Continued Israeli Violations in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories

 

· Demolition of houses during Israeli incursion into
Khan Yunis
;

 

· Willful killings of 2 Palestinians by Israeli
occupation forces this week;

 

· 2 Palestinians killed during incursions into and shelling of
Palestinian residential areas;

 

· Large areas of agricultural land razed in the
northern Gaza Strip;

 

· A Palestinian patient dies as a result of obstructed
access to hospital by Israeli soldiers at a military roadblock; and

 

· Continued siege on the OPT.

 

 

Introduction

 

 

This
report covers human rights violations perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) 8-14 November, 2001. According to PCHR’s documentation, this week,
four Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupation forces as a result of
excessive use of forces against demonstrators, shelling of Palestinian
residential areas, and willful killing.

 

Also, five Palestinians
were killed in three assassinations in Nablus and Jenin and Hebron. Israeli forces used combat helicopters, a car
bomb, and an undercover unit to assassinate those Palestinians.

 

On two occasions, two
Palestinians died in willful killings by Israeli occupation forces. On 9 November, the Israeli forces shot dead a
handicapped civilian in Al-Qarara village and a child in Khan Yunis.

 

This week, the Israeli
forces encroached into and shelled Palestinian controlled areas. On Wednesday, 14 November, Israeli occupation
forces invaded Khan Yunis refugee camp ma demolished a number of houses,
rendering their civilian residents homeless. A number of civilians were also wounded. On Tuesday, 13 November, a Palestinian woman was killed when Israeli
occupation forces shelled Aratah neighborhood in Tulkarm.

 

In an unprecedented
escalation, Israeli occupation forces resorted to the use of special infantry
units to raid Palestinian cities and villages, particularly in Hebron,
Al-Mughraqa area in Gaza, Al-‘Araqa village in Jenin and
Tel in Nablus. In the latter, Israeli
occupation forces killed a Palestinian and arrested around 45.

 

This week, Israeli
occupation forces razed more areas of Palestinian agricultural land, especially
in the northern Gaza Strip. They also
maintained a strict siege on Palestinian cities, especially Tulkarm and Jenin. A Palestinian patient died on Tuesday, 13
November, when Israeli occupation forces obstructed his evacuation to hospital.

 

Following are details of
Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians in the second week of November:

 

 

1. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

 

 

Friday, November 9, 2001

 

Early in the morning,
Israeli occupation forces killed a handicapped Palestinian in Khan Yunis
without any apparent provocation. According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 05:00, Israeli
occupation soldiers, positioned in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement,
northwest of Khan Yunis, fired at 36-year-old Mahmoud Humeidan Abu Halib, from
Al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis, wounding him with several live bullets
in the pelvis and the right side and thigh. He was evacuated to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis where he was later
pronounced dead. According to an
eyewitness, Abu Halib, deaf and dumb, was walking in the streets with no
destination, approximately 100 from an Israeli military location, when he was
fired at, although the area had witnessed no clashes. The Israeli liaison forces immediately
informed the Palestinian side about the incident and handed over the body of
the young man.

 

After Friday prayers,
demonstrating Palestinian civilians moved from Jamal ‘Abdel-Nasser mosque in Al-Bireh towards the northern entrance of the
city. As soon as they arrived at the
vicinity of the City Inn Hotel, Israeli occupation soldiers fired live
ammunition and tear gas at them. A
number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and were treated in
the field; two were evacuated to hospital:

1) Sa’id Hassan Ahmed, 32, from Qalandya refugee camp;
and

2) Mohammed Hammouda Hammouda, 23, from Al-Bireh.

 

In the afternoon, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned at the entrance of a settlement road near
Al-Mentar Crossing, east of Gaza City, fired at a number of Palestinian
children who were demonstrating in the area. Three children were wounded:

1) Hani Hassan Abu Duheish, 10, from Al-Shati refugee
camp in Gaza, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the face and the right
hand;

2) ‘Abdel-Jabbar Munir El-Khudari, 15, from Al-Nasser
neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the back and the
neck; and

3) Ahmed Mohammed Hassouna, 11, from Al-Shati refugee camp
in Gaza, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh.

 

At approximately 15:00,
Israeli occupation soldiers at a military roadblock near Qalandya Airport,
north of Jerusalem, fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, and
tear gas at a number of Palestinian children who were demonstrating
in the area. The shooting coincided with
the passage of Palestinian civilians through the roadblock on both sides. Saber Musbah Suleiman, 30, from Beit ‘Our village in Ramallah, was wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the right elbow, and Samira Hamed Aslan, 45, from Qalandya
refugee camp, suffered from tear gas inhalation. The two did not participate in any clashes.

 

At approximately 15:30,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, fired
at a number of Palestinian children who were playing near their houses,
adjacent to the settlement. Ahmed ‘Abed
Mahmoud Abu Mustafa, 13, was critically wounded by a live bullet in the
head. He was pronounced dead on Monday
morning, 12 November.

 

In her affidavit to PCHR,
an eyewitness said:

 

At approximately 15:30,
while I was on the roof of my house in Khan Yunis refugee camp, approximately
150m away from “Neve Dekalim” settlement, I
saw a group of children playing on the sand near their houses, approximately
80m away from the settlement. The area
was completely quiet. Suddenly, I heard
the sound of a live bullet fired from the eastern part of the settlement. Soon, I saw a child falling on the
ground. Then, another live bullet was
fired and I saw the children running from the area. Immediately, I got out of my house to check
what was going on. Residents of the area
advised me not to get closer because of gunfire. I asked the escaping children about the child
who fell on the ground. They told me
that he was Ahmed Abu Maustafa, my neighbor. Then, his mother came and she was crying. I tried to calm her down. Soon, I heard an Israeli soldier calling us
in Arabic through loudspeakers to move forward and take the child. We moved towards the child, whose right hand
was under his head, which was bleeding. I saw a red object exiting from his head. I tried to hide his head from his mother, who
was in shock. Then, I carried him
towards a number of people who were gathering in the area and a young man took
him from me and evacuated him to hospital.

 

At approximately 20:00, an
Israeli tank moved from “Nissanit” settlement in the
northern Gaza Strip towards a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security
Forces, approximately 500m away from the settlement. Israeli soldiers fired at the roadblock,
wounding Mohammed Suleiman Hassan, 30, from Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza,
with three live bullets in the chest. The area was completely quiet when the Israeli soldiers fired at the
roadblock.

 

Monday, November 12, 2001

 

At approximately 19:00,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the Egyptian
border, south of Rafah, fired at ‘Omar Ben El-Khattab. Mohammed Mohammed Ghandour, 25, from Khan
Yunis, who was visiting relatives in Rafah, was wounded by a live bullet in the
right leg.

 

Tuesday, November 13, 2001

 

At approximately 06:00,
Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of
Palestinian young men who were hunting birds near Al-Nemsawi neighborhood,
approximately 350m east of the settlement. Jihad Mukheimer Abu Sabha, 18, from Khan Yunis refugee camp, was wounded
by a live bullet in the pelvis.

 

At approximately 15:00,
Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned at a military roadblock at Al-Matahen
junction, north of Khan Yunis, fired at Palestinian civilian cars that were
waiting to be allowed to pass towards Khan Yunis. Kamela Ahmed El-Sinwar, 42, was wounded by a
live bullet in the right side, while inside a civilian car, even though no
clashes were reported in the area.

 

At approximately 16:00,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the entrance of Qalandya refugee camp,
north of Jerusalem, fired at a number of Palestinian demonstrators. The shooting coincided with the passage of
Palestinian civilians through a military roadblock near Qalandya Airport. Four civilians were wounded:

1) ‘Anan Jawad Jaber, 14, from Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by
a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;

2) ‘Ali Mohammed El-Baiari, 45, from Ramallah, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;

3) Fadi Mohammed ‘Awad, 12, from Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the neck; and

4) Raya Hussein Halaba, 65, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head.

 

Wednesday, November 14, 2001

 

At approximately 17:00, Israeli occupation forces,
positioned inside “Homesh” settlement, northwest of Nablus, opened fire on Palestinian
houses in Seilat Al-Zhaher villgae, southwest of Jenin. ‘Effaf Salim Abu ‘Asba, 15, was wounded by
two live bullets in the abdomen, while she was on the roof of her family’s
house. She was evacuated to Dr. Thabet
Thabet Hospital in Tulkarm, since it was not possible to take her to hospitals
in Jenin or Nablus due to the siege imposed on the two cities.

 

 

2. Shelling of, and Incursions into Palestinian Cities
and Residential Areas

 

 

Friday, November 9, 2001

 

At approximately 01:00, an
Israeli military infantry unit, comprised of 20 soldiers, moved approximately
150m into Farsh Al-Hawa in Hebron, under full control of the Palestinian
National Authority. They raided the
house of Na’im Shaehadeh. They broke the
doors and severely beat his four sons and arrested them. Three were then released while the fourth,
Akram, 24, remained in detention. PCHR
was informed that the sons suffered from bruises.

 

At approximately 20:00, an
Israeli military patrol, comprised of 20 soldiers, moved from “Netzarim” settlement into Al-Mughraqa area, south of
Gaza City. They seized the house of
Marwan ‘Atta El-Helu, approximately 150m away from the settlement. According to the owner, the Israeli soldiers
had dogs with them and they besieged and searched the house. They also cut the telephone network and
confiscated his mobile. The Israeli
soldiers got on the roof of the three-story house and remained there until
01:00 on the following day. They left
the area while firing intensively. 

 

Saturday, November 10, 2001

 

At approximately 01:00,
Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with 12 tanks and three bulldozers, moved
into Al-‘Arqa village near Jenin, under the cover of intensive
shooting that targeted Palestinian houses in the village. After they had reoccupied the village, which is under full control of the Palestinian
National Authority, they imposed a curfew and demolished a 130-square-meter
house, in which three people used to live, owned by Mohammed Mahmoud Hammad,
50, father of Nazhir Hammad who carried out a military attack in the Israeli
city of Khudeira. They also uprooted
seven olive trees, owned by Mohammed ‘Ali El-Qeissi. During the incursion, Nihad Zuhair Qeissi,
22, was wounded by two live bullets in the thighs. The Israeli forces prevented his evacuation
to hospital and instead they arrested him and evacuated him to ‘Affoula
Hospital in Israel. The Israeli forces
also arrested 12 Palestinians from the village and took them to an unknown
destination.

 

 

 

 

Sunday, November 11, 2001

 

At approximately 01:00, an
Israeli tank moved approximately 800m into Palestinian controlled areas, south
of “Dogit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia. Soldiers fired heavy and medium caliber
bullets at Palestinian houses and farms. A number of houses and farms were severely damaged:

1) The partially destroyed an 8-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables and strawberries, owned by Mohammed
Rabah El-‘Attar.

2) The partially destroyed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables and its irrigation network, owned by
Mohammed Ghazi El-‘Attar.

3) They completely destroyed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables and its irrigation network, owned by
Khamis Khader Khudeir.

4) The completely destroyed a 1-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, owned by Kamel Abu Halima.

5) The completely destroyed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Nabil Sa’di El-‘Attar.

6) They destroyed an irrigation network owned by Jaber ‘Ali El-‘Attar.

7) The partially destroyed a 6-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables and strawberries, owned by Mohammed
Khalil El-‘Attar.

8) The partially destroyed a 3-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by ‘abdel-Karim Abu Halima.

 

At approximately 21:00, Israeli occupation
forces moved into Ektaba neighborhood , north of Tulkarm, and imposed a
curfew. Then they called through
loudspeakers to young Palestinian men to gather in a school in the
neighborhood. They arrested five young
men and interrogated them.  They were
released at approximately 02:00 on the following day. The young men are:

1) Khaled Mohamemd Hannoun, 33;

2) Tariq Mohammed Hannoun, 28;

3) ‘Abdel-Rahman Mohammed Hannoun, 35;

4) ‘Aamer Mahmoud Hannoun, 26; and

5) Younis Ahmed Ma’abbi, 25.

 

Monday, November 12, 2001

 

At approximately 02:30,
Israeli occupation forces moved into Tel village, southwest of Nablus, under
full control of the Palestinian National Authority. They immediately moved towards the house of
Mohammed Yousef Hamad Rihan, 25, a Hamas activists whom the Israeli forced
claimed was involved in the killing of two Jewish settlers from “Yitshar”
settlement, south of Nablus. They
besieged the house. When the young man
noticed the presence of the Israeli forces, he got out of the house, opening
fire from his gun. The Israeli forces
fired at him, killing him with several live bullets. Approximately 15 minutes later, two Israeli
helicopters flew over the village and dropped a number of Israeli soldiers at
the southern entrance of the village. The Israeli soldiers, reinforced with three tanks, six armored personnel
carriers, a prison truck and a bulldozer, moved into the village. They imposed a curfew after besieging the
Palestinian police station in the village. They called on the villagers through loudspeakers to gather at a
school. Then, they arrested 39 young
men, including Rihan’s four brothers, and took them to an unknown destination.

 

Tuesday, November 13, 2001

 

In the evening, Israeli
tanks moved into the northwest of Artah neighborhood, south of
Tulkarm. They fired indiscriminately at
Palestinian houses. Wafa’ Mohammed As’ad
Nassif ‘Oudeh, 34, mother of four children, was critically wounded by a heavy
caliber bullet in the heart. She was
evacuated to Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. ‘Oudeh was inside her house watching
television.

 

At approximately 22:00,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Morag” settlement, northeast of Rafah, opened fire on Gizan Al-Najjar
neighborhood, north of the settlement. Ahmed Khaled Jad Al-Haq, 21, from Rafah, was wounded by a medium caliber
bullet in the right hand.

 

Wednesday, November 14, 2001

 

At approximately 01:00,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned in a military location, “Al-Nouria,” west of Khan Yunis refugee camp, shelled Palestinian houses in the
refugee camp. Seven Palestinian
civilians were wounded and a number of houses were damaged. Eighteen artillery shells hit a school,
causing severe damage. The guard of the
school, Hamed Ahmed Abu Sahloul, 40, was seriously wounded by shrapnel from an
artillery shell in the back and the head. The other wounded were:

1) Ibrahim Mohammed Abu Mustafa, 32, wounded by shrapnel
in the head and the right hand;

2) Suleiman Khalil Abu Mustafa, 28, wounded by shrapnel in
the right shoulder and the face;

3) Ashraf ‘Abdel-Karim Abu Mustafa, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand and the
left shoulder;

4) Hassan Ismail Abu Mustafa, 34, wounded by shrapnel in
the back;

5) Sami Ahmed Abu Mustafa, 25, wounded by shrapnel in
the head; and

6) Mahdi Khalil Abu Mustafa, 17, wounded by shrapnel in
the right hand.

 

At approximately 22:30,
Israeli armored personnel carriers, reinforced with three bulldozers thrust
approximately 300m into Palestinian controlled areas in Khan Yunis refugee
camp. They immediately started
demolishing a number of houses without any prior warning. The incursion lasted until Thursday morning,
15 November, during which Israeli occupation forces intensively shelled the
area. Suhail ‘Abdel-Rahman Abu Saleh,
27, was killed and nine were wounded. Fifteen houses were completely demolished and 11 were partially
demolished. The wounded were:

1) Fawzi Mohammed Radhi, 40, wounded by shrapnel in the
back;

2) Ahmed Mahmoud Abu Shammala, 40, wounded by shrapnel
in the back;

3) Ussama Ghassan El-Qassas, 21, wounded by shrapnel in
the hand and the head;

4) Ahmed Hamada Abu El-‘Arraj, 40, wounded by a live bullet in the right foot;

5) Suleiman Mohammed El-Majayda, 19, wounded by a live
bullet in the right thigh;

6) Kayed ‘Oleyan Barbakh, 60, wounded by a live bullet in the right foot;

7) ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Abu Bakra, 22,
wounded by shrapnel in the face;

8) Yousef Abu Shab, 27, wounded by a live bullet in the
chest; and

9) ‘Aadel Sadiq, 25, wounded by two live bullets in the right
thigh and the pelvis.

 

Israeli forces demolished
the following houses:

 

 

 

 

3. Land Leveling and Destruction of Civilian Facilities

 

Thursday, November 8, 2001

 

At approximately 08:00,
Israeli occupation forces razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land near “Dogit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia:

1) They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land, on
which three greenhouses planted with vegetables stood, owned by Yasser Fayez
Tafesh.

2) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land, on
which a greenhouse planted with vegetables stood, owned by Yasser Fayez Tafesh.

 

Saturday, November 10, 2001

 

At approximately 23:00,
Israeli occupation forces razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land in
Al-Mawasi area in Khan Yunis. The razing
lasted up to 09:00 on the following day, during which:

1) They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives, on which a greenhouse planted with vegetables stood, owned
by Saleh Mohammed El-Lahham.

2) They razed a 500-square-meter area of agricultural
land planted with guavas, owned by Bassam Hassan El-Lahham.

3) They razed a 500-square-meter area of agricultural
land planted with guavas, owned by ‘Abdel-Halim Khalil El-Majyda.

4) They destroyed 300 bricks and uprooted some olive
trees owned by Yahia Mustafa El-Lahham.

 

Sunday, November 11, 2001

 

At approximately 15:30,
Israeli occupation forces razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land,
approximately 350m from the border of the Gaza Strip, north of Beit
Hanoun. The razing lasted until 06:00 on
the following day, during which:

1) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Ahmed
Mohammed El-Za’anin.

2) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted
with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Mohammed Hassan
El-Za’anin.

3) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Jamil Hassan
El-Za’anin.

4) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Mustafa
Hussein El-Za’anin.

5) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Hassan
Hussein El-Za’anin.

6) They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Nassim
Mahmoud El-Za’anin.

7) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Ismail
Hussein El-Za’anin.

8) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Mohammed
Yousef El-Za’anin.

9) They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Ibrahim
Mohammed El-Za’anin.

10) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Hussein
Mahmoud El-Za’anin.

11) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Sabah Hassan
El-Za’anin.

12) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Nayef
Mohammed ‘Ayyad.

13) They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land
planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Yousef
Mohammed Sweilem.

 

Tuesday, November 13, 2001

 

At approximately 10:00,
Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with two armored personnel carriers and a
bulldozer, demolished a 600-square-meter bird farm, 15m west of “Dogit”
settlement, north of Beit Lahia, owned by Yasser Fayez Tafesh. Tafesh tried to prevent the demolition, but
the Israeli forces severely beat him.

 

4. A Palestinian Killed in Mysterious Circumstances

 

At approximately 13:45 on Sunday, 11 November, ‘Omar
Hafs Abu Zeid, 25, from Bethlehem, a Hamas activist, was killed in an explosion
in Al-Douha village, southwest of Bethlehem. According to investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for
the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), Abu Zeid went to his
father’s workshop in Al-Douha village, where he used to work. As soon as he entered the workshop, a heavy
blast occurred and he was killed by shrapnel in the head, the abdomen and the
hands.

 

 

5. A Palestinian Patient Dies Due to Obstructed Access
to Hospital

 

On Tuesday evening, 14 November, Mohammed Khairi
‘Abdel-Fattah El-Zeben, 55, from Kufor Rumman village in Tulkarm, was
pronounced dead. El-Zeben was a kidney
patient and his health condition deteriorated. Although he was badly in need of medical care, Israeli occupation
soldiers at a military roadblock near Deir Sharaf junction on Nablus-Tulkarm
road obstructed his access to hospital for more than three hours. Consequently, his health condition further
deteriorated and he died at hospital.

 

 

6. Arrests by Israeli Occupation Forces

 

 

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

1) At international border crossings, under the control
of Israeli occupation forces.

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

3) In Palestinian towns and villages, often during house
raids.

 

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

 

 

****

 

PCHR calls:

 

1) Upon governments that participated in the World
Conference Against Racism in Durban in South Africa to adopt crucial decisions
condemning practices by Israel and its belligerent occupation forces in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories, which can only be described as apartheid
against the Palestinian people.

2) Upon the international community to provide immediate
and independent international protection for the Palestinian people in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.

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

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

5) Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence, expand its
activities, and intensify its field observations throughout the Occupied
Palestinian Territories.

6) Upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the
Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect
human rights.

7) 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 the Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian
Territories.

 

v For more information on the Al-Aqsa Intifada see: www.pchrgaza.org