Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (08 May 2003)

May 8, 2003

Israeli forces continue
their flagrant disregard for the lives of Palestinian Civilians

· 19 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 5 children,
were killed by Israeli forces

· 13 of the victims, including 3 brothers and a toddler,
were killed during an Israeli incursion into al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza

· One
of the victims was run down by Israeli forces in Tulkarm

· A
British journalist was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah

· Israeli
forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas, accompanied by
indiscriminate shelling

· 18 houses were destroyed in Rafah

· Large
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Khan Yunis was
razed

· Continued
indiscriminate shelling of Palestinian residential areas and an infant killed
in Khan Yunis

· The
Israeli retaliatory campaign continues against families of wanted Palestinians
and those who allegedly carried out armed attacks against Israeli targets,
resulting the destruction of 5 houses

· More
Palestinians were arrested

· Israeli
forces continued to use Palestinian civilians as human shields in military
operations

· Continued
siege on Palestinian communities and a number of Palestinians were arrested at
Israeli military checkpoints

Introduction

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 and agricultural
land leveling. This week, 1-7 May
2003, 19 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 5 children, an old man and a
handicapped male, were killed by Israeli occupying forces.

In another military attack on Palestinian civilian
areas, Israeli occupying forces killed 13 Palestinians, including a toddler, three children, a handicapped man and three brothers,
in Gaza City. At least 40 others were wounded when Israeli occupying
forces invaded Gaza City’s al-Shojaeya neighborhood, supported by helicopter
gunships. Israeli forces destroyed a house while two brothers remained
inside and an old man died from a heart attack when his family was unable to
evacuate him to hospital. Israeli forces
claimed that the operation was aimed at arrested a wanted Palestinian. This
operation reflects a systematic policy adopted by the Israeli government and
its occupying forces aimed at killing innocent civilians and destroying
civilian property. In two similar
operations in March, Israeli forces killed dozens of Palestinian civilians in
Jabalya and al-Boreij refugee camps in the Gaza Strip and destroyed dozens of
houses and civilian facilities.

Israeli occupying forces conducted a series of
incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, during which
they attacked Palestinian civilians and property. This week, Israeli occupying forces demolished 18
Palestinian houses in Rafah, leaving more than 100 Palestinian civilians
homeless. This brings the total number
of houses destroyed by Israeli forces in Rafah since the beginning of al-Aqsa
Intifada to more than 600- the highest number throughout the Occupied
Palestinian Territories. This total does
not include the thousands of houses that have been damaged.

On Friday, 2 May 2003, Israeli occupying forces shot
dead a 34-year-old British journalist, while he was filming a documentary with 5 other journalists, on the lives of Palestinian
children in Rafah, near the border with Egypt. It is reported that Israeli
forces even hesitated in offering him medical aid when he was injured. James Miller and his colleagues had been in
the Gaza Strip for several weeks, filming a documentary for HBO on the lives of
Palestinian children in Rafah. This brings the total number of journalists
killed by Israeli occupying forces since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada in
September 2000 to 7 – 5 Palestinians and
2 foreigners.

This week, Israeli forces razed large areas of
Palestinian agricultural land in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis.

As a result of the indiscriminate shelling of Palestinian residential
areas by Israeli occupying forces, 5 Palestinians, including a child and an
infant, were killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. One of the victims was
killed when an Israeli military vehicle hit his car and then obstructed his
evacuation to hospital. A sixth
Palestinian civilian died from a previous injury he sustained during an Israeli
incursion into Jabalya refugee camp on 11 March 2003.

In 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 5 houses
in the West Bank towns of Ramallah, Hebron and Nablus.

Israeli occupying forces continue to maintain their total siege of
the OPT and have isolated Palestinian communities from one
another. They have partitioned the Gaza Strip into three separate zones and
have restricted the movement of people and goods. They have also maintained curfews on some areas in the West Bank. Since Saturday, 15 March 2003, Israeli occupying
authorities have prevented Palestinians aged 16-35 from traveling abroad.
On 6 May 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed Rafah terminal at the border
with Egypt for no apparent reason. They
also maintained the closure of Beit Hanoun crossing in the northern Gaza Strip,
denying Palestinian workers access to their places of work in Israel. Also this week, Israeli forces blocked cars
between al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints, north of Khan Yunis,
checking Palestinian civilians traveling between the south and north of the
Gaza Strip, which resulted in a number of arrests.

Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas

Thursday, 1 May 2003

At approximately 00:30, about
30 Israeli heavy military vehicles, supported by helicopters, moved
approximately 200m into al-Sha’er neighborhood on the border with
Egypt, south of Rafah. They surrounded the area and called via megaphones
for the residents to evacuate their homes. Israeli soldiers forcibly
entered 3 homes, planted explosives and then detonated them. Three
neighboring houses were destroyed in the blasts and three others were severely
damaged. Israeli forces also totally demolished two houses and partially
destroyed two others. During the raid, Israeli forces arrested Romania
Mills, 27, a British ISM activist, when she attempted to stop Israeli soldiers
from entering the home of the Qeshta family, where she had been staying.
Israeli occupying forces withdrew from the area at approximately 05:30, after
also destroying the electricity, communications and sewage networks.

Following are details of the destruction and damaged
incurred to houses by Israeli forces:

1. They
totally destroyed a 300-square-meter house owned by Mohammed Hassan Mohammed
al-Sha’er in which 4 families (24 people) lived.

2. They
totally destroyed a 150-square-meter house owned by ‘Aayesh Salam Mohammed
al-Sha’er, in which 5 people lived.

3. They
totally destroyed a 200-square-meter house owned by Salah Salam Mohammed
al-Sha’er, in which 10 people lived.

4. They
totally destroyed a 300-square-meter house owned by Mohammed Salam Mohammed
al-Sha’er, in which 8 people lived.

5. They
totally destroyed a 170-square-meter house owned by Mahmoud Hammad Mohammed al-Sha’er,
in which two families (14 people) lived.

6. They
totally destroyed a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Awadh
Mohammed Hassan al-Sha’er, in which 7 people lived.

7. They
totally demolished a 200-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Salem
Mohammed Mahmoud al-Sha’er.

8. They
totally demolished a 200-square-meter house owned by Sami Salem Mohammed
al-Sha’er.

9. They
partially demolished a 300-square-meter house owned by Fawzi Salem Mohammed
al-Sha’er, in which two families (7 people) live.

10. They
partially demolished a 300-square-meter house owned by ‘Abdul Maqsoud Salman
Mohammed al-Sha’er, in which 3 families (20 people) live.

11. They
partially destroyed a 300-square-meter house owned by Salah Salem Mohammed
al-Sha’er, in which two families (11 people) live.

12. They
partially destroyed a 200-square-meter house owned by ‘Ata ‘Atiya Mohammed
al-Sha’er, in which 4 families (25 people) live.

13. They
partially destroyed a 150-square-meter house owned by Mohammed ‘Atiya Mohammed
al-Sha’er, in which 8 people live.

According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately
01:45, dozens of Israeli heavy military vehicles, including bulldozers moved
from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip approximately 500m into the densely
populated al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.
Israeli forces seized control of the neighborhood and took up military
positions on the roofs of some Palestinian houses, where they opened fire on
the neighborhood. Israeli forces surrounded houses belonging to the
Abu Hain family. They threw hand
grenades at one of the houses, where Yousef, Mahmoud and Ayman Khaled Abu Hain
where believed to be hiding. Israeli
forces called via megaphones for the three brothers to leave the house, but
they refused. Soon after, Israeli forces
fired several artillery shells at the house. The roof of the house collapsed over Yousef and Mahmoud and the body of
the third brother, Ayman, was found near the house. He had been shot by several
live bullets throughout his body. Israeli occupying forces claimed that Yousef
was wanted for his activities with the Hamas movement.

As a result of the indiscriminate shelling
and gunfire by the Israeli forces that continued until the afternoon, 6
Palestinian civilians were killed, including a toddler and two children:

1. Ameer Ahmed ‘Ayad, 2, hit by several
live bullets in the chest and abdomen;

2. Mohammed Nasser al-Dahdouh, 13, hit by
several live bullets in the chest and abdomen;

3. Ahmed Ramadan al-Tatar, 13, hit by
several live bullets in the chest and abdomen;

4. Nasser Nemer Helles, 36, hit by a live
bullet in the abdomen;

5. Baker Subhi Muhaisen, 40, handicapped,
hit by a live bullet in the chest; and

6. Mohammed Kamal Abu Zarina, 30, hit by a
live bullet in the head.

In addition, about 40 other Palestinians were wounded,
including 5 seriously and access for Palestinian ambulances and medical staff
to the wounded was obstructed. Shehda al-Gharabli, 67, died of a heart attack,
but his family was unable to evacuate his body to hospital.

A number of Palestinian resistance men confronted the
Israeli invasion of the area, which continued until 16:20. In the clashes that erupted with Israeli
occupying forces, 3 Palestinian resistance men were killed:

1. ‘Abdullah Farajallah al-‘Omrani, 21, hit by a live
bullet in the head;

2. Mohammed Na’im Basel Na’im, 20, hit by
several live bullets throughout the body; and

3. Rami Khader Sa’ad, 25, hit by several
live bullets throughout the body.

‘Allam al-Sersawi, 36, a resident of the neighborhood,
told PCHR’s Gaza City field worker that Israeli forces destroyed the walls of
some the houses, when moving from one house to another. He added that Israeli soldiers forced him and
his family out of their house and ordered him and his brother, Eihab, to take
off their clothes and then used them as human shields to protect them from
Palestinian resistance men who were confronting the Israeli forces.

During the house raids, Israeli forces arrested 7
members of the Abu Hain family, including a woman and her 5-year-old daughter,
detained them in a house belonging to ‘Abdullah Abu Hain and then transferred
them to the industrial zone of al-Mentar crossing. Israeli forces then interrogated the detainees
and finally released four, but kept three in custody:

1. Ussama Saqer Hassan Abu Hain, 19, a
university student;

2. Yasser Hassan Hussein Abu Hain, 26, a
journalist; and

3. Dr. Fadel Khaled Hussein Abu Hain, 43,
a university professor, whose three brothers were killed.

As a result of the indiscriminate Israeli shelling,
two Palestinian houses were destroyed, including the one where the three Abu
Hain brothers were hiding – a 180-square-meter,
3-storey house owned by Ibrahim Ahmed Abu Hain, in which 4 people lived. In addition, dozens of houses were
damaged.

Israeli occupying forces killed two Palestinians in
al-Qassir area in the northwest of Yatta village, south of Hebron late during
the night on Wednesday, 30 April 2003. The killing was not detected until Thursday evening, 1 May 2003.

According to information available to PCHR, early in
the morning of Thursday, 1 May 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into
al-Qassir area in Yatta village, south of Hebron. Israeli soldiers deployed in the area began
firing at Palestinian houses and then raided the house of Mohammed Jibril
Shehada al-Makhamra, 30, and forced him and his family out. At approximately 04:00, they took him to an
area located approximately 150m away from his house, where they asked him to
identify two bodies. They were
identified as:

1. Khaled
Jubril Shehada al-Makhamra, 27; and

2. Mahmoud
Sa’ad Budair, 22, from Khan Yunis, a member of the Palestinian National Force.

Later, an Israeli military spokesman claimed that
Israeli forces had clashed with armed activists hiding in a house, killing two
of them. However, according to
al-Makhamra, he did not see any weapons near the bodies when he identified
them. He stated that his brother
– one of the two victims – was not a political or military activist, and had
permission to work in a Jewish settlement. A Palestinian source stated that the other victim, Budair, was not
wanted by Israeli occupying forces. The
two were killed outside, not in a house, contrary to Israeli military
claims. Apparently, Israeli soldiers
killed Budair and al-Makhamra in the area where their bodies were found.

At approximately 10:45, Israeli occupying forces on
the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in
al-Brazil neighborhood. A Palestinian
child, Fadel ‘Aatef al-Masri, 7, was injured by shrapnel to the head, while he
was near his family’s house, approximately 300m away from the border.

At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces in a
military location at Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah, opened fire at
Palestinian houses to the west. A
Palestinian woman, ‘Aa’esha Suleiman Abu Mo’ammar, 37, was wounded by a live
bullet in the left thigh, while she was inside her house approximately 700m
west of the crossing.

At approximately 20:00, Israeli occupying forces on
the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Block
J in Rafah refugee camp. A Palestinian
civilian, Na’im Ghazi Abu Ramadan, 32, was wounded by a live bullet in the left
thigh, while he was near his house.

Friday, 2 May 2003

At approximately 07:30, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Gush Qatif” settlement block,
south of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Berka area in
the south of the central Gaza Strip town. A Palestinian woman, ‘Etaf Suleiman Abu Shmas, 40, was wounded by a live
bullet in the left leg, while she was in her house, approximately 500m away
from the source of fire.

During the fourth incursion into the area in less than
two weeks, at approximately 09:00, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with
heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved approximately 500m into
Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. They razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land:

1. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, demolished 3
iron-roofed rooms and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Isma’il Khalil
Suleiman al-Najjar.

2. They
razed a 9-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Mohammed
Suleiman Abu Rujaila.

3. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Suleiman
Salem Hassanein Qudaih.

4. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and onions owned
by Salman Salem Hassanein Qudiah.

5. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and onions owned
by Ahmed Salem Hassanein Qudiah.

6. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Ibrahim
Suleiman al-Najjar.

7. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Khaled
Ibrahim al-Najjar.

8. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Suleiman
Ibrahim al-Najjar.

9. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and a
100-meter-long row of wild figs, demolished a room and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Ibrahim ‘Abdu ‘Ali Abu Jame‘.

10. They
razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and a
100-meter-long row of wild figs, demolished a room and destroyed an irrigation
network owned by Khalil ‘Abdu ‘Ali Abu Jame’.

11. They
razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and onions and a
50-meter-long row of wild figs, and destroyed an irrigation network owned by
‘Ata ‘Abdul Mawla ‘Abdu ‘Ali Abu Jame‘.

12. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Ibrahim
Hussein Qudaih.

13. They
razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Salem
Hussein Qudiah.

14. They
razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Ahmed
‘Abdullah Qudaih.

15. They
razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and olives owned
by Mahmoud Hussein al-Reqeb and farmed by Khalil Hamdan Ahmed al-Najjar.

At approximately 17:30, 6 Israeli heavy military
vehicles, including two bulldozers, moved approximately 100m into al-Sha’er
neighborhood adjacent to the border with Egypt, south of Rafah. They demolished two Palestinian houses:

1. A
300-square-meter house owned by Sarari Ahmed Daoud al-Sha’er, in which two
families (10 people) lived; and

2. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Helmi Mansour al-Sha’er, in
which 10 people lived.

Saturday, 3 May 2003

At approximately 00:45, an infantry unit of Israeli
occupying forces moved approximately 200m into al-Rabwat area in the northwest
of Khan Yunis. Immediately, they
surrounded the houses of Fu’ad and Ziad Mousa Hussein al-Agha. They raided one of the houses and
forced the 8 inhabitants out. They then
forced one of the inhabitants to tell the two families (9 people) living in the
other house, to vacate the premises. They used Fu’ad al-Agha, 50, as a human shield while searching the
houses. Approximately an hour later,
Israeli soldiers detained the residents in one room on the first floor of the
first house. Israeli forces withdrew
from the area at approximately 04:00.

At approximately 14:00, 6 Israeli heavy military
vehicles, including a bulldozer, covered by intense gunfire, moved
approximately 100m into al-Sha’er neighborhood in Rafah, adjacent to the border
with Egypt. A
Palestinian civilian, Mahmoud Yousef Hamdan Abu Sha’ar, 19, was seriously
wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen. Israeli forces demolished 3 Palestinian houses:

1. They totally demolished a
100-square-meter house owned by ‘Abdul Khaliq Jaber al-Qotati, in which 8
people lived.

2. They totally demolished a
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Mohammed Marazeq Zannoun, in
which 14 people lived.

3. They partially demolished a
145-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Sa’id Mansour al-Sha’er.

Sunday, 4 May 2003

At approximately 10:45, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west
of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses and civilian facilities in
Khan Yunis refugee camp and al-Nimsawi neighborhood. Live bullets hit both Nasser Hospital, approximately
800m away and an UNRWA preparatory school, located approximately 600m away. A
pupil at the school, Khalil Saif Ahmed Safi, 13, was injured by shrapnel in the
face, while he was in his classroom. Also as a result of the one-hour gunfire, two
Palestinian civilians were injured:

1. ‘Abdul Rahman Mohammed al-Najjar, 20, injured by shrapnel from a live
bullet in the left shoulder; and

2. ‘Atiya Mohammed Abu Mukhaimar, 24, injured by shrapnel from a live bullet
in the left shoulder.

At approximately 15:30, Israeli occupying forces
moved into the eastern part of Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. A number of Palestinian school children and
young men gathered and threw stones towards Israeli forces. Immediately, Israeli soldiers opened fire at
the stone throwers. Mohammed Zahi Majdi
Hassan Hejazi, 14, was killed by a live bullet in the head. According to eyewitnesses, the child was
fired at from a distance of approximately 15-20 meters. In addition, 7 were wounded:

1. Suleiman
Lutfi Mahmoud Qatouni, 26, from al-‘Ein refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet
in the left hand;

2. Rebhi
Mohammed Hussein al-Zhaher, 52, from Yassid village, northwest of Nablus,
wounded by a live bullet in the left leg;

3. Mohammed
Munir ‘Abdullah Hannoun, 18, from Balata refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet
in the hips;

4. Khaled
‘Omar Khader ‘Abdu, 11, from Balata refugee camp, wounded by two live bullets
in the thighs;

5. Mustafa
Mohammed Nemer Dababka, 26, from Balata refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel from
live bullets in the neck and shoulder;

6. Mohammed
Khaled Mohammed Rida al-Khatib, 20, from Balata refugee camp, wounded by two
live bullets in the left hand; and

7. Ibrahim
Walid ‘Ali Marahil, 12, from Balata refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet in
the right foot.

Monday, 5 May 2003

At approximately 21:50, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west
of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp and
al-Amal and al-Nimsawi neighborhoods. A
Palestinian child, Mohammed Bassam ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Fayadh, 16, was seriously
wounded by a live bullet, while he was walking approximately 500m away from the
source of fire. A number of houses were
also damaged.

Tuesday, 6 May 2003

At approximately 11:00, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west
of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp and
al-Nimsawi neighborhood. Apartment
building number 1 in al-Nimsawi neighborhood was hit. Three flats were severely damaged:

1. A
107-square-meter flat owned by Akmal Ghaleb Musbah Abu Khadra, in which 6
people live;

2. A
107-square-meter flat owned by Hamed Khalil Hussein al-Ghamri, in which 8
people live; and

3. A
107-square-meter flat owned by ‘Essam Mahmoud No’man Fayadh, in which 8 people
live.

Wednesday, 7 May 2003

At approximately 11:00, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Batan al-Samin area. A Palestinian infant, 16-month-old ‘Olayan
Sa’ad ‘Olayan al-Bashiti, was critically wounded by a live bullet in the head. About 4 hours later, he was pronounced dead
by hospital staff.

According to his mother, he was wounded while he was
with his brother, Wa’el, 3, and his cousins near their house, approximately
600m northeast of the aforementioned settlement. She evacuated him in a civilian car to Nasser
Hospital in Khan Yunis, where he succumbed to his wound.

Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

Thursday, 1 May 2003

At approximately 12:00, an infantry unit of Israeli
occupying forces, accompanied by a number of military jeeps, moved into Beit
Fouril village, east of Nablus. A number of
Palestinian school children and young men gathered and threw stones towards
Israeli soldiers. Israeli soldiers fired
at the demonstrators, wounding 10, including 4 children:

1. Bassam Nemer Sedqi al-Haj Mohammed, 18,
wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh;

2. Munther Fahmi Salim Khatatba, 21,
wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh;

3. ‘Abada Hussam Ahmed Mulaitat, 16, wounded by a live
bullet in the pelvis;

4. ‘Alaa’ Sultan ‘Abdul Rahman Khatatba, 20, wounded by a
live bullet in the left hand;

5. Adib Riad Yousef Hanani, 19, wounded by
a live bullet in the right hand;

6. Habash Hamdan Hussein Hanani, 17,
wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh;

7. ‘Emad Ahmed Salem Hanani, 19, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left shoulder;

8. Hamza Sameer Mohammed Hanani, 12,
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand;

9. Mahmoud Mohammed ‘Ouda Ghalma, 12,
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back; and

10. Jasser
Ayoub Mahmoud Hanani, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the jaw.

Friday, 2 May 2003

At approximately 15:30, a number of Israeli military
jeeps raided Qalandya refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem. Soon, a number of Palestinian boys and young
men gathered in alleys and threw stones towards the jeeps. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, which are lethal when fired from short distances,
at the stone throwers, wounding 5:

1. ‘Abdul Hamid Wajih ‘Awad, 18, seriously wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the mouth;

2. ‘Eissa Zaki Ahmed Salhiya, 26, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the left leg;

3. Eyad
Ibrahim Abu Latifa, 18, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right
hand;

4. Ahmed
Mahmoud Fayez Abu Nasser, 18, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
right leg; and

5. Ishaq
Yousef Mustafa Salem, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right
hand.

Also at approximately 15:30, Israeli occupying forces
raided Beit Fouril village, east of Nablus. A number of Palestinian children and young men gathered and threw stones
towards Israeli forces. Immediately,
Israeli soldiers fired at the stone throwers, wounding 5:

1. Eyad
Fawzi Mohammed Hanani, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the face;

2. Nasser
Bassam Nasrallah, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand;

3. Asad
Najeh Mahmoud Hanani, 19, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right
shoulder;

4. ‘Abdul Rahim Wajdi ‘Abdul Rahim Hanani, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the back; and

5. Waseem
Ya’qoub Mahmoud Hanani, 13, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
right leg.

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
families of Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli targets
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli
forces.

At approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 1 May 2003, 12
Israeli military jeeps moved into Beit Seera village, west of Ramallah. They surrounded a 200-square-meter,
two-storey house owned by al-Mottafeq Khalil Hassan Hamdan, 51, in which two
families (15 people) live. They called
on residents of the house through megaphones to get out. They then used the
owner’s son, Firas, as a human shield while searching the house. Israeli forces gave the owner 30 minutes to
remove the furniture from the house. They then planted explosives inside and at approximately 05:30, they
destroyed the house. Hamdan is the
father of Haitham Hamda, who is serving four life sentences in an Israeli jail,
after he was accused of participating in an armed attack against Israeli
soldiers at a military checkpoint near Ramallah.

At approximately 01:15 on Friday, 2 May 2003, Israeli
occupying forces, reinforced with 3 armored personnel carriers and 13 military
jeeps moved into Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus. They surrounded a house owned Mohammed Amin
Mahmoud Ghalma. They forced the family
out without allowing them to remove the furniture. When Ghalma and his son challenged the
Israeli soldiers fired live bullets in the air. Israeli soldiers then gave the family 30 minutes to remove the furniture
and then destroyed the house. Three
neighboring houses were severely damaged. Ghalma is the father of Mahmoud Ghalma who was killed while carrying out
an armed attack on Wednesday, 30 April 2003, against “Allon Moreh”
settlement, which is located on Palestinian land in Nablus.

At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces surrounded a
155-square-meter, two-storey house, in which 8 people live, owned by Ghassan
Fawaz Abu Khait also in Beit Fourik village. They gave the family 30 minutes to
remove the furniture and then destroyed the house. Two neighboring houses were also damaged in
the blast. Abu Khait is the father of
Azhar Abu Khait who was also killed in the aforementioned armed attack.

At approximately 00:00 on Monday, 5 May 2003, Israeli
occupying forces surrounded a 600-square-meter, 3-storey house in Hebron owned
by Jawad Hafez Jraiwi Abu Snaina, 45, in which 5 families (22 people)
live. They forced Abu Snaina and his
9-member family out of their flat and destroyed it. The neighboring flats and the building’s
facade were severely damaged. Abu Snaina
is the father of Tariq Abu Snaina, 22, who was killed while carrying out an
armed attack against “Kharsina” settlement, east of Hebron, in
January 2003.

At approximately 04:15 on Tuesday, 6 May 2003, Israeli
occupying forces destroyed the upper floor of a house owned by ‘Azzam ‘Abdul
Mohsen Mahmoud al-Qawasmi, 43, from Hebron, and arrested him and one of his
sons, claiming that the family was harbouring Nour Mohammed Shukri Jaber, 28,
who is allegedly wanted by Israeli forces.

According to information available to PCHR, at
approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces surrounded two houses owned by
al-Qawasmi. Al-Qawasmi and his family
live in one of the houses, while the other one was rented by Jaber. Israeli forces called via megaphones for the
residents to vacate the two houses. At
approximately 03:45, an Israeli officer told al-Qawasmi that his forces would
demolish the rented house. Israeli
forces planted explosives on the upper floor of the house, and detonated it at
approximately 04:45. The ground floor
and the other house were severely damaged. Upon their withdrawal from the area, Israeli forces arrested al-Qawasmi,
his son, Bassam, 17 and Jaber. They
claim that Jaber is a leader of Islamic Jihad, who planned an armed attack in
November 2002 that left 12 Israeli soldiers and security men dead. Israeli forces demolished Jaber’s house after
the attack and they recently released his wife after 6-months of administrative
detention.

An Israeli Military Vehicle Runs Over a Palestinian
Civilian in Tulkarm

On Wednesday, 7 May 2003, an Israeli military
vehicle, hit a civilian car that was traveling on Tulkram-al-Sha’rawia, killing
a passenger and injuring two others.

According to information available to PCHR, at
approximately 13:00, while Ayman ‘Ezziddin Ibrahim al-Houji, 20, from Tulkarm,
Mohammed Sa’id Ahmed Nasser, 31, from Deir Sharaf village, west of Nablus, and
Hani Kamel Taleb Baker, 20, from Kufor al-Labad, east of Tulkarm, were traveling
in a civilian car (a Fiat Uno) on al-Sha’rawia road, an Israeli military
vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, hit their car. The three passengers were injured. A Palestinian ambulance came to the area to
evacuate them to hospital, but Israeli soldiers prevented the ambulance from
doing so for about 30 minutes. Al-Houji
was later pronounced dead.

Israeli Occupying Forces Shoot Dead a British
Journalist in Rafah

On Friday, 2 May 2003, Israeli occupying forces shot
dead a 34-year-old British journalist in Rafah. According
to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 19:30 on Friday, 2 May 2003, a number
of British journalists, accompanied by Palestinian assistants, went to the area
of Salah al-Din Gate in Rafah on the Egyptian border. The group included
3 British journalists: James Miller, 34, cameraman; Saira Shah, 38, journalist;
and Daniel Edge, 25, assistant, as well as two Palestinians: Mowaffaq
al-Khatib, 25, a guide; and ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Abdullah, 25, a translator.

In his testimony to PCHR, the translator, ‘Abdul
Rahman ‘Abdullah said that he and other members of the group entered Fawzi
al-Sha’er’s house and started filming agricultural land leveling and house
demolition by Israeli military bulldozers, approximately 150m away. About
half an hour Tamer Ziara, an Associated Press cameraman joined the group.
‘Abdullah added:

“At approximately 23:30, we decided to leave the house
and the area, but we realized that we were blocked inside the house and Israeli
tanks were very close. We decided to get
out of the house and introduce ourselves to the Israeli
soldiers and tell them about our work and that we would like to leave the area,
to avoid being fired. Three of us got out; I was carrying a white flag,
James was holding a lamp directed at the flag and Saira was raising her
hands. We were all wearing helmets and bullet proof vests clearly marked
with ‘TV’. We walked about 20m towards the tanks. We called on
Israeli soldiers saying that we were British journalists who wanted to leave
the area, but they did not reply. Suddenly, they fired at us, wounding
James. James cried out and we shouted at Israeli soldiers to stop
shooting and told them that one of us was wounded. We asked them for help
as James was bleeding intensely. I went back to the house and told the
others that James was wounded and asked them to call an ambulance. Then,
I ran towards the tanks to ask the Israeli soldiers for help, but they did not
reply. I returned to James and tried with Daniel and Saira to evacuate him
from the area. We carried him and when we began to walk, Israeli soldiers
on one of the tanks called on us to stop, but we continued to walk. Two
armored personnel carriers moved towards us. When they were 10m away,
Israeli soldiers ordered us to put James on the front of the carrier. I
told them that he was in a bad condition and should be put inside the vehicles,
but they insisted we put him on the front of the carrier. We tried more
than once, but we failed to put him on the front of the carrier as it was too
high. James fell more than once, but Israeli soldiers did not help
us. After several failed attempts, Israeli soldiers got out of the
carrier and put him on its front. Then, Saira left the area with the
carrier.”

Later, Israeli sources reported that James Miller was
transferred to an Israeli military location in Rafah, where he succumbed to his
wounded before evacuating him to hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, no exchange of fire took
place in the area between Israeli occupying forces and Palestinian gunmen. The translator also asserted that the group decided
to leave the house when the area was quiet. This was backed up by Tamer Ziara, who joined the group later, asserting
that only Israeli occupying forces were firing in the area.

James Miller and his colleagues had been in the Gaza
Strip for several weeks, filming a documentary for HBO on the lives of
Palestinian children in Rafah on the border with Egypt.

* * * * *

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 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.

“END”