Press Release

Gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces shoot at a Palestinian fishing boat, wounding a fisherman:

Israeli occupation forces kill two Palestinian civilians – one a child;

More shelling of residential neighborhoods and more leveling of agricultural land

Ref: 191/2000

Date: December 6, 2000 Time: 13:00 GMT  15:00 Palestine Time

 In the past 24 hours, the Israeli occupation forces escalated their human rights abuses against Palestinian civilians. Yesterday afternoon, Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh, killing a child from the village of Abu Qash in Ramallah with a live bullet in the head.  In Bethlehem, yesterday afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces shot at a number of Palestinian young men at the western entrance of the village of Al-Khader, killing a young man with a live bullet in the abdomen.  In Rafah, the Israeli occupation forces shot at a 13-year-old child, wounding him critically with a live bullet in the head.  At sea, the Israeli marine forces opened fire on a Palestinian fishing boat, seriously wounding a fisherman.  The Israeli occupation forces fired shells and heavy and medium bullets at Khan Yunis, Rafah and Beit Jala.  They also swept more areas of agricultural land.

 In Hebron, this afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces attacked a number of Palestinian journalists accompanying UN Special Envoy for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Middle East Terje Larson during his visit to the area in Hebron under the control of the Israeli occupation forces.  These forces prevented the delegation’s entry into the area.  PCHR learned that the Israeli occupation forces beat journalist Nasser Shiokhi, a correspondent for the Associated Press, before arresting him and taking him to an Israeli police station near Keryat Arba settlement in Hebron.  The part of Hebron under the control of the Israeli occupation forces has been under curfew for more than two months (for Palestinian residents there though not for settlers).

 Yesterday afternoon, the child Ramzi A’adel Bayatneh, 15 years old, from the village of Abu Qash in Ramallah, was shot dead with a live bullet in the head by the Israeli occupation forces, during clashes that broke out at about 15:30 local time at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh.  Also yesterday afternoon, in Bethlehem, Abdel-Qader Omar Abu Qattan, 22 years old, from the refugee camp of Al-Doheisha, was shot dead with a live bullet in the abdomen when the Israeli occupation forces shot at a number of Palestinian civilians demonstrating at the western entrance of the village of Al-Khader.

 Yesterday, at about 16:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces shot at a number of boys and children who gathered in front of their houses near Salah El-Din Gate on the borderline in Rafah.  PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the area did not witness violent clashes, and that only two or three boys threw stones at a military post of the Israeli occupation forces in the area.  The Israeli occupation forces did not hesitate to open fire.  As a result, the child Salim Mohammed El-Hamayda was wounded with a live bullet in the head.  The child is under treatment in the intensive care unit of Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.  He is in critical condition.

 Yesterday afternoon, the area of Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City witnessed limited clashes, during which the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators, wounding Hani Abdel-Al, 27 years old, from Al-Shojaeya, with a live bullet in the left foot.

 Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at a Palestinian fishing boat, wounding a fisherman.  This incident took place at 20:00 local time when four Palestinian fishing boats were sailing in an area opposite to the coast of Rafah, where fishing is permitted.  A Palestinian fisherman said that four gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces came close to fishing boats belonging to fishermen from Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in Rafah.  These forces then opened fire on a small Palestinian fishing boat.  Fisherman Jamil Kamal El-Nada, 18 years old, from Al-Mawasi area in Rafah was wounded with live bullets in the right leg and the left thigh from a distance of about 100 meters.  The wounded fisherman was taken by other fishermen to the shore, and then he was moved to Tal Al-Sultan roadblock between Rafah city and its Al-Mawasi area.  As the roadblock was closed, the wounded fisherman was evacuated on foot.  An ambulance waited for him at the other side.  He was evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah and then transferred to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City as he was in serious condition from a bullet that caused a cut in an artery in the right leg.  

  Shelling of Palestinian cities

 Last night, at about 22:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired shells and heavy and medium bullets at Tal Zourob neighborhood in Rafah.  PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the source of fire was a military post of the Israeli occupation forces at the borderline.  The shelling caused damage to a number of houses, but no injuries among Palestinian civilians were reported as they fled their houses in the area.  Two shells hit an under-construction building, composed of several stories that was 200 meters away from the military post of the Israeli occupation forces.  Another building composed of several stories (Al-Fairouz tower) was hit with a hail of bullets that penetrated external walls.  Some other houses, 200 meters away from the military post of the Israeli occupation forces, were also hit with bullets.  PCHR’s field officer added the Israeli occupation forces used heavy bullets that hit a house 600 meters away from the post of these forces.

 Last night, at about midnight local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired shells and heavy and medium bullets at the refugee camp of Khan Yunis.  PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the sources of fire were military posts of the Israeli occupation forces at Al-Tuffah roadblock, in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement and to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood.  No injuries among Palestinian civilians were reported, as the shelling hit the market area and a number of houses in the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis. 

Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity if Gilo settlement shelled Palestinian residential neighborhoods in Beit Jala, the refugee camp of A’aida and the village of Al-Khader, causing severe damage to civilian buildings and facilities.

  Continued Leveling of Agricultural Land

 In the middle area of the Gaza Strip, since last night at 23:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces have continued to level areas of agricultural land on the northern side of the road branch of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip), leading to Kissufim Crossing.  Similar leveling was carried out by the Israeli occupation forces starting in the evening of the day before yesterday and lasted until yesterday morning, 11:00 local time.  This leveling included areas of agricultural land 500 meters to the west of Kissufim Crossing (as mentioned in the last press release). The new sweeping included:

1)                     A 25-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and almonds owned by Turkeya Oudeh El-Masalha.  In addition, a feed store was destroyed. 2)                     A 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and almonds owned by Farha Ahmed El-Masalha. 3)                     A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Abdullah Hassan El-Masalha. 4)                     A 45-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and almonds owned by Suleiman Mastour El-Masalha. 5)                     A six-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and almonds owned by Salem Abdullah Muhareb. 6)                     A 50-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and almonds owned by Ibrahim Mohamed Abu Musleh. 7)                     A 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and almonds owned by Ouqeil Abu Mossae’d. 8)                     A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and almonds owned by Mosallam Abu E’id.   Yesterday morning, the Israeli occupation forces continued to level areas of agricultural land on both sides of the new settler road that these forces recently established between the borderline and the road between Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the east of Gaza, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza.  PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that the leveling, which lasted until the evening, included: 1)                     A 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mohammed Hussein El-Serhi. 2)                     An eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mahmoud Hussein Hajjaj. 3)                     A 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Abu Moheisen Hajjaj. 4)                     A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Ali A’yyad. 5)                     A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Ahmed Abu Zour.    Restrictions on Movement inside the Gaza Strip  The Israeli occupation forces have continued to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories.  In addition, Israeli occupation troops are still heavily deployed at the entrances of Palestinian cities and at the main junctions.  In regard to the internal closure imposed inside the Gaza Strip, this morning, the Israeli occupation forces re-opened Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip) near Kfar Darom settlement.  PCHR’s field officer in the middle area of the Gaza Strip reported that the mentioned road witnessed a heavy traffic jam as the Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks, continued to position roadblocks on the road.  Yesterday afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces re-opened Rafah Border Crossing for travelers under new work conditions and with reduced staff.  PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that only 40 travelers were allowed to travel yesterday.  Gaza International Airport has continued to operate with a reduced work time, from 9:00 to 16:00 local time.  No changes have taken place in the new work conditions established by the Israeli occupation forces that were mentioned in our previous press releases.  ***  PCHR reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to stop the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls in particular for:  1.                              Establishing without delay an independent commission of inquiry, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the abuses and killings perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians. 2.                              Convening a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention. 3.                              Immediately providing international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the protection of these forces. 4.                              Use by the EU of effective political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights. 5.                              Providing humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories. 6.                              Use by the international community and relevant bodies, including ICRC, of necessary measures to ensure the access of medical supplies and equipment and other humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to deny entry of this material through Rafah Border Crossing (into the Gaza Strip).    

“End”