The International
Community Remains Silent While Israeli Human Rights Violations Continue in the
OPTs
The Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian
Areas
Thursday, 30
January 2003
Early in the morning,
dozens of Israeli heavy military vehicles, including bulldozers, invaded
Palestinian controlled areas in Hebron. They seized complete control over these areas and imposed a curfew. The bulldozers blocked the main and
connecting roads, while Israeli soldiers raided and closed Palestinian
governmental institutions and television and radio stations. They also raided a number of houses and
arrested some Palestinians.
At noon, Israeli
bulldozers destroyed market stands at al-Sihha and al-Manara squares. Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal
bullets and tear gas canisters at Palestinian civilians in the area.
At approximately 02:30,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and under
cover of intense shelling, moved approximately 1.5km into Tal al-Sultan
neighborhood in the west of Rafah. They demolished 2 houses totally and 17 others
partially, and destroyed two wells (of drinking water), belonging to the
Municipality of Rafah, causing a severe shortage of water supplies in the
town. Israeli forces also destroyed the
building of al-Wihda sports club, two vehicles, a jeep, the garden of a housing
project in the area, construction tools of a local company; and telephone and
electricity supplies. It is worth noting
that 6 of the houses that were demolished were recently built by the
Palestinian Ministry of Housing for people whose houses were previously demolished
by Israeli forces in other areas in the town. However, these people refused to live in the newly built houses as the
area, where they were situated, is known to be very dangerous.
Following are details
of the houses that were demolished:
1. Israeli forces totally demolished a
200-square-meter, 3-storey house, in which 3 families numbering 8 people lived,
owned by Yousef Ibrahim ‘Abdullah al-Haj Yousef.
2. They totally demolished a
110-square-meter, 2-storey house, in which 6 people lived, owned by ‘Abdullah
Ibrahim ‘Abdullah al-Haj Yousef.
3. They partially demolished a
180-square-meter, 2-storey house, in which 2 families numbering 12 people live,
owned by Thabet Sa’id ‘Abdul Hadi al-Sibakhi.
4. They partially demolished a
200-square-meter, 3-storey house, in which 28 people live, owned by Sami
Ibrahim Abu al-‘Einain.
5. They partially demolished a
200-square-meter, 3-storey house, in which 5 families numbering 47 people live,
owned by Jamil ‘Abdul Hamid Abu al-Sa’id.
6. They partially demolished a
200-square-meter house, in which 6 families numbering 30 people live owned by
D’iab ‘Abdullah Matar.
7. They partially demolished a
230-square-meter, 2-storey house, in which 5 families numbering 33 people live,
owned by Yassin Ahmed Rusrus.
8. They partially demolished a 200-square-meter,
2-storey house, in which 12 people live, owned by Sa’id ‘Aqel ‘Aashour.
9. They partially demolished a
250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3 families numbering 22
people live, owned by Ta’aa Khalil ‘Othman.
10. They partially demolished a
200-square-meter house, in which 2 families numbering 25 people live, owned by
Hassan Ahmed al-‘Absi.
11. They
partially demolished a 130-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2
people live, owned by Zaki Sa’id Jaber al-Mughayar.
At approximately 14:30,
Israeli occupying forces, that had already moved into agricultural areas in the
east of Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip and razed large areas, fired an
artillery shell at a group of Palestinian civilians who were having lunch near
a house in Sha’sha’a area (approximately 3km away from these forces). Three civilians, including a child, were
wounded by shrapnel. At the same time a
vehicle belonging to the Palestinian Preventive Security passed by the
area. When security men knew that people
were wounded, they got out of the vehicle and tried to offer them help. Immediately, Israeli tanks fired two shells
at them. A security man was wounded and
their vehicle was completely burnt. An
ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society arrived at the area and
evacuated the wounded to hospital. Those
wounded were:
1. Jamal ‘Ata Sa’ad, 22, a member of the
Palestinian Preventive Security, from al-Shajaeya neighborhood in Gaza, wounded
by shrapnel in the legs;
2. Ahmed Kamel Abu al-Laban, 14, wounded
by shrapnel in the left thigh and the right foot;
3. Mohammed Mo’in Abu al-Laban, 22,
wounded by shrapnel in the right forearm; and
4. Sami Mohammed Shahin, 19, wounded by
shrapnel throughout the body.
At approximately 17:30,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses
in the al-Nimsawi and Baten al-Samin neighborhoods. A Palestinian child, Ahmed Majed Ahmed Salah,
11, was wounded by a live bullet in the left arm, while he was on the third
floor of his family’s house, approximately 800m away from the source of fire.
At approximately 19:30,
4 Israeli tanks moved about 200m into a compound of houses of the family of
‘Atallah, north of “Kfar Darom” settlement in the southeast of Deir
al-Balah. Israeli soldiers announced
with loudspeakers that all males living in the area, aged 16-50, were to get
out of their houses. These men were then
held in a factory of dairy products, which is being used by Israeli forces as a
military location. Israeli soldiers
interrogated the men about Palestinian resistance men and threatened to
demolish their houses if resistance men fire at Israeli military
locations. At approximately 23:00,
Israeli soldiers released them.
At approximately 22:00,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a
bulldozer, moved approximately 200m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp,
adjacent to the Egyptian border. They
demolished 3 Palestinian houses:
1. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 people lived, owned by
Ahmed Hammad Mohammed al-Soufi;
2. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 9 people lived, owned by
Asa’ad ‘Abed Rabbu Nemer al-Ghouti; and
3. An
88-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 people lived, owned by
‘Aadel ‘Abdul Rahman Mohammed Abu ‘Ayad.
At approximately 23:30,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with 13 heavy military vehicles, moved
approximately 300m into Palestinian agricultural areas located north of
“Kfar Darom” settlement,
southeast of Deir al-Balah. Until 04:20
on the following morning, Israeli military bulldozers razed areas of
Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land, on which 4 greenhouses planted with
vegetables stood, uprooted 8 palm trees
and 15 olive trees and destroyed an irrigation network, an agricultural pool
and 3 water pumps, owned by ‘Abdul Qadder Ahmed Khalil al-‘Azab.
2. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land, including 2 greenhouses planted with
peppers, and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Eyad ‘Abdul Qader Ahmed
al-‘Azab.
3. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land, including 2 greenhouses planted with
peppers, uprooted 4 palm trees
and 3 olive trees and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mahmoud Hammad
al-‘Azab.
4. They
razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and palm trees
owned by ‘Atiya Mohammed Khalil al-‘Azab.
5. They
razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land, including 5 greenhouses planted with
vegetables (which took up 5 donums of the land), while the remaining 3 donums
were planted with palms and olives. Also
destroyed was a well, a water pump and an irrigation network owned by Mohammed
Hassan Mohammed Bashir.
6. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land, on which 2 greenhouses planted with
vegetables were situated, uprooted 15 palm trees
and 3 olive trees and destroyed a 400-meter-long fence and a water network
owned by Khaled Suleiman al-Sayed Abu Musabbeh.
7. They
razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land, on which a greenhouse planted with
peppers was situated, and destroyed an irrigation network and a 200-meter-long
fence owned by Nasser Hamdi Abu Musabbeh.
8. They
razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land, on which a greenhouse planted with
peppers was situated, and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Rajab
al-Sayed Abu Musabbeh.
9. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and palms owned
by ‘Ali Ibrahim Khalil ‘Azab.
Friday, 31
January 2003
At approximately 02:15,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, encroached
into Jenin. They opened fire at
residential areas and markets. They
surrounded the Municipality of Jenin and a civil defense station, from which guards
and firemen were forced out. A number of
Palestinian resistance men confronted the invading Israeli forces. Israeli soldiers opened intense fire in all
directions, killing a resistance man and a guard of the municipality:
1. Eyad
Tahsin Abu Lail, 22, shot by 4 live bullets in the head, the chest, the abdomen
and the right foot; and
2. Hassan
Ahmed Hassan Abu al-Rub, 52, a guard of the municipality, shot by a live bullet
in the head.
According to
Palestinian medical sources, the two were shot by explosive live bullets.
At approximately 14:30,
Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 2km into Palestinian areas east of
Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip to raze more agricultural land. They fired 3 flechette shells at a group of
Palestinian boys who were playing football in the Tal al-Za’tar area,
approximately 2km away. Eight boys and 4
other civilians who were in their houses were wounded:
1. Islam
Samir Sabbah, 6, seriously wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen;
2. Isma’il
Jamal Hammad, 10, wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh;
3. ‘Abdul Halim Nasser Nassar, 13, wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder;
4. Ussama
Rabi’ al-‘Arini, 14, wounded by shrapnel in the face;
5. Bilal
Rabi’ al-‘Arini, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the abdomen;
6. Tamer
‘Abdul Latif al-Shamali, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the right forearm;
7. ‘Abed ‘Abdul Hamid Matar, 17, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen;
8. Mohammed
‘Eid ‘Afana, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the abdomen;
9. Mohammed
‘Abdul Hamid Matar, 30, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh;
10. Khaled ‘Asaliya, 25, wounded by
shrapnel in the right thigh;
11. Sa’id Mahmoud ‘Azzam, 35, wounded by
shrapnel in the abdomen; and
12. Ra’ed ‘Abdul Rahim ‘Afana, 28, wounded
by shrapnel in the right foot.
At approximately 22:00,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a
bulldozer, moved approximately 300m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp,
adjacent to the Egyptian border, for the second time in less than 2 days. They demolished 2 Palestinian houses:
1. A
158-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 people lived, owned by
Isma’il Nemer Mohammed Barhoum; and
2. An
85-square-meter, asbestos-roofed, in which 2 people lived, owned by Subhi Nemer
Mohammed Barhoum.
PCHR’s field worker in
Rafah reported that electricity in the area was cut as Israeli forces destroyed
a number of electricity towers.
At the same time, 13
Israeli soldiers raided the house of Mustafa Khamis al-Louh, approximately 250m
north of “Kfar Darom” settlement in the southeast of Deir
al-Balah. They held the 23 residents of
the house in one room and searched it. Then, they told the owner that want his son Eyad, 25, a member of the
Palestinian Preventive Security, was wanted. Upon finding out that he was not there, the Israeli forces interrogated
the owner and his wife and arrested their son Nidal, 26, a member of the
Palestinian General Security Service.
Saturday, 1
February 2003
At approximately 15:20,
Israeli occupying forces in the vicinity of Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian
border, south of Rafah, shelled surrounding Palestinian residential areas. A child, Madeline Rashad Abu Jazar, 7, was
wounded by shrapnel in the head, while she was near her house, approximately
400m north of the border.
Sunday, 2
February 2003
At approximately 07:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved into al-Duhaisha refugee camp in Bethlehem. They opened fire at houses and streets and
imposed a curfew. Two passing school
students were wounded by the Israeli gunfire:
1. Fayez Jamil al-Khamour, 17, wounded by
a live bullet in the left thigh; and
2. Muhannad Mohammed Hassan Makkawi, 15,
wounded by a live bullet in the right shoulder.
Israeli occupying
forces opened fire, indiscriminately, at Palestinian agricultural land in
Khuza’a village in Khan Yunis, killing a Palestinian civilian. In his testimony to PCHR on the circumstances
of the death of his father, the victim’s son said:
“On Sunday
morning, 3 February 2003, my father, Salem ‘Aabed ‘Abdullah Qudaih, 73, went to
our agricultural land in al-Sanati area in Khuza’a village, approximately 500m
west of the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, as he used to go there in the
morning and come back home before noon. As he was late that day, I was worried, especially as I was told that
the area was subjected to Israeli shelling at approximately 10:00. I went to the area to look for him. When I got approximately 900m away from
Israeli forces, they pointed their guns towards me, but I moved forward looking
to the right and left. Finally, I saw my
father on the ground in our land. He was
bleeding from the left thigh. I carried
him and cried for help. A neighbor of us
helped me carry my father towards the main road. A civilian car evacuated him to the Military
Hospital in ‘Abasan village, where doctors told me that my father lost large amounts
of blood, which caused his death. Then,
we moved him to Nasser Hospital to do necessary procedures regarding his
death.”
Monday, 3
February 2003
At approximately 21:30,
Israeli heavy military vehicles, including bulldozers, moved approximately 200m
into al-Salam neighborhood, adjacent to the Egyptian border south of
Rafah. They totally demolished 7 houses that
had been already partially demolished and their residents were evacuated from
them:
1. A
400-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 families, numbering 17
people used to live, owned by Nasser Khalil ‘Abdullah Mansour;
2. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3 people used to live, owned
by Mahmoud Amed Abu Touq;
3. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 families, numbering 8
people used to live, owned by Samir ‘Abdul Qader Yousef Hassan;
4. A
130-square-meter house, in which 8 people used to live, owned by Mohammed Salem
Abu Ghaith;
5. A
60-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 people used to live, owned
by Saleh Ahmed Saleh ‘Arada;
6. A
220-square-meter, under-construction house owned by ‘Ali Joma’a Mohammed Abu
Qoura; and
7. A
150-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Fairouz Shihda Salem Siam.
During the incursion,
Israeli forces destroyed a number of electricity towers, cutting electricity
from the area.
Tuesday, 4
February 2003
At approximately 01:45,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses
in Khan Yunis refugee camp. Then, an
Israeli tank in a military location located north of the refugee
camp fired two shells at the area. On
shell hit a 160-square-meter, tin-roofed house, in which 2 families, numbering
14 people live, owned by Suleiman Salem Hassan Abu Sahloul. The shell penetrated the roof of the
house. Four members of the family were
wounded by shrapnel:
1. Ahmed
Suleiman Abu Sahloul, 4, wounded by shrapnel in the left ear;
2. Ibrahim
Suleiman Abu Sahloul, 11, wounded by shrapnel in the head; and
3. ‘Aziza Mohammed Abu Sahloul, 48, wounded by shrapnel in the face.
The furniture of the
house was also damaged. The other shell
hit a tin board in the house of Kaida ‘Ali Ahmed Abu Sahloul. It exploded, damaging the walls of the house,
but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 08:30,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with 5 heavy military vehicles, including
a bulldozer, moved approximately 200m into Palestinian areas north of
“Kfar Darom” settlement in the southeast of Deir al-Balah. The bulldozer demolished 4 Palestinian houses
and razed areas of agricultural land:
1. It
demolished a 200-square-meter house, in which 7 people lived, and a
300-square-meter empty bird farm, razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and destroyed an agricultural pool, all owned by
Asa’ad Yousef al-‘Azaiza.
2. It
demolished an 85-square-meter, uninhabited house and destroyed an agricultural
pool and a water pump owned by Sa’id Yousef Mohammed al-‘Azaiza.
3. It
demolished a 140-square-meter, uninhabited house, razed a 1-donum area of
agricultural land planted with palms, figs and pomegranates, and destroyed a
50-meter-long fence, an agricultural pool, water pumps and other agricultural
tools, all owned by Samir Mohammed Suleiman al-‘Azaiza.
4. It
razed a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Yahia
Ayoub Abu Samra.
5. It
razed a 2.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and palms and
demolished a 12-square-meter room owned by Majdi Ayoub Abu Samra.
6. It
razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and onions owned
by ‘Abdullah Ghanem Abu ‘Amira.
7. It
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by ‘Atwa
Ghanem ‘Amira.
8. It
razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land; on 2 donums these had 2 greenhouses
planted with tomatoes and peppers on them, while the rest was planted with
olives. It also demolished 2 rooms, a
bird farm and destroyed an agricultural pool, all owned by ‘Amira Suleiman
al-Ma’ni.
9. It
razed a 3 donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed a
store and an agricultural pool, owned by ‘Aaref ‘Aaref Baraka.
10. It razed a 1.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mohammed ‘Aaref Baraka.
11. It razed a 1-donum area of agricultural
land, on which a greenhouse planted with vegetables, was situated, owned by
Isma’il Ahmed al-Ma’ni.
12. It uprooted 7 palm trees owned by
Nasser al-Ma’ni.
At approximately 16:30,
Israeli soldiers on a tank positioned at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian
agricultural areas in Khuza’a village. A
Palestinian civilian, Ra’fat Ibrahim Mohammed Abu Jazar, 31, was wounded by a
live bullet in the right thigh. PCHR’s
field worker in Khan Yunis reported that Abu Jazar was on a visit to a friend
in the area, approximately 1200m away from the border.
Wednesday, 5
February 2003
At approximately 00:00,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Khan Yunis refugee
camp. An artillery shell hit a bedroom
in a 120-square-meter tin-roofed house, in which 2 families, numbering 10
people live, owned by Mohammed Mohareb ‘Ali Abu Sahloul, 27. The shell penetrated the roof. Three of the owner’s children were wounded by
shrapnel:
1. Dhiaa’,
7, wounded in the right foot;
2. Saher,
5, wounded in the right foot and the left ear; and
3. Samer,
3, wounded in the right foot.
In addition, 8 other
civilians were wounded by the Israeli shelling that lasted for 3 hours:
1. Lu’ai
Majdi Ahmed Abu Sahloul, 13, wounded by shrapnel in the left arm;
2. Ahmed
Majdi Ahmed Abu Sahloul, 19, wounded by shrapnel in the feet;
3. Mahmoud
Khader al-Dabar, 4, wounded by shrapnel in the face;
4. Nadia
Mahmoud al-Dabar, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the head and the back;
5. ‘Emad Rajeh al-‘Aa’raj, 11, wounded by shrapnel in the head;
6. Nisreen
Isma’il Abu Mousa, 24, wounded by shrapnel in the head;
7. Ekhlas
Talal Abu ‘Akar, 23, wounded by shrapnel in the feet; and
8. ‘Attiya Hassan Abu Namous, 29, wounded by shrapnel in the arms.
PCHR’s field worker in
Khan Yunis reported that all of these civilians were wounded while they were
inside their houses, and that a number of houses were damaged.
At approximately 01:00,
30 Israeli soldiers, reinforced with 9 heavy military vehicles and 2
helicopters, moved approximately 2km into al-Maghazi refugee camp in the
central Gaza Strip. They raided the
house of the deceased Bahaa’ al-Din Sa’id to destroy it. At approximately 02:40, Israeli forces
withdrew from the area after having destroyed the house. Residents of the house came back to their
house to check the damage and search for their stepmother, Kamela Suleiman
Sa’id, who was living in a room adjacent to the house. Finally, they found her body under the ruins
of her room, which had collapsed during the destruction of the house.
At approximately 02:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved into Qalqilya from the north and east. They opened fire at Palestinian houses in the
town. At approximately 03:00, Israeli
forces surrounded a Palestinian police station. They broke into the station and opened fire, without any prior warning,
at Palestinian policemen; killing Rida Ahmed Hussein Ghanem, 20, from Amatin
village, with several live bullets in the chest. In addition, 2 policemen were wounded:
1. Ahmed Mohammed Sanam, 26, from
Qalqilya, wounded by 2 live bullets in the feet; and
2. Nahel Kamel ‘Othman Hassan, 22, from
Kufor Thuluth, wounded by a live bullet in the shoulder.
At approximately 04:00,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with 7 heavy military vehicles and a
number of military jeeps and under the cover of intense gunfire, moved into
Tammoun village, east of Jenin, which is meant to be under full Palestinian
control. Two Palestinian civilians were
wounded by the Israeli gunfire:
1. ‘Aaref ‘Omar ‘Aaref Bisharat, 13, seriously wounded by
a live bullet in the head; and
2. Raja’ei Zahi Nouri, 19, wounded by a
live bullet in the left thigh.
Bisharat succumbed to
his wound in the evening.
At approximately 23:30,
an Israeli helicopter flew over Gaza city. It opened fire at the eastern part of the city. Approximately 10 minutes later, Israeli
forces moved into al-Sha’af area in the northeast of the city. They surrounded a 4-storey house, in which 4
families, numbering 41 people live, owned by Mohammed Salah al-Ghoula,
approximately 60m away from al-Wafaa’ Hospital. They destroyed the door, broke into the house and searched it. During the house raid, an Israeli soldier
fired a live bullet at a window on the first floor of the hospital. The bullet hit a nurse in the chest, which
exited and hit another nurse in the chest, killing the two:
1. ‘Abdul Karim Hamed Anwar Lubbad, 22, from Jabalya; and
2. ‘Omar Sa’ad al-Din Hassan, from al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza city.
In addition, 2
Palestinian civilians were wounded by the Israeli aerial shelling:
1. Anas
‘Abed Rabbu al-Mabhouh, 70, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the chest;
and
2. Sa’id
Jaber Sukkar, 22, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand.
Extra-Judicial
Assassination
In a continuation of
the policy of extra-judicial assassination, as officially adopted by the
Israeli government, Israeli occupying forces committed a new assassination in
Tulkarm on Thursday, 30 January 2003.
According to
information available to PCHR, at approximately 30 January 2003, while a number
of Palestinian civilians were standing near their car in front of a shop in
the center of Tulkarm, they were surprised by an undercover unit of Israeli
occupying forces in the area. Israeli
soldiers immediately opened fire at these civilians without prior warning,
wounding Fayez Sabri Fayez Jaber, 25, from Tulkarm, with a live bullet in the
abdomen. When he fell onto the ground,
an Israeli soldier moved towards him and shot him dead in the head from a very
close distance. Then, Israeli soldiers
fired at passing Palestinian civilians. Some civilians hurried towards the shop for shelter, but Israeli
soldiers chased after them and opened fire. One of these civilians, Badi’ Rafe’ D’ian Abu Qa’qoura, 26, from Bala’a
village, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body. Israeli soldiers pulled his body out of the
shop, and then took the two bodies to the headquarters of the Israeli military
liaison in Khadouri area. The two bodies
were taken to the Palestinians one hour later. Israeli occupying forces claim that Jaber was wanted for his activities
in al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the military wing of Fatah movement, in Tulkarm.
Later, a number of
Israeli military jeeps moved into the town and opened fire at Palestinian
civilians. Eight civilians were wounded:
1. Tamer
Mohammed Mustafa Barham, 17, wounded by shrapnel in the thighs;
2. Mahmoud
Hassan Hamdi Bishara, 28, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg;
3. Hanin
Suhail Mohammed Tayeh, 20, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand;
4. Aamena
Fayez Mohammed ‘Ajaj, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the face;
5. Mahmoud
‘Abdul Majid Bikhit, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
6. Firas
Burhan al-Din Khuraim, 24, wounded by shrapnel in the eye;
7. ‘Alaa’ ‘Emad ‘Ali Haroun, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the chest; and
8. Mo’tassem
Ahmed ‘Abed Rabbu al-Sharif, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
chest.
Collective Punishment Measures against Families of
Wanted Palestinians and Those Who Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli
Targets
In violation of international and 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.
At approximately 02:45
on Friday, 31 January 2003, Israeli occupying forces surrounded the house of
Mohammed Mahmoud ‘Ali ‘Amru, 56, in the Wadi al-Hariya area in Hebron. As the family was not at home that night,
Israeli soldiers knocked on the door of ‘Amru’s neighbor. They forced the neighbor out and beat
him. They forced him to enter ‘Amru’s
house and turn the lights on. They
searched the house and ordered the neighbor and his brother to evacuate the
furniture in 10 minutes. They filmed the
evacuation of the house. Three minutes
later, Israeli soldiers told the two brothers that their time was over and
forced them to go to neighboring houses, including a house of two blind young
men, Bajes and Eyad Younis ‘Amru, 22 and 18 respectively, and tell their
residents to evacuate them. Israeli
soldiers beat the two brothers. Then,
Israeli soldiers planted explosives in ‘Amru’s 150-square-meter, 2-storey house
and destroyed it. Seven people used to
live in the house. Israeli forces claim
that 3 of ‘Amru’s sons carried out some resistance activities against the
Israeli targets.
At approximately 03:10
on the same day, Israeli occupying forces surrounded the house of Khalil ‘Abdul
Rahman ‘Ali al-Ja’ba in the al-Bassa neighborhood in the west of Hebron. They forced the family out and handcuffed its
members, including his son Badi’, 19, who is mentally and physically
handicapped. After they had held the family for
3 hours, Israeli soldiers told the owner that his house would be demolished and
gave him only 10 minutes to evacuate the furniture. Then, Israeli soldiers planted explosives in
the 200-square-meter house, in which 9 people used to live, and
destroyed it, at approximately 06:15. The owner’s son was killed a year ago when the explosive belt he wore on
his way to carry an attack exploded before reaching the target.
At approximately 01:00
on Tuesday, 4 February 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into Beit Fourik
village, east of Nablus. They surrounded
the house of Tawfiq Hanani. They forced
the 8 residents of the 180-square-meter, 2-storey house out and destroyed it. Hanani is father of Sa’ad Hanani who carried
out a bombing in “Mikhura” settlement in the northern Jordan Valley 6
months ago. Israel forces also arrested
the owner’s other son Mu’tassem, 18, 3 months ago.
At approximately 01:00
on the same day, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military
vehicles and helicopters and covered by intense shelling, moved approximately
2km into al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers raided the house of Bahaa’
Salama Sa’id, who carried out an attack against Israeli soldiers in “Kfar
Darom” settlement on 18 November 2000. They forced his wife and his 4 children out. Then, they raided houses of Sa’id’s 5
brothers and arrested them for several hours. They forced the women and children in these houses out. Then, Israeli soldiers planted explosives in
Sa’id’s 120-square-meter, 2-storey house and destroyed it. Five neighboring houses were severely damaged
and Sa’id’s stepmother was killed as her room collapsed over her.
Shooting at
Palestinian Civilians
Saturday, 1
February 2003
At approximately 09:30,
Israeli soldiers in a military location near al-Tuffah checkpoint, which
separates al-Mawasi area from Khan Yunis, fired at Ayman Kamel Radwan al-Astal,
40, when he got close to the location. He was wounded by 2 live bullets in the left leg. PCHR’s field worker in Khan Yunis reported
that al-Astal suffers from psychological problems; and that he was not carrying
any weapon. Also, the Israeli soldiers
left him bleeding for approximately 90 minutes without offering him medical
aid. Later, the Palestinian liaison
officer was able to coordinate his evacuation to hospital.
Monday, 3
February 2003
In the afternoon,
Israeli occupying forces fired at 3 Palestinian civilians in ‘Abasan village,
east of Khan Yunis, for no apparent reason, killing one of them and wounding
another one.
According to PCHR’s
investigation and eyewitnesses’ testimonies, at approximately 13:30, three
Palestinian brothers, Rami, Zuhair and Mohammed ‘Ata Musallam Abu Shab, 27, 29
and 25 respectively, moved from Bani Suaila village, east of Khan Yunis,
towards their agricultural land in ‘Abasan village near the eastern border of
the Gaza Strip. They collected grass
from their land, which is located approximately 600m west of the border. Israeli forces at the border fired immediately
at them for no apparent reason and without prior warning. The first was killed by a live bullet in the
head and the second was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen. A woman saw the 3 brothers, and so she cried
for help. Two Palestinian civilians
hurried to offer them help, but Israeli soldiers fired at them. Soon, an ambulance came and evacuated the 3
brothers to hospitals. The third brother
was suffering from nervous shock.
Tuesday, 4
February 2003
At approximately 17:30,
Israeli soldiers in a military location near Abu Houli checkpoint, south of
Deir al-Balah, fired at Ibrahim Bahjat Abu Dan, 41, from al-Boreij refugee
camp, wounding him with a live bullet in the head. Israeli soldiers who blocked a number of
civilian cars between al-Matahen and Abu Houli checkpoints fired at Abu Dan
when he got out of his car. An Israeli
ambulance provided him with first medical aid. Then, an ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society evacuated him
to hospital, by coordination with the Israeli side.
Wednesday, 5
February 2003
At approximately 17:00,
while Samer Khaled Fu’ad al-Zurba, 17, from Nablus, was shopping in the Nablus
Mall, opposite the Municipality Park in the west of Nablus. Two Palestinian gunmen fired at his father,
wounding him with 2 live bullets in the feet, for allegedly collaborating with
Israeli forces. Immediately, an Israeli
military jeep arrived at the area. Four
Israeli soldiers got out of the jeep and opened fire at passing Palestinian
civilians who surrounded the father. Al-Zurba was wounded by a live bullet in the left shoulder. He succumbed to his wound on his way to
hospital. According to medical sources,
the child was shot by an explosive live bullet. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers fired at the child from only
a distance of 5m.
********
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 the respect of the Convention.
3. Upon
the international community to investigate and prosecute those believed to have
committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before
international courts.
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 for
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.