Press Release

 

Israeli occupation forces continue criminal actions:

Three martyrs in Gaza, Hazma and Al-Khader

 

 

Ref: 153/2000

Date: November 2, 2000

Time: 16:30 GMT

18:30 Palestine Time

Despite news about a new Palestinian-Israeli understanding on taking steps to decrease tension, clashes have broken out in several areas in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Israeli occupation forces continued to be stationed at the entrances to Palestinian cities and at points of friction with Palestinian civilians. The Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians and killed two in the villages of Hazma near Jerusalem and Al-Khader near Bethlehem. A third Palestinian died in Gaza after he was wounded yesterday evening by these forces. Additionally, more Palestinian civilians were wounded today, some of whom are in serious condition.

In the village of Hazma near Jerusalem, clashes broke out this morning between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing Khaled Ahmed Rezeq, 18 years old, with two live bullets in the chest and abdomen.

This afternoon, the village of Al-Khader near Bethlehem witnessed clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces fired live ammunition at demonstrators and killed Yazan Mohammed Halaiqa, 19 years old, from the village of Al-Sheyookh near Hebron, with a live bullet in the head. PCHR learned also that 22 Palestinian civilians were wounded with live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets in clashes in Al-Khader and Hosan.

In Gaza City, this morning, A’dli Ghassan Obeid, 21 years old, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, was pronounced dead at Shifa’ hospital. Obeid was wounded yesterday evening with a live bullet in the abdomen during clashes in the area near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza.

In the vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement near Deir El-Balah, clashes broke out this morning between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces opened fire and wounded 11 civilians with live ammunition, including Zakaria Hammad Abu Samra, 17 years old, from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with a live bullet in the chest. PCHR’s field officer in the area denied the claims of the Israeli occupation forces that they pulled back their tanks and armored vehicles from the area this morning. These tanks and armored vehicles moved some meters back to the entrance of Kfar Darom settlement. At the same time, military jeeps continued to move along the main road between the south and north of the Gaza Strip (Salah El-Din Street) and the roadblocks positioned by the Israeli occupation forces remained on the road. PCHR’s field officer added that the Israeli occupation forces closed Salah El-Din Street in the middle of the day preventing Palestinian civilians and transportation from moving in both directions. This closure lasted for an hour. This afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces re-stationed tanks and armored vehicles on the main road.

In Khan Yunis, clashes have broken out since the morning between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces near Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis city and Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators wounding ten civilians with live ammunition. Among the wounded was Ayyoub Mohammed Abu Shab (wounded in the eye). Additionally, one Palestinian civilian was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet. PCHR’s field officer reported that dozens of civilians suffered from fainting and suffocation due to inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli occupation forces in the area. He added that large numbers of troops of the Israeli occupation forces were deployed in the area of clashes and that tanks were stationed at Gush Qatif junction on Salah El-Din Street.

This morning, clashes broke out between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces near Netzarim junction, to the south of Gaza City. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators wounding two with live ammunition and another four with rubber-coated metal bullets. The wounded were evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza.

Yesterday, the Israeli occupation forces continued to sweep areas of agricultural land along the Palestinian-Egyptian border in Rafah. They started this particular action on October 30, 2000. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the Israeli occupation forces swept a strip of agricultural land 1km long and 30-50m wide, including the following tracts of land:

A four-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds owned by Mahrous Suleiman Abu Fatema.

A six-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds owned by Suleiman Salem Abu Fatema.

A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Fayez Suleiman Abu Fatema.

A twenty-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds and olives owned by the heirs of both Mahmoud Hamdan Qeshta and Shoreiqi Mohammed Qeshta.

***

 

PCHR’s Notes on Today’s Clashes in the Gaza Strip:

 

There was an intensive presence of troops, tanks, and armored vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces in the areas of clashes, especially in the vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement and Gush Qatif and Morag junctions on Salah El-Din Street. Roadblocks positioned by the Israeli occupation forces remained on Salah El-Din Street.

There were significant efforts by the Palestinian security forces to move Palestinian demonstrators away from the posts of the Israeli occupation forces.

The Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators wounding 23 with live ammunition and four with rubber-coated metal bullets.

Two of the wounded are in serious condition as they were wounded in the upper part of the body. One of them is a 17 –year-old boy who was wounded with a live bullet in the chest, and the other is a 13-year-old child who was wounded with a live bullet in the eye.

It is clear that the reduction in the number of wounded does not bear evidence that there was a change in the shooting orders of the Israeli occupation forces, but rather is a consequence of the reduction in demonstrations and marches of Palestinian civilians.

The Israeli occupation forces continued to close Gaza International Airport and to restrict the movement inside and outside the Gaza Strip.

***

 

PCHR reiterates its call on 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:

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.

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.

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.

Use by the EU of effective political and economic means with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement which calls for the respect for human rights.

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 whole occupied Palestinian territories.

***

 

“End”