Israel Continues to Violation Human
Rights in the OPT, while the International Community Remains Silent
· 6 Palestinians, including a child,
were killed by Israeli forces
· 1
of the victims was assassinated by Israeli forces in Khan Yunis
· Israeli
forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas
· 17
houses were completely or partially destroyed and more than 80 donums of
agricultural land were razed in the Gaza Strip
· Indiscriminate
shelling of Palestinian residential areas continued
· Israel
continues its campaign of retaliation against the families
of wanted Palestinians and those who allegedly carried out armed attacks
against Israeli targets, resulting the destruction of 4 houses
· More
Palestinians were arrested
· Continued
siege on Palestinian communities and all roads in the West Bank were closed
Introduction
Despite statements made by Israeli government officials on efforts made
to ease the situation for Palestinians as a prerequisite to the implementation
of the Road Map, Israeli occupying forces have continued to conduct illegal
actions and human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including
collective punishment, shelling of and incursions into Palestinian areas, house
demolitions and agricultural land leveling. This week 29 May – 4 June 2003, 6 Palestinians, including a child, were
killed by Israeli occupying forces.
This week, Israeli occupying forces conducted a
series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip, during which
they demolished a number of Palestinian houses and razed large areas of
agricultural land. Israeli forces
conducted 5 incursions into the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah and its
refugee camp, during which they totally destroyed 5 Palestinian houses and 11
others partially and razed 19 donums of agricultural land. Israeli forces also razed more than 45 donums
of Palestinian agricultural land in the southeast of Gaza City. In Khan Yunis, Israeli forces conducted 3
incursions into the southeast and east of the town, during which they
demolished a Palestinian house and razed 21 donums of agricultural land.
For the third consecutive week, Israeli forces have
been positioned at the entrances of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit
Hanoun, imposing a strict siege on the area. They have seized a number of Palestinian houses in the area and
transformed them into military locations, from which they fired at Palestinian
civilians.
In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassination
officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments against
Palestinian political and field activists of the Intifada, this week, Israeli
occupying forces assassinated an allegedly wanted Hamas activist in al-Qarara
village, east of Khan Yunis. Israeli
forces fired at the victim in his house and fired at him again when his
neighbors attempted to evacuate him to hospital.
This week, in a number of cases of willful killing,
Israeli occupying forces shot dead 3 Palestinians, including a member of the
Palestinian National Security Force. Three
other Palestinians succumbed to wounds they had previously sustained by Israeli
forces.
In a violation of international humanitarian law, which
prohibits collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliatory measures
against families of Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli
targets in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli
forces. In this context, they destroyed 4 houses in the West Bank.
Israeli occupying forces continue to maintain a total
siege on the OPT. They have isolated
Palestinian communities from one another and have partitioned the Gaza Strip
into three separate zones, restricting the movement of people and goods.
They have also maintained curfews on some areas in the West Bank. Israeli
occupying authorities have also prevented Palestinians aged 16-35 from
traveling abroad and Palestinians traveling through Rafah Terminal at the Egyptian
border have faced difficulties due to Israeli restrictions.
Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas
Thursday, 29 May 2003
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with 30 heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 200m into
Zo’rob neighborhood near the border with Egypt, south of Rafah. Under the pretext of destroying underground
tunnels, Israeli soldiers planted explosives inside 4 Palestinian houses and about
4 hours later, detonated them, including:
1. A 240-square-meter, 3-storey house
owned by Nabila Ahmed Thabet Zo’rob, in which 19 people (4 families) lived;
2. A 170-square-meter, 3-storey house
owned by heirs of ‘Abdul Hadi ‘Aashour Duhair, in which 18 people (4 families)
lived;
3. A 170-square-meter, 3-storey house
owned by ‘Aashour Nasser Hadian Duhair, in which 26 people (5 families) lived;
and
4. A 160-square-meter, 3-storey house
owned by ‘Abdul Wahab Taleb al-‘Abed al-Zatma, in which 11 people (3 families)
lived.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles and military jeeps, invaded Jenin and
its refugee camp. They imposed a curfew
and raided the Palestinian police station in al-Saibat neighborhood at the
entrance of the old town. Israeli
soldiers also opened fire at houses. A
number of Palestinian resistance men clashed with Israeli forces. One of the resistance men, Sa’ed Mohammed
Fahmawi, 23, from Jenin refugee camp, was seriously wounded by 4 live
bullets. Israeli forces prevented
ambulances from attending him, and as a result, he bled to death. He was finally evacuated to hospital at
approximately 04:00. According to
medical sources, he was hit by 4 live bullets in the chest.
At approximately 03:00, about an hour after an
infantry unit of Israeli occupying forces had moved into al-Qarara village and
assassinated Mohammed al-Qedra (see the section on extra-judicial
assassination), a number of Israeli heavy military vehicles moved into the area
and seized control over its main and branch roads. Israeli soldiers raided 6 houses belonging to
the Abu Haddaf family. They held
residents of those houses in single rooms and searched them. At approximately
04:15, Israeli forces withdrew from the area, arresting 29 Palestinians. Israeli forces then took the detainees to a
military location near the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, where they were
interrogated. 22 of the detainees were
later released, while the other 7 remained in custody:
1. ‘Aadel
Ahmed Salama Abu Haddaf, 21, a university student;
2. Sami
Ahmed Salama Abu Haddaf, 20, a university student;
3. Walid
Mohammed Suleiman Abu Haddaf, 17, a school student;
4. Mohammed
Salama Abu Haddaf, 21, a university student;
5. Ussama
‘Aayesh Ghanem Abu Haddaf, 27, a policeman;
6. Mohammed
‘Adnan Mohammed Abu Haddaf, 20; and
7. ‘Alaa’
‘Adnan Mohammed Abu Haddaf, 16, a school student.
Also at approximately 03:00, Israeli occupying
forces, reinforced with 8 heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 300m
into Block J in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the border with Egypt. Israeli military bulldozers partially
demolished 8 Palestinian houses:
1. A
180-square-meter, 3-storey house owned by Suleiman Ahmed Suleiman Abu
Hassanain, in which 20 people (4 families) live;
2. A
250-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by Zaki Mohammed Khamis al-Jazzar, in
which 5 people live;
3. A
250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Ra’ed Zaki Mohammed al-Jazzar,
in which 4 people;
4. A
270-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Abdul Wahab Taleb al-‘Abed
al-Zatma, in which 13 people (2 families) live;
5. A
250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Mahmoud ‘Abdul ‘Aziz
al-Jazzar, in which 30 people (5 families) live;
6. A
60-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Fawzi Mohammed Hassan al-Hams,
in which 11 people live;
7. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Ghanem Mahmoud Ghanem Sha’at,
in which 12 people live; and
8. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Abdul Qader Rashid Hassan
al-Jamal.
At approximately 11:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 200m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis. Covered by intense gunfire, the bulldozer
demolished a 130-square-meter uninhabited house owned by Hamdi Ahmed Hamdan
al-Masri. They also demolished
foundations of a house which was under-construction, owned by Ibrahim Ahmed
Hamdan al-Masri.
Friday, 30 May 2003
At approximately 16:00, a tank and an Israeli military
bulldozer moved approximately 500m into al-Shouka area in the southeast of
Rafah, where they razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land, including:
1. A
2-donum area of agricultural land, on which 2 greenhouses planted with vegetables
stood, owned by Mahmoud Hassan Mo’ammar.
2. A
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mohammed Mahmoud
Abu Suhaiban.
At approximately 20:45, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations and on tanks near Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border,
south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian residential areas and streets in the
town. A Palestinian child, ‘Alaa’ Wa’el
al-Nujeeli, 15, was injured by shrapnel in the right feet, while he was near
his house, approximately 400m north of the source of fire.
Saturday, 31 May 2003
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with 13 heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 200m into Zo’rob
neighborhood in Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border. Under the pretext of destroying underground
tunnels, Israeli soldiers raided a 278-square-meter, 3-storey house owned by
Mohammed Mansour Hadian Duhair, in which 32 people (4 families) live. They planted explosives inside the house and
destroyed it. As a result, 3 neighboring
houses were severely damaged:
1. A
170-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by Jamil Hassan ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Zo’rob, in
which 18 people live;
2. A
180-square-meter house owned by Khaled Mahmoud Mohammed Zo’rob, in which 6
people live; and
3. A
190-square-meter house owned by Safwat Mahmoud Mohammed Zo’rob, in which 7
people live.
At approximately 11:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved approximately
900m into al-Fukhari area, southeast of Khan Yunis. They demolished a 300-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed site and a Palestinian National Security Force prayer area. They also razed a 15-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, fruits and vegetables, and destroyed 2
greenhouses, an irrigation network and agricultural equipment owned by ‘Abdul
Nasser ‘Abdul Rahman Abu Tu’aima.
At approximately 11:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 200m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis, razing
areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network and a 500-square-meter bird farm owned by Ibrahim and Hamdi
Ahmed Hamdan al-Masri.
2. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Samir Khalil Khamis Sha’at.
3. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Ref’at Khalil Khamis Sha’at.
At approximately 14:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including 3 bulldozers, moved
approximately 350m into Palestinian agricultural areas, southeast of Gaza City,
where they razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus owned
by Nemer Mohammed Salim Shuhaiber and his brothers.
2. They
razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus owned
by Mohammed Radwan Khader Abu Jarad.
3. They
razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus owned
by Hussein and Hassouna Hamed Mustafa ‘Aashour.
4. They
razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
agricultural pool owned by Mahmoud Matar Abu Jarad.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 400m into al-Shouka area in the southeast of Rafah. They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives owned by Ahmed Mohammed Jarad.
Tuesday, 3 June 2003
In the morning, medical sources at Ramallah Hospital
declared that Ameer Khalil ‘Abdul Latif Habala, 17, from Tulkarm refugee camp, died
from a previous wound he sustained by Israeli occupying forces. According to information available to PCHR,
at approximately 02:00 on Friday, 23 May 2003, Israeli occupying forces invaded
Tulkarm and its refugee camp. They
opened fire at Palestinian houses. Later, a number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones towards
Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, the
Israeli soldiers fired at the boys. Habala was wounded by 3 live bullets in the abdomen. He was evacuated to Dr. Thabet Thabet
Hospital in Tulkarm, but as he was in serious condition, he was transferred to
Rafidya Hospital in Nablus. On the following
day, he was moved to Ramallah Hospital. However,
as the ambulance that was transporting him arrived at al-Taiba military
checkpoint, east of Ramallah, it was stopped by Israeli soldiers and they removed
Habala and took him in an Israeli ambulance to an unknown location. On the following day, Israeli forces returned
him to a Palestinian ambulance, which immediately took him to Ramallah
Hospital, where he remained until his death.
At approximately 08:00, medical sources at Shifa’
Hospital in Gaza City declared that Salem Suleiman al-Musaddar, 57, from
al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip succumbed to a wound he sustained
nearly 2 months prior. According to
PCHR’s investigation, al-Musaddar was wounded by a live bullet in the jaw on 6
April 2003, when Israeli soldiers fired at him during an Israeli incursion into
the village. The Israeli incursion also
left dead 2 other Palestinians. Al-Musaddar was transferred to an Israeli hospital, where he remained
until 2 weeks ago, when he was brought to Shifa’ Hospital.
Extra-Judicial Assassination
In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassination
officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments against
Palestinian political and field activists of the Intifada, this week, Israeli
occupying forces assassinated an alleged activist of Hamas in al-Qarara village,
east of Khan Yunis.
According to eyewitness statements collected by PCHR,
at approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 29 May 2003, approximately 20 Israeli
soldiers moved into Abu Haddaf area in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan
Yunis. They raided the house of Jihad Salim al-Qedra and forced the 8
residents out. The entire family left the house except for the owner’s
son, Mohammed, 25, who was sleeping on the roof. The family overheard an
Israeli soldier saying: “Everyone in the house must get out.” Mohammed,
who was unarmed, then tried to exit the house, but as he attempted to leave,
the family heard the Israeli soldiers fire 6 live bullets directed at him from
a distance of only 2m. His family rushed into the house but the Israeli
soldiers prevented them from helping Mohammed. The soldiers remained in
the house for about half an hour, while the son lay injured. When Israeli
soldiers withdrew from the house, they detained the owner’s other son, Ahmed,
21. As soon as the soldiers left, neighbors attempted to evacuate
Mohammed to a hospital in Khan Yunis, but were stopped by Israeli soldiers, who
ordered them to Mohammed out of the car. Israeli soldiers handcuffed and
blindfolded the neighbors, and a soldier then fired one bullet at Mohammed at
point blank range. A second bullet was fired into the air. Mohammed remained on
the ground until Israeli soldiers withdrew from the area. A Palestinian
ambulance evacuated the body to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. According
to medical sources, the victim was hit by 3 live bullets in the chest, abdomen
and thigh.
Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
Saturday, 31 May 2003
In the morning, Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian university
student on Jaba’-Sanour road, south of Jenin, approximately 500m away from the
entrance of the village, while he was apparently on the way to his university.
According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 05:30, the sound
of shooting were heard at Jaba’-Sanour road, south of Jenin. When the shooting started, a number of
villagers went to the area to check what had happened. At approximately 07:00, they found the body
of a young man from the village, who was hit by a live bullet in the head. The man was identified as Muhannad ‘Abdul
Karim Shalash Hamamra, 22. An Israeli
military spokesman claimed that Israeli forces killed a Palestinian who was
about to plant a bomb and arrested another young man. The body was found on a road, which is not
regularly used by Israeli forces. According to eyewitnesses, an Israeli military jeep was seen traveling
on the road at the time of the incident. Hamara was a senior student at the faculty of engineering in an-Najah
University and he was apparently on his way to university when he was shot. Palestinians
usually travel early in the morning, due to the difficulties they face when attempting
to enter Nablus, which is under a strict Israeli siege.
Also that morning, medical sources at Ramallah Hospital declared that
Sami ‘Aadel Saleh Abu ‘Ali, 26, from Seilat al-Zhaher, south of Jenin,
succumbed to a wound he sustained last week.
According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 11:00 on
Monday, 26 May 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into Seilat al-Zhaher
village, south of Jenin and opened fire at Palestinian houses. ‘Abu ‘Ali was seriously wounded by 3 live
bullets in the abdomen. He was evacuated
to a hospital in Jenin, and due to the seriousness of his condition, he was transferred
to Ramallah Hospital, where he remained until he eventually died.
Sunday, 1 June 2003
At approximately 18:00, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the
entrance of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun opened fire on a number
of Palestinian civilians, approximately 150m away. Two civilians were wounded:
1. Ahmed Akram Abu Harbid, 7, seriously
wounded by a live bullet in the back; and
2. Lu’ai Khalil Hamdan, 20, wounded by a
live bullet in the right foot.
Monday, 2 June 2003
At approximately 18:30, Israeli soldiers at Surda military checkpoint,
north of Ramallah, opened fire at Khaldoun Rawhi ‘Asfour ‘Abdullah, from Koubar
village, northwest of Ramallah, wounding him with 8 rubber-coated metal bullet
in the right thigh.
According to the victim, just as Israeli occupying forces moved into
Ramallah and al-Bireh and imposed a curfew, dozens of Palestinian civilians
from the northern and northwestern villages of Ramallah attempted to cross the
Surda military checkpoint to travel back to their homes. Israeli soldiers at the checkpoint denied
them passage and beat some of them. Just as Israeli soldiers were about to
attack an old man, ‘Abdullah intervened to stop them. Immediately, 3 Israeli soldiers pointed their
guns at ‘Abdullah’s head, chest and right thigh. An Israeli officer ordered the 3rd
soldier to fire and ‘Abdullah was wounded by 8 rubber-coated metal bullets in
the right thigh.
During the evening, in an apparent willful killing, Israeli soldiers
shot and wounded a member of the Palestinian National Security Force and left
him bleeding without offering him any medical aid.
According to PCHR’s investigation and eyewitnesses’ statements, at
approximately 23:15, Israeli occupying forces, which has seized control over
the entrances of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, opened fire at 2
tents of the Palestinian National Security Force located 500m west of Salah
al-Din Street. A Palestinian officer,
Nasser ‘Abdul Qader Baker, 47, got out of one of the tents to check what was
going on and warn his colleagues of the attack. Immediately, Israeli soldiers shot him in the head. When his colleagues attempted to offer him
help, Israeli soldiers fired at them. Baker remained bleeding in the area for an hour until eventually a
Palestinian ambulance was able to evacuate him to hospital, where he immediately
succumbed to his wound.
Collective Punishment against Families of Wanted Palestinians and Those
Who Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli Targets
In violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits
collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliatory measures against the families
of Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli targets in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli forces.
At approximately 03:00 on Tuesday, 3 June 2003, Israeli occupying forces
moved into Deir al-Ghosoun village, north of Tulkarm. They surrounded a 160-square-meter, 2-storey
house owned by Mahmoud Ibrahim Ghanem. Ghanem’s
son and his family were living on the upper floor, while the first floor was
rented by Salah Hussein ‘Eid and his family. Israeli forces ordered residents of the house to evacuate the premises
without allowing them to remove their furniture. Then, Israeli soldiers planted explosives
inside the house and destroyed it. Ghanem’s other son, Zaher, 23, had been detained by Israeli forces.
On Wednesday morning, 4 June 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into
Yatta village, south of Hebron, and imposed a curfew on the village. They surrounded 3 houses belonging to the families
of Palestinian prisoners and destroyed them after forcing their residents to
evacuate the premises and without allowing them to remove their furniture. They
destroyed:
1. A 180-square-meter, 2-storey house
belonging to the 11-member family of Hussam al-‘Aarouri, who has been detained
by Israeli forces for about one year;
2. A 100-square-meter house belonging to
the 5-member family of Mohammed ‘Eissa ‘Awadh Zain, who has been detained by
Israeli forces for 7 months; and
3. A 180-square-meter house belonging to
the 10-member family of Safwat Jibril Jaber al-Rajoub, who has been detained by
Israeli forces for 8 months.
* * * * *
PCHR calls:
1. Upon the international community to
provide immediate and independent international protection for
the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
2. Upon the High Contracting Parties to
the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene to take effective
measures to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, in accordance with their obligations under article 1 and article
146, to ensure respect for the Convention.
3. Upon the international community to
investigate and prosecute before international courts those believed to have
committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence,
expand its activities, and intensify its field operations throughout the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to activate
Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel
must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international community to
provide humanitarian and medical assistance to the Palestinian people, whose
living conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of the continued
siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
“END”
Public
Document
**************************************
For more
information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 –
2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer
El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail:[email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
