PRESS RELEASE

Settlers escalate their activities against Palestinian civilians in Gaza Strip

Ref: 70/2000

Date: 23^rd May, 2000

Yesterday, 22 May 2000 about 50 settlers from Gush Qatif settlement, under the protection of Israeli soldiers, forced Palestinian civilians to leave Khan Younis beach where they had been relaxing in front of the beach cabins located to the north of Kifar Yam settlement.

The incident followed a protest by Palestinian civilians at attempts by Israeli settlers to light fires on the beach. In reaction to the protest the Israeli soldiers who were protecting the settlers told the Palestinians to leave, saying that the settlers were celebrating the Jewish Feast of Torches. The settlers stayed at the beach until this morning, 23 May 2000, and throughout the night they sang provocative songs against the Palestinian people.

On 11 May 2000, 20 settlers under the protection and support of Israeli soldiers put up tents on the above-mentioned beach from 1pm to 7pm. They were forced to dismantle the tents after a large group of Palestinian civilians protested and a scuffle between the two groups took place. It is worth mentioning that these activities took place within the context of ongoing attempts by Israeli soldiers and settlers to control the 10 southern cabins on the beach, which belong to Khan Younis municipalities.

The municipality built the cabins in 1964. In 1973 Israeli occupation forces took control of the cabins but they left after the tenants of the cabins appealed to the High Court of Israel and received a decision in their favor. Since that time Israeli occupation forces have forbidden the municipality of Khan Younis and the tenants from repairing the cabins.

Also today, 20 settlers closed the Karni crossing into the Gaza Strip from Israel, east of Gaza City, and prevented Palestinian trucks from moving for two hours. The settlers took this action in protest at the Palestinian demonstrations near Netzarim settlement in the middle of the Gaza Strip.

PCHR is deeply concerned by these settlement activities and repeats its call to the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfil their obligations undethe convention and to intervene to end these grave Israeli violations of the convention and to take all necessary legal steps to protect the rights of Palestinian civilians.

“END”