A Special Issue on the 4^th
Anniversary of the al-Aqsa Intifada

 

 

Four Years of Israeli Aggression on
the OPTs; Palestinian Civilians Pay the Price and the International Community
Fails to Stop This Continuous Aggression

 

 

This report
coincides with the 4^th anniversary of the eruption of the al-Aqsa
Intifada, which broke out following the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s
provocative visit to al-Aqsa Mosque (the Holy Sanctuary) in occupied
Jerusalem, which provoked outrage among Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims around
the world. Over the last 4 years, Israeli
occupying troops have perpetrated grave breaches of international law against
Palestinian civilians, in a manner unprecedented since 1967.  The second
year of the Intifada witnessed an increasing escalation in Israeli war crimes,
when Israeli troops seized control over some towns in the West Bank, as the
international community remained silent and the High Contracting Parties to the
Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 failed to meet their obligations to ensure
respect for the Convention in the occupied Palestinian Territory (OPTs) and
provide protection for Palestinian civilians.  The international silence
has served to encourage the Israeli government and its occupying troops to escalate
the number of attacks against Palestinian civilians, while acting with impunity. 
Over the last 12 months, Israeli occupying troops have stepped up illegal
operations in the OPTs, employing highly developed heavy weaponry, such as warplanes,
helicopter gunships, tanks, etc. 

 

By the end of the
4^th year of the al-Aqsa Intifada, 2872 Palestinians, including 2480
civilians, have been killed by Israeli occupying troops. 622 Palestinians, including 507 (342 in the
Gaza Strip and 165 in the West Bank) were killed in the 4^th year of
the Intifada. PCHR attributes the high
number of the victims in the Gaza Strip to the Israeli military escalation that
accompanied the Israeli Prime Minister’s claim on the disengagement plan. Many civilians were killed as a result of
retaliatory acts by Israeli troops. According to PCHR’s documentation, 119 Palestinians were killed in
extra-judicial assassination, a policy which is officially adopted by the
Israeli political and military establishments. Among the victims of these assassinations were prominent political
figures, such as Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of Hamas, and Dr.
‘Abdul ‘Aziz al-Rantissi, who succeeded Sheikh Yassin in leading Hamas.

 

The 4^th
year of the al-Aqsa Intifada witnessed an unprecedented escalation in
violations of human rights perpetrated by Israeli occupying troops against
Palestinian civilians, especially in the Gaza Strip, which was subject to wide
scale offensives, such as the offensive on the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit
Hanoun and the offensive on the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. In Rafah, Israeli occupying forces launched a
fierce offensive against the town and its refugee camp. They used excessive force against Palestinian
civilians, killing dozens. They also
destroyed hundreds of Palestinian houses, leaving hundreds of Palestinian
families homeless. Israeli troops
destroyed large areas of agricultural land and dozens of economic
facilities. 

 

In the 4^th
year of the Intifada, Israeli troops continued to shell Palestinian residential
areas. Four Palestinian schoolchildren
were either killed or injured while sitting at their desks at schools. Israeli troops also committed most of the
extra-judicial executions inside densely populated areas, which caused many
casualties among Palestinian civilians, especially children. 

 

In the West Bank,
Israeli occupying troops continued to construct the annexation wall inside the
West Bank territory, in violation of international human rights law and international
humanitarian law, and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of
Justice in Hague, which considered the construction of the wall illegal and
called for its dismantlement. 

 

Israeli military
actions have violated the political, civil, economic, social and cultural
rights of Palestinian civilians. 

 

The four years of
the al-Aqsa Intifada have been characterized by the following Israeli military
attacks:

   

· Prolonged Incursions and redeployment into
Palestinian Authority controlled areas

· Massive
numbers of killings and destruction of houses and civilian property

· Extra-judicial
assassinations against Palestinian activists and political leaders, the most
significant of which targeted Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder and leader of
Hamas

· Destruction
of the Palestinian economy and the structure of the Palestinian Authority
through the destruction of civil and security facilities

· Using  Palestinian civilians as human
shields during military operations in the OPTs

· Collective punishment measures against the
families of Palestinians who carried out, planned or facilitated attacks
against Israeli targets, including arrests, expulsion to the Gaza Strip of
members of these families and destruction of their houses.

· Deportation
of a number of Palestinian activists

· Continued construction of the annexation wall
inside the West Bank territory, in a challenge for the advisory opinion issued
by the International Court of Justice, which considered the construction of the
wall illegal

· Wilful killing of Palestinian civilians

· Indiscriminate shelling of Palestinian civilian
residential areas using various forms of weaponry, including warplanes, tanks
and machine guns

· Collective
punishment of Palestinian civilians, denying them their basic human rights,
including the rights of health, education, freedom of movement and work,
through imposing a tightened siege on the OPTs

· Arbitrary
arrests and placing Palestinians in administrative detention

A table showing those killed during the al-Aqsa
Intifada from

29 September 2000 to 28 September 2004  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A
table showing those injured during the al-Aqsa Intifada from

29
September 2000 to 28 September 2004

 

 

 

A table showing land levelling, house
demolitions and destruction to industrial and educational facilities in the
Gaza Strip during the al-Aqsa Intifada,

from 29 September 2000 to 28 September 2004 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israeli Troops Escalate Attacks in
the OPTs in the Last Week of the 4^th Year of al-Aqsa Intifada

 

· 19
Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 4 children, a mentally handicapped
civilian and an elderly person killed by Israeli troops

· 2
of the victims were extra-judicially executed by Israeli troops in Gaza

· Israeli
troops conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip

· Israeli
troops launched a wide scale offensive on the northern Gaza Strip

· Dozens
of houses were destroyed in Khan Yunis

· Houses
were raided and dozens of Palestinian civilians were arrested

· 3
houses were destroyed in the West Bank in the context of retaliatory measures
against families of Palestinian activists

· Continued
shelling of residential areas and civilian facilities and a number of
Palestinian civilians were injured

· Construction
of the “Annexation wall” in the West Bank has continued

· Israeli
troops have continued to impose a total siege on the oPt; Israeli troops at
military checkpoints fired at Palestinian civilians and arrested a number of
civilians while crossing military checkpoints

 

Introduction

 

Israeli occupying troops have perpetrated more
violations of human rights against Palestinian civilians in the occupied
Palestinian Territories (OPTs).  This week, 19 Palestinians, mostly civilians,
including 4 children, a mentally handicapped civilian and an elderly person,
were killed and dozens of other civilians were injured by Israeli troops. Human rights violations perpetrated by
Israeli occupying forces included willful and extra-judicial killings,
incursions into Palestinian areas, indiscriminate shelling and land leveling. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, 10 Palestinians, including 6
civilians, were killed by Israeli troops. Two children were killed by Israeli troops on 29 September 2004, during
a wide scale Israeli offensive on the northern Gaza Strip. A third child was killed by Israeli troops
near al-Shuhada junction, south of Gaza City, on the same day. On 27 September 2004, one Palestinian was
extra-judicially killed by Israeli troops in Khan Yunis. On the same day, an old Palestinian man was
killed when Israeli troops opened fire at residential areas in Khan Yunis. One Palestinian civilian was killed when an
Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians
during an Israeli military incursion into Khan Yunis refugee camp on 25
September 2004. A Palestinian civilian
from Rafah died on 23 September 2004 from Rafah died from a previous injury he
had sustained by Israeli troops. 

 

Since Tuesday evening, 28 September 2004, Israeli
troops have launched a wide scale offensive on the northern Gaza Strip. Six Palestinians have been killed and at
least 60 others have been injured. Israeli troops have razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land
and destroyed a number of civilian facilities. This offensive has been the second of its kind against the same area in
3 weeks. 

 

This week, Israeli troops conducted 9 incursions into
Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip. In
two incursions into Khan Yunis refugee camp on 23 and 25 September 2004,
Israeli troops destroyed 62 houses, rendering 555 Palestinian (84 families)
homeless. In the other incursions into
other areas, Israeli troops destroyed 22 houses and razed at least 130 donums[2] of
agricultural land. Israeli troops
continued to shell Palestinian residential areas. A number of Palestinian civilians were
injured, including a schoolchild who was injured while she was sitting on her
desk. On 26 September 2004, Israeli
helicopter gunships attacked and destroyed a workshop in Khan Yunis.  

 

In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed 7 Palestinian
civilians, and an 8^th civilian was killed by a Jewish settler. A 9^th civilian died from a
previous injury he had sustained from Israeli troops. On 27 September 2004, Israeli troops killed 2
Palestinian civilians in Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. On 28 September 2004, Israeli troops killed a
mentally handicapped civilian and a child in Jenin refugee camp. On 29 September 2004, Israeli troops killed a
Palestinian civilian after having captured him. On the same day, Israeli troops killed 2 civilians in Jenin. On 27 September 2004, a Jewish settler killed
a Palestinian civilian in Salem village near Nablus. A 9^th civilian died on 23
September 2004 from a previous injury he had sustained by Israeli troops. In addition, Israeli troops launched a series
of attacks against Palestinian civilians and their properties. They moved into various areas throughout the
West Bank, injured a number of Palestinian civilians, mostly children, and arrested
dozens of others. Israeli troops also
destroyed 3 houses in the West Bank in the context of retaliatory measures
against families of Palestinian activists. 

 

Israeli occupying troops have continued to construct
the annexation wall inside the West Bank territory. This week, this construction took place
mainly in East Jerusalem, Rammalh and Hebron. Israeli troops also used excessive force against demonstrations
organized by Palestinian civilians and international solidarity groups in
protest to the construction of the wall. A number of the demonstrators were injured.

 

Israeli occupying troops have continued to impose a
tightened siege on the OPTs and have imposed severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,
including Jerusalem. On 24 September
2004, Israeli troops closed Rafah crossing point on the Egyptian border and
Sofa crossing. The terminal was reopened
on 27 September 2004. On 27 September
2004, Israeli troops divided the Gaza Strip into 3 separate zones.  In the West Bank, Israeli troops have
continued to impose a strict siege on Palestinian communities.  They have
continued to impose a tightened siege on Hebron for the 30^th
consecutive week. They have also imposed
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and arrested some
of them while crossing military checkpoints. Israeli troops also imposed curfews on a number of Palestinian
communities.      

Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas
and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property

 

Thursday, 23 September 2004

 

At approximately 00:00, Israeli troops, reinforced by
heavy military vehicles, including 3 bulldozers, and helicopters, moved nearly
150 meters into Block I in Khan Yunis refugee camp. Under the cover of indiscriminate shelling,
Israeli troops called through megaphones on residents of a number of houses to
vacate them, and then started to demolish those houses. At approximately 00:45, an Israeli helicopter
gunship fired a missile that fell on a road in the area, but no casualties were
reported. At approximately 03:10,
Israeli helicopter gunships fired 2 missiles at a number of members of the
Palestinian resistance who clashed with Israeli troops, and a number of civilians
who were trying to vacate their houses. One
of the missiles hit a 2-storey house, in which 20 people (3 families) live,
owned by Yousef ‘Abdullah Sha’ban. Six
Palestinian civilians were injured by shrapnel from the missile and the house
was severely damaged. The other missile
hit ruins of already destroyed houses without causing any casualties. Five other civilians, including a 4-year-old
child, were also injured later by the Israeli indiscriminate shelling. Medical sources described the injuries of 3
of these civilians as serious. By 05:30,
Israeli troops had totally demolished 6 houses belonging to the families of Abu
Louli, al-Zarabi, Abu ‘Eid, Nasser, Abu Rezeq, ‘Awad and Hunaideq. They had also rendered 4 other houses
uninhabitable. As a consequence, 128
people (21families) have become homeless. At approximately 08:00, while PCHR’s field worker was documenting the
outcome of this latest Israeli military attack, Israeli troops fired at
residents of the houses that had been destroyed and a number of
journalists. A Palestinian child,
7-year-old Rudaina Akram al-Salibi, was wounded by a live bullet in the
head. 

 

At approximately 00:30, Israeli troops, reinforced by
heavy military vehicles, moved nearly 500 meters into al-Mughraqa village, south
of Gaza City. They raided and searched 2
houses belonging to the families of Hamdan and Abu Hujair. They held residents of each house in one room
and transformed the two houses into military sites. During this incursion, Israeli troops
destroyed 2 uninhabited houses in the area and partially demolished 2
houses. They also razed 81 donums of
agricultural land planted with olives, citrus and palms and damaged the
civilian infrastructure of the area. 

 

At approximately 17:10, Israeli troops moved into Nablus
through its western entrance. They
opened fire at houses and markets in the city. A Palestinian child and an international volunteer were wounded:

1. Kifah
Kamal Zarif, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back; and

2. Cuarine
Ezville, 36, a French citizen, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
neck. 

 

In the hours of the day, Israeli troops moved into
Bethlehem and the neighboring al-Khader village and al-‘Azza village; Jenin
town and refugee camp and the villages of al-Yamoun and ‘Ejja; the villages of
Burqa, Tallouza and ‘Assira near Nablus; and Yatta village near Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 23 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a number of brothers. 

 

In the evening, medical sources at an Israeli
hospital declared that a Palestinian, Falah Hassan Na’im Masharqa, 30, from
Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm, died from an injury he had sustained
by Israeli troops on Tuesday, 14 September 2004. Israeli troops had arrested Masharqa when he
was injured.

 

According to PCHR’s documentation, at approximately
04:30 on Tuesday, 14 September 2004, Israeli troops moved into Nour Shams
refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They
surrounded Ahmed Hassan Masharqa’s house in al-Manshiya area. They forced the parents and their five sons
out and held them in a neighboring house. Then, Israeli troops forced one of the sons, Mefleh, to enter the house
to persuade his brother Falah to surrender, but he did not get out of the house
until 16:00. Soon, Israeli troops fired
5 missiles at the house, largely destroying it. At approximately 17:00, Israeli troops forced another brother, Ahmed, to
enter the house and bring whoever was inside. Ahmed entered the house and brought his brother Mefleh, who was injured
by shrapnel. Then, he tried to bring his
brother Falah out, but he was under the ruins of the house. He asked neighbors to help him. When Falah was brought out of the house, he
was seriously injured. Israeli troops
immediately arrested him. The victim was
a member of al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad. 

 

At approximately 19:00, Israeli troops positioned in
military posts in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of
Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp and
al-Nimsawi neighborhood. A Palestinian
civilian, Salem Mousa Abu Mousa, 32, was injured by shrapnel in the head. 

 

At approximately 19:30, Israeli troops positioned
along the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian
residential areas in the town. Two
Palestinian civilians were wounded:

1. ‘Emad
‘Abdul Wahab al-Shabati, 21, wounded by shrapnel in the face; and   

2. Tawfiq
Na’im ‘Aashour, 20, wounded by a live bullet in the head.

 

At approximately 23:15, medical sources at Shifa
Hospital in Gaza City declared that Hussam Fathi Abu Naja, 18, from Rafah, died
from a previous wound he had sustained by Israeli troops. 

According to PCHR’s documentation, Abu Naja was
wounded by a live bullet in the head on 19 September 2004, when Israeli troops
positioned along the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at
Palestinian houses in Block J in Rafah refugee camp. Abu Naja was studying at home when he was
wounded. He had received medical
attention in the intensive care unit at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City until his
death. 

 

Friday, 24 September 2004

 

At approximately 01:00,
Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved nearly 100 meters
into al-Mughraqa village, south of Gaza City. They raided 2 houses belonging to the families of Shahin and Abu Leila
and forced their residents out. Then,
they demolished 2 other houses belonging to the families of Abu Leila and
‘Azzam. 

 

At approximately 02:00,
Israeli troops, reinforced by 4 military bulldozers, moved nearly 300 meters
into al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Khan Yunis. By 06:30, they had razed 40 donums of
agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables and demolished 6 houses,
leaving 39 people (7 families) homeless. The houses and land belong to the families of al-Masri and Kaware’. Israeli troops also destroyed a bird farm and
a number of irrigation networks and damaged a house and a mosque in the
area. 

 

At approximately 10:30,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the vicinity of “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian residential
areas and civilian facilities to the east and north. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded:

1. Ahmed
Sameer al-Aqraa’, 4, wounded by shrapnel in the left ear; and

2. Mohammed
Mustafa Jadallah, 24, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh. 

 

An artillery shell also hit
the physiotherapy department at Nasser Hospital, causing severe damage. Patients and medical crews were extremely
terrified. 

 

At approximately 15:00, 5 Israeli
military jeeps moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. A number of Palestinian children gathered and
threw stones at the jeeps. Immediately,
Israeli troops opened fire at the children, wounding 3:

1. ‘Omar
Jamal Subaitan, 9, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen;

2. Ibrahim
Mohammed Sanajra, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand; and

3. Baraa’
Basem Eshtaiwi, 7, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back. 

 

At approximately 18:00,
Israeli troops moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They opened fire at Palestinian houses. A number of Palestinian children gathered and
threw stones at the Israeli troops. Immediately, those troops opened fire at the children, wounding 3:

1. Mohammed
Kamal Khalil, 15, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;

2. Eihab
Hussein Meqbel, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the face; and

3. Ahmed
Raja Dabbour, 14, wounded by 2 rubber-coated metal bullets in the head and the
left hand. 

 

At approximately 18:40,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts along the Egyptian border, south of
Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Salam neighborhood. A Palestinian child, Jihad Ihsan al-Natour,
15, was injured by shrapnel in the right leg. 

 

At approximately 19:00,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the vicinity of “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses
in Khan Yunis refugee camp and al-Nimsawi neighborhood. A Palestinian child, Ramzi Na’im Safi, 16,
was wounded by a live bullet in the right leg. 

 

At approximately 21:00,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the vicinity of “Gani
Tal” and “Netser Hazani” settlements, northwest of Khan Yunis,
opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Satar al-Gharbi area and al-Qarara
village, north of Khan Yunis. A
Palestinian civilian, Rafe’ Ahmed al-Saqqa, 45, was seriously wounded by a live
bullet in the chest. 

 

In the hours of the day,
Israeli troops moved into Qalqilya and the neighboring Kufor Qaddoum
village. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinians, including 2 children. 

 

Saturday, 25
September  2004

 

Israeli troops launched a wide scale
offensive on Khan Yunis refugee camp, using helicopter gunships, tanks and
military bulldozers.  They destroyed 52 Palestinian houses, rendering 407
people (63 families) homeless.  They also killed one Palestinian civilian
and injured 6 others. 

 

According to investigations
conducted by PCHR, at approximately 00:30, Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy
military vehicles and helicopters, moved from “Neve Dekalim”
settlement, west of Khan Yunis, into Khan Yunis refugee camp. 
Immediately, they started a wide scale operation of house demolitions in the
camp, without giving any prior notification to Palestinian residents.  This prevented them from lodging an appeal
through legal channels against this process of forced migration.  Nearly
half an hour later, more Israeli tanks and military vehicles were brought to
the area and Israeli helicopter gunships shelled Palestinian houses. 
Palestinian civilians, who were trying to escape from the Israeli shelling,
were extremely terrified.  At approximately 01:30, an Israeli helicopter
gunship fired a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians near a mosque in
the center of the camp.  One civilian, Ahmed ‘Ali Abu ‘Abdullah, 50, was
instantly killed by shrapnel throughout the body, when he was trying to escape
from his house.  Four other civilians were also injured by shrapnel from
the missile.  As the Israeli military operation in the camp continued,
Israeli troops continued to fire at Palestinian houses.  As a result, 2
other civilians were injured.  By 06:15, when Israeli troops withdrew from
the camp, Israeli troops had completely destroyed 45 houses completely, leaving
350 people (56 families) homeless.  In addition, they had partially
destroyed 7 houses, where 57 people (7 families) live. 

 

At
approximately 08:30, Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the
vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened
fire at Palestinian houses and civilian facilities in Khan Yunis refugee
camp. A Palestinian schoolchild, 11-year-old
Madeline Hamdan Buraika, was wounded by a live bullet in the forehead when she
was sitting on her desk in an elementary school. This schoolchild was the third to be wounded
in Khan Yunis by the Israeli gunfire while at school in less than 2 weeks.

 

At
approximately 11:00, Israeli troops moved into the campus of the al-Quds Open
University in Hebron. They held and interrogated
dozens of students for several hours. However, no arrests were reported. 

 

At
approximately 11:25, Israeli troops positioned along the Egyptian border, south
of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian residential areas in the town. A Palestinian civilian, Bahaa’ Ahmed ‘Abdul
‘Aal, 28, was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg. 

 

At
approximately 19:30, Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the
vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened
fire at Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp and al-Nimsawi
neighborhood. They also fired flare
bombs at the area. One flare bomb
penetrated the roof of Ahmed Mahmoud Abu Shammala’s house. The owner’s wife, Ameera ‘Abdul Jalil Abu
Shammala, 28, sustained burns to the limbs when she was feeding her
children. 

 

At
approximately 22:40, Israeli troops positioned in military posts along the
Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Salam
neighborhood. A Palestinian woman, Faten
Isma’il Lafi, 20, was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh, when she was
inside her house. 

 

At
approximately 22:45, Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the west of
Rafah opened fire at Palestinian houses in Tal al-Saultan neighborhood. Three Palestinian civilians were wounded:

1. ‘Izziddin
Nayef al-Hilu, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder;

2. Yousef
Khaled Jad al-Haq, 38, wounded by a live bullet in the legs; and

3. Hussein
Nabil Abu ‘Armana, 21, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg. 

 

In the hours
of the day, Israeli troops moved into Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin, and
the villages of Beit Leqia and Beit Reema near Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 9 Palestinians, including 3 brothers. 

 

Sunday,
26 September 2004

 

At
approximately 00:30, Israeli troops moved nearly 400 meters into al-Mughrqa
village, south of Gaza City. They raided
and searched a number houses and arrested 3 Palestinians, including 2
brothers. They also demolished an
uninhabited house and razed 6 donums of agricultural land planted with olives
and citrus. 

 

At
approximately 05:00, Israeli troops moved nearly 400 meters into Abu Sha’ar
area in Wadi al-Salqa village, southeast of Deir al-Balah. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 2 Palestinians: Salem ‘Othman Abu Sha’ar, 33; and Mousa ‘Abdul
Rahman Abu Sha’ar, 28. 

 

At
approximately 07:00, an Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at a
125-square-meter aluminum workshop owned by Ahmed and ‘Abdul Hamid al-Jabri,
which is located under a 2-storey building in the densely populated al-Amal
neighborhood in Khan Yunis. The workshop
was totally destroyed, a flat was damaged and a Palestinian child, Mohammed
Khader Khudair, 11, was injured by shrapnel in the abdomen and the foot. 

 

At
approximately 15:30, 5 Israeli military jeeps moved into ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’
refugee camp, west of Nablus. A number
of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at the jeeps. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at the
children, wounding 15-year-old Mahmoud Mohammed Asadi with 2 live bullets in
the right thigh and the face. 

In the hours
of the day, Israeli troops moved into Jenin and arrested Leena Ra’fat
al-Hindawi, 25. They also moved into
al-Duha village, south of Bethlehem, and attested 3 Palestinians. 

 

Monday, 27
September 2004

 

At approximately 04:00,
Israeli troops, reinforced by nearly 40 military vehicles, moved into Jenin
town and refugee camp. They opened fire
at Palestinian houses. At approximately
08:00, they surrounded al-Razi Hospital in the north of the town. Israeli troops broke into the hospital
opening fire. They searched the hospital
claiming that they were looking for wanted Palestinians. Before their withdrawal from the town at
13:00, Israeli troops arrested 2 Palestinians: Marwan Abu ‘Ali, 18; and
Mohammed Mustafa Abu al-Rub, 21. In addition, 7 Palestinian civilians,
including 2 children, were wounded by the Israeli gunfire. The wound of one of these civilians was
described by medical sources as serious. 

 

At approximately 07:00,
Israeli troops moved into ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’ refugee camp, west of Nablus. A number of Palestinian children and young
men gathered and threw stones at the Israeli troops. Immediately, those troops fired at the stone
throwers, wounding 2:

1. Mohammed
Sa’id Khaled, 22, wounded by 2 live bullets in the neck and the abdomen; and

2. Fadi
Ibrahim Mar’ei, 16, wounded by 2 live bullets in the neck and the abdomen. 

 

At approximately 10:10, Israeli
troops positioned in military posts in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim”
settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Khan Yunis refugee camp. A number of live bullets hit an UNRWA
preparatory school, nearly 600 meters away from the aforementioned settlement. A Palestinian civilian, Sa’id Mohammed Mahmoud
al-Madhoun, 62, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen when he
was in a visit to the school. He died
shortly after his evacuation to the hospital. Another civilian, Joma’a Hamdan al-Shourbaji, 30, was wounded by a live
bullet in the right leg when he was inside his house in Jourat al-Lout area,
nearly 1500 meters away from the source of fire. 

 

At approximately 12:00,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts along the Egyptian border, south of
Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian residential areas in the town. Five Palestinian civilians, including 3
schoolchildren, were wounded, when they were at al-‘Awda square, nearly 700
meters away from the border. 

 

At approximately 17:10, a
number of Palestinian civilians in al-Jalamna area in the south of Balata
refugee camp, east of Nablus, were fired at from inside an apartment building,
nearly 100 meters away from them, which had been seized by Israeli troops in
the early morning. Two civilians were
instantly killed:

1. Ahmed
Nidal al-Teerawi, 18, hit by a live bullet to the right eye; and

2. ‘Ammar
Da’san ‘Ali Abu Nafeesa, 24, hit by a live bullet in the chest. 

At approximately 18:20,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the vicinity of
“Morag” settlement, north of Rafah, opened fire at Musabbeh
area. A Palestinian child, 9-year-old
Hayathem ‘Atiya Abu Humaida, was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg, when
she was at home. 

In the hours of the day,
Israeli troops moved into Jenin town and refugee camp; Nablus and neighboring refugee
camps; Kufor Thuluth village near Qalqilya; Hebron and the neighboring
al-Reehiya village; and al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 12 Palestinians, including 5 children and 2 brothers.  

 

Tuesday, 28
September 2004

 

At approximately 05:45,
Israeli troops positioned in the west of Jenin refugee camp shot dead Saleh
Ibrahim Yahia Balalwa, 47, when he was walking in the street during the curfew
time. The victim was mentally
handicapped, and left his house without his family knowing that. According to Palestinian medical sources, the
victim was hit by a live bullet to the chest.

 

Soon, dozens of Palestinian
children and young men got out of their homes and threw stones at Israeli
troops, which responded by firing at the stone throwers. At approximately 17:15, 17-year-old Mahmoud
Nasser Nafe’ Bazour, 17, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the
chest. He was evacuated to the hospital
in a civilian car. Medical efforts to
save his life failed and at approximately 17:45, he was pronounced dead. In addition, 6 other civilians, including 5
children, were wounded by the Israeli gunfire. 

 

At approximately 19:30,
Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved into Sheikh ‘Ejlin
neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. By
Wednesday morning, 29 September 2004, Israeli troops had destroyed 8 houses
belonging to the Shehada family completely, leaving 52 people homeless. They had also partially demolished 2 houses. In addition, they had razed 8 donums of
agricultural land planted with vegetables belonging to the Shamallakh
family. Israeli troops had moved into
the area twice this week. They verbally
warned residents of the aforementioned houses that their houses would be demolished. On 27 September 2004, PCHR submitted an
appeal to the Israeli military legal advisor against the demolition of these
houses. PCHR received a response stating
that there was no intention to demolish the houses. 

 

In the hours of the day,
Israeli troops moved into Jenin town and refugee camp; Nablus and the
neighboring Zawata village; Bethlehem and the neighboring al-‘Ebaidiya village;
the villages of Beit Reema, ‘Aaboud and ‘Ein ‘Arik near Ramallah; and Tulkarm
refugee camp. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 44 Palestinians, including 2 children and 2
brothers. 

 

Wednesday, 29
September 2004

 

Israeli Offensive on
the Northern Gaza Strip

 

On Tuesday evening, 28
September 2004, Israeli occupying troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles
and helicopters, launched a wide scale offensive on the northern Gaza
Strip. They moved into area through
three directions opening fire intensively at the area. 

 

At approximately 04:00 on
Wednesday, Israeli troops positioned at al-Sikka Street, east of Jabalya
refugee camp, fired an artillery shell at a number of members of the
Palestinian resistance who clashed with those troops. One member of the resistance, Tawfiq Mohammed
al-Sherafi, 24, was killed by shrapnel from the shell. 

 

At approximately 07:00, 15
Israeli military vehicles moved from Erez crossing towards Qulaibu hill in Tal
al-Za’tar area. Israeli troops opened
fire at the area and isolated it from its surroundings. 

 

At approximately 07:25,
Israeli troops opened fire at dozens of Palestinian schoolchildren who threw
stones at Israeli tanks near the directorate of education in Beit Lahia. One of the children, Sa’ed Mohammed Hiddu Abu
al-‘Eish, 14, from Jabalya refugee camp, was killed by a live bullet in the
chest. 

 

At approximately 09:00,
while Israeli military bulldozers were demolishing the fence of the building of
the Palestinian Preventive Security Service in Beit Lahia, an electricity tower
fell on a number of Palestinian children who gathered in the area. One of the children, Ahmed Ibrahim ‘Abdul
Fattah Madi, 14, from Jabalya refugee camp, was instantly killed. 

 

In the evening, Israeli
troops continued to shell Palestinian residential areas, especially in Jabalya
refugee camp. At approximately 20:30, an
Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at a number of members of the
Palestinian resistance in the east of Jabalya refugee camp. One member of the resistance, Sa’ad Mohammed
al-Barad’ei, 21, from Gaza City, was killed, and 2 others were seriously
injured. 

 

At approximately 23:30, an
Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at a number of members of the
Palestinian resistance in Tal al-Za’tar area. Two members of the resistance were killed:

1. Fathi
Ahmed al-Sawawin, 21; and

2. Khalil
Khalil Naji, 31, both from Gaza City. 

 

As a result of the Israeli
indiscriminate shelling, at least 60 Palestinian civilians, including 20
children, were injured. The injuries of
4 of these civilians were described by medical sources as serious. 

 

Until the time of this
writing, Israeli occupying troops have continued their offensive on the
northern Gaza Strip, perpetrating more violations of human rights against
Palestinian civilians. 

 

At approximately 09:00, a
number of Palestinian schoolchildren moved towards al-Shuhada junction near
“Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City. They threw stones at Israeli troops
positioned in the area. Immediately,
Israeli troops opened fire at the children. One of the children, 17-year-old Mohammed Talal Hussein Jaber, from
al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, was instantly killed by 2
live bullets in the chest and the abdomen.   

 

In the afternoon, Israeli
troops killed 2 Palestinian civilians in Jenin. They claimed that they fired at a car, in which 3 Palestinians (2 men and
a woman) were traveling, that moved from a car park of a building seized by
these troops. They further claimed that
the driver did not obey orders to stop, and that one of the passengers
attempted to escape from the car. PCHR’s
preliminary investigations indicate that the two civilian were killed while
they were inside the car. 

 

According to preliminary investigations
conducted by PCHR, at approximately 13:00, a taxi that has a Palestinian
registration moved from Sabah al-Kheir area in the north of Jenin towards the
center of the town. The car was driven
by Rateb Ahmed Taleb Qassem, 51. Mohammed Ibrahim ‘Abdullah Beetar, 25, was sitting on the front seat of
the car, and Nour Rebhi Shalabi, 25, was sitting on the back seat. When the taxi arrived at the industrial zone,
a civilian car that has a Palestinian registration was coming from the other
direction. When it became close to the
taxi, a number of gunmen inside the car opened fire at the taxi. Qassem and Beetar were instantly killed by
several live bullets in the upper part of the body, while the woman was wounded
by 2 live bullets in the feet. Israeli
troops obstructed her evacuation to the hospital and interrogated her.  

  

Extra-Judicial Execution

 

In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial
assassination officially adopted by the Israeli political and military
establishments, this week, Israeli troops committed 2 extra-judicial executions,
which left dead 2 Palestinians. 

 

According to PCHR’s
investigations, at approximately 17:10 on Monday, 27 September 2004, Israeli
aircrafts fired one missile at a civilian car, a white Subaru, that was
traveling on the road between the villages of Bani Suhaila and ‘Abasan, east of
Khan Yunis. The missile hit and burnt
the car.  The driver, Mohammed Suleiman Abu Nusaira, 40, a leader of the
Palestinian Popular Resistance, was injured by shrapnel throughout the body,
and was able to get out of the car. However, a passenger in the car, ‘Alaa’ al-Din Hamdan al-Sha’er, 35,
from Rafah, was killed. Soon, Israeli
security sources stated that a leader of the Popular Resistance Committees
survived an assassination attempt carried out by an Israeli helicopter, but one
of his colleagues was killed.

 

According to PCHR’s preliminary
investigations on the second execution, at approximately 05:30 on Wednesday, 29
September 2004, Israeli troops moved into Nablus through its western
entrance. They were deployed in
al-Balatiya area in the west of the city. At approximately 06:00, Majdi Saleh Qassem Khalifa, 25, got out of one
of the houses in the area and attempted to escape. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at
him. He was wounded by a live bullet in
the right arm. Israeli troops arrested
Khalifa and then shot him dead. When
Israeli troops withdrew from the area, Khalifa’s body was transferred to
Rafidya Hospital in Nablus. According to
medical sources, the victim was hit by 2 live bullets to the forehead and the
right arm. 

 

Collective Punishment against Families of Wanted
Palestinians and Those Who Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli
Targets

 

In violation of international humanitarian law, in
particular the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons
in Time of War of 1949, article 33 of which prohibits punishing any protected
person for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli forces
took retaliatory measures against the families of Palestinians Israel alleges have ordered,
facilitated, or carried out attacks against Israeli targets.

 

At approximately 04:00 on
Thursday, 23 September 2004, Israeli troops moved into Balata refugee camp,
east of Nablus. They surrounded a
90-square-meter, 2-storey house belonging to owned by Mohammed Sanakra, whose
son ‘Alaa’, 22, is allegedly wanted by these troops. They forced the ten residents of the house
out and planted explosives inside. At
approximately 05:00, they destroyed the house. 

 

Also at approximately 04:00
on Thursday, 23 September 2004, Israeli troops moved into ‘Askar refugee camp,
east of Nablus. They surrounded a
100-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by ‘Ali Isma’il Abu Salem. They forced the eight residents of the house
out and planted explosives inside. At
approximately 05:10, they destroyed the house. The owner is the father of Zeinab Abu Salem, who was killed while
carrying out a bombing against Israeli troops in East Jerusalem on Wednesday,
22 September 2004. 

 

At approximately 03:00 on
Wednesday, 29 September 2004, Israeli troops that had moved into Jenin refugee
camp since Monday morning, 27 September 2004, surrounded a 160-square-meter,
3-storey house belonging to the family of Zakaria ‘Abdul Rahim al-Zubaidi, 26,
in al-Hawashin area in the center of the camp. They forced the 6 residents of the house out and planted explosives
inside. At approximately 04:30, Israeli
troops destroyed the house. Israeli
troops claim that al-Zubaidi is wanted for being an active member of the
al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah movement. 

 

Continued Siege on the OPTs

 

This week, Israeli occupying forces have
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 Jerusalem. 

 

Gaza Strip

 

This week, Israeli occupying troops closed
border crossings of the Gaza Strip for a few days. They have also continued to impose severe restrictions
on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside the Gaza Strip. They closed the coastal road between Gaza
City and the central Gaza Strip, and imposed more restrictions at al-Matahen
and Abu Houli military checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street, the main road
between the north and south of the Gaza Strip.    

At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 23
September 2004, Israeli troops closed the two checkpoints and held and searched
a number of Palestinian vehicles in between. This closure continued until 15:00. Israeli troops closed the two checkpoints again at approximately 15:30. They also fired at Palestinian civilians who
were waiting at the two checkpoints. One
of these civilians, Ahmed Sa’id al-Satari, 32, from Khan Yunis, was injured by
shrapnel in the back. Israeli troops
closed the two checkpoints for several hours also on Sunday, Monday and
Tuesday, 26, 27 and 28 September 2004. 

 

At approximately 09:30 on Monday, 27
September 2004, Israeli troops closed the coastal road that links Gaza City
with the central Gaza Strip. Israeli
troops positioned on the road also opened fire at Palestinian civilians who
moved between Gaza City and the central Gaza Strip along the beach on
foot. One civilian, Yasser ‘Ata
‘Abdullah Jouda, 35, from Rafah, was wounded by a live bullet in the nose. Recently, Israeli troops have imposed severe
restrictions on internal movement in the Gaza Strip.  

 

Israeli troops have continued to impose a strict
siege on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip.  They have continued
to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and
from the area. Israeli troops have
closed al-Tuffah checkpoint at the entrance to the area since Thursday morning,
23 September 2004. They have also continued
to prevent female Palestinians whose ages are between 16 and 25, and male ones
whose ages are between 16 and 30 from crossing al-Tuffah checkpoint, when it is
open, without prior coordination. 

 

Israeli troops have also continued to impose a
tightened siege on al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip.  They have
also imposed severe restrictions of the movement of Palestinian farmers. Israeli troops allow only 5 persons to get
out of the area everyday to bring foodstuffs.  Israeli troops allow
schoolchildren to come back to the area only at 17:00. 

 

In the same context, Israeli troops have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians living in
al-Ma’ni area near “Kfar Darom” settlement in the central Gaza Strip. 

 

Israeli troops have continued to close
Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip for the fourth consecutive week. Even though Israeli occupying troops
partially reopened al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing to the east of Gaza
City, they have imposed severe restrictions on the flow of goods through the two
crossing. As result, the Palestinian
market has lacked several basic goods. On 24 September 2004, Israeli troops closed Sofa crossing, northeast of
Rafah.  

 

Israeli troops have continued to impose severe
restrictions on traveling through Rafah Terminal, which has been the only
outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world since 14 February 2001,
when Israeli occupying forces destroyed the runway of Gaza International
Airport.  The number of
Palestinians allowed to travel through the terminal daily is very limited. As a result, many patients who are badly in
need for special medical treatment abroad have not been able to travel.  On Friday morning, 24 September 2004, Israeli
troops closed the terminal. This closure
continued until Monday morning, 27 September 2004. Israeli troops have continued to prevent
Palestinians whose ages are between 16 and 35 from traveling through the
terminal since 16 April 2004, although they claimed that they cancelled this
prevention on 9 August 2004.    

 

The West Bank

 

Israeli occupying troops have continued to impose a
strict siege on Palestinian communities. They have also imposed severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians.  

 

Jerusalem

 

Israeli troops imposed more restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians. On Friday
evening, Israeli troops imposed more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians living in villages located to the north of the city, through erecting
more checkpoints on the main roads. On
Saturday morning, 25 September 2004, Israeli troops totally isolated Jerusalem
from its surroundings. On Sunday
morning, 26 September 2004, Israeli troops positioned at Dahiat al-Barid
checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, arrested at least 20 Palestinian civilians from
the West Bank, claming that they attempted to enter Jerusalem illegally. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli troops
forced these civilians to sign plights written in Hebrew and then released
them. 

 

Ramallah

 

On Thursday morning, 23 September 2004, Israeli
troops closed Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, prohibiting movement of
Palestinian civilians. They closed the checkpoint
again on Friday and Saturday, 24 and 25 September 2004. Israeli troops also chased Palestinian
civilians who resorted to alternative branch roads. 

 

Nablus

 

On Thursday, 23 September 2004, Israeli troops closed
all checkpoints around the city, and prohibited movement of Palestinian
civilians and goods. On Friday morning,
24 September 2004, Israeli troops reopened these checkpoints, but imposed
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

 

Jenin

 

On Thursday morning, 23 September 2004, Israeli
troops closed the entrances of the northern and central Jordan Valley,
declaring the area a closed military zone. They erected a number of checkpoints on the roads leading to the area. On Saturday evening, Israeli troops moved
into Tubas village and erected a temporary checkpoint. They stopped and searched dozens of
Palestinian vehicles. 

 

Qalqilya

 

On Sunday morning, 26 September 2004, Israeli troops
erected a checkpoint between the villages of Ematin and al-Funduq at Nablus –
Qalqilya Street. They stopped and
searched a number of Palestinian vehicles. On Monday morning, 27 September 2004, Israeli troops erected a
checkpoint at the entrance to Nabi Elias village. They stopped and searched a number of
Palestinian vehicles. 

 

Tulkarm

 

Israeli troops have continued to close ‘Ennab gate at
Tulkarm – Nablus Street. This week,
Israeli troops imposed more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians from and into Tulkarm. 

 

Bethlehem

 

On Friday morning, 24 September 2004, Israeli troops
erected a number of checkpoints at the entrances to Beit Sahour. They stopped and searched Palestinians
vehicles. On Saturday morning, 25
September 2004, Israeli troops closed Gilo checkpoint, north of Bethlehem, and
the Container checkpoint on Wadi al-Nar road, northeast of the town. 

 

Hebron

 

For the 4^th consecutive week, Israeli
troops have continued to impose a tightened siege on Hebron. They have isolated the town from its
surroundings. They chased Palestinian
civilians who attempted to travel to and from the town. Israeli troops also imposed restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians inside the town. They stopped and checked dozens of
Palestinian civilians in various areas in the town. On Friday afternoon, 24 September 2004,
Israeli troops closed the Ibrahimi mosque in the face of Muslims. This closure continued for 2 days. At approximately 12:30 on Friday, 24
September 2004, Israeli troops fired at 16-year-old Nizar Kayed Abu Hamdiya,
wounding him with a live bullet in the left elbow. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli troops
stopped the child at a military checkpoint in the center of Hebron. They held him with a number of young men for
half an hour and then released him. When
he was nearly 30 meters away from the Israeli troops, they fired at him for no
apparent reason. On Saturday morning, 25
September 2004, Israeli troops detained 8 staff members of Palestinian election
registration centers in Yatta village for several hours and did not allow them
to open the registration centers until the end of the week.  

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

On Saturday morning, 25 September 2004, Israeli
troops positioned at a military checkpoint in al-Lubban village at Ramallah –
Nablus, arrested ‘Omar ‘Abdul Rahim, 25, from Tulkarm. 

 

On Sunday, 26 September 2004, Israeli troops
positioned at a military checkpoint at the entrance to Ematin village near
Qalqilya arrested Salama ‘Abdul Karim Shawahna, 22, a university student from
Kufor Thuluth village, east of Qalqilya. 

 

 

 

Continued Construction of the Annexation Wall

 

Israeli troops have continued to construct the
annexation wall inside the West Bank territory, especially in East Jerusalem,
Ramallah and Hebron.

 

Israeli troops intensified continued to construct the
section of the wall extending from Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, and
Dahiat al-Barid checkpoint, north of east of Jerusalem. They have divided the main road linking
between the two checkpoints into two sections, an eastern one and a western
one, thus separating between al-Ram village and Dahiat al-Barid on one hand and
a number of NGOs and educational institutions on the other hand. The construction of this section of the wall
will cause extreme difficulties for Palestinian civilians in their movement.

 

On Saturday morning, 25 September 2004, Israeli
troops prevented dozens of Palestinian farmers from reaching their agricultural
land in ‘Azzoun ‘Atma village, south of Qalqilya, which has been isolated by
the wall, although these farmers have valid permits to reach the area. Israeli troops closed the gate established at
the entrance to the village. 

 

On Sunday, 26 September 2004, Israeli troops
prevented Palestinian farmers from Kufor Sour village and neighboring villages,
south of Tulkarm, from reaching their agricultural land behind the wall,
although these farmers have valid permits to reach the area. Israeli troops closed the gate at the
entrance to the area. 

 

In Hebron, Israeli troops continued to raze areas of
Palestinian agricultural land in the villages of Sikka and Beit ‘Awa, southwest
of the town, for the purpose of the construction of the wall. They have razed hundreds of donums of
agricultural land and uprooted hundreds of olive trees. 

 

On Thursday noon, 23 September 2004, Israeli troops opened
fire at hundreds of Palestinian civilians and members of international
solidarity groups who organized peaceful demonstrations in protest to the
construction of the wall in the villages of Beit ‘Awa and Sikka, southwest of
Hebron. Twelve demonstrators were
wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets. 

 

On Monday, 26 September 2004, Israeli troops fired
rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas cansiters at a peaceful demonstration
organized by Palestinian civilians in Budros village. A number of civilians were wounded. 

 

Settlement Activities and Settlers’ Attacks on
Palestinian Civilians and Properties

 

Israeli troops have pursued settlement activities in
the oPt and settlers who live in the oPt in violation of international
humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and their
properties. 

 

On Monday, 27 September 2004, a Jewish settler killed
a Palestinian civilian. The settler
claimed that he noticed a Palestinian car that tried to drive him away from the
road, so he fired at the car in self-defense. However, preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR strongly indicate
that the settler fired at the victim deliberately. The settler stopped the victim who was
traveling from Salem village to Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus, and fired
at him from a distance of less than 2 meters. The victim was hit by 3 live bullets in the chest. He was married and a father of 8 children, 3
of them are blind. 

 

In his testimony to PCHR on this attack, Ahmed D’ib
Eshtayeh, said:

 

“At approximately 12:30 on Monday, 27 September
2004, I traveled with 3 other civilians from Salem village to Beit Dajan
village, east of Nablus. We traveled in
a Palestinian civilian car driven by Sayel Mustafa Ahmed Jebara, 46, from Salem
village. When we arrived at a settler
road leading to “Alon Moreh” settlement, nearly 200 meters away from
the entrance to Beit Dajan village, we saw a Jewish settler standing near his
car, which was parked at the side of the road. The settler was carrying an M16 riffle. He ordered the driver to stop. The driver obeyed the order and stopped. When he started to open the window near him, the settlers fired at him
from a distance of 2 meters. The driver
cried: ‘I was injured.’ We asked the
settler to call for an ambulance, but he refused and left the area. One of the passengers drove the car towards
the neighboring Beit Fourik checkpoint to evacuate the driver to the hospital,
but he died before arriving at the checkpoint.”

 

On Tuesday morning, 28 September 2004, dozens of Jewish
settlers moved from “Eitamar” settlement, southeast of Beit Fourik
village, east of Nablus, burnt hundreds of donums of agricultural land planted
with olives belonging to Khaled Saleh Hanani and Ahmed Aham.

  

*****

 

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 calls on the international community to
immediately “ensure respect” for the Convention.

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 its legal obligations detailed in article 146 of the Convention to
search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches.

4. PCHR
recommends international civil society organizations, including human rights
organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of
searching for Israeli war criminals and to urge their governments to bring
these people to justice.

5. 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. PCHR
also requests the application of the EU Guidelines on Arms Sales and requests
that EU Missions and Embassies in Israel and the oPts press the Israeli
government to apply and implement in full the recently agreed EU Guidelines on
Human Rights Defenders.

6. PCHR
calls upon European governments to change their positions towards the
Palestinian cause at UN bodies, particularly the General Assembly, Security
Council and Commission on Human Rights. 

7. PCHR
requests that the international community follow the advisory opinion of the
ICJ when it called on the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention,
through the UNGA and UNSC, to take effective measures to stop the construction
of the annexation wall in the West Bank.

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 for
facilitating family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

9. PCHR
appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights
organizations, bar associations, trade 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 end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

10. In light of the severe restrictions
imposed by the Israeli government and its occupying forces on access of international
solidarity groups to the oPt, PCHR calls upon European countries to deal the
same way with Israeli citizens. 

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 agreement or process must be based on respect for
international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.

 

“END”

 

Public
Document

 

**************************************

 

For more
information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 –
2825893

PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail:[email protected],  Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org