Press Release

Israeli occupation forces kill six Palestinian civilians and one policeman:

More shelling of houses and continued leveling of agricultural land

 Ref: 169/2000

Date: November 15, 2000

Time: 16:30 GMT

18:30 Palestine Time

The Israeli occupation forces have continued to perpetrate rampant abuses and killings against Palestinian civilians throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. Today, these forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators, killing seven in Gaza, Tulkarm, Hebron, Jericho and Jenin. It was clear that the shooting of the Israeli occupation forces targeted the upper body of Palestinian civilians, in an obvious intention to kill them. In the past 24 hours, the Israeli occupation forces renewed the shelling of houses and civilian facilities in the occupied territories with rockets. They also swept and annexed more land to settlements in Khan Yunis, Rafah, Gaza and Beit Lahia.

1. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

In the midday, the child Ahmed Samir Bassal, 15 years old, from Tal El-Hawa in Gaza, was shot dead with a live bullet in the head by the Israeli occupation forces near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza. PCHR’s field officer in the area stated that there have been no serious clashes in the area since the morning. In the midday, about 60 young men and boys gathered in the area and the Israeli occupation forces shot at them, killing the child Bassal. In the aftermath of killing the child Bassal, the momentum of clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces increased. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire, killing another Palestinian civilian, not identified yet, with a live bullet in the head, and wounding ten with live ammunition and another two with rubber-coated metal bullets. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that all the shooting came from Israeli occupation snipers using guns provided with silencers. Among the wounded are:

1. Ashraf Hammad Abu Dayyeh, 20 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood, wounded with a live bullet in the pelvis; and
2. Bilal Samir Abu Oudeh, 18 years old, from Beit Hanoun, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen.
3. Awhad Mussallam Zhaher, 15 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the back.

This afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators near Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis city and Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area, which is under the security control of the Israeli occupation forces, from the mentioned road block and from the nearby Neve Dekalim settlement. PCHR’s field

officer reported that five Palestinian civilians were wounded with live ammunition in the upper part of the body. They are:

1. The child Jehad Suheil Abu Shahmeh, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the head. He was transferred from Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis into Shifa’ hospital in Gaza. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces shot the child with a gun provided with a silencer from inside Neve Dekalim settlement.
2. E’mad Mazen Gannan, 18 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the neck.
3. Abdel-Azziz Nayef Al-Astal, 18 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the neck.
4. Mahmoud Eissa Qabalan, 20 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the chest.
5. Ismail Mohammed Saqer, 17 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the right shoulder.

In Rafah, clashes broke out between the Israeli occupation forces and Palestinian civilians who have demonstrated since the morning in three areas at the Palestinian-Egyptian border: Salah El-Din Gate, Al-Salam neighborhood and Al-Barazil neighborhood. These clashes broke out when Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and bulldozers started to sweep areas of land adjacent to the borderline. These troops shot at Palestinian civilians, wounding 21 with live bullets.

In Rafah also, a pregnant woman in the ninth month was wounded with a live bullet shot by the Israeli occupation forces while she was in her house, which is about two kilometers away from the military post of the Israeli occupation forces at the Palestinian-Egyptian border. In her testimony to PCHR, Mrs. Ne’ma Abed Janem, 22 years old, from Rafah, said: “At about 14:00 (local time), I was in my house in Al-Joneina neighborhood. The door of the house opposite to the borderline was open. I heard intensive shooting from the Israeli military post, which lasted for ten minutes. Suddenly, I felt heat and severe pain in my left thigh. I saw it bleeding. I fell on the ground.” She called neighbors who evacuated her to a public hospital in Al-Joneina neighborhood. She is still undergoing treatment.

In the vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators, wounding one with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the abdomen. Another Palestinian civilian was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head shot by the Israeli occupation forces near Al-Shuhada’ junction leading to Netzarim settlement, to the south of Gaza City.

To the west of Tulkarm, clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces fired live ammunition at demonstrators, killing:

1. Fathi Oudeh Joma’a Salama, 18 years old, from Tulkarm refugee camp, with a medium caliber bullet in the chest; and
2. Samer Khairi Ahmed Khader, 29 years old, from the village of Kofor Romman, with a live bullet in the chest. PCHR learned that Khader was a policeman.

In Hebron, clashes broke out this afternoon between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces in the village of Al-Samou’. The Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators, killing Jaddou’ Manei’ Abu Al-Kebash, 16 years old, with a dumdum bullet in the abdomen. Additionally, some other Palestinian civilians were wounded, including Karim Mahmoud Abu A’wwad, 17 years old, who was wounded with a dumdum bullet in the artery of his left shoulder.

In Jericho, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators near the southern entrance of the city, killing Abdel-Hafezh Mohammed Gharrouf, 20 years old, with a live bullet in the chest.

Near Al-Jalama roadblock in Jenin, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians, killing Ahmed Sae’id Sha’ban, 16 years old, with a live bullet in the abdomen which penetrated the back.

1. Shelling and Shooting at Houses

At about 13:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces shelled from their military post at the junction leading to Kissufim Crossing the house of Hamdi Al-Ja’farawi. The house is on the western side of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip), 300 meters away from the mentioned military post. PCHR has been unable to view the result of this shelling because the area has been closed since yesterday morning.

This past evening at midnight, the Israeli occupation forces fired heavy and medium bullets at houses in the area of Al-Satr Al-Gharbi in Khan Yunis. PCHR’s field officer reported that the source of fire was a military post of the Israeli occupation forces inside Gani Tal settlement in the northwest of Khan Yunis, and that targeted houses were 300 meters away from the settlement. The shelling caused severe damage to façades and water reservoirs of 16 houses owned by members of the family of Al-Astal. A fuel station, owned by Abdel-Majid Abdel-Hadi was also hit with bullets.

In Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, a lighting bomb fired by the Israeli occupation forces yesterday fell on a plastic and glass factory owned by Khamis Jasser Hassabullah. A significant part of the factory burned. The owner of the factory estimated his loss at about 50,000 NIS (approximately US$12,500).

2. Sweeping of Agricultural Land

At about 7:00 local time this morning, under the escort of three tanks, bulldozers of the Israeli occupation forces swept about 13 donums of agricultural land, owned by farmers of the family of Al-Shae’r in Al-Salam neighborhood adjacent to the

Palestinian-Egyptian border. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the sweeping included:

1. A three donum area of agricultural land owned by Nassar Hussein Al-Shae’r, including two donums planted with olives and a one-donum greenhouse planted with vegetables.
2. A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, citrus and fruits, owned by Abed Ahmed Al-Shae’r. In addition, an animal farm was demolished, in which five sheep and some birds were killed.
3. A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Suleiman Mohammed Al-Shae’r.
4. A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and fruits, owned by Mahmoud Mohammed Daoud.
5. A one-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Samir Hassan Al-Shae’r. In addition, a room of agricultural tools was demolished.
6. A one-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Saleh Hassan Al-Shae’r.
7. A 300-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Majed Hassan Al-Shae’r.

Yesterday, at about 22:30, the Israeli occupation forces resumed the sweeping of agricultural land on both sides of the road branching from Salah El-Din Street leading to Kissufim Crossing on the Green Line, which started last Monday. More than 88.5 donums of agricultural land were swept. The sweeping, which lasted until 6:00 this morning, included:

1. A 40-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, almonds and pomegranates, owned by Abdullah Shehadeh Al-Maghaydha. In addition, two rooms holding animals were demolished.
2. A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Hammad Saleh Abu Haddaf. In addition a well and a water pump were destroyed.
3. A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and palms, owned by Fatheya Mohammed Abu Ziadeh.
4. A seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with sets of olives, owned by Hassan Abu Kaware’.
5. A 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Fawzi Abu Taha. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
6. A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Zayed Salem O’beid. In addition a pool and an irrigation pump were destroyed.
7. A 12.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Abdel-Qader Al-Masri.
8. A 12.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Dhiab Al-Masri.
9. A four-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mohammed Salem Abu Haddaf.
10. A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Abdel-A’ati Yousef Al-Mozayyen. In addition, an irrigation network and a well were destroyed.
11. A one-donum greenhouse planted with vegetables, owned by Saman E’id Abu E’reiban. In addition, two rooms were demolished.
12. A two-donum greenhouse owned by the family of Abu E’mran.
13. Demolishing two rooms and an iron-gate owned by Abdel-Hamid Al-Qedra.
14. Destroying a well and two water pumps owned by Khalaf Abu Hajjaj.
15. Destroying three columns of a house under construction owned by Abed Rabbo Abu Haddaf.

In the area of Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, yesterday, the Israeli occupation forces demolished a 120-square-meter house under construction owned by Fawzi Erhim. The demolished house was 150 meters to the west of the road leading to Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). The house was partially demolished on October 30, 2000 and yesterday, it was completely demolished. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that a part of the southern side of an iron factory was also demolished.

In the vicinity of Dogit Settlement, to the north of Beit Lahia, the Israeli occupation forces and Jewish settlers expanded the northern, southern and eastern borders of the settlement by fencing a 250-donum area of land, adjacent to the settlement, with barbed wires.

1. Continued Reinforcements and Blocking of Roads

The Israeli occupation forces continued to reinforce their presence throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Gaza Strip, tanks and armored vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces have been stationed on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip), near the roads leading to Gush Qatif settlement block and the settlements of Kfar Darom and Morag, and on the road leading to Kissufim Crossing in the east. Since yesterday morning, the Israeli occupation forces have closed Salah El-Din Street near Kfar Darom settlement, preventing the movement of Palestinian citizens and transportation in both directions. The road is still closed. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to isolate Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in the west of Rafah and Khan Yunis. They have imposed a sea siege on the southern area of the Gaza Strip since November 10, 2000, preventing fishermen from entering the sea.

In the West Bank, the Israeli occupation forces have tightened the siege they are imposing on all Palestinian cities. These forces have closed all the main roads leading to these cities and isolated them from their rural areas.

The Israeli occupation forces have continued their actions of collective punishment by continuing to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories, and by closing Gaza International Airport and Rafah Border Crossing.

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.

 “End”