east of Rafah. PCHR’s field officer
in Rafah established a one-kilometer road from Sofa Crossing towards the
south. He added that 64 donums of
agricultural land, owned by Palestinians from the families of Jarghoun, Abu
Louli and Al-Farra. The razed areas were
as follows:
1) a ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with almonds and figs, owned by ‘Abdel-Malek
Al-Farra;
2) a three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, figs and wheat, owned by Shehdeh Khalil
Abu Louli;
3) a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and wheat, owned by Mahmoud Shehdeh
Khalil Abu Louli;
4) a five-donum area of agricultural land planted
with olives and wheat, owned by ‘Oleyan Shehdeh Kahlil Abu Louli;
5) a five-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and wheat, owned by ‘Ali Shehdeh Khalil Abu Louli;
6) a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and wheat, owned by Tayseer Shehdeh
Khalil Abu Louli;
7) a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and wheat, owned by Mohammed Shehdeh
Kahlil Abu Louli;
8) a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and wheat, owned by Hmeidan Shehdeh
Khalil Abu Louli;
9) an eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and wheat, owned by Mohammed ‘Ali
‘Abdullah Jarghoun;
10) a four-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and wheat,
owned by Ayman ‘Abdullah Ismail Jarghoun;
11) a three-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and wheat,
owned by Fawzi Ismail ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;
12) a three-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and wheat,
owned by Mohammed Ismail ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;
13) a three-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and wheat,
owned by Ahmed Ismail ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;
In Beit Hanoun, in the northern area of the Gaza
Strip, the Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas of agricultural land
near the border, to the east of Beit Hanoun.
PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of the Gaza Strip reported that
the Israeli forces:
1) Razed a three-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Fawzi Ahmed Abu ‘Amsha.
2) Razed a nine-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by the heirs of Suleiman Nusseir.
3) Razed an 8.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Rafiq Hassan Nasser and
brothers.
4) Razed a 20-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, and destroyed an agricultural
pool, a water pump and an irrigation network, owned by Saleh, Barrawi, Ibrahim
and Fayeq Mohammed Saleh Abu ‘Amsha.
5) Razed a nine-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, and destroyed an irrigation
network, owned by S’oud Abu Sa’da.
Tuesday, March 27, 2001
The Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas
of agricultural land near the border, to the east of Beit Hanoun. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area
reported that the Israeli forces razed:
1) a 16-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mohammed Hassan Abu ‘Oudeh;
2) a three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Saber El-Kafarneh;
3) a 30-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and almonds, owned by the heirs of Othman
Qassem El-Kafarneh;
4) a 30-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and almonds, owned by the heirs of E’zzat
Qassem El-Kafarneh; and
5) a 15-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives , almonds and citrus, owned by Musbah
Ismail El-Kafarneh.
6. A dam collapses inside the Israeli Territories, destroying hundreds of
Donums of Palestinian Agricultural Land
On
Monday, March 26, 2001, at approximately 5:00 local time, floods of water flew
from an Israeli water saving reservoir inside the Israeli territories near the
eastern border of the Gaza Strip into large areas of Palestinian agricultural
land, to the east of Gaza City, after it collapsed. Amounts of flowing water into the Palestinian
areas were estimated at 3 million cubic meters.
Water destroyed large areas of agricultural land owned by Palestinian
farmers or farmed by them upon rental from the Palestinian Ministry of
Religious Endowments. This resulted in
large losses in dozens of farms and greenhouses. Floods of water also damaged agricultural
products, destroyed agricultural equipment and killed animals and birds. PCHR holds Israel completely responsible for
this incident, and calls it to pay compensation to Palestinian farmers for the
losses they suffered. PCHR’s field
officers who went to the affected areas reported that losses initially affected
the following:
1) A 20-donum area of
agricultural land planted with wheat and chickpeas, owned by Mohammed Jaber Abu El-Kas.
2) A five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and chickpeas, owned by Fadhel Harb Abu El-Kas.
In addition its fence was destroyed.
3) A five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with chickpeas,
owned by Mohammed Harb Abu El-Kas.
4) A five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with chickpeas, owned by Baker Harb Abu El-Kas.
5) A five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with chickpeas, owned by Nemer Jaber Abu El-Kas.
6) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted
with chickpeas, owned by Mohammed ‘Abdel-Razeq Abu El-Kas.
7) A five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and chickpeas, owned by Bassam Ibrahim
Loulo.
8) A five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables, owned by Talal ‘Abed
El-‘Ar’eir.
9) A two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables, owned by Sa’id Hussein
El-‘Ar’eir.
10) A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
vegetables, owned by Salim Ismail El-‘Ar’eir.
11) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Na’eim Fuad Habib.
12) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Nahedh Mas’oud Habib. In addition, an
irrigation network was destroyed.
13) A 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Majdi Mousa Habib. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
14) A 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned by Yousef
Kahlil Habib. In addition, a 600-square-meter
cow farm, was destroyed.
15) A seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned
by Nafez Salim Habib. In addition, an
irrigation network was destroyed.
16) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
‘Abdel-Hadi S’oud Habib. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
17) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Sa’di ‘Abdel-Latif Habib. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
18) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Moe’in Fuad Habib. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
19) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and vegetables,
owned by ‘Abdo ‘Abdel-Mo’ti Habib. In addition, an irrigation network was
destroyed.
20) A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned
by Ismail Fuad Habib.
21) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Ossama Mousa Habib. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
22) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Motei’ Salim Habib. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
23) A 34-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, chickpeas
and olives, owned by Sa’id Faraj Shamali.
24) A 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Hassan Faraj Shamali.
25) A seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables,
chickpeas and olives, owned by ‘Abdullah Sa’di Shamali. In addition, an amount of fertilizers were destroyed,
and a number of 7,000 chickens were killed.
26) A 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Suleiman Saleh Shamali.
27) A 25-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Shehdeh Ismail El-‘Ar’eir.
28) A 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and wheat,
owned by ‘Abdullah Ismail El-‘Ar’eir.
29) A 26-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives,
owned by ‘Awadh Ismail El-‘Ar’eir.
30) A 17-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Hammad El-’Abed El-Kheisi.
31) A 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Hamdan El-‘Abed El-Kheisi.
32) A 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives,
owned by Na’eim Moqbel El-Kheisi.
33) A six-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Saleh Moqbel El-Kheisi.
34) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vetches, owned by
Khader Hussein Abu Nada.
35) A 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Wahib ‘Aref El-Wadeya. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
36) A six-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Ibrahim Mansour Shamali.
37) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Nayef Noufal El-Badrasawi.
38) A 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Mohammed Faraj Shamali.
39) A 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Mohammed Noufal Sukkar. In addition, an
animal farm was destroyed.
40) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with chickpeas, owned by
Ibrahim Rezeq Sukkar.
41) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with chickpeas and olives,
owned by Diab ‘Ayesh El-‘Ejla.
42) A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
olives, owned by Adib Kamel Samara.
43) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
wheat, owned by Sayed Ibrahim Samara.
44) A 20–donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Salem Mohammed El-Ghoula.
45) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Nahedh Mattar Sukkar.
46) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Matta Musbah Sukkar.
47) A 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Mansour Musbah Sukkar.
48) A 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Hindi Sa’di Abu Ghanima.
49) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
chickpeas, owned by Yousef El-‘Abed Abu Ghanima.
50) A 45-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, chickpeas
and olives, owned by Bassam Mohammed El-Wadeya.
51) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with chickpeas, owned by
Ashraf Hamdan Abu Ghanima.
52) A 29-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and chickpeas,
owned by ‘Omar Hassan Helles. In
addition, 250 bee cells, two tons of sugar and two tons of animal feeds were
destroyed.
53) A 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives,
owned by Baker Mahmoud Helles.
54) A 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with vetches, owned by
Mousa Mohammed Hassanein.
55) A six-donum area of agricultural land planted with vetches, owned by
Nemer Ismail El-Hayeh. In addition, an
empty one-donum bird farm was destroyed.
56) A 18-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Yousef El-Zaza.
57) A nine-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Khalil Handaq Dalloul.
58) A 17-donum area of agricultural land planted with chickpeas, owned by
‘Atta El-Za’lan.
59) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with chickpeas and
olives, owned by Bassam Ibrahim Loulo.
60) A 32.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables,
chickpeas and wheat, owned by Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Sakran. In addition, a 1.5-donum greenhouse planted
with vegetables, an agricultural pool and a sprinkle motor were destroyed.
61) A 34-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, chickpeas and
vegetables, owned by Faraj Ibrahim Abu Sakran.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
62) A three-donum bird farm, owned by Sa’di Rabah ‘Ayyad. All its 3,000 chickens died.
63) A 600-square-meter bird farm, owned by Shafiq ‘Aref El-Wadeya. All its 4,000 chickens died. In addition, seven tons of feeds were swept
and sprinkle motor was destroyed.
64) 150-donums of farms owned by the Public Economic Consumption
Institution, known as Al-Sakhra. The damage was as follows:
(a) Twenty sheep died and ten
tons of feeds were swept.
(b) The foundations of a cow
farm were partially destroyed and 120 tons of feeds were swept.
(c) A bird farm was destroyed
and 17,000 chickens died.
(d) Greenhouses that stood on
an 11-donum area of agricultural land were partially destroyed.
(e) A 49.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with wheat, barley, vegetables and olives, and an
irrigation network were destroyed.
(f) A five-ton feed reservoir
was destroyed, and 200 bird feeders and drinking equipment and more than 30,000
ready-for-export eggs were swept.
****
PCHR
reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to
stop the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation
forces against Palestinian civilians.
While PCHR is satisfied with the establishment of a commission of
inquiry by the UN High Commission for Human Rights, it hopes that the
Commission, in its 57th session, will assume its responsibilities
and take the appropriate decisions that will put an end to crimes committed by
the Israeli occupation forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. PCHR
calls in particular for:
1. Providing immediate international protection for Palestinian civilians
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories against crimes and attacks committed by
the Israeli occupation forces and settlers.
2. Convening a conference of
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure
Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.
3. Immediately providing
international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian
territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the
Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the
protection of these forces.
4. Use by the EU of effective
political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel
Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights.
5. Providing humanitarian and
medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are
increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the
Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories.
For more information on the Al-Aqsa Intifada see:
