PRESS RELEASE
Gaza Strip Border Crossings used by Israeli Occupation Forces as Arrest Points
Ref.: 19/2000
Date: 10th February 2000
With the border crossing points of the Gaza Strip remaining under total Israeli control, the Israeli occupation forces continue to arrest Palestinian citizens while entering or exiting the Gaza Strip. These arrests are carried out at Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, at Gaza International Airport, and at Erez crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Palestinians are also arrested in areas under Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip and inside Israel. PCHR’s fieldwork unit reported that 8 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have been arrested so far in 2000. Two were arrested at Rafah border crossing, one at Gaza International Airport, three at Erez crossing point into Israel (of these three, one was arrested on the so-called ‘safe passage’), and two children, fifteen years of age, were arrested near a military post close to Beit Saheh settlement in the Gaza Strip.
Table setting out the names of the detainees, date and place of arrest:
Name of Detainee
Date
Place
1
Bassam Musa Za’aneen
3/1/2000
Gaza International Airport
2
Naji Ghazi Salah
11/1/2000
Erez crossing
3
Ibrahim Darweesh Mohaisen
12/1/2000
Erez crossing
4
Na’el Lutfi Sarsour
17/1/2000
Safe passage
5
Iyman Jabr Imad
20/2/2000
Rafah crossing
6
Mohammed Abdel Aziz Rantisi
2/2/2000
Rafah crossing
7
Iyad Antar Swayed
7/2/2000
Near settlement
8
Fadi Hussien Na’na’
7/2/2000
Near settlement
It is worth noting that Israeli occupation forces arrested 83 residents of the Gaza Strip in similar conditions in 1999, in addition to hundreds of Palestinians who were arrested inside Israel. In September 1997, Israeli occupation forces issued two military orders, which authorised Israeli military courts to rule in cases concerning breaches of Israeli military orders by Palestinians who live in areas under PA security control.
PCHR reiterates its condemnation of the policy of arresting Palestinian citizens by Israeli occupation forces. PCHR points out, in particular, that arresting Palestinians who live in areas under PA jurisdiction has significant implications since it undermines the security jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority in areas under its control.
