Israeli Forces Continue to
Perpetrate Crimes in the OPTs
· 8
Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, were killed by Israeli forces
· One
of the victims died from an injury he sustained in a previous extra-judicial
assassination by Israeli forces
· 38
Palestinian houses were destroyed in Rafah by Israeli forces
· Israeli
forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip
· Houses
were raided and dozens of Palestinians were arrested
· Israeli
forces continued to shell Palestinian residential areas injuring a number of
Palestinian civilians
· Construction
of the “Annexation Wall” in the West Bank has continued and more areas of
Palestinian land were seized
· Israeli
settlers continued their attacks on Palestinian civilians and properties
· 3
Palestinian houses was destroyed by Israeli forces as part of the continuing
campaign of retaliation against the families of Palestinians accused of
involvement in attacks against Israeli targets
· Israeli
occupying forces have continued to impose a total siege on the OPTs
Introduction
This week, Israeli occupying forces have continued to
perpetrate violations of human rights against Palestinian civilians in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). Human rights violations committed
by Israeli occupying forces included willful killings, incursions into
Palestinian areas, indiscriminate shelling and house demolitions. Israeli occupying forces have also continued
construction of the “Annexation Wall” inside the West Bank and have continued
to impose a tight siege on the OPTs. This week, 7 Palestinian civilians, including 5
children, were killed by Israeli occupying forces. An eighth civilian died from
an injury he sustained in a previous extra-judicial assassination committed by
Israeli forces.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces conducted
4 military incursions into Palestinian areas. On Friday, 2 April 2004, Israeli occupying forces moved into al-Salam
and al-Brazil neighborhoods in the south of Rafah. They killed a Palestinian civilian and
destroyed a house. The destruction of
the house tore down 37 neighboring houses. As a result, 64 families counting 433 people have become homeless. Since the beginning of 2004, Israeli forces
have destroyed 199 houses in Rafah under the pretext of searching for tunnels,
which in fact they have been creating a buffer zone along the Egyptian border
on the expense of Palestinian houses in the area.
In an excessive use of force, on Sunday, 4 April
2004, Israeli occupying forces killed 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2
children, near the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of al-Maghazi refugee
camp in the central Gaza Strip. The
three apparently attempted to infiltrate into Israel to search for jobs. An Israeli military spokesman stated that the
three did not have any kind of weapons and that an investigation into the
incident would be initiated. On 5 April
2004, a Palestinian civilian died from an injury he sustained in an extra-judicial
assassination perpetrated by Israeli forces in Gaza city last month.
In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces conducted
a series of military incursions into Palestinian areas and fired at Palestinian
demonstrations. On 2 and 3 April 2004,
Israeli forces conducted a major incursion into Nablus, during which they
arrested 29 Palestinian civilians, including a woman and 2 journalists. This week, Israeli forces killed 3
Palestinian children in the West Bank, and arrested dozens of Palestinian
civilians.
In a blatant violation of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, which prohibits attacks on hospitals, in the early morning, on 1
April 20004, Israeli occupying forces raided the Mental Health Hospital in
Bethlehem after having opened fire at it. Israeli forces arrested 13 Palestinians. On 2 April 2004, the Israeli police and “Border Guard” broke into the
yards of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. They used excessive force against thousands of Palestinian worshippers
immediately after the Friday prayer. At
least 45 Palestinian civilians were hurt, either by being hit by rubber-coated
metal bullets or by inhaling tear gas.
Israeli occupying forces have continued construction
of the “Annexation Wall” inside the West Bank, especially in the Jerusalem
district, although the Israeli High Court issued a temporary injunction
stopping the construction of the wall in some villages. Israeli forces used force against Palestinian
civilians who organized peaceful protests against the wall construction.
This week, Israeli occupying forces have
continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPTs and imposed severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank, including Jerusalem. The
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz stated that the closure will continue
until 26 April 2004, “the independence day of Israel.” Since Monday, 22 March 2004, following the
assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin that day, Israeli occupying forces have imposed
a total siege on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They have closed all
border crossings into the Gaza Strip, and divided it into 3 isolated
zones. They have also closed all entrances to Palestinian areas located
near Israeli settlements and prevented Palestinian civilians from moving
freely. Such restrictions on freedom of movement are in contravention of
international human rights law, to which Israel is a state party, including the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas
and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property
Thursday, 1 April 2004
At approximately 03:00, 10 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Kufor Ra’ei village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinians:
1. Anas
Walid Mohammed ‘Eissa, 23;
2. Mohammed
Khaled ‘Abdullah Melhem, 22; and
3. Laram
Shaher Zuhdi Yahia, 22.
In a blatant violation of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, which prohibits attacks on hospitals, in the early morning, Israeli
occupying forces raided the Mental Health Hospital in Bethlehem after having
opened fire at it. Israeli forces
arrested 13 Palestinians, including 8 staff members of the hospital and the
Palestinian Military Health Service, and damaged the building and equipment of
the hospital.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 02:30, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced by heavy military
vehicles and 2 helicopters, moved into Bethlehem. At approximately 02:50, they surrounded the
Mental Health Hospital. A number of
Israeli soldiers took positions on roofs of neighboring houses. They opened fire at the hospital and called
through megaphones on those who were inside the hospital to get out, without
mentioning names. At approximately
03:00, Israeli forces raided the houses of Dr. ‘Essam Bannoura, director of the
hospital, in Beit Sahour, east of Bethlehem; and ‘Aadel ‘Eissa al-Lahham, the
administrative director of the hospital, in al-Souha village, southwest of
Bethlehem. They handcuffed the two and
detained them in their sleeping clothes approximately 30 meters away from the
hospital. At approximately 03:10,
Israeli forces resumed firing at the hospital. The Israeli gunfire continued for one hour, after which Israeli forces
broke into the hospital. They opened
fire inside the hospital and damaged its equipment. They arrested 13 Palestinians, including 4 hospital
staff members and 4 staff members of the Palestinian Military Medical Service.
According to Dr. ‘Essam Bannoura, the losses incurred
onto the hospital by this Israeli military attack is estimated at US$
500,000. The buildings and equipment of
the hospital were extremely damaged.
At approximately 06:00, 3 Israeli military jeeps
moved into al-Zawia village, southeast of Qalqilya. Israeli soldiers opened fire at Palestinian
houses and imposed a curfew.
At approximately 11:00, 3 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. Israeli soldiers raided Ahmed Yassin Abu Baker’s house, and arrested his
son, Haitham, 19.
Friday, 2 April 2004
In the early morning, around 80 Israeli military
vehicles moved into Nablus, and imposed a curfew. Israeli soldiers raided a number of houses
and transformed them into military posts. At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces blocked ‘Amman Street with sand
barriers, separating the eastern and western sections of the city. At approximately 08:00, a number of
Palestinian civilians gathered at the entrance of al-‘Ein refugee camp and
threw stones at Israeli military vehicles that were patrolling in the area. Immediately afterwards, Israeli soldiers
opened fire at them, wounding 4, including a child who was near his family’s
house:
1. Yousef
Hassan Asa’ad Natour, 21, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left
thigh;
2. Ahmed
Sa’id Hammour, 25, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand;
3. Shaher
Mahmoud Halawa, 24, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
4. Yousef
Riad Hawash, 8, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
During this incursion which continued until Saturday
evening, 3 April 2004, Israeli occupying forces arrested 29 Palestinians,
including a woman and 2 journalists.
At approximately 03:30, 10 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. Israeli soldiers raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 5
school students and their fathers: Jamil Shana’a, 50, and his son Mohammed, 18;
Bassam Sharif Kabaha, 48, and his son Mohammed, 18; Walid Kabaha, 50, and his
son Rihan, 18; Taher ‘Amarna, 60, and his son Mahmoud, 18; and Munir Khaled Abu
Baker, 49, and his son ‘Abdul Hamid, 18.
In the early morning, Israeli occupying forces moved
into al-Salam and al-Brazil neighborhoods in the south of Rafah. They killed a Palestinian civilian and
destroyed a house. The destruction of
the house tore down 37 neighboring houses. As a result, 64 families counting 433 people have become homeless.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 02:30, more than 20 Israeli heavy military vehicles, supported by
helicopters, moved approximately 400 meters into al-Salam and al-Brazil
neighborhoods in the south of Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border. Under cover of intense shelling, Israeli
forces raided a number of houses and transformed them into military posts. At approximately 07:00, a Palestinian
civilian, Mohammed ‘Azmi ‘Aabed, 20, was seriously wounded by 2 live bullets in
the abdomen and the right thigh, while he was trying to move a number of
children away from the direction of the Israeli gunfire. He was evacuated to the hospital, but died soon
after. This Israeli military incursion
continued until Saturday evening, 3 April 2004. Before their withdrawal from the two neighborhoods, Israeli forces
surrounded a 120-square-meter house in al-Salam neighborhood owned by Fathi
‘Ali Suleiman Abu Ghali, in which 10 people lived and vacated soon after
Israeli forces had moved into the area. Israeli forces planted explosives inside the house and destroyed
it. They also arrested the owner’s
brother, Rawhi, 42. As a result of the
destruction of the house, 12 neighboring houses were totally destroyed and 25
others were partially destroyed. Consequently, 433 people (64 families) have become homeless. In addition, Ibrahim Hamdan Abu Mo’ammar, 19,
was injured by shrapnel in the right forearm from the Israeli shelling. The civilian infrastructure of the
neighborhood was severely damaged.
(Note: PCHR has a list of the houses that were
destroyed in Rafah during this Israeli military incursion)
At approximately 09:30, Israeli occupying forces
positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip, east of Beit Hanoun, fired 3
artillery shells at a number of Palestinian civilians who were on their
agricultural lands, approximately 800 meters west of the border. Two Palestinian civilians, including a child,
were wounded:
1. Suleiman
Kamel al-Khawar, 14, seriously wounded by shrapnel in the head; and
2. Ra’ed
Yousef Abu ‘Ouda, 30, wounded by shrapnel in the left shoulder.
No one was able to attend the child to offer him help
for more than half an hour because of the Israeli forces.
At noon, the Israeli police and “Border Guard” broke
into the yards of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. They used excessive force against thousands of Palestinian worshippers
immediately after the Friday prayer. At
least 45 Palestinian civilians were hurt, either by being hit by rubber-coated
metal bullets or by inhaling tear gas.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 12:45, around 25000 Muslim worshippers finished the ceremonies of
the Friday Prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque. Soon after, large troops of the Israeli police and “Border Guard” broke
into the yards of the Mosque through al-Maghareba Gate. They fired rubber-coated metal bullets and
tear gas canisters at the worshippers. A
number of worshippers threw stones and shoes at the Israeli troops, which
brought more reinforcements and intensified firing at them. The Israeli troops closed the gates leading
to the Mosque and surrounded the mosque from all directions, denying exit to
the praying civilians. At least 45
prayers were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets or suffered from tear gas
inhalation. Nine worshippers were
evacuated to the hospital, while the others were treated on site. At approximately 15:00, the Israeli troops
allowed the worshippers to leave the Mosque after having arrested at least 14
of them. In addition, Israeli troops had
broken into the yards of the Mosque 5 weeks ago. At least 24 worshippers had been wounded.
In an excessive use of force, in the afternoon,
Israeli occupying forces killed a Palestinian child at the northern entrance of
Bethlehem, claiming that he attempted to throw a Molotov cocktail at these
forces. Israeli forces also obstructed
the evacuation of the child to the hospital and beat two Palestinian civilians
who tried to offer him help.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, after
the Friday Prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered at northern
entrance of Bethlehem. They threw stones
at Israeli military posts and observation towers near Bilal Ben Rabah mosque
(Rachel Tomb). Immediately, Israeli
soldiers fired at them. A Palestinian
child, Nassar ‘Eissa Ibrahim Hajahja, 16, was wounded by a live bullet in the
back. When D’ib Mohammed Naji, 29, and
Ahmed Mousa al-Huarimi, 32, tried to offer him help, Israeli soldiers violently
beat them. The two sustained serious
bruises and were evacuated to the hospital. Later, a number of Palestinian civilians were able to reach the
child. They tried to evacuate him in a
civilian car to Beit Jala Hospital, but he died on the way to the
hospital. According to eyewitnesses,
Israeli soldiers fired at the child from a distance of approximately 100
meters, when he did not pose any threat to the lives of those soldiers.
Saturday, 3 April 2004
At approximately 18:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into ‘Aaida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They arrested a number of Palestinian
civilians and released them later, except for two: ‘Omar Kawar, 37; and Riad
Malash, 22.
Sunday, 3 April 2004
At approximately 01:00, 10 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Bani Na’im village, east of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinians:
1. Jihad
Daoud Mousa al-Taraira, 35;
2. Khader
Mohammed Qassem al-Zaidat, 39; and
3. Fawzi
‘Abdul Mahdi al-Zaidat, 36.
At the same time, Israeli forces moved into Sa’ir
village, northeast of Hebron, and arrested ‘Ali ‘Ammouri al-Jabarin, 28.
At approximately 02:30, 7 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Kufor ‘Ein village, northwest of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers raided and searched a number
of houses and arrested 6 Palestinians from the same family:
1. Mohammed
Ibrahim al-Refa’ei, 19;
2. Mahmoud
Ibrahim al-Refa’ei, 21;
3. Nader
Fayez al-Refa’ei, 22;
4. ‘Aayed
Fayez al-Reda’ei, 23;
5. Bassem
Nader al-Refa’ei, 20; and
6. Bassel
Nader al-Refa’ei, 22.
At approximately 03:00, 5 Israeli military jeeps
moved into ‘Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. Israeli soldiers raided and searched a number
of houses and arrested 4 Palestinians, including 2 brothers:
1. Murad
Sabri Darwish, 20;
2. Ra’ed
Sabri Darwish, 21;
3. Tamer
Mohammed Abu ‘Akar, 19; and
4. Mohammed
Khalil Radwan, 19.
At approximately 04:30, 3 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Hawara village, south of Nablus. They raided and searched Ahmed ‘Ouda’s house and arrested his son,
Saleh, 19.
In the morning, inspectors of the Minority Department
of the Israeli police raided offices of the Arab Women Care Society in Wad
al-Jouz neighborhood in East Jerusalem and issued an order closing it for 15
days. They also arrested Maisaa’
al-Liddawi, a member of the society’s board of directors, and Sajida ‘Aabdin, a
staff member. They also confiscated a
computer, and some files. The two women
were transferred to al-Masqoubia detention center, where they were interrogated
and then released. The Israeli police
claimed that the society supported Hamas movement, and issued an order
confiscating the society’s bank accounts. The society was licensed by the Israeli Ministry of Interior in 1994 as a
charitable, cultural and social society providing health and psychological
guidance for women.
In a case of apparent willful killing, in the
afternoon, Israeli occupying forces killed a Palestinian child in Tulkarm
refugee camp. They also wounded 6 other
civilians and arrested one of them. Israeli
forces claimed that they did not target the one who was arrested; although they
asserted that he is an activist of the ‘Ezziddin al-Qassam Brigade, the
military wing of Hamas movement.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 03:30, Israeli occupying forces moved into Tulkarm refugee
camp. They raided a house belonging to
the family of Ziad ‘Aaref Mahmoud Abu Sharifa at the southern entrance of the
camp, opposite to the consolation house of Ramzi al-‘Aarda, who carried an armed
attacks against “Avni Hevetz” settlement. Israeli soldiers forced the family to gather in one room and transformed
the two-storey house into a military post. At approximately 02:30, while a civilian car that has a Palestinian
registration traveling on the main road in the camp, praising the deceased
al-‘Aarda, Israeli soldiers inside Abu Sharifa’s house opened fire at the
car. As a result, Rami Mohammed Ismail
Hudaib, 17, who was sitting on the back seat of the car, was hit by several
live bullets in the abdomen. He was left
bleeding to death. In addition, 6 other
civilians were wounded, including one who sustained serious injuries. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers
fired at a Palestinian ambulance that tried to reach the targeted car. Later, the ambulance was able to reach the
wounded and evacuate them to Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarm. Soon, Israeli forces raided the hospital and
arrested one of the wounded, Khaled Jamal Mohammed Kharyoush, 20, who was
seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head, claiming that he was
wanted.
The others who were wounded are:
1. Hassan
Mohammed Hassan ‘Abdullah, 19, hit by a live bullet to the pelvis;
2. Mohammed
Tariq ‘Othman, 16, hit by shrapnel from a live bullet to the right hand and
side;
3. Nabil
‘Abdullah Hadaida, 30, hit by a live bullet to the buttocks;
4. Ahmed
Nazmi Dumairi, 15, hit by 2 rubber-coated metal bullets to the buttocks; and
5. Ahmed
Mousa Ja’im, 40, hit by shrapnel to the head.
In the afternoon, dozens of Palestinian civilians
organized a peaceful demonstration in Biddu village, northwest of Jerusalem, in
protest against the construction of the separation wall on the lands of the
village. At approximately 16:20, Israeli
occupying forces fired at the demonstrators, wounding 14-year-old ‘Alaa’
Cana’an Badwan seriously with a live bullet in the head. According to eyewitnesses, the child was
fired at from a distance of approximately 60 meters.
At approximately 17:45, Israeli occupying forces
positioned in military locations in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement,
northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Amal
neighborhood. A Palestinian child,
Hussam Hussein Abu al-Khair, 16, was wounded by a live bullet in the left hand,
when he was near his house, approximately 300 meters away from the source of
fire.
At approximately 18:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into ‘Arraba village, south of Jenin. They opened fire at houses and shops and imposed a curfew. Israeli forces raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Samir Ahmed ‘Ali Daqqa, 26, and arrested him.
In an excessive use of force, at night, Israeli
occupying forces killed 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, near the
eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of al-Maghazi refugee camp in the
central Gaza Strip. The three apparently
attempted to infiltrate into Israel to search for jobs. An Israeli military spokesman stated that the
three did not have any kind of weapons and that an investigation into the
incident would be initiated.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 22:00, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the eastern border
of the Gaza Strip opened fire at 3 Palestinian civilians who were approximately
50 meters west of the border. The three
were hit by live bullets. Soon after,
Israeli forces fired about 6 artillery shells at them. At approximately 12:00 on Monday, 5 April
2004, Israeli forces informed the Palestinian side that there were three bodies
in the area. A Palestinian ambulance
moved to the area and transferred the bodies to a hospital in Deir
al-Balah. The victims were residents of
al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, who apparently attempted to
infiltrate into Israel to find jobs as there families are very poor. The victims were identified as:
1. Mohammed
Zaidan Abu Samhadana, 18;
2. Mohammed
Salama Abu Rwaida, 17; and
3. ‘Ammar
‘Adnan al-Rajoudi, 16.
Monday, 5 April 2004
At approximately 02:00, 8 Israeli military jeeps
moved into al-Hawouz and al-Zaytoun areas in the south of Hebron. Israeli soldiers raided and searched a number
of houses and arrested 2 Palestinians: Ayman ‘Eissa Abu ‘omar, 25; and ‘Abdul
Ghaffar Mohammed Shabana, 27.
At approximately 03:15, 15 Israeli military vehicles
moved into Nablus through its western and southern entrances. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 8 Palestinians, including a girl and 3 brothers:
1. Majd
Fathi Nasser, 21;
2. Ahmed
Munther al-Shahrouri, 18;
3. Gharib
Mohammed al-Shami, 24;
4. Fattouh
Yassin al-Houh, 24;
5. Mohammed
Karsou’, 24;
6. Nasser
Mohammed al-Jermi, 15;
7. Sa’ad
Mohammed al-Jermi, 22; and
8. Firas
Mohammed al-Jermi, 25.
At approximately 03:30, 4 Israeli military jeeps
moved into al-Bireh. Israeli soldiers
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ussama ‘Eissa Bahaa’
al-Din, 29, and arrested him.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched Jamal Shain’s house
and arrested his son, Ahmed, 18.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved into al-Shouka neighborhood in the
southeast of Rafah. Israeli soldiers raided
‘Aayesh Shabib al-Rumailat’s house. They
brought his son, Mustafa, 28, who has been detained by Israeli forces since 15
March 2004, with them, searched the house, and then searched a store belonging
to the family located near the house. At
approximately 05:00, they destroyed the store. They claimed that Mustafa had been involved in smuggling weapons across
the Egyptian border, south of Rafah.
Tuesday, 6 April 2004
At approximately 10:45, 9 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. Israeli soldiers opened fire at Palestinian houses. Soon, a number of Palestinian children and
young men gathered and threw stones at the jeeps. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at them
wounding 4:
1. Ibrahim
Khaled Abu Sirris, 17, seriously wounded by 3 live bullets in the face, the
abdomen and the right hand;
2. Mohammed
Ziad Harb ‘Awni, 13, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;
3. Mahmoud
‘Awad Bahnasawi, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the hand; and
4. ‘Abdul
Rahman Nazmi ‘Antra, 14, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
chest.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into Wadi al-Salqa village, southeast of Deir al-Balah, then stopped and
searched Palestinian vehicles. They also
stopped and checked Samir al-Louh, 36. They took him to his house in the
village and then searched it. They also searched a neighboring house belonging
to Tayseer al-Louh. They arrested
Tayseer, Samir and two other relatives, and then interrogate them in the
neighboring “Kfar Darom” settlement and then released.
At approximately 20:00, an infantry unit of Israeli
occupying forces moved into al-Ja’farawi area in the east of Deir
al-Balah. They raided and searched three
houses belonging to the families of Abu Meghassib, al-Shari and Sulaisel. They withdrew from the area at 21:00.
At approximately 22:30, Israeli occupying forces
positioned in military posts in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement,
northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Amal
neighborhood. A Palestinian civilian,
Hassan Mohammed Abu Khudair, 27, was wounded by a live bullet in the right
thigh – he was near his house which was approximately 500 meters away from the
source of the fighting.
Wednesday, 7 April 2004
At approximately 03:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into Tulkarm refugee camp. They
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of ‘Alaa’ Mohammed Farhana,
23, and arrested him.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli occupying forces
moved into Nablus and imposed a curfew on a number of its neighborhoods. A number of Palestinian children and young
men gathered and threw stones at Israeli forces. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at them,
wounding 3:
1. Yasser
Isma’il ‘Abdul Ghani Sallam, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
left hand;
2. Mohammed
Midhat Seraj, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the back; and
3. Tariq
‘Ali D’iab, 18, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back.
A Palestinian Civilian Dies from an Injury He
Sustained in a Previous Extra-Judicial Assassination
On Monday morning, 5 April 2004, medical sources at
Shifa Hospital in Gaza city declared that Adham ‘Abdul Qader Hashem, 24, from
al-Nasser neighborhood in the city, died from a wound he sustained last
month.
According to PCHR’s documentation, Hashem was injured
by shrapnel throughout the body, when Israeli occupying forces launched an
air-to-surface missile at a house in al-Nasser neighborhood, targeting Mohammed
Kharroub, an activist of the Islamic Jihad. Kharroub survived the attack, but 2 Palestinian civilians were killed
and 7 others, including Hashem, were injured. Hashem had been evacuated to an Israeli
hospital where he received medical treatment until the time of his death.
Collective Punishment against Families of Wanted
Palestinians and Those Who Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli
Targets
In violation of international humanitarian law, in
particular the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons
in Time of War of 1949, article 33 of which prohibits punishing any protected
person for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli forces
took retaliatory measures against the families of Palestinians who Israel alleges have
ordered, facilitated, or carried out attacks against Israeli targets.
At approximately 04:00 on Thursday, 1 April 2004,
Israeli occupying forces, accompanied by 2 military bulldozers, moved into
Kharabtha Bani Hareth village, west of Ramallah. They surrounded a 200-square-meter house
owned by ‘Aziz Hassan ‘Arman. They
forced its 11 residents (2 families) out without allowing them to vacate any of
their belongings. At approximately
05:00, the bulldozers demolished the house. The owner is a brother of Mohammed Hassan ‘Arman, who has been serving a
life imprisonment in Israeli jails.
At approximately 03:15 on Sunday, 4 April 2004,
Israeli occupying forces moved into Tulkarm refugee camp. They surrounded a 100-square-meter, 4-storey
house owned by Fakhri ‘Abdul Rahman al-‘Aarda. They forced its 13 residents (4 families) out. Isreali soldiers then planted explosives
inside the first and fourth floors and destroyed them. The owner’s son, Ramzi ‘Aarda, 17, carried
out an armed attack against “Avni Hevetz” settlement one day earlier.
At approximately 01:30 on Monday, 5 April 2004, 8
Israeli military jeeps moved into Deir al-Sudan village, north of
Ramallah. They surrounded a
150-square-meter, 2-storey house belonging to the family of Falah D’ib Rateb
Shehada. Israeli soldiers forced the
nine residents of the house (3 families) out, then planted explosives inside
the house and destroyed it. Shehada has
been detained by Israeli occupying forces for allegedly being a member of the
Hamas movement.
Continued Construction of the “Annexation
Wall”
Israeli occupying forces have continued construction
of the “Annexation Wall” inside the West Bank, although the Israeli
High Court issued a temporary injunction stopping the construction of the wall
in some villages. On Sunday morning, 4 April 2004, Israeli occupying
forces began to establish a 2-kilometer barrier of cement blocks in the middle of
Ramallah main road. The barrier will
extend from Dahiat al-Barid checkpoint at the northern entrance to Jerusalem to
Qalandya checkpoint at the southern entrance to Ramallah. This barrier will isolate Dahiat al-Barid
area and al-Ram village, north of Jerusalem, from neighboring areas. It will
also isolate villages located to the north and west of Jerusalem from their
surroundings. The establishment of the
barrier will deprive al-Ram village of its strategic reserve areas, which had
been devoted to housing expansion.
Also on Sunday morning, Israeli occupying forces began
placing a barbwire fence at the square by Belal Ben Rabah mosque (Rachel’s
Tomb), north of Bethlehem. They seized
the building of the Palestinian Religious Endowments Department, two fuel
stations and a number of shops in the area. This action came in the context of the construction of a part of the
wall extending from al-Khas and al-No’man villages, east of Bethlehem, to the
Tunnels road, west of al-Khader village.
On Sunday afternoon, Israeli bulldozers started to
raze areas of Palestinian land between Biddu and Beit Eksa villages, northwest
of Jerusalem, in violation of a temporary injunction issued by the Israeli High
Court stopping wall construction in the area. Israeli forces used force against dozens of Palestinian civilians who
demonstrated in protest against the Israeli actions with regard to the
construction of the wall in the area.
Continued Siege on the
OPT
This week, Israeli occupying forces have
continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPTs and imposed severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank, including Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
On Monday evening, 5 April 2004, Israeli occupying
forces imposed a total siege on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They closed
all border crossings into the Gaza Strip, and divided it into 3 isolated
zones. They also closed all entrances to Palestinian areas located near
Israeli settlements and prevented Palestinian civilians from moving
freely. Such restrictions on freedom of movement are in contravention of
international human rights law, to which Israel is a state party, including the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Israeli occupying forces positioned at the Abu Houli
and al-Matahen checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street, the main road between the
north and south of the Gaza Strip, continued to obstruct movement of
Palestinian civilians. The two checkpoints, which are open for a maximum
of a few hours each day, have become notorious for acts of humiliation and
harassment by Israeli soldiers.
At approximately 11:00 on Thursday, 1 April 2004,
Israeli forces placed iron gates at the entrance and exit of a checking
facility established between the two checkpoints, where Palestinian vehicles
are often held and searched.
At approximately 05:00 on Saturday, 3 April 2004,
Israeli occupying forces closed the two checkpoints. They held dozens of
Palestinian vehicles in between and searched passengers. This closure
continued until 08:00.
At approximately 13:00 on Sunday, 4 April 2004,
Israeli forces closed the two checkpoints and placed an iron gate at the
entrance of the road linking the two checkpoints.
At approximately 04:30 on Monday, 5 April 2004,
Israeli forces closed the two checkpoints. They held and searched dozens of Palestinian vehicles in between. The closure continued until 07:30.
For the third consecutive week, Israeli occupying
forces have continued to close Erez crossing at the northern entrance to the
Gaza Strip, denying access to thousands of Palestinian workers attempting to
travel to their work places in Israel.
In violation of the right to health, for two weeks,
Israeli occupying forces have denied access of Palestinian patients from the
Gaza Strip to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank to receive medical
care. The average number of patients
transferred from the Gaza Strip to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank is 45.
On Thursday, 1 April 2004, Israeli occupying forces
reopened the Erez industrial zone in the northern Gaza Strip, but denied access
to Palestinian workers to their work places in the zone. On Sunday, 4 April 2004, Israeli forces
reopened the zone and allowed access to 3348 Palestinian workers. They also allowed 156 Palestinian traders to
travel through the Erez crossing.
Israeli occupying forces have maintained the closure
of Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah, and Karni crossing, east of Gaza
city.
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a
strict siege on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip. They have
continued to close Tal al-Sultan checkpoint at the entrance to the area in
Rafah and impose restrictions on movement of Palestinian civilians through
al-Tuffah checkpoint at the entrance to the area in Khan Yunis
Palestinians living in al-Mawasi area, of which there
are approximately 15,000, live under extremely tight restrictions, which also
apply to the entry of foodstuffs into the area and access to schools and
farms. It takes residents of the areas several hours to cross Israeli
military roadblocks and checkpoints. Palestinians living outside the area
are prohibited from entering. Israeli forces have assigned numbers to
residents of the area. These numbers are to be added to their identity
cards. Palestinians who do not have these numbers will be prevented from
entering the area. Women from the area married to men living outside the
area cannot visit their families.
They have also continued to impose a tightened siege
on al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip. In the same context,
since Monday morning, 22 March 2004, Israeli occupying forces have imposed
severe restrictions movement of Palestinian civilians living in al-Ma’ni area
near “Kfar Darom” settlement in the central Gaza Strip.
The West Bank
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a
strict siege on Palestinian communities. They have also imposed severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. They have blocked
a number of roads using cement blocks, sand barriers and trenches, and imposed
curfews on a number of villages.
Jerusalem
Israeli occupying forces have imposed more
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli soldiers positioned at Dahiat al-Barid
military checkpoint at the northern entrance to the city have continued to
impose restrictions on access for Palestinian civilians from the West Bank to
the city. Israeli military patrols were
deployed at the entrances of the city and in its streets. Only Palestinians living in the city have
been allowed access to the city.
Bethlehem
Israeli occupying forces closed all checkpoints at
entrances to al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. They also closed al-Shurafa road, which leads
to the western villages of Bethlehem.
Ramallah
Israeli forces have imposed more restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli soldiers positioned at Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah,
have allowed access for Palestinian civilians to the town, but prohibited them
to exit without permission.
Nablus
Israeli occupying forces imposed more restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. They erected more checkpoints around the city. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces reinforced
their presence around the city and erected temporary checkpoints, which served
as ambushes to arrest allegedly wanted Palestinians.
Qalqilya
On Sunday afternoon, 4 April 2004, Israeli occupying
forces closed the eastern entrance to Qalqilya, the sole entrance to the
town. They also erected a number of
checkpoints on Qalqilya-Nablus road, restricting movement of Palestinian
civilians.
On Thursday afternoon, 1 April 2004, Israeli forces
arrested Mohammed Sharif ‘Owainat, 25, from Qalqilya, on Qalqilya-Tulkarm road
while he was traveling back home.
Tulkarm
Israeli occupying forces imposed more restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians between the town and neighboring
villages. They closed al-Kafriyat
checkpoint, south of the town. They also
erected temporary checkpoints on the roads leading to some villages and denied
movement of Palestinian civilians.
Hebron
Israeli occupying forces have maintained the curfew
imposed on the southern parts of the old town, and the eastern area of Hebron. They also erected 4 checkpoints in the south
and east of the town. Israeli occupying
forces have imposed more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Monday morning, 5 April 2004, Israeli
forces closed Wad al-Nasara road leading to the Ibrahimi Mosque to allegedly
provide security for Jewish settlers celebrating Easter.
Israeli Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers
against Palestinian Civilians and Property
In addition to the construction of the “Annexation
Wall”, this week, Israeli occupying forces carried out a number of
settlement activities in the West Bank.
At approximately 08:00 on Thursday, 1 April 2004, a
number of Israeli settlers from “Efrat” settlement, south of Bethlehem,
uprooted dozens of olive and almond trees planted on a 4-donum area of
agricultural land in al-Khader village owned by Mahmoud Jouda Subeih. They also destroyed the fence surrounding the
fence.
On Sunday morning, 4 April 2004, Israeli military
bulldozers razed an area of Palestinian land owned by the heirs of ‘Abdul Jalil
al-Mutawar located to the southwest of Sa’ir village, northeast of Hebron. In the evening, Israeli forces established a
military observation tower on the leveled land.
At approximately 12:00 on Monday, 5 April 2004, a
number of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians in al-Shuhada Street
in the center of Hebron. They attacked
schoolchildren and teachers with stones, injuring 10-year-old Shorouq Mohammed
Seder in the neck. Israeli soldiers did
not intervene to stop these attacks.
At approximately 08:00 on Tuesday, 6 April 2004, a
number of settlers from “Sosia” settlement, south of Hebron, severely beat
Jaber Hammad al-Nawaja’a, 75, when he wanted to prevent them from using his
land. The old man sustained serious
bruises throughout the body and was evacuated to the hospital. In another incident, a number of settlers
from the same settlement beat two Palestinian women who were on their way to
their agricultural land, approximately 300 meters away from the
settlement.
On Wednesday morning, 7 April 2004, a number of
Israeli settlers seized two Palestinian inhabited houses in Silwan neighborhood
in the south of the old town of Jerusalem owned by the families of al-Rujbi and
Maragha. Israeli forces established two
military observation points in the area to protect armed settlers, who have
continued to provoke Palestinian civilians living in the area.
*****
Recommendations
to the International Community
1. PCHR
calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to
fulfill their legal and moral obligations under article 1 of the Convention to
ensure Israel’s respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories. PCHR believes the failure
of the international community to act has encouraged Israel to act without due
respect to the law and to continue to violate international human rights and
humanitarian law.
2. PCHR
calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to
convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel’s respect of the
Convention in the OPTs and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian
civilians.
3. PCHR
calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to
comply with its legal obligations detailed in article 146 of the Convention to
search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war
crimes.
4. PCHR
recommends international civil society organizations, including human rights
organizations, bar associations and others, to participate in the process of
identifying and bringing to justice Israeli war criminals and to urge their
governments to bring these war criminals to justice.
5. PCHR
calls upon the European Union to activate article 2 of the Euro-Israel
Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as
a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to
prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the OPTs.
6. PCHR
calls upon European governments to change their positions towards the
Palestinian cause at UN bodies, particularly the General Assembly, Security
Council and Commission on Human Rights.
7. PCHR
welcomes the UN General Assembly resolution, which referred the issue of the
Separation Wall inside the OPTs to International Court of Justice to give a
consultative opinion. There is no doubt
that the wall is illegal, which obligates the international community to take
steps to ensure compliance with the expected decision by the court.
8. In
recognition of the ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR
calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the OPTs, including
for facilitating family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
9. PCHR
appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights
organizations, bar associations, unions and solidarity groups, and urges them
to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel’s
respect for human rights in the OPTs and to end its attacks on Palestinian
civilians.
10. In light of the severe restrictions
imposed by the Israeli government and its occupying forces on access of
international organizations to the OPTs, PCHR calls upon European countries to apply
similar standards of treatment to Israeli citizens.
11. PCHR reiterates that any political
settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law
cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question.
Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability
in the region. Any peace agreement or process must be based on respect for
international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.
“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:pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
