Introduction

 

This report covers Israeli violations of human rights in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories (OPT) from July 26 – August 1, 2001. According to PCHR’s investigations, this
week, the Israeli occupation forces committed extra-judicial killings against
Palestinians. On Wednesday, August 1,
2001, the Israeli government reaffirmed its adoption of this policy,
challenging international law and international humanitarian law, which
prohibit these actions. 

 

This week witnessed an escalation in firing at
Palestinian civilians, shelling of Palestinian residential areas and incursions
into areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority by the
Israeli occupation forces. Although,
this week witnessed a reduction of peaceful marches organized by Palestinian
civilians in protest continued occupation, the Israeli occupation forces
continued to fire upon them when no threat was posed to the lives of Israeli
soldiers.

 

In less than 35 hours, on Monday and Tuesday, July 30
and 31, 2001, 15 Palestinians were killed, including six who were killed in an
explosion, suspected of having been planned and executed by the Israeli
occupation forces. 

 

On Tuesday, July 31, 2001, the
Israeli occupation forces extrajudicially executed eight Palestinian civilians
– two Hamas political leaders, a Hamas activist, the secretary of the
Palestinian Center for Studies and Media and two journalists. Two children who were passing by were also
killed. Israeli combat helicopters fired
two rockets at the office of the Palestinian Center for Studies and Media in
the second floor of a building located in a residential area in Nablus. The eight killed were as follows:

1) Jamal ‘Abdel-Rahman
Mohammed Mansour, 41, a Hamas political leader from Balata refugee camp;

2) Jamal Salim Damouni, 42, a
Hamas political leader from ‘Ein Beit El-Ma’ refugee camp;

3) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Karim
El-Bishawi, 28, a journalist from Balata refugee camp;

4) ‘Othman ‘Abdel-Qader
Qatanani, 25, a journalist from ‘Askar refugee camp;

5) ‘Omar Mansour Mohammed
Mansour, 28, from Blata refugee camp, Jamal Mansour’s bodyguard and cousin;

6) Fahim Ibrahim Mustafa
Dawabsheh, 32, from Nablus;

7) Bilal ‘Abdel-Mun’em Khalil
Abu Khader, 8, from Al-Judaideh village near Jenin; and

8) Ashraf ‘Abdel-Mun’em
Khalil Abu Khader, 5, from Al-Judaideh village near Jenin.

Three Palestinians, including a woman, were seriously
injured in the attack. This crime proves
that the Israeli occupation forces are insistent in carrying out their program
of assassination of Palestinian
activists. This policy does not exclude
political leaders, journalists or even innocent civilians.

 

On Monday morning, July
30, 2001, a heavy explosion occurred in a car parts shop in Wadi Al-Far’a in
Jenin, killing six Palestinians and injuring one severely. According to initial information, a heavy
explosion was heard in Al-Far’a village, while Israeli helicopters were flying
over the area and Israeli tanks were actively moving near “Allon Morei”
settlement near the village. The martyrs
are:

1) Maher Ahmed ‘Abdullah Jawabra, 25,
from Al-Far’a refugee camp, a member of the Palestinian Military Intelligence;

2) Hekmat ‘Abdel-Karim Hammad Abu
El-Habal, 28, from Al-Far’a refugee camp;

3) ‘Abdel-Rahman Eshteitawi Hassan
Mubarak, 25, from Al-Far’a refugee camp;

4) Amin Mohammed Hafezh Balatia, 25,
from Wadi Al-Far’a;

5) Mohammed Taye’ Qassem Balatia,
19, from Wadi Al-Far’a; and

6) Munir Mustafa Saleh Balatia, 24,
from Wadi El-Far’a.

 

According to PCHR’s documentation, 25 Palestinian
activists – 24 civilians and a military official – have been assassinated by
the Israeli occupation forces since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada on
September 29, 2000. Moreover, 16
Palestinian bystanders were killed in these operations. Twelve Palestinian activists were killed by
Israeli combat helicopters, nine were killed in ambushes and as a result of
shootings, two were killed by ambushed cars, and two were killed in explosions
whilst using public phones.

 

This week witnessed an escalation in shelling of
Palestinian residential areas by the Israeli occupation forces, using combat
helicopters, tanks and heavy machine guns. A number of Palestinian civilians were victims of shelling.

 

On Wednesday, August 1, 2001, Mohammed Badawi
El-Bishtawi, 33, from Hebron , was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the
back, when the Israeli occupation forces shelled the city.

 

On Tuesday, July 31, 2001, Israeli occupation
forces, positioned at the road between Al-Shuhada’ junction, south of Gaza
City, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing, fired at a number of Palestinian young
men who were demonstrating approximately 200m away. A Palestinian security man, Mohammed ‘Emad
As’ad Fahmi El-Hasani, 21, a member of the Military Intelligence, tried to move
towards demonstrators to drive them away from the area, but Israeli soldiers
fired at him, killing him with a live bullet that entered the right arm and the
chest and settled in the abdomen.

 

This week, ten Palestinian civilians, including
four children and a woman, were wounded when the Israeli occupation forces
fired at them. On Tuesday, July 30,
2001, a 15-month-old infant, Mai ‘Abdel-Wahab Mohammed Abu Safat, from Deir
Sharaf village near Nablus, was injured by a live bullet in the abdomen, while
she was with her mother in front of their house.

 

On Sunday, July 29, 2001, the Israeli occupation
forces broke into the Holy Sanctuary in Jerusalem. They chased worshippers who attempted to
protest their intervention, and used rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas
canisters. Eleven Palestinians were
wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets, and dozens suffered from tear gas
inhalation.

 

This week, on three occasions, the Israeli
occupation forces penetrated into areas under full control of the Palestinian
National Authority. On Sunday, July 30,
2001, they demolished a Palestinian factory of electric cables, south of
Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing east of Gaza City.

 

This
week, the Israeli occupation forces continued to restrict movement of
Palestinians, placing roadblocks on main and branch roads and at the entrances
of Palestinian cities in the OPT. They
also prohibited movement between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.[1] Israeli occupation forces arrested some
Palestinians at military roadblocks and border crossings, including 15
Palestinians at the Holy Sanctuary in Jerusalem on Sunday, July 29, 2001. The names of those arrested have not been
released.

Eight Victims of an Assassination in Nablus

 

On Tuesday afternoon, July
31, 2001, Israeli occupation forces carried out the worst assassination of its
kind since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada. Eight Palestinian civilians – two Hamas political leaders, a Hamas
activist, the secretary of the Palestinian Center for Studies and Media, two
journalists and two passing children – were killed. 

 

On Tuesday, July 31, 2001,
at approximately 13:50 local time, a US-made Israeli Apache helicopter gunship
fired two rockets at the office the Palestinian Center for Studies and Media,
located on the second floor of a residential building in Nablus. Inside, Hamas political officials Jamal
Mansour and Jamal Salim were giving an interview with Mohammed El-Bishawi of
An-Najah press office and ‘Othman Qatanani from Nablus press office. The office of the center, directed by Jamal
Mansour, was destroyed. Six Palestinian
civilians who were in the office, and two passing children, were killed. They were:

9) Jamal ‘Abdel-Rahman
Mohammed Mansour, 41, from Balata refugee camp;

10) Jamal Salim Damouni, 42,
from ‘Ein Beit El-Ma’ refugee camp;

11) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Karim
El-Bishawi, 28, a journalist from Balata refugee camp;

12) ‘Othman ‘Abdel-Qader
Qatanani, 25, a journalist from ‘Askar refugee camp;

13) ‘Omar Mansour Mohammed
Mansour, 28, from Blata refugee camp, Jamal Mansour’s bodyguard and cousin;

14) Fahim Ibrahim Mustafa
Dawabsheh, 32, from Nablus;

15) Bilal ‘Abdel-Mun’em Khalil
Abu Khader, 8, from Al-Judaideh village near Jenin; and

16) Ashraf ‘Abdel-Mun’em
Khalil Abu Khader, 5, from Al-Judaideh village near Jenin.

 

The two children were on a
visit to their uncle in Nablus. Furthermore, three civilians were injured:

1) Jihad Salim Damouni, 25,
from ‘Ein Beit El-Ma’ refugee camp, Jamal Salim’s brother, injured by shrapnel
throughout the body;

2) Ahmed Ismail Abu Shallal,
31, a researcher in the Internal Solidarity Institution, seriously injured by
shrapnel in the head; and

3) Taghrid Fyez Abu Ghudeib,
42, from Nablus, seriously injured by shrapnel in the head while she was
passing near the targeted building.

 

2. Shelling of Residential
Areas

 

Friday, July 27, 2001

 

At approximately 01:30 local time, two Israeli
military vehicles shelled a site used by the Palestinian Presidential Guard
(Force 17) on the Bir Zeit-Ramallah road, as well as houses and civilian
facilities in the area. The site and a
civilian car were completely destroyed and a number of houses and civilian
facilities were damaged. Residents of
the area were terrified, but no casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 02:00 local time, Israeli occupation
forces, coming from a bypass road leading to ‘Ein ‘Arik village northwest of
Ramallah, shelled a two-story base of Force 17. The base burnt and was severely damaged, but no casualties were
reported.

 

Sunday, July 29, 2001

 

At approximately 07:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the entrance to a bypass
road used by settlers east of Gaza City, opened fire on Palestinian farms
approximately 300m away. Two Palestinian

 

civilians were injured as
follows:

1) Ahmed Riad Abu Sultan, 15,
injured by a live bullet in the left arm; and

2) Fathi ‘Ali Ramadan
Eshteiwi, 24, injured by a live bullet in the left leg.

 

No clashes were reported
in the area where the shelling took place.

 

At approximately 09:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near the northern entrance to
Ramallah, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at
Palestinian houses in Al-Irsal Street in Ramallah. The targeted houses were severely damaged and
people were terrified, but no casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 23:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at Salah El-Din Gate on the
Egyptian border in Rafah fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber
bullets at Palestinian houses in Qeshta and Block “O” area in Rafah. The shelling continued until the following
morning. Several houses were damaged and
people escaped as they thought that the Israeli occupation forces would invade
the area. Furthermore, two civilians
were injured:

1) Helmi Mansour El-Sha’er,
42, injured by shrapnel in the left shoulder; and

2) Mohammed Hussein Jarbou’,
26, injured by shrapnel in the left hand.

 

Monday, July 30, 2001

 

At approximately 09:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned on the Egyptian border
southwest of Rafah opened fire on Palestinian houses. Two Palestinian civilians were injured:

1) Mohammed Fuad Sha’at, 11,
injured by a live bullet in the chest; and

2) Anwar ‘Abdel-Khaliq
Hammad, 17, injured by shrapnel in the head.

 

At approximately 16:00
local time, two Israeli combat helicopters flew over Gaza City and fired four
rockets at the headquarters of Palestinian police directorate in the city. Three rockets struck the headquarters of the
rapid intervention forces while the fourth did not explode. The headquarters was severely damaged and
dozens of policemen and passing civilians suffered from hysteria. They were moved to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza
City.

 

Tuesday, July 31, 2001

 

In the morning, Israeli
occupation forces positioned at Salah El-Din Gate on the Egyptian border south
of Rafah opened fire on Palestinian houses near the border. Hassan Salameh El-Meshwakhi, 24, was injured
by shrapnel in the right hand. PCHR’s
field officer in Rafah reported that El-Meshwakhi was a policeman on duty, and
that no clashes were reported in the area.

 

At approximately 11:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces at Netzarim settlement south of Gaza City
intruded approximately 800m into Palestinian agricultural land in Sheikh ‘Ejlin
neighborhood, which is under the full control of the Palestinian National
Authority. They fired artillery shells
and heavy and medium caliber bullets at the area. A Palestinian civilian car and El-Je’el fuel station
were damaged. The Israeli occupation
forces withdrew from the area one hour later.

 

At approximately 21:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces near Neve Dekalim settlement/military
site west of Khan Yunis fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian
houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp and Al-Amal and Al-Nemsawi
neighborhoods. Four Palestinian
civilians were injured:

1) Yassin ‘Abdel-Hakim Abu
Sultan, 1½, injured by shrapnel in the left eye;

2) Mu’ath Ne’man ‘olwan, 12,
injured by a live bullet in the chest;

3) Jihad Lafi Mansour, 24,
injured by a live bullet in the right leg; and

4) Mahmoud ‘Ali El-‘Aaraj,
21, injured by shrapnel in the right forearm.

 

At approximately 21:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces at Salah El-Din Gate on the Egyptian border
in Rafah fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at
Palestinian houses in Qeshta and Block “O” area in Rafah. Four Palestinian civilians were injured:

1) Ahmed Nahedh Abu Taha, 10,
injured by shrapnel in the left leg;

2) Yasser Samih Musleh, 12,
injured by shrapnel in the left leg;

3) Ahmed Kamal Zannoun, 19,
injured by a live bullet in the right thigh; and

4) ‘Adli Mohammed Abu Taha,
33, injured by shrapnel in the legs and hands.

 

Wednesday, August 1, 2001

 

At approximately 06:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces at Netzarim settlement south of Gaza City
intruded approximately 900m into Palestinian agricultural land in Sheikh ‘Ejlin
neighborhood, which is under the full control of the Palestinian National
Authority. Earlier, they had had fired
artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at the area. No casualties were reported. PCHR’s field officer in Gaza City reported
that such incursions have become frequent, and that Palestinian farmers were
not able to reach farms in the area.

 

At approximately 16:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in settlements and military
sites in Hebron shelled Palestinian houses in the city, killing a Palestinian
civilian and injuring ten. PCHR was informed
that Israeli occupation forces, positioned in “Rmat Yishai” and “Beit Avino”
settlements and in military sites on Johar Moun and at Al-Sahla Street, shelled
Abu Sneineh, Al-Takrouri, Al-Karantina, Al-Sheikh, Al-Zahed and Bab Al-Zawia
neighborhoods, and Al-Manara and Al-‘Adl Streets in Hebron. Mohammed Badawi Mohammed El-Sharbati, 33, was
killed by a heavy caliber bullet that entered his back and exited through the
chest. According to an eyewitness, El-Shrabati
was killed at approximately 17:25 local time, while he was going home from work
in a taxi. The taxi driver was also
injured by shrapnel in the left hand. The other civilians injured were:

1) Ragheb Rajab Humeidan Abu
‘Eisha, 35, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;

2) Samir ‘Abdel-Fattah
Shabana, 23, injured by shrapnel in the face;

3) Wijdan Hisham El-‘Ajlouni,
injured by shrapnel in the legs;

4) Yousef Khaled Hussein
El-Qawasmi, 3, injured by a live bullet in the right hand;

5) Arwdha ‘Abdel-Hai Ghalama,
34, injured by a live bullet in the left hand and by shrapnel in the in the
head;

6) Mohammed Nour El-Din
El-Sharbati, 50, injured by shrapnel in the head;

7) Ghazi Mohammed Ghaith, 17,
injured by a live bullet in the left shoulder;

8) Nisreen Sufian El-Haddad,
12, injured by a live bullet in the left shoulder; and

9) Rania ‘Adnan Sha’ban, 22,
injured by shrapnel in the left hand.

 

At approximately 20:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in a military site at Gush
Qatif settlement block north of Khan Yunis fired 8 artillery shells at
Palestinian houses in Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area northwest of Khan Yunis. An artillery shell fell into a house owned by
Humeid Salem El-Jallad, 41. He was
injured by shrapnel in the right thigh, his wife, Fatema ‘Abdullah El-Jallad,
38, was injured by shrapnel in the right forearm, and his daughters, Laila, 16,
Nasra, 14, and Sarah, 11, were injured by shrapnel in the mouth, the face, and
the right thigh, respectively. PCHR’s
field officer in Khan Yunis reported that another artillery shell fell onto a
house owned by Mousa Hamed El-Jallad. His mother, Fatema Suleiman El-Jallad, 80, was injured by shrapnel in
the right leg. The other 6 shells fell
near some houses, causing severe damage to their walls.

 

3. The Israeli Occupation
Forces Suspected of Planning an Explosion in a Car Parts Shop in Wadi Al-Far’a

 

On Monday, July 30, 2001,
a heavy explosion occurred in a car parts shop in Wadi Al-Far’a in Jenin,
killing six Palestinians and injuring one severely. According to initial information, at
approximately 01:25 local time, a heavy explosion was heard in Al-Far’a
village, while Israeli helicopters were flying over the area and Israeli tanks
were actively moving near “Allon Morei” settlement near the village. In their testimonies to the Palestinian
Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW),
eyewitnesses said that seven people were in a park where car parts are sold,
approximately 200m away from a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security
Forces south of Al-Far’a village. Israeli officials said that three of the victims were wanted by Israeli
occupation forces. Those killed were:

7) Maher Ahmed ‘Abdullah Jawabra,
25, from Al-Far’a refugee camp, a member of Palestinian Military Intelligence;

8) Hekmat ‘Abdel-Karim Hammad Abu
El-Habal, 28, from Al-Far’a refugee camp;

9) ‘Abdel-Rahman Eshteitawi Hassan
Mubarak, 25, from Al-Far’a refugee camp;

10) Amin Mohammed Hafezh Balatia, 25,
from Wadi Al-Far’a;

11) Mohammed Taye’ Qassem Balatia,
19, from Wadi Al-Far’a; and

12) Munir Mustafa Saleh Balatia, 24,
from Wadi El-Far’a.

 

Nassim Helmi Karkari, 30,
from Al-Far’a refugee camp, was seriously injured by shrapnel in the head and
the chest. He was evacuated to the
intensive care unit at Jenin Hospital.

 

4. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians

 

Friday,
July 27, 2001

 

At
approximately 19:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces at a military site on
the road between Al-Shuaha’ junction and Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing fired at
more than 100 Palestinian children and young men who were demonstrating
approximately 300m away. A 15-year-old
child, Karem Hammouda El-‘Abed Sherrir, from Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza
City, was seriously wounded by an explosive bullet in the head.

 

In his
testimony to PCHR, an eyewitness said:

 

“We were
in the area opposite to a road used by settlers, a branch of the road between
Al-Shuhada’ junction, south of Gaza City, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing, east
of Gaza City. We were more than 100
young men and children. Approximately
300 away from us, there were two Israeli tanks. Suddenly, I saw a tank moving back to a nearby military site, while the
other moved towards us. We moved
back. The tank moved over a sand hill,
behind which we were seeking shelter, and leveled it. Then, it moved back. Approximately 5 minutes later, I saw a
military jeep coming from Al-Shuhada’ junction. When it arrived at the military site, it stopped. Then, I saw an Israeli soldier emerging from
a hole in the top of the military jeep, pointing his gun at us. He started shooting at us; most of the
demonstrators moved back, while some other demonstrators and I lay on the
ground approximately 300m away from the military jeep. The shooting lasted for one minute. Then, I saw another soldier getting out of
the jeep and throwing a sound bomb at us. I heard a loud blast. Then, the
shooting completely stopped for approximately one minute. I saw Kamel Serrir stand up. As soon as he stood up, I heard a sound of a
live bullet. I saw him falling on the ground,
3m away from me. I crept towards
him. I saw him bleeding from the
head. Some young men help me carry him
to a civilian car which took him to Shifa’ Hospital” 

 

Sunday,
July 29, 2001

 

At approximately 09:30 local time, 4 Israeli soldiers
entered a Palestinian building still under construction at the northern
entrance to Ramallah. Approximately 2
hours later, they opened fire indiscriminately on a number of Palestinian
laborers who were working in a building across the street. Three laborers were wounded:

1) Nu’man Hamdan Yasser El-Barghouthi, 41, from Deir Abu
Mash’al village near Ramallah, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot;

2) Raja’ei Bassem Yasser El-Barghouthi, 18, , from Deir
Abu Mash’al village near Ramallah, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in
the right hand; and

3) Hussein Mohammed Salem ‘Aawatla, 38, from Nwei’ema
village near Jericho, wounded by two live bullets in the back.

 

A fourth Palestinian civilian, Mohammed Ragheb
Mohammed ‘Olwan, 32, from ‘Ein Yabroud village near Ramallah, who was traveling
by car to his work in Ramallah, was seriously wounded by a live bullet that
entered the back and exited the abdomen.

 

Israeli occupation forces denied a Palestine Red
Crescent Society ambulance access to the wounded. The wounded were instead transferred in a
civilian car to the ambulance and then to Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah.

 

At approximately 11:30 local time, contingents of the
Israeli army and police broke into the yards of Al-Aqsa Mosque (the Holy
Sanctuary) from Al-Magharba Gate, firing rubber-coated metal bullets and tear
gas canisters at prayers. They chased
all Palestinians who were there and severely beat a number of them. PCHR was informed that Israeli soldiers and
policemen intentionally broke the bones of defenseless demonstrators. After the Israeli soldiers and policemen
withdrew from the Holy Sanctuary at approximately 14:45 local time, they again
broke into its yards, using the same methods. Eleven Palestinians were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets as
follows:

1) Nizar ‘Abdel-Ra’ouf El-Z’tari, 23, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right elbow;

2) Nasser Ahmed El-Hadara, 37, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;

3) Khaled Mohammed Shweiki, 22, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left arm;

4) Eihab Mohammed Abu Leil, 29, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand;

5) ‘Ali Ibrahim El-Mughrabi, 20, wounded by 4
rubber-coated metal bullets in different parts of the body;

6) Wissam Dar Hammouda, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head;

7) Fathi Mohammed Abu Sha’ban, 45, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the abdomen;

8) Sami Rezeq Rezqallah, 50, wounded by two
rubber-coated metal bullets in the neck and the head;

9) Zarifa ‘Ali Nassar, 43, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the abdomen;

10) Mahmoud Mousa ‘Edwan, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head; and

11) Amjad Sharif Boujia, 21, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head.

 

Furthermore, dozens suffered from tear gas inhalation
and fractures and bruises.

 

Monday, July 30, 2001

 

In the afternoon, Ramzi
Mohammed El-Muhtasseb, 43, from Hebron, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet when Israeli occupation soldiers fired at people at Al-Shallalah Street
near demarcation lines in the city. No
clashes were reported in the area.

 

At approximately 15:00
local time, Israeli occupation soldiers positioned in a military site in Tal
Zo’rob area south of Rafah fired at Block “J” area, approximately 2km
away. Mahmoud Mohammed El-Heisami, 22,
was injured by shrapnel in the right hand.

 

At approximately 16:30
local time, Israeli occupation soldiers at the border east of Beit Hanoun in
the northern Gaza Strip fired at a Palestinian farmer and his wife, wounding
the wife with two live bullets. In his
testimony to PCHR, Mousa Saqer Abu ‘Amsha said that he was with his wife,
Serria Saleh Abu ‘Amsha, 34, and their child, cultivating okras from their
agricultural land which had already been razed by Israeli occupation
forces. He saw an Israeli soldier at a
military observation tower at the border, who fired on them without
provocation. Immediately, his wife fell
onto the ground, bleeding from the left leg. He quickly brought a civilian car to transfer her to Shifa’ Hospital in
Gaza City. She was wounded by two live
bullets, in the left thigh and upper arm.

 

At approximately 21:30
local time, a 12-year-old child, ‘Essam Hussein El-Najjar, from Rafah refugee
camp, was injured by shrapnel from a live bullet in the left shoulder and the
chest when Israeli occupation forces, positioned in a military site in Tal
Zo’rob area southwest of Rafah, fired at streets of the camp, approximately 2km
away.

 

At 23:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces fired from the same military site at Rafah refugee
camp. Mohammed ‘Abdel-Latif El-Nijdi,
17, was injured by shrapnel in the right hand. According to PCHR’s investigation, the shooting took place when there
were no clashes in the area. Similar
incidents have been frequent of late.

 

Tuesday, July 31, 2001

 

At approximately 13:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces on the road between Al-Shuhada’ junction,
south of Gaza City, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing fired at a number of young
Palestinian men who were demonstrating approximately 200m away. Mohammed ‘Emad As’ad Fahmi El-Hasani, 21, a
member of Military Intelligence, tried to move towards demonstrators to drive
them away from the area, but Israeli soldiers fired at him, killing him with a
live bullet that entered the right arm and the chest and settled in the
abdomen.

 

At approximately 20:15
local time, a 15-month-old infant, Mai ‘Abdel-Wahab Mohammed Abu Safat, from
Deir Sharaf village near Nablus, was injured by a live bullet in the abdomen,
while she was with her mother in front of their house. PCHR was informed that Israeli occupation
soldiers positioned at a bypass road north of the village fired at Palestinian
houses approximately 300m away. The
infant was seriously injured by a live bullet in the abdomen and was evacuated
to Rafidya Hospital in Nablus.

 

 

 

 

5. Civilian Facilities
Demolition

 

On Monday, July 30, 2001,
at approximately 00:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces demolished a
number of Palestinian civilian facilities, approximately 300m southwest of
Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing, east of Gaza City. The demolition was carried out by a large detachment of Israeli troops,
reinforced with tanks, and continued up to 01:30 local time. PCHR’s field officer in Gaza City reported
that Israeli occupation forces, positioned at a nearby settlement road, fired
heavy and medium caliber bullets at the area while the demolition was taking
place. The Israeli occupation forces
demolished:

1) A 2,200-square-meter
factory of electric cables, owned by the El-Haddad Company and Nasser Yassin,
in which:

(a) A 400-square-meter store
was destroyed, including raw materials and ready-for-sale products;

(b) A guardroom and another
room that served as a store;

(c) A bathroom and a kitchen;

(d) The 150-meter-long fence;
and

(e) An electricity network, a
water network and an electricity transmitter.

2) A room in a building still
under construction, owned by the El-Haddad Company.

 

6. Arrests by the Israeli
Occupation Forces

 

This week, Israeli
occupation forces arrested 16 Palestinians. These arrests took place in the following ways:

1) Arrests at international
border crossings, which are under control of Israeli occupation forces.

2) Arrests at military
roadblocks on main and branch roads and at the entrances to Palestinian cities
and villages.

3) Penetration into
Palestinian towns and villages, raiding houses and arresting their residents.

 4) Kidnapping Palestinians
from areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority by
undercover units of Israeli occupation forces.

 

The following table lists
significant arrests that took place this week:

 

 

 

 

In addition, Israeli soldiers arrested 15
Palestinians in the Holy Sanctuary in Jerusalem, when they broke into it on
Sunday, July 29, 2001.

 

****

 

PCHR calls upon the international community:

 

1) To provide immediate and independent international
protection for the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories;

2) To ensure that the ICRC enhances its presence,
expands its activities and intensifies its field observations throughout the
Occupied Palestinian Territories;

3) To ensure that the High Contracting Parties to the
Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 reconvene in order to take effective measures
to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in
accordance with their obligations under article 1 to ensure the respect of the
Convention;

4) To investigate and prosecute those believed to have
committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before international
courts;

5) To ensure that the European Union activates Article 2
of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must
respect human rights;

6) To ensure that the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights visits the Occupied Palestinian Territories and that the Resolution
adopted by the UN High Commission on Human Rights in April 2001 be implemented;

7) To provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian
people, whose living conditions are increasingly deteriorating as a result of
the continued siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the entire
Occupied Palestinian Territories.