President Arafat Passes Away
Israeli Troops Continue Attacks in
the OPT
· 7
Palestinians, 5 of whom were civilians, including a woman, were killed by
Israeli troops.
· An
Egyptian citizen was killed by Israeli troops.
· Israeli
troops conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip.
· At
least 370 donums[1]
of agricultural land were razed in the Gaza Strip.
· Houses
were raided and dozens of Palestinian civilians were arrested in the West Bank.
· 3
Palestinian civilians, including a child, were arrested in the Gaza Strip.
· Continued
shelling of residential areas and civilian facilities and a number of
Palestinian civilians were injured.
· Construction
of the “Annexation wall” in the West Bank has continued.
· Israeli
troops have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; a comprehensive
closure was imposed on the West Bank and a number of Palestinian civilians were
arrested at military checkpoints.
Introduction
Israeli occupying Forces (IOF) have launched more
attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(OPT). This week, 7 Palestinians, 5 of
whom were civilians, including a woman, were killed by Israeli troops. In
addition, a number of Palestinian civilians were injured by the Israeli
gunfire. Israeli troops also killed an Egyptian citizen in Rafah, near the
Egyptian border. Human rights violations
perpetrated by IOF included willful killings, incursions into Palestinian
areas, indiscriminate shelling, land leveling and total closure imposed on Palestinian
communities. Israeli troops also prevented hundreds of Palestinian civilian
from participating in the funeral procession of the Palestinian President
Yasser Arafat.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops killed 5
Palestinians, including 4 civilians. Four of the victims, including a woman, were killed during an Israeli
military incursion into Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood in Gaza City on 11 November
2004. The fifth victim died on 14 November 2004 from a previous wound he had
sustained during the Israeli offensive on the northern Gaza Strip last
month. On 11 November 2004, Israeli
troops killed a man who was apparently Egyptian near the Egyptian border, south
of Rafah. Israeli troops continued to
shell Palestinian residential areas, especially in Rafah where 10 Palestinian
civilians, including 4 children, were injured.
This week, Israeli troops conducted 4 incursions into
Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip. On
11 November 2004, Israeli troops moved into Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood in Gaza
City. They killed 4 Palestinians,
arrested 2 civilians and razed at least 120 donums of agricultural land. On 13, 14 and 17 November 2004, Israeli
troops moved into areas in the central Gaza Strip. They razed 252 donums of
agricultural land and arrested a Palestinian child.
In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed 2 Palestinian
civilians. On 11 November 2004, Israeli troops killed a Palestinian civilian
during clashes in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. On 15 November 2004, Israeli troops killed a
Palestinian civilian who lived in Israel at the eastern entrance of Qalqilya,
when they opened fire at his car. This
week, Israeli troops moved into various areas throughout the West Bank, injured
a number of Palestinian civilians, and arrested dozens of others.
IOF have
continued to construct the annexation wall inside the West Bank territory. This week, Israeli troops continued to raze
areas of agricultural land in Deir al-‘Asal village, southwest of Hebron. They
also completed the construction of a section of the wall between Dahiat
al-Barid checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, and Qalandya checkpoint, south of
Ramallah. These facts on the ground created by IOF have caused suffering for
Palestinian civilians.
IOF have continued to impose a tightened
siege on the OPT and have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
Despite Eid al-Futr, Israeli troops have continued to impose tightened siege on
the Gaza Strip. They have imposed severe restrictions on internal
movement. They have also continued to
close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip either partially or completely.
These measures violate the Palestinian economic, social, cultural, civil and
political rights.
In the West Bank, Israeli troops imposed a
comprehensive siege on the West Bank between Thursday morning, 11 November
2004, and Tuesday morning, 16 November 2004, following the declaration of
President Arafat’s death to prevent Palestinian civilians from participating in
his funeral procession. These
restrictions remained effective during Eid al-Futr.
Shelling of, and
Encroachment into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and
Property
Thursday, 11 November 2004
At approximately 03:00,
Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles and helicopters, moved
nearly 1000 meters into Sjeikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood to the north of
“Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City. Under the cover of indiscriminate shelling,
they raided and searched a number of houses belonging to the al-Dahdouh family,
and arrested 2 members of the family: Mazen ‘Abdul Nasser al-Dahdouh, 20; and
Mustafa Na’im al-Dahdouh, 22. As a
result of the indiscriminate shelling, 2 Palestinian civilians were killed:
1. Nour
al-Din Khamis Murtaja, 25, from Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood, hit by a live
bullet to the head; and
2. Bilal
Ahmed D’iab, 25, from Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, hit by shrapnel to the
head.
In addition, 7 other
civilians, including a child and a woman, were injured. During this incursion, a number of members of
the Palestinian resistance clashed with Israeli troops. One member of the resistance, Mohammed Shaker
al-Khouli, 23, from al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City, was killed by 2 live
bullets in the head and the abdomen. The
incursion continued until 15:30, during which Israeli troops razed nearly 120
donums of agricultural land and severely damaged the infrastructure of the
area.
Also at approximately
03:00, Israeli troops moved into Nablus and neighboring villages and refugee
camps. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 9 Palestinians,
including a child and 3 brothers.
At approximately 05:20, an
intense gunfire was heard coming from an Israeli military posts at the entrance
of “Rafiah Yam” settlement, southwest of Rafah, near the Egyptian
border. A few hours later, residents of
the neighboring Tal al-Sultan neighborhood said that there was a body near the
building of the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs, a few meters away from
the Egyptian border. In the evening, following coordination with the Israeli
side, a Palestinian ambulance was allowed access to the area. It evacuated the
body to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. According to medical sources, the victim was hit by a live bullet to the
chest and 2 live bullets to the thighs. Egyptian banknotes, Egyptian bus tickets and 2 copies of the holy Qur’an
were found with the victims, which indicate that he is Egyptian who came to
Rafah across the border. The victim has not been identified.
At approximately 08:00,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts along the Egyptian border, south of
Rafah, opened fire at residential areas in the town. A Palestinian child, 12-year-old Tayseer
Yahia Abu Sharekh, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen when
he was near his house in al-Shaboura refugee camp, nearly 1200 meters away from
the border.
At approximately 15:00,
dozens of Palestinian young men gathered at the eastern entrance of Beit Ummar
village, north of Hebron. They threw
stones at Israeli troops positioned in the area. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at the
young men and killed 22-year-old Mohammed Jamil ‘Aamer Abu Maria with a live
bullet in the head. According to
eyewitnesses, Israeli troops fired at the victim from a distance of nearly 100
meters and that the young men did not pose any threat to the lives of Israeli
troops.
Also at approximately
15:00, dozens of Palestinian children and young men gathered near a gate on the
annexation wall to the south of Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya. They threw stones at Israeli troops
positioned at the gate. Immediately,
Israeli troops fired at the stone throwers, wounding 2:
1. Ahmed
‘Abdul Rahim ‘Abdul Ghani Shamasna, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the
chest; and
2. Ra’ed
Mohammed Salim, 17, wounded by a live bullet in the hand.
In the evening, Israeli
troops positioned in military posts along the Egyptian border, south of Rafah,
opened fire at residential areas in the town. A Palestinian civilian, 26-year-old Mohammed ‘Abdul Latif Jaber, was
wounded by a live bullet in the left knee when he was near his house in
al-Shaboura refugee camp, nearly 1200 meters away from the border.
Friday, 12 November 2004
At approximately 11:30, Israeli troops positioned in
military posts in the west of Rafah opened fire at Palestinian houses in Tal
al-Sultan neighborhood. A Palestinian
child, 16-year-old Mohammed Fawzi ‘Ayash, was injured by shrapnel throughout the
body.
At approximately 12:00, an Israeli tank positioned
near Rafah international Crossing Point on the Egyptian border opened fire at
neighboring Palestinian houses. A Palestinian woman, Fatema Mahmoud Abu Haisen,
34, was injured by shrapnel in the right thigh when she was inside her house.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli troops positioned in
military posts in the west of Rafah opened fire at Palestinian houses in Tal
al-Sultan neighborhood. A Palestinian
civilian, 25-year-old D’iaa’ Mahmoud Mousa, was seriously wounded by a live
bullet in the chest.
At approximately 23:20, Israeli troops positioned in
a military posts near Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border, south of Rafah,
opened fire at neighboring Palestinian houses. A Palestinian civilian,
18-year-old Fadi Mahmoud Qeshta, was injured by shrapnel in the thighs.
Sunday,
14 November 2004
In the early
morning, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City declared that Ashraf
Majdi Hassan Zaher, 28, from Jabalya refugee camp, died from a wound he had
sustained during an Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip last month, which left
103 Palestinians dead. According to
PCHR’s documentation, Zaher was wounded by a live bullet in the head and
shrapnel throughout the body when he clashed with Israeli troops. Thus, the number of Palestinians killed
during the Israeli offensive on the northern Gaza Strip has increased to 104,
while many Palestinians have been receiving medical treatment in Shifa Hospital
from serious injuries they had sustained during that offensive.
At approximately
20:00, an infantry unit of Israeli troops moved nearly 200 meters into
al-Ja’farawi area in Wadi al-Salqa village, southeast of Deir al-Balah. Israeli troops raided and searched 2 houses
belonging to the families of al-Shawi and Abu Mughassib. They arrested 15-year-old Salem Nusair
al-Shawi.
In the
evening, Israeli troops positioned on a military observation tower at the
eastern entrance of Qalqilya killed a Palestinian civilian from Kufor Qassem
village inside the Green Line, when they opened fire at his car.
According to
investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 21:15, Tamer Saleh Sarsour,
22, from Kufor Qassem village, was traveling in a civilian jeep that had an
Israeli registration plate in Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya, towards the
west and an Israeli military jeep was chasing him. Israeli troops positioned at a military
checkpoint at the eastern entrance to Qalqilya attempted to stop him, but he
continued to drive forwards. Immediately, Israeli troops positioned on a neighboring military
observation tower opened fire at him. He
was wounded, but he was able to travel to al-Aqsa Mosque in Qalqilya and from
there he was transferred to Kfar Saba Hospital in Israel. He died at the hospital on the following day
morning. According to medical sources,
the victim was hit by 2 live bullets in the neck and the abdomen. Israeli occupation authorities claimed they
suspected that the victim “was driving a car which he had stolen from Tel
Aviv and attempted to escape in it to Qalqilya.” The Israeli daily Haaretz quoted
Israeli military sources as claiming that soldiers ordered the victim to stop,
but he did not obey the order, so the soldiers implemented rules regarding
arresting a suspect, which ended with shooting at the car.
At approximately
23:00, Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the vicinity of
“Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at
Palestinian houses and agricultural areas in al-Rabwat area to the east. A Palestinian civilian, 21-year-old Mustafa
‘Omar al-Astal, was wounded by 3 live bullets in the legs, when he was walking
nearly 700 meters away from the aforementioned settlement.
Monday,
15 November 2004
At
approximately 11:00, Israeli troops, reinforced by 10 military vehicles and 2
civilian cars in which an undercover unit was traveling, moved into Yatta
village, south of Hebron. They
surrounded a 3-storey building belonging to the family of Khaled Mur, 35, in
al-Sha’anin area in the center of the village. They forced the 35 residents of the building to get out and held them in
a neighboring store. Then, they called
through megaphones on Mur to surrender and opened fire at the building. In the meantime, dozens of Palestinian
children gathered and threw stones at Israeli troops. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at the
children, wounding 12-year-old ‘Alaa’ Isma’il Abu ‘Oalayan aith a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head. Israeli troops
also arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including 2 of Mur’s sons. They withdrew from the village at
approximately 14:30.
Tuesday,
16 November 2004
At
approximately 07:10, Israeli troops positioned in military posts along the
Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at residential areas in the
town. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded
when they were in al-Shanoura refugee camp, nearly 1200 meters away from the
border:
1. ‘Alaa’
Suleiman al-Sheikh ‘Eid, 19, wounded by a live bullet in the left shoulder; and
2. Salam
Joma’a al-Rush, 50, wounded by a live bullet in the face.
At approximately
09:00, Israeli troops moved into ‘Eissawia village, east of Jerusalem. They closed the entrances of the
village. Then, they raided and searched
a number of houses and arrested 25 Palestinians.
In the hours
of the day, Israeli troops moved into Saida village, north of Tulkarm, and
Yatta village, south of Hebron. They
raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinians.
Wednesday,
17 November 2004
At
approximately 04:00, Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved
nearly 500 meters into the east of al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza
Strip. Under the cover of indiscriminate
shelling, they started to raze areas of Palestinian agricultural land. By 16:30, they had razed at least 200 donums
of agricultural land planted with citrus and olives belonging to the families
of al-‘Awawda, al-Nabahin, Abu Rwaida, Abu Khousa, Abu Sa’id, Abu Jalal and
al-Jiyawi.
In the hours
of the day, Israeli troops moved into al-‘Asakra village and al-Duhaisha
refugee camp near Bethlehem; Yatta village near Hebron; Jenin refugee camp and the neighboring Wadi Bourqin village;
Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus; and Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 8
Palestinians.
Continued Siege on the
OPT
This week, Israeli troops have continued
to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,
including Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
Despite Eid al-Futr, Israeli troops have
continued to impose tightened siege on the Gaza Strip. They have imposed severe restrictions on
internal movement. They have also
continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip either partially or
completely. These measures violate the
Palestinian economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights.
Israeli troops positioned at al-Matahen and Abu Houli
checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street (the main road between the north and south
of the Gaza Strip) imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. The two checkpoints are
opened between 06:00 and 20:00 everyday. On Tuesday morning, 16 November 2004, Israeli troops held and searched a
number of Palestinian vehicles between the two checkpoints. They arrested 2 Palestinian civilians who
have not been identified.
Israeli troops have continued to impose a strict
siege on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip. They have continued
to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and
from the area. Israeli troops frequently
close al-Tuffah checkpoint at the entrance to the area. They have also continued to prevent female
Palestinians whose ages are between 16 and 25, and male ones whose ages are
between 16 and 30 from crossing al-Tuffah checkpoint when it is open, without
prior coordination.
Israeli troops have also continued to impose a
tightened siege on al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip. They have
also imposed severe restrictions of the movement of Palestinian farmers. In the same context, Israeli troops have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians living in al-Ma’ni area near “Kfar Darom” settlement in the central
Gaza Strip.
Israeli troops have continued to close Erez
crossing in the northern Gaza Strip for the 3rd consecutive month.
They only allow patients to travel through the crossing, but under severe
conditions and following coordination. Although Israeli troops have partially operated al-Mentar (Karni) commercial
crossing to the east of Gaza City, they have imposed severe restrictions on the
flow of goods through the two crossing. As a result, the Palestinian market has lacked several basic goods. Israeli troops partially opened Sofa
crossing, northeast of Rafah, and allowed the entry of construction raw
materials, but the crossing has remained closed in the face of Palestinian
workers for the 3rd consecutive month.
Israeli troops have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the travel of Palestinian civilians through Rafah International
Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, which have sharply decreased the number
of travelers. In the past 4 months,
Israeli troops had closed the terminal four times. Israeli troops often impose severe
restrictions on traveling through the crossing point. The number of Palestinians allowed to travel
through the terminal daily is very limited. As a result, many patients who are badly in need for special medical
treatment abroad have not been able to travel. Israeli troops have continued to prevent Palestinians whose ages are
between 16 and 35 from traveling through the crossing point since 18 April
2004, although they allowed a limited number of this segment to travel, but
following prolonged coordination procedures.
The West Bank
Israeli troops have continued to impose a strict
siege on Palestinian communities. They
have also imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. Following the declaration of
the death of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on Thursday morning, 11
November 2004, Israeli troops imposed severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians, especially between Ramallah and other Palestinian
community, to prevent Palestinians from participating in the funeral procession
of President Arafat. Israeli troops
imposed also a total closure on the OPT, which continued until Tuesday morning,
16 November 2004.
On Thursday morning, 11 November 2004, Israeli troops
closed al-Hamra checkpoint in the central Jordan Valley and prevented
Palestinian civilians from traveling from the north of the West Bank to
Ramallah. They also closed Tayaseer
checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley until Tuesday morning, 16 November 2004.
On Friday morning, 12 November 2004, Israeli troops
imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians from and
into Ramallah. They also declared
Tulkarm as a closed military zone. In
Nablus, Israeli troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint on Nablus-Ramallah road
prevented Palestinian civilians from crossing the checkpoint towards the south.
In Hebron, Israeli troops imposed more restrictions
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They closed the entrances to the town
and neighboring villages and prohibited movement of Palestinian civilians from
and into the town.
On Friday, 12 November 2004, Israeli troops
reinforced their presence around East Jerusalem. According eyewitnesses, Israeli troops
imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians at the
entrances of the city and near the old town and the al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli troops prevented Palestinian
civilians who are less than 45 from entering al-Aqsa Mosque to pray on the last
Friday of the Ramadan Month. Such
restrictions remained effective in Eid al-Futr, especially in Nablus, Jenin,
Tulkarm, Hebron and Jericho. Israeli
troops also imposed severe restrictions on traveling through al-Karama Terminal
on the Jordanian border.
On Saturday morning, 13 November 2004, Israeli troops
imposed a curfew on Burqa village, northwest of Nablus.
****
Recommendations to the International Community
“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
