Field Update

Yesterday, unknown masked persons
destroyed the contents of “Paris” Resort and set fire to it. As a
result, heavy damages were caused to the resort. This attack is part of the state of security
chaos and violation of the rule of law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(OPT).

According to investigations
conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately
03:00 on Tuesday, 26 July 2011, about 30 masked persons broke into
“Paris” Resort, which is established on a 9-dunum land belonging to
the heirs of the late Nahed al-Rayyes, in al-Sha’af neighborhood in the east of
Gaza City. The masked persons attacked
the resort’s guards, handcuffed them, started destroying the resort’s contents
and set fire to parts of it. As a
result, heavy damages were caused to the resort. The Civil Defense arrived at the place and
extinguished the fire, while the Palestinian police arrived as well and opened
an investigation in the attack.

It should be noted that on
Wednesday, 20 July 2011, the same resort was subject to an arson attack by
unknown masked persons. It was partially
damaged. The resort’s administration
received threats of destroying the resort in case it was kept open. The administration then filed a complaint to
the Palestinian police that opened an investigation in the attack.

PCHR denounces this attack, which is
part of the state of security chaos and violation of the rule of law in
OPT. PCHR calls upon the Attorney
General to seriously investigate the attack and prosecute the
perpetrators.