On
the 54th Anniversary of the Nakba,
· 6 Palestinians, including three
children killed by Israeli occupation forces
· In violation of international
humanitarian law, 39 Palestinians trapped in the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem deported to end a 6-week Israeli siege
· Continued Israeli incursions
into PNA-controlled areas and seven houses demolished in Rafah
· An assassination in Halhoul
town in Hebron
· Willful killing of a child from
Gaza and a young man from Jerusalem
· Large areas of Palestinian
agricultural land razed in Beit Hanoun and in al-Mawasi area in Rafah
· A strict siege on the OPT; many
Palestinians arrested
Introduction
This week, a European-brokered agreement between Israel and the PNA led
to the unlawful deportation of 39 Palestinians trapped in the Church of the
Nativity to end an almost-40-day siege. According to the deal, 13 Palestinians were deported in a British
military plane to Cyprus where they would temporarily remain until an agreement
on the countries that would receive them could be concluded. In addition, 26 Palestinians were moved to
the Gaza Strip. The agreement violates
international humanitarian and human rights law, which prohibits the unlawful
deportation of individuals from their own countries. PCHR is dismayed that Palestinians continue
to be forced to unlawfully leave their homeland.
The publication of this report coincides with the 54th
anniversary of the Nakba – the uprooting and dispersion of the Palestinian
people in 1948. This anniversary reminds
the world of large-scale human rights violations committed by successive
Israeli governments against the Palestinian people over the past five decades,
the latest of which was that in the Jenin refugee camp, under an ongoing
conspiracy of silence amongst the international community.
This week, Israeli occupation forces perpetrated more human rights
violations against Palestinian civilians and property in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories (OPT). In an
apparent willful killing, Israeli occupation forces shot dead a Palestinian
child in Gaza. The child bled to death
and his body was discovered on the following day. In another willful killing, the body of a
Palestinian civilian from al-Qebia village near Jerusalem was discovered after
he had been arrested by Israeli occupation forces. An examination of the body revealed evidence
of torture.
In a continuation of the policy of assassination officially adopted by
the Israeli governments against activists of Intifada, Israeli occupation
forces killed two members of the Palestinian General Intelligence in Halhoul
town near Hebron on 14 May. One of the
victims was beaten to death after he had been wounded.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces shelled and
invaded Palestinian areas, especially in Rafah, demolishing four houses
completely and three houses partially, and wounding more than ten people. They also demolished a number of civilian
facilities. Israeli forces also razed
large areas of agricultural land in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza strip.
Israeli occupation forces have maintained the total
siege imposed on the OPT in a collective punishment for the Palestinian
people. Israeli forces have separated Palestinian areas, transforming
them into cantons, and imposed a curfew on several Palestinian areas in the
West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces have divided the
strip into three isolated zones for several weeks. They have denied
access of students to their schools and universities, and employees to their
work places, violating their economic, social and cultural rights. On 12 May, Israeli forces imposed a curfew on
al-Mawasi area in Rafah and arrested a number of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces at military roadblocks in the
Gaza Strip searched and fired at Palestinian civilians traveling on main roads
and arrested dozens of Palestinians. On
13 May, Israeli occupation forces established a military checkpoint at the
entrance to the Bedouin village in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinian journalists were not immune to
the Israeli military siege. On 12 May,
Palestinian journalists were prevented by Israeli military order from moving
near Israeli military roadblock in the West Bank.
Shelling of and Encroachment into
PNA-controlled Areas
At approximately 01:00, Israeli heavy military vehicles,
under cover of intense shelling, moved approximately 200m into al-Brazil
neighborhood adjacent to the Egyptian border, south of Rafah. The incursion continued until 07:30, during
which Israeli occupation forces partially demolished three Palestinian houses
and completed the demolition of other two houses that had been partially
demolished on 2 May:
1. They demolished four rooms and
a fence, uprooted eight olive tress and damaged electrical sets in a
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house in which 13 people live, owned by
Fatema Khalil Ibrahim al-Natur.
2. They demolished a room, the
kitchen and the fence of a 200-square-meter, two-story house in which 12 people
live, owned by Nazhmi Mahmoud Salama al-Houli.
3. They demolished a room and the
kitchen of a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house in which eight people
live, owned by Khalil Yousef al-‘Ennabi.
4. They completed the demolition
of a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house in which 18 people used to live,
owned by Mohammed and Ziad Hussein Ahmed ‘Arafat.
5. They completed the demolition
of a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house in which four people used to live,
owned by Yousef Mohammed Dhib Abu Jarad.
PCHR’s field worker in Rafah reported that fire broke
out due to Israeli shelling near a house, terrifying residents. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 03:30, Israeli tanks and armored
personnel carriers, supported by a helicopter, moved into ‘Ein Sara
neighborhood in Hebron. They surrounded
a deserted house owned by Ya’qoub Maraqa. They fired three missiles at the house, totally destroying it, but no
casualties were reported. They claimed
that wanted Palestinians were inside the house.
At approximately 02:30, Israeli occupation forces moved
into the western part of Hebron. They
surrounded an apartment building in Dweirban neighborhood and expelled its
residents. For three hours, Israeli
forces shelled the building, severely damaging it. Fire broke out in six flats, totally
destroying their contents. In addition,
120 tons of cloth were damaged. Israeli
forces denied the access of fire engines to the building until 11:00.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli occupation forces
invaded Tulkarm and imposed a curfew on its eastern section. Half an hour later, they surrounded a
three-story apartment building owned by ‘Abdul Hakim Dhiab, in which the family
of ‘Abdul Basset ‘Oudeh, who killed himself in a suicide operation inside
Israel, used to live. They expelled
residents and totally demolished the building.
At approximately 21:00,
Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” and “Netser Hazani”
settlements, northwest of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip, shelled
Palestinian houses in al-Rabwat area. A
Palestinian civilian, Bassem Jaber Abu Halib, 17, was wounded by shrapnel in
the hands and legs, while at home. In
addition, a number of houses were slightly damaged.
At approximately 17:00,
Israeli occupation forces moved approximately 200m into ‘Abasan village near
the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Khan Yunis. They demolished a 1200-square-meter bird
farm, owned by al-Wafa Company and managed by Majed Mahmoud Mansour Abu
Samra. Losses were estimated at $US
170,000.
At approximately 18:30,
medical sources at Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City announced that 15-year-old
Salem Sami Salem al-Sha’er, from Rafah, succumbed to a wound he received on 7
May. Al-Sha’er had been wounded with a
live bullet in the back and his brother Jamal, 17, was killed by Israeli
occupation forces when they moved into al-Saha’er neighborhood adjacent to the
Egyptian border, south of Rafah.
At approximately 04:00,
Israeli heavy military vehicles under cover of intense shelling moved
approximately 300m into al-Salam neighborhood adjacent to the Egyptian border,
south of Rafah. During this incursion,
which continued until 07:00, Israeli forces demolished one house and partially
destroyed two others:
1. They totally demolished a 150-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which seven people used to live, and uprooted 30
trees around the house, owned by Mahmoud Ahmed Hussein al-Sha’er.
2. They partially demolished a 180-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which six people live, owned by Saleh Hussein Hassan
al-Sha’er.
3. They partially demolished a 140-square-meter,
one-story house, in which 11 people live, owned by Mohammed ‘Ali Hamdan Qeshta.
Israeli forces detained
residents of the third house in one room and stole a mobile phone. They also uprooted 14 trees surrounding the
house. In addition, two Palestinian
civilians were wounded by Israeli shelling:
1. Khaled Ibrahim Barbakh, 20, wounded by shrapnel in
the ear; and
2. Mohammed Khalil Abu Taha, 18, wounded by shrapnel in
the left shoulder.
Electricity was cut from
most of Rafah after an electricity transmitter was hit by Israeli shelling.
At approximately 22:00,
Israeli occupation forces razed a 60-donum area of Palestinian agricultural
land owned by the heirs of Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim Zo’rob in al-Mawasi area in
Rafah. They uprooted 300 olive trees and
demolished a 50-square meter resort and two water pumps.
At approximately 22:30,
Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of
Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in al-Nimsawi neighborhood, east of the
settlement. A Palestinian woman, Raghda
‘Abdul Muttaleb Budeir, 25, was wounded by shrapnel in the left ear while
sleeping when an artillery shell hit her house. Another artillery shell hit the house of Suheil al-Maqadma, damaging the
roof.
At approximately 01:00,
Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved
approximately 500m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis. They raided four houses of the Abu Nemer
family and forced their residents out. They searched these houses and arrested 45-year-old Kamel Salem ‘Atteya
Abu Nemer, a policeman.
At approximately 04:00,
Israeli occupation forces moved approximately 200m into al-Salam neighborhood
adjacent to the Egyptian border, south of Rafah. They demolished three Palestinian houses with
their contents inside:
1. A 160-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which
seven people used to live, owned by Mahdi Mohammed Hassan Teilakh;
2. A 170-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which
four people used to live, owned by Majed Eshteiwi Abu Sanjar; and
3. A 120-square-meter, one-story house, in which two
people used to live, owned by Nazhem Eshteiwi Abu Sanjar.
Israeli forces demolished
two fences of two tracts of land owned by the family of Abu Jazar and damaged
three other houses. They also attacked a
pregnant woman, Salwa Nafe’ Abu Teilakh, 32, leading to the death of the foetus.
At approximately 22:00, two
Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire at al-Nimsawi neighborhood in the west
of Khan Yunis. Israeli military
locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement shelled the
neighborhood. A Palestinian civilian,
‘Abdul Ra’ouf ‘Atta ‘Ayoush, 30, was wounded by a live bullet in the left foot
while he was near his house. Some houses
were also damaged and civilians, including children, were terrified.
On Friday, 10 May, Israeli
occupation forces deported 13 Palestinians who had been trapped in the Church
in a British military plane to Cyprus until other European countries agree to
receive them. The 13 men are:
1. Ibrahim Mousa ‘Ebayyat
2. Jihad Ja’ara
3. Rami ‘Eid Kamel ‘Eid
4. Hanna Sa’id ‘Attallah Nasser
5. Khaled Abu Nejma
6. ‘Anan Khamis
7. ‘Abdullah Qassem Daoud
8. Ahmed Hamamra
9. Ibrahim Mohammed ‘Ebayyat
10. Mohammed Mahanna
11. ‘Azziz Jobran ‘Ebayyat
12. Mamduh ‘Ebayyat al-Wardian
13. Khalil ‘Obeidallah Nawawra
Another 26 Palestinians
were transferred to the Gaza Strip under the same agreement, which was
concluded between the Palestinian National Authority and the Israeli government
with European and US mediation.
A few hours following the
implementation of the deal, Israeli occupation forces surrounded the Church and
attacked Palestinians and journalists. In the afternoon, Israeli forces broke into the Church, claiming that
they wanted to search for guns, despite protests of clerics, who denied Israeli
claims. Israeli forces arrested 13
members of the international popular committees for solidarity with the
Palestinian people who were inside the Church.
In a continuation of the
policy of assassination formally adopted by the Israeli government against
political and field activists of the Intifada, on Tuesday morning, 14 May,
Israeli occupation forces killed two PNA security officers:
1. Lieutenant Colonel Khaled Abu al-Khairan, 38, from
al-Fawar refugee camp, head of the PNA General Intelligence Service in Halhoul;
and
2. Lieutenant Ahmed ‘Abdul ‘Azziz Zama’ra, 26, from Halhoul,
a member of the General Intelligence Service.
According to investigation
carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and
the Environment (LAW), at approximately 01:00, a special unit of Israeli
occupation forces moved into Zbboud neighborhood in the northwest of Halhoul in
the West Bank. They besieged the
neighborhood and took up position around offices of the Palestinian General
Intelligence Service. Abu al-Khairan and
Zama’ra attempted to escape in their cars, but Israeli forces opened fire at
them from close range, wounding them. Israeli forces took the two out of the car; one of them was dead while
the other was still alive. Soon, Israeli
soldiers severely beat him for approximately 30 minutes until he died. Then, Israeli forces withdrew from the area.
Israeli forces had earlier
moved into Halhoul in February 2002, when combat helicopters had shelled
Zama’ra’s house. Then, Israeli forces
demolished the house after having searched for him without success.
At approximately 10:00,
Israeli occupation forces in a military location at Beit Hanoun crossing in the
northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian farms approximately 300m to the
southeast. A Palestinian farmer,
Mohammed Isma’il Abu Jarad, 52, from Beit Hanoun, was wounded by a live bullet
in the right shoulder.
In an apparent willful
killing, Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian young man after having
arrested him. According to investigation
carried out by LAW, at approximately 10:30, Mohammed ‘Omar Mohammed Makhtoub,
21, from al-Qebya village, northwest of occupied Jerusalem, was traveling in a
taxi to Jerusalem to visit his fiancé. When the taxi arrived at an Israeli military roadblock near Jaba’
village, Israeli occupation forces stopped it. While Israeli soldiers were searching the taxi, a verbal quarrel
occurred between Makhtoub and an Israeli soldier. Then, the Israeli soldiers asked him to get
out of the car, but he refused. The
Israeli soldier forcibly pulled him out of the car and put him in a military
jeep. At approximately 18:00, Makhtoub’s
family looked for him in hospitals and police stations. When they phoned an Israeli police station in
“Gevat Ze’ev” settlement, they were informed that their son was found dead in
the afternoon on a road between two Israeli military roadblocks. On Sunday afternoon, 12 May, the family
received the body of their son from the Israeli Abu Kabir forensic
institute. They noticed signs of beating
on his head. The family did not receive
the autopsy report.
At approximately 13:30,
Palestinian civilians in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and al-Bireh
organized a peaceful march towards the northern entrance of al-Bireh. Israeli occupation at the entrance fired live
ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at the
demonstrators, wounding Mohammed Jamal ‘Abdul Jawad, 19, from al-Jalazoun
refugee camp, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg.
In
an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian
child and left him to bleed to death. According to PCHR’s investigation and eyewitnesses testimonies, at
approximately 16:00, four Palestinian children were playing on agricultural
land, approximately 500m away from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east
of Gaza City. Suddenly, an Israeli tank
and a military jeep moved to the west. When they were approximately 200m away from the children, Israeli
soldiers fired at the children for no apparent reason. The four children attempted to escape; three
were wounded while the fourth child was able to escape. Palestinian civilians and ambulances were
able to evacuate two of the wounded to hospital:
1. Ahmed Fares Salem Sukkar, 11, wounded by a live bullet
in the left leg; and
2. Ahmed Jihad Mahmoud al-Hilu, 14, wounded by a live
bullet in the abdomen.
The two children told
medical personnel that there was a third child, ‘Ezziddin Talal Mahmoud
al-Hilu, 17, who was wounded, so an ambulance went to the area to search for
him. As soon as the ambulance arrived at
the area, it was fired at by Israeli forces. Another ambulance moved to the area again and searched for the child
until the evening. The child was not
found. On the following day, an
ambulance moved to the area at noon and discovered the body of the child,
approximately 300m away from the border. The body was evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital where medical sources stated
that the child was hit by a live bullet that entered the left hip and settled
in the abdomen and that his wound was not lethal. The abdomen had suffered a hemorrhage. The Israeli daily Yediot Aaharanot on
its Arabic web page quoted an Israeli military spokesman as saying that
“Israeli soldiers fired warning bullets in the air, but the children continued
moving towards them, so they fired at the children fearing for their
lives.” The fact that the body of the
child was found 300m away from the border, and that he received a live bullet
from the back, however, indicate that he was attempting to escape rather than
move forward.
In an excessive use of
force, Israeli occupation forces shot dead a 16-year-old Palestinian. According to investigation carried out by
LAW, at approximately 07:30, while Fadi Mohammed Talal Shehada, 16, was on his
way from al-Doheisha refugee camp in Bethlehem to his area of residence in
Jericho, Israeli occupation soldiers at “Gilo” military roadblock shot him dead
with several live bullets. Israeli
forces have so far kept his body, claiming that he fired at the roadblock from
a pistol, but eyewitnesses said that they had not heard any sounds of shooting
before Israeli forces fired at Shehada.
At approximately 09:00, Israeli
occupation forces at Tal al-Sultan checkpoint, west of Rafah in the southern
Gaza strip, opened fire at some Palestinian civilians who were on their way to
their homes in al-Mawasi area in Rafah. Three women were wounded:
1. Fatema ‘Oudeh ‘Eid Shalluf, 35,
wounded by a live bullet in the right arm;
2. Farida Hubeish Ghayadh Shalluf,
35, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the neck; and
3. Widad Ibrahim al-Bardawil, 43,
wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the left thigh.
This week, Israeli occupation forces arrested a number of
Palestinians. The 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 at the entrances
to Palestinian cities and villages.
3. In Palestinian towns and villages, often during house raids.
4. During incursions into Palestinian controlled areas.
The
following are significant arrests that took place this week:
|
No. |
Name |
Age |
Place |
Date |
Notes |
|
1. |
Mahmoud Salama Abu Mousa |
47 |
Khan |
10 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction – a taxi driver |
|
2. |
Fadi Fyez Shaker Shabita |
22 |
‘Azzoun, |
10 |
Arrested at the centre of the village where male villagers were |
|
3. |
‘Abdul Rahim Jaber Abu Baker |
41 |
Ya’bad, |
11 May |
Arrested at his house |
|
4. |
Mohammed Ahmed ‘Abbadi |
29 |
Ya’bad, |
11 |
Arrested at his house |
|
5. |
Mahmoud Ahmed ‘Abbadi |
27 |
Ya’bad, |
11 |
Arrested at his house |
|
6. |
Lu’ai Ahmed ‘Abbadi |
21 |
Ya’bad, |
11 |
Arrested at his house |
|
7. |
As’ad Yousef Humeid Zo’rob |
22 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested after having been wounded and beaten by Israeli forces, who |
|
8. |
Bader Mohammed Humeid Zo’rob |
36 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested in al-Mawasi area after he was beaten and forced to take his |
|
9. |
Shehda Mohammed Humeid Zo’rob |
24 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested in al-Mawasi area after he was beaten and forced to take his |
|
10. |
‘Omar Mohammed Humeid Zo’rob |
21 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested in al-Mawasi area after he was beaten and forced to take his |
|
11. |
Hamad Mohammed Humeid Zo’rob |
19 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested in al-Mawasi area after he was beaten and forced to take his |
|
12. |
Shadi Bader Mohammed Zo’rob |
17 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested in al-Mawasi area after he was beaten and forced to take his |
|
13. |
Samir ‘Abdullah Hamdan Zo’rob |
35 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested in al-Mawasi area after he was beaten and forced to take his |
|
14. |
Mousa Ahmed Salim al-Nahhal |
27 |
Al-Mawasi, |
12 |
Arrested in al-Mawasi area after he was beaten and forced to take his |
|
15. |
Ahmed Saleh Eshteiwi |
— |
Rafah |
13 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis after having been |
|
16. |
Rami ‘Eid Suleiman Abu Riash |
21 |
Rafah |
13 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis after having been |
|
17. |
Mohammed Rushdi Yassin |
27 |
‘Aanin, |
14 |
Arrested at his house |
|
18. |
Ussama ‘Ezzat Yassin |
29 |
‘Aanin, |
14 |
Arrested at his house |
|
19. |
Wassef Khaled Yassin |
29 |
‘Aanin, |
14 |
Arrested at his house |
|
20. |
‘Aatef Hamdan Abu Mousa |
25 |
Deir |
14 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis |
|
21. |
Mohammed Khalil |
32 |
Nusseirat |
14 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis |
|
22. |
Ref’at Sayed Isma’il Abu al-‘Amrein |
26 |
Khan |
14 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis |
|
23. |
Marwan Mohammed ‘Abdul Fattah Zallum |
37 |
Deir |
14 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis |
|
24. |
Mohammed Humeid Hussein Karsou’ |
27 |
Gaza |
14 |
Arrested at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis |
*****
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 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.
3. Upon the international community to
investigate and prosecute those believed to have committed war crimes in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories before international courts.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence,
expand its activities, and intensify its field observations 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”
