Continued Israeli Violations in the OPT and the
International Community remains Silent
· 7 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and an
old woman, killed by Israeli forces
· A series of Israeli incursions into Palestinian areas
and a number of Palestinian civilians killed or wounded
· A Palestinian dies from a previous wound he sustained
in an assassination attempt by Israeli forces
· Large areas of agricultural land razed and a number
of houses demolished
· Continued Israeli retaliatory campaign against
families of wanted Palestinians and those who carried out armed attacks against
Israeli targets
· Continued strict siege of the OPT
· 3 Palestinian patients die at Israeli military
checkpoints and border crossings
Introduction
Israeli forces have perpetrated more
human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including willful
killings, shelling of, and incursion into Palestinian areas, agricultural land
leveling. This week, 7 Palestinian
civilians, including a woman and 2 children, were killed by Israeli forces.
In
the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces committed more war crimes against Palestinian
civilians in the Rafah. On 17 October,
Israeli forces shelled Rafah refugee camp, killing 6 Palestinian civilians,
including an old woman and 2 children. Furthermore, at least 40 civilians were wounded. On 22 October, Israeli forces moved into
al-Salam neighborhood in Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border. They destroyed a house and demolished
another; while 14 other houses were damaged.
In
the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished a number of houses. On 23 October, Israeli forces demolished 15
Palestinian houses in al-Jiftlek area near Jericho, claiming that they were
established without licenses.
On
21 October, medical sources in Hebron declared that 46-year-old Mohammed
Ibrahim al-Haimouni died from the wound he sustained when Israeli forces
attempted to assassinate an activist of the Islamic Jihad on 10 December
2001. In the failed assassination attempt,
two children were killed and 14 other civilians were wounded.
In
violation of the international law and humanitarian law which prohibit
collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliated against the families of
wanted Palestinians and of those who have carried attacks against Israeli targets
both inside the Green Line and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
In this context, Israeli forces destroyed 5 Palestinian houses this week.
Israeli
forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively
punishing Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian
areas, transforming them into cantons, violating Palestinian civilians’
economic, social and cultural rights. This week, 3 Palestinian patients died at Israeli military checkpoints
and border crossings.
In
a step aimed at destroying the Palestinian economy and as the olive picking
season starts, Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian farmers in the
West Bank, under full protection of Israeli forces. On 21 October, Israeli forces issued a military
order that prevented Palestinian farmers from olive-picking, claiming that they
are not capable of protecting them, and that some Palestinians may exploit the
olive-picking season to carry out attacks against Israeli targets. Israeli forces also razed large areas of
Palestinian agricultural land in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In a new racist decision, the Israeli
Infrastructure Minister Avi Ytam decided to ban digging new wells in
Palestinian areas, in an apparent attempt to damage the Palestinian
agricultural sector.
Israeli
forces continued their retaliatory campaign against families of wanted
Palestinians and those who carried out attacks against Israeli targets.
Under this context, they demolished 5 houses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Israeli
forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively
punishing the Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian
areas, transforming them into cantons, violating Palestinian civilians’
economic, social and cultural rights. This week, 3 Palestinian patients died at Israeli military checkpoints
and border crossings.
Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas
Thursday, 17 October 2002
At
approximately 02:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles,
invaded Til village, south of Nablus, which was under full Palestinian
control. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinians:
1. Mosa’ab Ahmed
Zeidan, 23;
2. ‘Emad Mahmoud
Yassin, 22;
3. Khaled ‘Abdul
Fattah ‘Assida, 24;
4. ‘Essam
Mustafa ‘Assida, 22;
5. ‘Aaref ‘Abdul
Fattah Zeidan, 26; and
6. Sa’id Hassan
Ramadan, 25.
At
approximately 06:30, Israeli forces in military locations in the vicinity of
“Elli Sinai” settlement in the northern Gaza Strip fired an artillery shell at a
Palestinian summer resort, east of the settlement, burning it down, as a result
of a large amount of fuel inside. The
owner, Mousa ‘Abdullah Shahin, was not able to check the damage as Israeli
forces denied Palestinians access to the area.
At
approximately 08:00, Israeli forces razed a 2.5 donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives, figs, palms and grapes, owned by Fawzi Ramez Saqallah, 57,
in Far’oun village in Tulkarm. According
to Saqallah, Israeli bulldozers destroyed a 16 cubic-meter water tank as well
as an irrigation network.
Israeli
forces have committed a series of war crimes against Palestinian civilians in
Rafah throughout the past two weeks, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinian
civilians. In the afternoon, Israeli
forces in flagrant disregard for civilian lives and property fired artillery
shells and live bullets of varying calibers at a heavily populated area,
killing six Palestinian civilians and wounding approximately 40 others. Among the victims were a 9-year-old girl who
was hit by shrapnel from an artillery shell while she was at home, a
15-year-old boy and a two woman, one of whom was 70-year-old. To make matters worse, the access of
ambulances and medical personnel to the area was obstructed because of
continuing Israeli gunfire and shelling.
According
to PCHR’s investigation, based on direct field observation, testimonies of
eyewitnesses, including some of the wounded and medical sources, the incidents
which occurred in Rafah on 17 October 2002, can be described as follows:
At
approximately 14:00, Block O in Rafah refugee camp, a heavily populated area
located near the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip which is under Israeli
security control, was subjected to sporadic shelling by Israeli tanks
positioned at the border. There was no
apparent reason for the shelling; rather it appeared that the shelling was
aimed at providing a cover for the establishment of an iron wall at Salah
al-Din Gate on the border. The wall, the
establishment of which began on Wednesday afternoon, 16 October 2002, is
apparently a prelude for establishing a fortified site inside the border at
Salah al-Din Gate, near a military location of Israeli forces known in Hebrew
as “Tarmid.”
When
the Israeli shelling began, armed clashes erupted between Israeli soldiers and
Palestinian fighters, which continued until 14:30. An Israeli tank moved approximately 70m into
Block O near al-Bouji Street. Soon, a
heavy explosion was heard and a number of residents of Block O were seen
escaping from their houses in search for a more secure refuge. Some of them said that the explosion most
likely occurred as a result of a projectile fired by Palestinian fighters at an
Israeli tank.
While
Israeli gunfire was heard and an Israeli scouting aircraft was seen flying over
the area, Israeli tanks indiscriminately fired five artillery shells at Block
O. Four shells exploded and hit
Palestinian civilians in streets, shops and houses. An eyewitness who was present in the area
said:
“I
saw a number of people being hit by shrapnel. I saw 9-year-old Mohammed Refa’at Abu al-Naja, falling to the ground
after having been hit in the head. I ran
towards him and took him to a civilian car that transported him to
hospital. I was out of my mind when I
saw parts of the bodies of people dispersed in the area. I discovered that these people were
45-year-old Sa’id ‘Abdul ‘Aati ‘Obeid, who was in his shop, and 30-year-old
Ayman Mohammed al-Ghoul, who was with him, when the artillery shell exploded
tearing their bodies apart. The scene
was horrible, so I could not get close to the bodies. Ambulances arrived at the area and evacuated
many of the wounded to hospital; most of whom are my neighbors.”
Another
eyewitness, Kamal Yousef Salah Abu Shammala, 38, father of 9 year-old Shaimaa’
Abu Shammala, who was killed by shrapnel in the head, lives in a 60
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, approximately 200m north of the
border. The house like other houses in
the area does not provide protection for the family from Israeli shelling and
shooting. In his testimony to PCHR, Abu
Shammala said:
“I
was lying on the bed and my daughter Rima, 3, was with me. My child Mohammed, who is 6 months, was in
the bed in my bedroom. I heard sporadic
Israeli shelling similar to that which took place on Wednesday. At 14:30, I heard a heavy explosion, so I got
up and carried my children towards my brother’s house, a more secure house
adjacent to mine. In the meantime, my
wife was in another room with the rest of our children: Shaimaa’, 9, Rashad, 7,
and Raji, 5. They were about to leave the house to follow me to my brother’s
house. While we were on our way, I heard
sounds of four successive explosions. I
felt severe pain in the chest and saw smoke and dust rising from my house. Although I was wounded, I went back to my
house, where I found my daughter Shaimaa’ on the ground. When I carried her, I noticed that her head
was distorted and bleeding. I took her
through the alleys until I reached an ambulance that took us to hospital…”
According
to medical sources, the wounded were evacuated to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital
in Rafah. Most of them were later moved to the European Hospital and Nasser
Hospital in Khan Yunis. Six Palestinian
civilians, including two women and two children, were killed, and 39 others,
including nine children, were wounded. Those killed were:
1) Shaimaa’ Kamal Abu Shammala, 9, hit by shrapnel in
the head;
2) Mohammed Sami Abu Hilal, 15, hit by shrapnel
throughout the body;
3) Fatema Ahmed Abu Jazar, 70, hit by shrapnel
throughout the body;
4) Samira Mohammed Abu Jazar, 30, hit by shrapnel
throughout the body;
5) Sa’id ‘Abdul ‘Aati ‘Obeid, 45, hit by shrapnel
throughout the body and his body was torn into pieces; and
6) Ayman Mohammed al-Ghoul, 30, hit by shrapnel
throughout the body and his body was torn into pieces.
Due
to the Israeli indiscriminate shelling and shooting, medical personnel were not
able to reach many of the victims instantly. An ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society was hit by live
bullets while on duty.
At
approximately 19:30, Israeli forces in military locations 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. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded while
they were near a mosque approximately 400m away from the source of the fire:
1. Hussam Ahmed Ibrahim al-Sawi, 12, wounded by a live
bullet in the right foot; and
2. Rani Ahmed Saleh al-‘Adlouni, 18, wounded by two live
bullets in the abdomen and the right thigh.
Israeli
forces resumed shelling the same areas at approximately 23:30, wounding Sabri
‘Abbdul Mon’em Hassan al-Farra, 50, a cleaning worker with a live bullet in the
left hand, while cleaning streets.
Friday, 18 October 2002
At
approximately 01:00, a bulldozer and a tank of Israeli forces moved from “Kfar
Darom” settlement, east of Deir al-Balah, into Wadi al-Salqa village. The bulldozer razed areas of Palestinian
agricultural land:
1.It razed a
1.5 donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, palms and figs, owned
by No’man Moahmmed Ahmed al-Fallit.
2.It razed a 1
donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Nawaf ‘Abdul
Rahman ‘Oleyan al-Fallit.
3.It destroyed
an agricultural pool owned by Ahmed ‘Oleyan Salem al-Fallit.
At
approximately 02:00, Israeli forces in military locations in the vicinity of
“Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in
blocks H and I in Khan Yunis refugee camp and al-Nimsawi neighborhood. A number of houses were damaged by artillery
shells and heavy caliber bullets and 11 Palestinian civilians, including 3
children, 2 women and 2 old people, were wounded. Palestinian civilians were extremely
terrified and were forced to leave their houses for fear of their lives. Those wounded were:
1.Mohammed
Mahmoud Ahmed al-Zarabi, 10, wounded by shrapnel in the left foot;
2.Suhaib
Mahmoud Ahmed al-Zarabi, 11, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand;
3.Mohammed
Hassan Shehda Abu Rezeq, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand;
4.Maher
Mohammed Suleiman Abu Rezeq, 19, wounded by shrapnel in the left eye;
5.Ramzi Zuhdi
Shehda Abu Rezeq, 24, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh;
6.Mohammed
Suleiman ‘Abdullah Abu Rezeq, wounded by
shrapnel in the right thigh;
7.Eyad Mustafa
Darwish Abu Rashid, 28, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand;
8.‘Abdul Hadi
Mazen ‘Abdul Hadi Gannan, 22, wounded by shrapnel in the left foot;
9.Mohammed
‘Abdullah Mohammed Sorour, 70, wounded by shrapnel in the left knee;
10.Badria
Isma’il Khalil Muhareb, 60, wounded by shrapnel in the right foot; and
11.Miriam ‘Ali
‘Abdul Salam Huneideq, 45, wounded by shrapnel in the chest.
The
following houses were damaged:
1.A 110
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 persons live, owned by Mohammed
‘Abdullah Mohammed Sorour, was hit by an artillery shell that damaged the roof
of a room.
2.A 360
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 families comprised of 25
persons live, owned by Fayez Ahmed Mohammed Huneideq, was hit by an artillery
shell that damaged the roof and walls.
3.A 130
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 12 persons live, owned by
Mohammed ‘Ateya ‘Eid Muhareb, was hit by 2 artillery shells that damaged the
furniture and a water tank.
4.A 110
square-meter, asbestos-roofed uninhabited house owned by ‘Awni Ibrahim Hamad
Abu Seif, sustained severe damage in the western and southern parts.
5.A 100
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 12 persons live, owned by ‘Abdul
Salam Mohammed ‘Abdul Latif Abu Jahjouh, sustained damage in its roof.
6.A 100
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 14 persons live, owned by Zuhdi
Shehda Hussein Abu Rezeq, was hit by an artillery shell that damaged its
furniture and roof.
At
approximately 08:00, Israeli forces started to raze areas of Palestinian agricultural
land and destroy agricultural equipment south of “Elli Sinai” settlement in the
northern Gaza Strip:
1.They razed
demolished a 40 square-meter building that contained a well owned by Mahmoud
Ahmed Mohammed Tubail.
2.They
destroyed a well owned by Nazhir ‘Abdullah ‘Abdul Hadi Mahanna.
3.They razed a
2 donum area of agricultural land, on which greenhouses stood, owned by Fayeq
Ahmed Khudair.
4.They razed an
8 donum area of agricultural land, on which greenhouses stood, and destroyed a
well owned by Mohammed Salman Abu Halima and partners.
At
approximately 20:00, Israeli forces shelled Palestinian houses Sheikh ‘Ejlin
neighborhood in the south of Gaza City, causing damage to a number of
houses.
At
approximately 22:00, 6 tanks and a bulldozer of the IDF, covered by intense
gunfire, moved approximately 2km into Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood in the south
of Gaza City. The bulldozer damaged the
links between Gaza City and the central Gaza Strip. It also damaged a branch road and completely
demolished the offices of Gaza Harbor, which Israeli forces had previously
partially demolished earlier this year.
Saturday, 19 October 2002
At
approximately 08:00, Israeli forces started razing areas of Palestinian
agricultural land north of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip:
1.They razed a
30 donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by ‘Alaa’ al-Din Nazhmi Mahmoud Dalloul.
2.They razed a
3 donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation
network owned by Iman Isma’il Mustafa Shurrab.
3.They razed a
2 donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by ‘Abdullah Ahmed al-Masri.
At
approximately 16:00, about 20 Israeli soldiers, reinforced with a tank and a
bulldozer, raided the house of Ziad ‘Ouda Hussein al-‘Aaidi, 29, in al-Mughraqa
village to the east of the “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City. They searched the house, held its residents
in a room and interrogated the owner. In
the meantime, the Israeli bulldozer razed a tract of agricultural land, on
which a bird farm stood, owned by al-‘Aaidi. Four hours later, Israeli soldiers ordered al-‘Aaidi to remove wooden
boards stapled onto windows, claiming that those windows overlook a settler
road approximately 100m away.
Sunday, 20 October 2002
At
approximately 07:00, 2 tanks and a bulldozer of Israeli forces moved
approximately 500m into al-Birka area in the southwest of Deir al-Balah in the
central Gaza Strip. The searched the area
and razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1.They razed a
1 donum area of agricultural land planted with palms and olives owned by Naji
‘Abdul Karim al-‘Aklouk.
2.They razed a
1 donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Ahmed ‘Abdul Karim al-‘Aklouk.
3.They razed a
1.5 donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Sabri ‘Abdul Hadi al-‘Aklouk.
4.They razed a
2 donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by ‘Abed Rabbu Mutlaq Abu ‘Amra.
5.They razed a
1 donum area of agricultural land planted with palms owned by Hussein Suleiman
Abu Meiri.
6.They razed a
2 donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Mustafa Salim Abu Salim.
7.They razed a
4 donum area of agricultural land planted with palms and olives, and destroyed
an irrigation network owned by Hamda ‘Ata ‘Oleyan Abu ‘Amra.
8.They razed a
15 donum area of agricultural land planted with peppers, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Ibrahim Salem al-Ra’ei.
9.They razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Hussein Hassan Ahmed al-‘Attar.
10.They razed a
1 donum area of agricultural land planted with peppers, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Saher Yousef al-Masri.
11.They razed a
1 donum area of agricultural land planted with peppers, and destroyed an
irrigation network and a 50-meter-long fence owned by ‘Abdul Raziq Shahin.
12.They razed a
500 square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed
an irrigation network owned by Yousef Mannaa’ Abu Shiha.
13.They
destroyed the fence of a tract of agricultural land owned by ‘Emad Sabri
al-‘Aklouk.
14.They
destroyed an irrigation network of a tract of agricultural land owned by
Mustafa ‘Abdul Majid al-‘Aklouk.
15.They uprooted
5 olive trees owned by Fawzi D’iab Abu Rihan.
16.They uprooted
an olive tree owned by Khaled ‘Abdul Hamid al-Fallit.
At
approximately 08:00, Israeli military bulldozers escorted by Israeli soldiers
started razing areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Jayous village, north
of Qalqilya, in order establish the so-called “Security Fence.” According to information available to PCHR,
Israeli soldiers fired dozens of tear gas canisters at Palestinian farmers who
tried to stop such razing. Two old
people fainted after inhaling tear gas: Hamed Mohammed Salim, 72; and Hassan
Musleh Shamasna, 70. Eihab ‘Abdul Rahman
Khaled, 28, sustained bruised as Israeli soldiers beat him. Approximately 200 olive trees were
uprooted.
At
approximately 11:00, 2 tanks and a military bulldozer of Israeli forces moved
from “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City, into al-Mughraqa village to the
south. They razed areas of agricultural
land and demolished a number of buildings and civilian facilties:
1.They
demolished a 300 square-meter, 2 story house partially, and razed a 500
square-meter area of agricultural land owned by Mohammed Mahmoud Hajjaj.
2.They
demolished a house partially and destroyed 3 cars and parts of the equipment of
a bird farm owned by Ahmed Nemer Mahmoud Mannaa’.
3.They razed a
1 donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and citrus owned by
Mohammed Sa’id Hashem ‘Aashour.
4.They razed a
4 donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Wa’el Mustafa Hussein.
5.They razed a
2 donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Mahdi Mahmoud Hussein ‘Aashour.
6.They razed a
500 square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus owned
by Salim Abu Kumail.
7.They
destroyed an irrigation network on a tract of agricultural land owned by ‘Abdul
Khaliq Rajab ‘Aashour.
8.They razed a
500 square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Saleh
Mohammed ‘Aashour.
At
approximately 12:00, Israeli forces raided al-Sultan cultural center in
Hebron. According to the center’s
director Ghaleb Hamdi Sultan, Israeli soldiers ordered the staff at the center
and a number of students to stand aside in order to check their identity
cards. They also photocopied files of
the center. Upon their withdrawal at
approximately 13:00, Israeli soldiers arrested 23-year-old Wassim Ghaleb
Sultan.
At
approximately 12:25, Israeli forces in “al-Nouria” military location, northwest
of Khan Yunis, and in military sites in the vicinity of the “Neve Dekalim”
settlement, west of the town, shelled Palestinian houses and the al-Amal
neighborhood and Khan Yunis refugee camps. As a result of such shelling, which lasted for more than an hour, 6
Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and 2 women, were wounded. A number of houses and civilian facilities in
the refugee camp, including a mosque, were also severely damaged. In al-Amal neighborhood, 2 artillery shells
hit a 250 square-meter house owned by Taher Hamdan Salim al-Qedra, damaging its
furniture and a water tank. An artillery
shell also hit the house of Mohammed Fawzi Mustafa Hillu, damaging it. Another artillery shell hit a shop owned by
‘Adnan Khader Salim al-‘Alami, severely damaging it. Some other houses and a
number of cars were also lightly damaged. Those wounded were:
1.Basma ‘Abdul
Mon’em ‘Abdul Karim Abu Mustafa, 3, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand;
2.Rowaida Saleh
Abu Mustafa, 23, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh and the left side;
3.Miriam ‘Ali
Ahmed Hunideq, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the pelvis;
4.Ra’fat Nazhir
Khalil Sha’at, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the right arm;
5.‘Abdul Jabbar
Salama Abu Shureitah, 35, wounded by shrapnel in the right arm; and
6.Eihab ‘Abdul
Rahman al-Hila, 15, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot.
Monday, 21 October 2002
At
approximately 04:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles
and covered by intense gunfire, invaded Qalqilya and imposed a curfew on the
town. At approximately 07:00, Israeli
forces arrested 35 year-old Yasser ‘Aqel Ghanem and took him to an unknown
destination.
At
approximately 09:00, Israeli forces started razing areas of Palestinian
agricultural land and destroying some civilian facilties south of “Elli Sinai”
settlement in the northern Gaza Strip:
1.They demolished a 130 square meter summer resort that
contained a well, and damaged a 39 donum area of agricultural land planted with
potatoes, onions and vegetables owned by Nour al-Din al-Masharawi and Hani,
Fu’ad and ‘Abdul Nasser Hamad Isma’il al-Masharai.
2.They demolished a 100 square-meter summer resort that
contained a well owned by Subhi Mohammed al-Shurafa.
3.They demolished a 70 square-meter building that
contained a well and a store owned by Mohammed Salem al-Sheikh.
4.They demolished a 25 square-meter building that
contained a well owned by Talal Khalil Nabhan and Mansoura Hassan Ma’rouf.
5.They demolished a 60 square-meter building that
contained a well owned by Ibrahim Daoud Salman Hamada.
Tuesday, 22 October 2002
At
approximately 07:30, Israeli forces began to demolish a number of Palestinian
civilian facilities in al-Deirat and al-Rifa’eya areas in the east of Yatta
village, south of Hebron. They
demolished 4 iron-roofed buildings, 4 wells, 3 under-construction houses, 3
ovens, 2 walls and animal farms.
At
approximately 09:00, Israeli forces started razing areas of Palestinian
agricultural land northwest of the
“Dogit” settlement in the northern Gaza Strip:
1.They razed a
5 donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Ahmed Taha
al-Shanti.
2.They razed a 1
donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by ‘Arafa Sultan
Ma’rouf.
3.They razed a
2 donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Zuhair Edris
Ahmed Khudair.
4.They razed a
1 donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Zuhdi Khamis
Mahmoud Abu ‘Amsha.
5.They razed a
2 donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Mousa Mahmoud Jaber al-Ghoul.
At
approximately 10:00, 6 Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately 100m
into al-Salam neighborhood in Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border. Israeli armored military bulldozers
demolished a 150 square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 10 persons
lived, owned by Isma’il Yousef Mahmoud Jouda. They also uprooted 10 olive trees.
At
approximately 14:00, Israeli forces surrounded the houses of Ra’ed Saleh Salah,
27, and his uncle Hamed ‘Abdul Jawad Salah, 43, in Hebron, searching for D’iab
‘Abdul Rahim al-Shweiki, the second’s son-in-law. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli snipers
took position on the roofs of neighboring houses and ordered residents of the
two houses to exit them. When they
exited, Israeli forced interrogated them, while a number of soldiers searched
the two houses. When they left the two
houses, they fired sound bombs, igniting the buildings. Israeli forces denied the access of fire
engines to the houses for more than 90 minutes. They also fired at the houses while fire broke out. When fire was extinguished, Israeli forces
moved into the houses again. They
searched the houses and destroyed parts of the furniture. They withdrew from the area at approximately
17:30. Large parts of the two houses
were burnt or damaged, and a car was severely damaged. The two householders were not in the houses
during the Israeli raid.
At
approximately 15:30, Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved into Block O in Rafah
refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border. They ordered residents of the area to evacuate their houses within 2
hours. The bewildered residents
evacuated their furniture.
At
approximately 22:00, around 20 Israeli heavy military vehicles, covered by
indiscriminate shelling and supported by 3 combat helicopters, moved
approximately 400m into al-Salam neighborhood in Rafah, adjacent to the
Egyptian border. At approximately 23:00,
Israeli soldiers broke into the house of Mahmoud Mohammed Jaber al-Qassir,
father of Mohammed, 18, who was killed in armed attack on the
“Kissufim” settlement, east of Deir al-Balah on 18 February 2002, after
he had killed a number of Israeli occupying soldiers and settlers. Israeli soldiers forced residents of the
house out and destroyed it. As a result,
the owner’s wife, ‘Aziza D’ib al-Qassir, 50, sustained serious injuries and
fractures throughout the body, and 19 neighbors also sustained injuries and
bruises, as Israeli soldiers ordered them to stay at home while they destroyed
the house. In addition, 15 other houses
were damaged, a house was demolished by Israeli bulldozers and another one was
burnt by an artillery shell. Electricity, water and telephone services were cut from several houses
in the area.
The
neighbors injured were:
1. Hiba Mohammed
al-Qassir, 19;
2. Ahmed Fayez
Barakat, 14;
3. Zuhair
Mohammed Barakat, 35;
4. Walaa’ Fayez
Barakat, 13;
5. E’itidal Sa’id
Barakat, 40;
6. Nafisa ‘Ali
Barakat, 90;
7. Mohammed
Fayez Barakat, 18;
8. Nuha Fayez
Barakat, 16;
9. Maha Fayez
Barakat, 17;
10. Hanan Fayez
Barakat, 8;
11. Eihab Fayez
Barakat, 3;
12. ‘Ata Mohammed
Abu ‘Ayash, 51;
13. Huda Fadhel
Abu ‘Ayash, 37;
14. Ahmed ‘Ata
Abu ‘Ayash, 3;
15. Yahia ‘Ata
Abu ‘Ayash, 5;
16. Zeinab Salem
al-Sidoudi, 55;
17. Fayez Nour
al-Din Abu al-So’ud, 40; and
18. Hassan
Mohammed Abu ‘Ayash, 38.
Following
are details of the houses that were demolished or damaged:
1. A 15
square-meter house, in which 3 families counting 22 persons lived, owned by
Mahmoud Mohammed Jaber al-Qassir, was totally destroyed.
2. A 150
square-meter house, in which 11 persons lived, owned by Mohammed ‘Abdul Hamid
‘Abdul Raziq al-Sebakhi, was totally demolished.
3. A 200
square-meter house, in which 2 families counting 5 persons live, owned by
Khaled Mahmoud Ibrahim Bahloul, was hit by an artillery shell that burnt two
rooms and destroyed 20 windows and 5 doors.
4. A 180
square-meter house, in which 13 persons live, owned by Fayez D’ib ‘Ali Barakat,
was damaged and most members of the family were injured.
5. A 180
square-meter house, in which 2 families counting 19 persons live, and a car
owned by Mohammed Mohammed ‘Ali Barakat, were damaged.
6. A 120
square-meter house, in which 3 families counting 13 persons live, owned by
Fathi Suleiman al-‘Abed al-Sedoudi, was damaged.
7. A 70
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 6 persons live, owned by ‘Ata
Mohammed Hassan Abu ‘Ayash, was damaged.
8. A 130
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 9 persons live, owned by Hassan
Mohammed Hassan Abu ‘Ayash, was damaged.
9. A 200
square-meter house, in which 9 persons live, owned by Yasser ‘Abdul Raziq
‘Abdul Rahim Timraz, was damaged.
10. A 180
square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 9 persons live, owned by Fayez
Nour al-Din Mousa Abu al-So’ud, was damaged.
11. A 240
square-meter house, in which 4 families counting 21 persons, owned by ‘Essam
Mohammed Hassan, was damaged.
12. A 200
square-meter house, in which 17 persons live, owned by Jamal Khalil Khamis
Hassan, was damaged.
13. A 180
square-meter house, in which 7 persons live, owned by ‘Aaisha Khamis Khalil
Hussein, was damaged.
14. A 140
square-meter house, in which 3 families counting 15 persons lived, owned by
Saleh Hussein Saleh al-Sha’er, was totally demolished.
At
approximately 22:30, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles
and helicopters and covered by intense shelling, moved approximately 50m into
al-Manara neighborhood adjacent to the “Morag” settlement, south of Khan Yunis. They searched the area and no casualties were
reported.
Wednesday, 23 October 2002
At
approximately 10:00, Israeli forces destroyed a well and a 50 square-meter
building owned by Mohammed Hassan Mohammed ‘Awad in al-Sayafa area in the north
of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
Also
at approximately 10:00, Israeli forces reinforced with about 30 military jeeps
of the so-called “the Border Guard” and “the Civil
Administration” and 3 military bulldozers, demolished 15 houses, a
building and an agricultural nursery in al-Jiftlek area near Jericho, claiming
that they were established without licenses. According to information available for PCHR, Israeli forces forced
residents of the houses out and did not allow them to evacuate their furniture
before demolishing them. The houses that
were demolished belong to:
1. Mohammed
‘Abdul Ghaffar al-Masri: Five 200 square-meter rooms and 150 square-meter
building were demolished, where 3 farmers and their families lived.
2. Jawad Rezeq
al-Masri: Seven 240 square-meter rooms and
a 1000 square-meter building were demolished, where 6 farmers and their
families lived.
3. Basan Mustafa
‘Awissa: A 150 square-meter house, in which 7 persons lived, and pipelines
leading to his fuel station were destroyed.
4. Zeidan
Mohammed Salama ‘Anouz: A 90
square-meter house, in which 8 persons lived, was demolished.
5. Fawaz
Mohammed Salama ‘Anouz: A 100
square-meter house, in which 8 persons lived, was demolished.
6. Sa’ad Shaher
al-Dhamen: A 100 square-meter house was demolished.
7. Ra’ee
Hamdallah Mohammed Daraghma: A 100 square-meter house, in which 9 persons
lived, was demolished.
8. ‘Awad
Mohammed Falah ‘Aayed: An 80
square-meter house, in which 8 persons lived, was demolished.
9. Ramadan
Hussein ‘Aayesh Zeidan: A 110 square-meter house, in which 11 persons lived,
was demolished.
10. Adiba
Mohammed Saleh Sabbah: A 180 square-meter house, in which 7 persons lived, was
demolished.
11. Zahra
Mohammed Nayef Masa’id: A 130 square-meter house, in which 11 persons lived,
was demolished.
12. Mousa Salem
Ahmed Jahalin: A 90 sqauare-meter house, in which 11 persons lived, was
demolished.
13. Mohammed
Salem Ahmed Jahalin: A 75 square-meter house, in which 7 persons lived, was
demolished.
14. Mot’eb
Do’eis: A 10-donum agricultural nursery
and a 1000 square-meter building were demolished.
15. Fawaz
Hamdallah Mohammed: A 90 square-meter house, in which 7 persons lived, was
demolished.
Israeli
forces also demolished an agricultural house in al-Ras village, south of
Tulkarm, owned by ‘Azmi Fayez Sharif Sa’id, claiming that it is located near
the “Security Fence”. They also
destroyed a water network and a water tank. Israeli military bulldozers also demolished the house of Subhi Mar’ei
near Jenin, and destroyed an agricultural pool owned by Sa’id Mahmoud
‘Othman.
At
approximately 17:45, an undercover unit of Israeli forces in a civilian car
moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided a shop and kidnapped two Palestinians: Riad Suleiman
Marshoud, 27, and Nasser Hassan ‘Arafat, 26, both from balata refugee camps. Israeli military jeeps covered the operation
by opening fire at houses. The unit left
the car at the entrance of the refugee camp. The car exploded at approximately 18:15, injuring 5 Palestinian
civilians.
On
Monday 21 October 2002, medical sources in Hebron declared that 46-year-old
Mohammed Ibrahim al-Haimouni died of a wound he sustained when Israeli forces
attempted to assassinate Mohammed Ayoub Seder, an activist of the Islamic Jihad
on 10 December 2001. In the failed
assassination attempt, two children, Burhan Mohammed Ibrahim al-Haimouni, 3,
and Shadi Ahmed ‘Abdul Mo’ti ‘Arafa, were killed, and 14 other civilians,
including Mohammed al-Haimouni, were wounded. Al-Haimouni was wounded by shrapnel throughout the body and his left leg
and right foot were cut.
Collective Punishment
Measures against Families of Wanted Palestinians and Those Who Carried out
Armed Attacks against Israeli Targets
In violation of the
international law and humanitarian law which prohibit collective punishment,
Israeli forces took retaliatory measures against families of Palestinians who
have carried attacks against Israeli targets in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories and those wanted by Israeli forces.
At approximately 01:00 on
Monday, 22 October, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks, armored personnel
carriers, military jeeps and a bulldozer, moved into Qabatya village in Jenin
and imposed a curfew. Shortly they
surrounded a 180 square-meter house, in which 2 families, made up of 12 in
total live, owned by Rafiq Abu al-Rob. They forced residents of the house out and demolished it. A neighboring house owned by heirs of
Mohammed Hussein Abu al-Rob was severely damaged. Israeli forces claim that Rabi’ Abu al-Rob,
25, the owner’s son, arrested in August 2002, is an activist of the Islamic
Jihad who made the bomb for a suicide bombing that occurred in Tel Aviv in
January 2002.
At approximately 03:30 on
Tuesday, 22 October, Israeli forces moved into Balata refugee camp, east of
Nablus. They surrounded a 120
square-meter, 2 story house, in which 3 families counting 19 persons lived,
owned by Yasser Ibrahim Naji. They
forced the residents out and destroyed the house. Two neighboring houses were damaged:
1. The house of Naji Hassan Abu Khalifa in which 9
persons live; and
2. The house of Mohammed Ramadan Minawi in which 7
persons live.
At approximately 06:00 on
Tuesday, 22 October, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles
moved into Salem village, east of Nablus, and imposed a curfew. Then they surrounded a 150 square-meter,
2-story house, in which 42 persons lived, owned by Mahmoud Ahmed Mahmoud
al-‘Eissa, 35. They forced the residents
out and destroyed the house. Israeli
forces claim that al-‘Eissa, arrested 3 months ago, is a member of the military
wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
At approximately 23:00 on
Tuesday, 22 October, Israeli soldiers broke into the house of Mahmoud Mohammed
Jaber al-Qassir, whose son Mohammed, 18, was killed in an armed attack on
“Kissufim” settlement, east of Deir al-Balah on 18 February 2002,
after he had killed a number of Israeli occupying soldiers and settlers.
At approximately 04:00 on
Wednesday, 23 October, Israeli forces moved into ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’ refugee
camp. They surrounded the 100
square-meter, 2-story house of Shadi ‘Ali Mutlaq Najmi, 20, who carried out a
bombing inside Israel 4 months ago. They
forced its 8 residents of the house out and destroyed it. As a result, 5 neighboring houses were
severely damaged:
1. A 100
square-meter house, in which 11 persons live, owned by Yousef ‘Omar al-Sheikh
Yousef.
2. A 100
square-meter house, in which 6 persons live, owned by Fawaz ‘Omar ak-Sheikh
Yousef.
3. A 100
square-meter house, in which 11 persons live, owned by Tawfiq ‘Omar al-Sheikh
Yousef.
4. A 90
square-meter house, in which 6 persons, owned by Yahia Anis Yahia.
5. A 3 story
house, in which 6 persons lived, owned by ‘Omar Hussein al-Natour.
Attacks by Settler against Palestinian Civilians
Israeli
settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians who were picking olives in
the West Bank. Following are the most
significant attacks that took place this week:
Thursday, 17 October 2002
A
number of Israeli settlers moved from “Shama’a settlement, south of Yatta
village in Hebron, and started farming a 180 square-meter area of agricultural
land owned by Mohammed Taleb al-Tal, already seized by settlers under full
protection of Israeli forces. Settlers
had already established a settlement center on this area of land.
Friday, 18 October 2002
A
number of Israeli settlers moved from “Rachel” settlement attacked a number of
Palestinian farmers and Israeli peace activists who were picking up olives in
al-Sawia village, south of Nablus. When
the farmers and peace activists went to the agricultural land located west of
the village, settlers stopped them. Israeli forces were present in the area and provided protection for
settlers.
Saturday, 20 October 2002
At
approximately 10:00, Israeli settlers from “Kharsina” settlement, east of
Hebron, stabled an iron gate near the house of Mohammed Khader Musawda,
preventing access of Palestinians to their large areas of agricultural land
seized by those settlers 18 months ago.
Monday, 21 October 2002
At
approximately 09:00, around 50 Israeli settlers moved from “Shilu” settlement,
north of Ramallah, attacked Palestinian farmers in al-Zhaherat area in the east
of Tormos’eia village, north of Ramllah, while picking up olives. Settlers opened fire at the farmers and
attacked them. As a result, four farmers
sustained bruises:
1. Wassila ‘Abdul Qader Es’eid, 42;
2. Sa’id Taleb Es’eid, 43;
3. Ghuneim Es’eid, 65; and
4. ‘Abdul Hamid Abu Hadia, 40.
At
approximately 16:00, Israeli settlers moved from “Barakha” settlement
attacked Palestinian farmers in Kufor Qallil village in Nablus. They forced farmers to leave their
agricultural land and set fire to a field, burning 50 olives. Israeli forces provided protection for the
settlers.
Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
Sunday, 20 October 2002
At
approximately 09:00, Israeli soldiers on a tank positioned at al-Shuhada’
junction, south of Gaza City, fired at Mohammed Mahmoud Abu al-Lail, 16, from
Nusseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, wounding him with a live
bullet in the right thigh. Abu al-Lail
was working in a farm approximately 700m away from the Israeli tank.
Wednesday, 23 October 2002
At
approximately 08:00, Israeli forces fired at a number of Palestinian farmers
east of Jabalaya, wounding Qaddafi Mustafa Tamboura, 30, from Beit Lahia, with
shrapnel in the right side.
Deaths at Israeli Military Checkpoints
At
approximately 09:00, Isma’il Khalil Salim Habboush, 63, from Gaza City, died
while on his way to a hospital in Jerusalem. He was suffering from a cardiac disease. In her testimony to PCHR, the victim’s wife Nawal Sha’ban Habboush said:
“At
approximately 06:30, I went with my husband to ‘Erez (Beit Hanoun) crossing in
a taxi instead of an ambulance to travel to Jerusalem. We waited at the crossing for two hours. At approximately 08:30, Israeli soldiers told
me that I was forbidden from crossing, although my entry was coordinated. My husband went alone and I went back home. At approximately 09:30, a neighbor came to
our house and told me that my husband died and that he was in Shifa’ Hospital
in Gaza. On the same day, some workers
who were at the crossing told us that they saw him fainting while he was on his
way to the car park at the crossing. An
Israeli ambulance evacuated him to the Palestinian side. He was dead. According to medical sources, he died from an acute heart attack.”
On
Monday morning, 21 October, Munir Mithqal ‘Allam, 48, from ‘Ainabous village,
south of Nablus, died at an Israeli military checkpoint at the southern
entrance of the town, as Israeli occupying soldiers denied him passage.
According
to information available to PCHR, at approximately 07:00, ‘Allam got suddenly
sick. Immediately, his family called the
Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees asking for help. At approximately 08:15, an ambulance of the
union arrived at ‘Allam’s house. Ten
minutes later, the ambulance moved towards Nablus. When it arrived at an Israeli military
checkpoint at the southern entrance of Nablus, Israeli occupying soldiers
prevented its passage, although its medical personnel told the soldiers that
there was a patient in serious condition in the ambulance. At approximately 10:00, ‘Allam died inside
the ambulance that was still waiting at the checkpoint. Traveling between the victim’s village and
Nablus normally takes only 10 minutes.
At
approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 22 October, Khalil Ibrahim Hussein Ahmed, 62,
from Jabalya refugee camp, died from an acute heart attack in the traveling
hall of Rafah border crossing. An
ambulance evacuated his body to a hospital in Rafah.
Palestinians
traveling from and to the Gaza Strip through Rafah border crossing are
subjected to Israeli measures that obstruct their passage and force them to
wait for long hours, and sometimes for more than one day. As a result of such
Israeli policies, a number of Palestinians died at the crossing.
Continued Total Siege
Israeli
forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively
punishing Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian
areas, transforming them into cantons, and have imposed curfews on some areas
in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, violating Palestinian civilians’ economic,
social and cultural rights. The Gaza
Strip is still partitioned into three isolated zones.
On
Sunday, 20 October, Israeli forces closed al-Tuffah military checkpoint at the
entrance to al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip, preventing passage of
Palestinian civilians and goods from and into the area. Israeli forces had opened the checkpoint on
Sunday morning allowing Palestinian civilians over 50 to go back home after a
2-week closure.
At
approximately 17:00 on Monday, 21 October, Israeli forces imposed a curfew on
al-Mawasi area in Rafah and Khan Yunis and ordered residents of the area to
stay at homes.
At
approximately 19:00 on the same day, Israeli forces closed al-Matahen and Abu
Houli military checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street, the main road between the
north and south of the Gaza Strip, and blocked a number of cars between the two
checkpoints. Soon, Israeli soldiers
searched cars and checked identity cars of passengers. They arrested two Palestinians:
1. ‘Abdullah
Murad Miqdad, 50; and
2. Mohammed
‘Abdul Qader Sunaima, 26.
At
approximately 09:30 on Tuesday, 22 October, Israeli forces closed the above
checkpoints again after blocking dozens of cars between them. Israeli soldiers searched cars and forced
passengers to stand at the side of the road, where they checked their identity
cards. Some of the passengers were also
interrogated. Israeli forces arrested 5
Palestinians.
*****
PCHR calls:
1. Upon the international
community to provide immediate and independent international protection for the
Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
2. Upon the High Contracting
Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene in order to take
effective measures to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, in accordance with their obligations under Article 1, to ensure
the respect of the Convention.
3. Upon the international
community to investigate and prosecute those believed to have committed war
crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before international courts.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its
presence, expand its activities, and intensify its field observations
throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to
activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides
that Israel must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international community
to provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people,
whose living conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of the
continued siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
