April 18, 2002
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (18 April 2002)
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (18 April 2002)

 

· Continued Attempts by Israeli
Occupation Forces to Hide Evidence of Massacre of Civilians in Jenin; more than
70 Palestinians, mostly civilians, killed by Israeli forces in Nablus have been
identified; bodies of dozens of Palestinians remain under ruins in Jenin
refugee camp

 

· 32 Palestinians, mostly
civilians, confirmed killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

 

· continued Israeli offensive on
PNA controlled areas

 

· bodies of a family recovered
from ruins in the old city of Nablus

 

· Jenin refugee camp and old city
of Nablus completely leveled

 

· acts of mass killing and forced
migration against hundreds of Palestinian families

 

· attacks on journalists and
obstruction of media coverage in the West Bank 

 

· curfew on West Bank cities and
a strict siege on the OPT

 

· ICRC and Palestine Red Crescent
Society limit activities due to Israeli restrictions 

 

· Nearly 5,000 Palestinians
remain in detention in the West Bank; Israeli authorities reopen notorious
Ansar 3 prison camp in Negev desert

 

 

Introduction

 

· This report covers human rights violations
perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories (OPT) in the period 11-17 April 2002.  This week, evidence of
crimes perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin refugee camp and the
old city of Nablus was discovered as some journalists were able to reach the
two areas. PCHR also received phone
calls from residents of Nablus who described violations by Israeli forces in
the city. For the third consecutive
week, Israeli occupation forces carried out an unprecedented all-out offensive
on the West Bank cities.  For the 14th consecutive day, Israeli
occupation forces have shelled and attacked Jenin refugee camp and the old city
of Nablus. They have also obstructed
free media access in the two areas.

 

· This week, Israeli military
officials gave contradictory statements regarding the number of Palestinian
victims in Jenin refugee camp since 3 April, when Israeli forces launched a
full-scale offensive on the refugee camp. On Friday, 12 April, an Israeli military spokesman stated that
“hundreds of Palestinians were killed in the refugee camp.” Later, he stated that “hundreds were
killed or injured.” On Sunday, 14
April, Israeli defense minister Benyamin Ben Eliezer claimed that “dozens,
not hundreds, were killed in the refugee camp.” Israeli occupation forces have denied or
obstructed the access of medical personnel and international agencies, such as
UNRWA and ICRC to the refugee camp, raising suspicions of a cover-up of mass
human rights violations. According to
eyewitnesses, an Israeli truck was repeatedly seen entering the refugee camp
and then leaving it loaded with bodies of Palestinians, heading towards
Israel. Some journalists risked their
lives to enter the refugee camps and photographed burnt and decayed bodies
under the ruins. Such photos were only
cursory examinations. According to
eyewitnesses, Israeli occupation forces extra-judicially executed many Palestinian
civilians who refused to leave their homes, as well as resistance fighters who
surrendered after their ammunition ran out. The ICRC stated that the situation in the refugee camp resembled the
aftermath of an earthquake, and that it was impossible for it to carry out its
rescue mission with local means. Israeli
occupation forces also destroyed a number of houses over their residents. Some residents of the refugee camp were also
forced to leave the camp. The geography
of the refugee camp has totally changed due to the Israeli offensive. 

 

· In the old city of Nablus, some
of whose buildings are 3000 years old, Israeli occupation killed dozens of
Palestinians and destroyed many houses and civilian facilities. On Friday, 12 April, bodies of 8 members of
one family were discovered under the ruins of the old city of Nablus. Israeli occupation forces arrested
approximately 3000 Palestinians in Nablus. Israeli occupation forces imposed a strict curfew on the city, which is
under threat of an environmental and health catastrophe. Bodies of 73 Palestinian have been discovered
so far, 27 of which were buried, including 14 in various areas and 13 in a mass
grave in the old city. Rafidya Hospital,
the largest hospital in Nablus, was forced to place corpses in a refrigerator
truck. 

 

· Israeli occupation forces have
carried out mass arbitrary detentions of Palestinian civilians without
charge. According to Israeli sources,
the number of Palestinians being held from the current offensive is 5000. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces put
signs on the backs and arms of some of the detainees. This week, Israeli occupation forces arrested
Marwan Barghouthi, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and Secretary
of Fatah Movement in the West Bank.

 

· In Bethlehem, Israeli
occupation forces have maintained a strict siege on the Church of the Nativity,
despite international calls to lift the siege.  Approximately 200
Palestinians are seeking refuge inside the church. Israeli forces have denied the access of
medical personnel to the wounded and patients in the church.

 

· In attempt to mislead the
international community, the Israeli government declared that it withdrew its
forces from some cities. However,
Israeli forces re-invaded these cities.

 

· On Tuesday, 16 April, Israeli
occupation forces imposed a curfew on three villages in occupied
Jerusalem. They raided houses and
arrested a number of Palestinians.

 

· As part of their attempts to
conceal information about their attacks in the West Bank, especially on Nablus
and Jenin, Israeli occupation forces violated press freedom and attacked local
and foreign journalists in the West Bank. They attacked and detained some journalists, especially in Nablus and
Ramallah. In Bethlehem, Israeli forces
obstructed the work of more than 50 local and foreign journalists in a hotel
near the Church of the Nativity.

 

· In the Gaza Strip, Israeli
occupation forces shelled and invaded Palestinian residential areas in Beit
Lahia, Beit Hanoun, Deir al-Balah, and Rafah. Three Palestinians, including a mentally handicapped young man, were
killed. Israeli forces also razed large
areas of Palestinian agricultural land, especially in Beit Hanoun.

 

· This week, Israeli forces
maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT.  Israeli forces separated
Palestinian areas, transforming them into Bantustans.  In the Gaza Strip,
Israeli occupation forces divided the strip into three isolated zones. 
They have prevented movement of persons and goods, in violation of the
economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinians. Israeli forces have also maintained a strict
siege on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip. PCHR was informed by residents of the area
that food and medical supplies in the area were running out.

 

 

· The Offensive on West Bank
Cities

 

· Since 29 March, Israeli
occupation forces have conducted an unprecedented all-out offensive throughout
the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).  Israeli troops on 29 March
invaded Ramallah and imposed a complete curfew on the city.  The Israeli
offensive, including willful killing, destruction of public and private property,
massive arrests and bombardment and shelling of houses and civilian and
security facilities, has expanded to include other cities in the West
Bank. 

 

· Israeli Offensive in Jenin and environs

 

· At approximately 09:30 on
Thursday, 11 April, Israeli occupation forces intensely shelled Palestinian
houses in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin. Fares ‘Emad Husni al-Zeben, 14, was killed by shrapnel from an artillery
shell in the chest, while he was in front of his family’s house during a
lifting of the curfew.

 

· At approximately 16:00 on the
same day, residents of Kufor Ra’ei village, southwest of Jenin, discovered the
body of 30-year-old ‘Ammar Hamdan Salim ‘Othman, from Tulkarm refugee camp, in
al-Naqar area, south of the village. The
victim was hit by a heavy caliber bullet in the chest. According to investigation carried out by the
Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
(LAW), Israeli occupation forces had invaded and seized complete control over
the village on Tuesday, 9 April. They
moved into the village under the cover of intense shelling by tanks and
helicopter gunships. ‘Otham was
apparently killed during the Israeli incursion. His body was found only when Israeli forces withdrew from the
village. ‘Othman was a member of the
Palestinian National Security Force.

 

· In the evening, Israeli
occupation forces positioned in al-Hadaf area, southwest of Jenin refugee camp,
shelled the nearby Wadi Burqin area. ‘Ammar Tawfiq Turkmani, 28, was killed by a live bullet in the head.

 

· On Saturday morning, 13 April,
Israeli occupation forces besieged Kherbat Kazda near Tubas town in Jenin
District. They imposed a curfew on the
area and airdropped special troops who surrounded some houses. The soldiers raided a house and used
loudspeakers to call on two men inside the house to surrender. The men surrendered and were taken to an
unknown destination. They were Nasser
‘Oweis, leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Nablus, and Ahmed Khader, from
Seilat al-Haritheya village in Jenin.

 

· At approximately 04:00 on
Sunday, 14 April, Israeli occupation forces raided a besieged house in Jenin
refugee camp, where some families had sought shelter. Israeli forces arrested a member of the
Palestinian resistance, Hazem Ahmed Rihan Qabha known as “Abu Jandal,” 39, a
leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades from Ya’bad village in Jenin. They extra-judicially executed him in the
yard of al-Damaj quarter in the refugee camp. 

 

· At approximately 08:00 on
Tuesday, 16 April, Zuhair Mohammed As’ad Steiti, 29, from Jenin refugee camp,
succumbed to wound in the right eye he received on the previous day. According to LAW, Steiti went to Jenin
refugee camp on Monday, 15 April, to search for his brother, whom, he was told,
was killed during the Israeli invasion of Jenin refugee camp. When he arrived at Wadi Burqin junction,
Israeli occupation forces fired at him, seriously wounding him with a live
bullet in the right eye. He was evacuated
to a clinic in Burqin village, where he was pronounced dead on Tuesday.

 

· On Wednesday morning, 17 April, Israeli occupation
forces seized complete control of the villages of Kuufor Ra’ei, Seilat
al-Harithia and al-Yamun. They intensely
shelled Palestinian houses in these villages. An infant, Ahmed Taysir ‘Obeidi, 1.5 years old, from Seilat al-Harithia
village, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.

 

· At approximately 16:00 on the same day, when
residents of Jenin refugee camp who already left it saw Israeli tanks
withdrawing from its vicinity, they went to the refugee camp. However, Israeli tanks came back and fired
artillery shells at them. Five
Palestinian civilians were wounded.

 

· Israeli Offensive on Nablus

 

· Israeli occupation forces have
maintained a curfew and a total siege on Nablus and its villages and refugee
camps since 3 April. Health conditions
have deteriorated as Israeli occupation forces denied the access of medical
personnel to the wounded, a number of whom bled to death.

 

· On Friday, 12 April, bodies of
eight members of one family were discovered under ruins. Only one member of the family survived, as he
was not at home when the disaster occurred. Israeli occupation forced has shelled the three-story house of the family
in al-Qariun neighborhood in the old city for several days. Then, Israeli bulldozers leveled the house,
according to residents of the area. The
eight bodies were pulled out from the ruins on Tuesday, when the curfew imposed
on Nablus was lifted for hours. The
victims are:

· ‘Omar Ahmed al-Shu’abi, 85;

· Samir ‘Omar al-Shu’abi (the
first victim’s son), 47;

· Nabila ‘Abdel Ra’ouf Ghanem
(the second victim’s wife), 40;

· ‘Abdullah Samir al-Shu’abi (the
second and third victims’ son), 10;

· ‘Azzam Samir al-Shu’abi (the
second and third victims’ son), 7;

· Anas Samir al-Shu’abi (the
second and third victims’ son), 4;

· Fatema ‘Omar al-Shu’abi (the
first victim’s daughter); and

· ‘Abir ‘Omar al-Shu’abi (the
first victim’s daughter).

 

· Mahmoud ‘Omar al-Shu’abi, 35,
the only member of the family who survived the disaster as he was not home,
said that when Israeli occupation forces lifted the curfew imposed on the old
city for some hours to allow the evacuation of bodies of those who were killed,
he was able to reach the neighborhood where they used to live. There were no contacts between him and his family
during the Israeli offensive on Nablus. When he arrived in the area, he found that the family’s house had been
transformed into a hill of stones and sand. He did not find anyone from his family. He added: “I received help from emergency personnel and our
neighbors. The removal of ruins was a
very difficult job. Several hours later,
we discovered the bodies of my old father, my two sisters and my bother, his
wife and their three children. After we
removed the bodies of my family, we were surprised to find my uncle ‘Abdullah,
65, and his wife Shams, 55, still alive. They were covered with sand and trapped under the ruins of the
house. They were living on the lower
floor of the house.”

 

· The two survivors talked about
the time they spent trapped beneath the rubble and very severe living
conditions while they were under the ruins. The wife suffers from chronic health problems. The two sustained injuries and bruises and lacked
basic living conditions and medical needs.

 

· On Friday, 12 April, a newborn
baby died due the obstruction of his access to hospital. According to investigation carried out by
LAW, at approximately 16:00 on Friday, 12 April, Tahani Sha’ar, who was in the
seventh month of pregnancy and the wife of Dr. ‘Ali Sha’ar of Save the Children,
was in labour. The husband tried to take
her to hospital, but Israeli occupation forces denied the access of an
ambulance to the house. So, he was
forced to call a neighboring physician who supervised the childbirth. The baby was in need of an incubator. An ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent
Society, was denied access to the house and fired at by Israeli occupation
forces. At approximately 23:00, the baby
stopped breathing and died despite attempts by his father to save him.

 

· At approximately 02:30 on
Tuesday, 16 April, Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers, supported by
two helicopter gunships moved into ‘Askar refugee camp. They intensely shelled Palestinian houses. Qussai Farah Abu ‘Eisha was killed by
shrapnel from a tank shell throughout the body while at home. In addition, 12 other Palestinian civilians
were wounded, one of whom, Kamel Fureih ‘Oudeh, 51, was seriously wounded by a
heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen. He
succumbed to this wound in the evening. 

 

· Israeli offensive on Ramallah

 

· On Saturday morning, 13 April, Israeli bulldozers
established sand barriers in the centre of Ramallah to separate neighborhoods
of the city. It is now difficult for
cars and ambulances to move inside the city. Sounds of explosions were heard throughout the city, as Israeli
occupation forces destroyed doors of closed shops in Ramallah and al-Bireh.

 

· At approximately 10:00 on the same day, six Israeli heavy
military vehicles moved into the campus of the Technical Science College in al-Masioun
area in Ramallah. Israeli soldiers
gathered female students and teaching staff in the yard and checked and damaged
the hostel. According to eyewitnesses,
Israeli forces put weapons inside a room and photographed some students near
these weapons.  Israeli forces left the
campus at 16:00 after they caused severe damage.

 

· Also in the morning, a Palestinian paramedic managed to
identify one of the bodies that had been kept in Ramallah Hospital. The victim was identified as Jad Hamada
Khalbaq Khalbaq, 24, a policeman from ‘Azzoun village in Qalqilya. He was killed on the third day of the Israeli
offensive on Ramallah, when Israeli forces fired at him near Cairo-Amman
Bank. He was hit by live bullets in the
neck and the legs.

 

· At approximately 18:00 on the same day, Israeli occupation
forces besieged the buildings of Jawwal Company and the Palestinian Ministry of
Health in al-Balou’ area in al-Bireh. Israeli forces moved into the five-story building of Jawwal Company and
took 18 employees to the building of the Ministry of Health. According to an employee, Israeli forces
broke down doors of the building and stole some mobile phones and the
store. They also searched the office of
the director. According to Dr. Munther
al-Sharif, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Israeli forces damaged the
building of the ministry and destroyed doors, files, photocopiers and
computers. He added that he was denied
access to the building to check the damages.

 

· On Sunday, 14 April, Israeli occupation forces broke into an
apartment building in Bitounia area. They forced the 60 residents, including 30 children, out of the
building, without allowing them to take food or even money to buy supplies. Israeli forces ordered men to take their
clothes off the upper part of the body and ordered women to stand opposite to
them. Then, Israeli forces took an old
man as a human shield and broke into a number of flats. They damaged furniture and destroyed closed
doors. Then, Israeli heavy military
vehicles opened fire at the upper floors of the building. Residents of the building were allowed entry
into the building only at 06:30. Soon,
they discovered that Israeli forces had stolen their money.

 

· On Tuesday morning, 17 April, Israeli infantry troops moved
into al-Am’ari refugee camp in Ramallah. They raided and searched its mosque, a youth club and some houses. They destroyed the doors of the youth club,
searched it and confiscated some photos. Israeli forces also raided the house of Khalil Abu ‘Atteya and destroyed
its furniture. They also wrote slogans
in Hebrew against the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on the walls of the
house. Israeli forces arrested seven
Palestinians.

 

· Israeli Offensive on Bir Zeit Village

 

· On Thursday morning, 11 April, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles moved into Bir Zeit village near
Ramallah. They seized complete control
over the village and imposed a curfew. Then, they raided flats belonging to students of Bir Zeit University and
confiscated belongings of students. They
also arrested dozens of students. According to investigations carried out by LAW, Israeli forces raided
and almost destroyed the headquarters of Palestinian security services in the
village. They also destroyed the
headquarters of Fatah Movement in the centre of the village. 

 

· Israeli Offensive on Bethlehem

 

· At approximately 23:40 on Saturday, 13 April, Hassan
‘Abdullah al-Nasman, 26, from Jabalya refugee camp, a smith working in
Bethlehem, was killed by two live bullets in the chest fired by an Israeli
sniper positioned near the Church of the Nativity. A sniper of Israeli occupation forces who
took position in a forified room on a large lever that overlooked the yard of
the church fired several live bullets from a gun equipped with a silencer at
Palestinians besieged inside the church. Israeli forces denied the access of medical personnel to the church to
offer medical help to al-Nasman, so he bled to death.

 

· At approximately 03:00 on Monday, 15 April, Israeli
occupation forces positioned near a mosque in al-Obeidia village, east of
Bethlehem, fired an artillery shell at a civilian car, in which Mohammed Ahmed
Abu Muhareb, 29, traveled home. Abu
Muhareb was killed by shrapnel throughout the body.

 

· At approximately 08:30, Israeli occupation forces broke into
an apartment building in al-Duha village, south of Beit Jala, and opened fire
at residents of the building. Rana Sa’di
al-Karaja, 24, was killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest and
two other Palestinian civilians were wounded. According to LAW’s information, Israeli forces arrested the wounded and
took the body of the woman. They have
maintained a strict siege on the building, which includes 26 flats. They have terrified residents of the
building, claiming that some wanted Palestinians were inside the building. 

 

· Also on Monday morning, the Palestinian Ministry of Health
announced that Israeli occupation forces had prevented all attempts made by
medical personnel to save lives of a Palestinian who was wounded four days
earlier, and some patients who had been besieged inside the Church of the
Nativity. Dr, Mousa Abu Humeid, Director
General of West Bank hospitals stated that Israeli forces deliberately
prevented the evacuation to hospital of Tamer al-Kusba, who was seriously
wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen four days earlier. Abu Humeid added that there were some
patients in the church who were badly in need of regular medical treatment. Israeli forces denied the access of medical
personnel to the church. On the same
day, Israeli forces denied the access of medical personnel to al-Duha village
in Bethlehem to evacuate the wounded.

 

· Israeli Offensive on Hebron

 

· On Thursday morning, 11 April, Israeli occupation forces
invaded and seized complete control over al-Zhahiria village in Hebron. They took position on roofs of some
houses. During the Israeli offensive on
the village, which continued until Saturday, 13 April, Israeli forces killed
two Palestinian civilians and arrested more than 70 political and civil
prisoners who were detained in al-Zhahiria prison. Israeli forces also destroyed several
civilian and security facilities and damaged the water and electricity
networks. According to investigations
carried out by LAW, Israeli occupation forces attacked and arrested emergency
personnel of the municipality who attempted to extinguish fires that broke out
in several buildings.

 

· At approximately 19:00 on Thursday, an Israeli sniper on the
roof of a house in the village fired at Basma Mousa Qeisia, 38, seriously
wounding her with a live bullet in the pelvis. According to LAW, Qeisia get out of her house in the centre of the
village to bring some supplies for her family. When Israeli occupation forces noticed her, an Israeli soldier fired at
her from a distance of approximately 150m. One of her neighbors attempted to offer her help, but Israeli forces
fired at him as well, so he escaped. Later, people were able to take her home. Ambulances were not able to reach the
house. She bled to death at 05:00 on the
following day.

 

· On Thursday night, Palestinian medical personnel in Dura
village, west of Hebron, which was invaded by Israeli occupation forces last
week, discovered the body of Mohammed Khalil Khallaf, 27, a member of the
Palestinian Preventive Security Service, in Wadi al-Nir area. Khallaf had been hit by several live bullets.

 

· After midnight, 5-year-old ‘Aahed Rasmi ‘Ali Hamad died from
tear gas inhalation when Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas canisters at
his family’s house in the centre of Dura. His two brothers also suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

· At approximately 20:15 on Friday, 12 April, Israeli
occupation forces positioned on rooftops of Palestinian houses in Dura shot
dead Eskandar Khaled ‘Abdul Hamid Sa’ada, 50, with several live bullets
throughout the body. According to his
son Eihab, the father got up to the roof of their house to check their water
tanks. The son heard sounds of intense
shooting coming from a nearby house that had been seized by Israeli
forces. He tried to go to the roof to
check what happened, but Israeli forces fired at him as well. At approximately 22:00, Israeli forces raided
and searched the house. Then, they
ordered Eihab to take his clothes off and to go to the roof. They used a girl living in the house as a
human shield. When they went to the
roof, Eihab saw his father on the ground bleeding. Israeli forces remained in the house until
23:30. Then, the family was able to take
the father’s body down.

 

· On Sunday afternoon, 14 April,
Israeli occupation forces redeployed around Yatta village and isolated it from
Hebron. They also seized a number of
Palestinian houses and transformed them into military locations after having
expelled their residents.

 

· Although Israeli occupation
forces claimed they had withdrawn from some villages, they repeatedly entered
these villages, and large numbers of troops took position at their
entrances. They also raided and searched
Palestinian houses in these villages.

 

· On Monday afternoon, 15 April,
around 100 Israeli soldiers were airdropped from helicopters and deployed into
the villages of al-Sadda, Fuqiqis, Kharsa, al-Tabaqa and Deir al-‘Asal. According to eyewitnesses, they combed the
hills around these villages and destroyed caves without any prior warning and
without checking if there were any living creatures inside. Villagers usually use caves for their
animals.

 

· Also on Monday afternoon,
Israeli occupation forces moved into Dura village. They opened fire indiscriminately at
Palestinian civilians, wounding 16. They
also imposed a curfew on the village, denying the access of Palestinians who
were at their work to their houses. Israeli forces denied access of ambulances to four of the wounded. They also blocked an ambulance.

 

· Israeli Offensive on Tulkarm

 

· On Tuesday morning, 16 April,
Israeli occupation forces, supported by helicopters, invaded Tulkarm. They seized complete control over the city
and imposed a curfew. They raided
Palestinian houses searching for allegedly wanted Palestinians. They damaged contents of a house owned by
Talal Shureim in the south of the city. Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire at houses, wounding seven
civilians. Israeli forces pulled back to
the entrance of the city at approximately 06:30. They imposed a strict siege on the city and
isolated it from its surroundings. They
also maintained a strict siege on the villages in Tulkarm district.

 

· On Monday morning, 15 April,
Israeli occupation forces raided and searched Palestinian houses in Far’oun
village, which had been under a curfew for more than 10 days. The curfew was only lifted for two hours
during this period and Palestinian civilians were not able to go to Tulkarm to
buy supplies.

 

· At the same time, Israeli
occupation forces raided and searched Palestinian houses in Deir al-Ghosoun
village, which had been under a curfew for more than two weeks.

 

· Also on Monday morning, Israeli
occupation forces imposed a curfew on ‘Allar vilage, north of Tulkarm. Israeli forces positioned at the entrances to
Tulkarm fired indiscriminately at Palestinian civilians who attempted to enter
or leave the city.

 

· At approximately 05:45 on
Wednesday, 17 April, Anwar Suleiman ‘Abdul Hamid Nassar, 41, from Bal’a
village, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body. According to investigations carried out by
LAW, Israeli occupation forces had moved into the village at approximately
03:00 and imposed a curfew. Israeli
forces surrounded a house in the village and opened fire at it. When Nassar got out of the house, Israeli soldiers
shot him dead from a close distance.

 

· Attacks on the Press

 

· As part of their attempts to
hide facts about the Israeli all-out offensive on the West Bank, especially in
Nablus and Jenin, Israeli occupation forces obstructed press freedom and attacked
local and foreign journalists who attempted to enter Jenin refugee camp. 

 

· On Sunday, 14 April, Israeli
occupation forces chased local and foreign journalists who attempted to enter
Jenin and its refugee camp. Israeli
forces detained them at al-Jalama and Salem roadblocks for two and a half
hours. Then, they forced those
journalists to leave the area and threatened to arrest them in they were found
near Jenin. According to media sources,
Israeli forces insulted and intimidated those journalists, especially Patrick
Pazz, Chief of the Middle East Bureau of France Press Agency (AFP), ‘Atta
‘Oweisat, a photographer of Gama photo agency, an ‘Ammar ‘Awadh, a photographer
of Reuters. ‘Awadh asserted that Israeli
occupation forces decided to interrogate them, claiming that they entered a
prohibited area, and to prosecute them later. Israeli forces also intimidated ten journalists near Um al-Nour town
inside the Green Linne and at Salem military roadblock. Those journalists, including Rawhi al-Razem,
of APTM press agency, and Joram Dilly, of Associated Press, were forced to
leave the area without having been able to enter Jenin.

 

· At approximately 12:00 on the
same day, Israeli occupation forced attacked some journalists, including those
of the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel, and denied them access to
Jenin refugee camp to cover violations of human rights daily perpetrated by
Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians. Israeli forces chased the staff of the Spanish Television and
intimidated its correspondent Mohammed Barakat and searched his car. They also attacked Walid al-‘Emari,
correspondent of Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel and confiscated film from his
camera. 

 

· On Tuesday, 16 April, Israeli
occupation forces attacked ‘Abdul Rahim ‘Omar al-Qussini, a photographer of
Reuters, in Nablus. Al-Qussini stated
that Israeli forces repeatedly obstructed his work on that day through
humiliating him and destroying his camera lens. They also broke his car windows when they saw the press badge on it.

 

· On the same day, Israeli
occupation forces broke into Star Hotel near the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem. The restricted the work of
more than 50 journalists who were using the fifth floor of the hotel. They also warned those journalists against using
the hotel for their work as it may “endanger their lives.” Israeli forces took this measure apparently
to prevent media coverage of their attempts to break into the Church of the
Nativity. Mousa al-Sha’er, a
photographer of France Press Agency (AFP) described the situation as very
dangerous since Israeli forces were heavily deployed in the area to monitor
journalists.

 

· At approximately 17:00 on the
same day, Israeli occupation forces broke into the building of Cairo-Amman Bank
in Ramallah. They raided offices of
journalists and media institutions on the fifth and sixth floors of the
building. They detained 11 journalists,
including Maher al-Shalabi and Majid Sawalha. The building includes offices of the television channels of Dubai, Orbit
network, Morocco, and Kuwait. They asked
all journalists to leave the building. Israeli forces searched offices. Then, Israeli forces told al-Shalabi and Sawalha that they were
wanted. Israeli forces arrested the two
and severely beat them until they fainted. They were taken to an unknown destination. They were released at approximately 22:00 on
foot, even though many Israeli snipers were deployed on most buildings in
Ramallah.

 

· Shelling of and Encroachment in Palestinian
National Authority Controlled Areas

 

· Saturday, 13 April 2002

 

· At approximately 09:00, two
bulldozers and five tanks of Israeli occupation forces started razing large
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in the northwest of Beit Hanoun in the
northern Gaza Strip:

· They razed a 13-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by Ghaleb Mohammed Zimmu, the heirs of ‘Ali ‘Abdul Rahman Zimmu and Salim
Ragheb Zimmu.

· They razed a 15-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by Sa’id and Salah Jamil al-Shawa.

· They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
Ibrahim, Jaber and ‘Abdul Wahab Hassan al-Basiuni.

· They razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by Khader Basiuni al-Basiuni.

· They razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by ‘Abed Basiuni Mohammed al-Basiuni.

· They razed a 12-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by Khalil Mohammed al-Basiuni.

· They razed a 1.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by Ahmed Mohammed al-Za’anin.

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

· They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by ‘Eid Mohammed al-Za’anin.

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

· They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an irrigation network owned
by Bassam, Wissam and Ussama al-Za’anin.

· They razed a 3-donum area of
agricultural land planted with figs, grapes and fruits owned by Ibrahim Isma’il
Abu Jarad.

· They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with figs, grapes and fruits owned by Shawqi Mahmoud
Abu ‘Oukal.

· They razed a 3-donum area of
agricultural land planted with figs, grapes and fruits owned by Suhaila
Mohammed ‘Obeid.

 

· At the same time, Israeli occupation forces moved
approximately 300m into the north of Beit Hanoun. They remained in the area until 05:00, during
which they razed 20 donums of agricultural land part of a 150-donum area of
agricultural land owned by Yousef ‘Abdul Nabi Abu ‘Eida, 30 donums of which had
been already razed. 

 

· In the evening, Mohammed ‘Azziz ‘Abdul Ra’ouf, 28,
from Jama’in village, south of Nablus, was killed by shrapnel from a missile
fired by an Israeli helicopter gunship. According to LAW, Israeli occupation forces apparently noticed him
carrying a gun in the south of the city and an Israeli helicopter gunship fired
a missile in an excessive use of force.

 

· Sunday, 14 April 2002

 

· At approximately 15:30, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with two bulldozers, moved approximately 100m into al-Salam neighborhood
adjacent to the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, under the cover of intense
shelling. ‘Emad Subhi Abu Ne’ma, 23, was
wounded by a live bullet in the right hand. PCHR’s field worker in Rafah reported that the Israeli bulldozers
leveled a house that was demolished last week, owned by Mohammed Abu Shawish,
damaging an adjacent house owned by Mahdi Siam. They also demolished a fence of on a tract of land owned by Hani Abu
Hani. 

 

· Monday, 15 April 2002

 

· At approximately 02:30, Israeli occupation forces in the
vicinity of Salah al-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened
fire at the nearby Palestinian houses. A
number of houses were severely damaged and 42-year-old Hassan Sha’ban Abu Ghali
was wounded by shrapnel in the left foot while at home.

 

· At approximately 03:00, after an exchange of fire between a
group of Palestinian gunmen and Israeli occupation forces, a unit of Israeli
troops moved approximately 1500m into al-Heker area in the east of Deir
al-Balah and opened fire indiscriminately. A Palestinian security man was killed and another one was wounded. According to PCHR’s investigation, ‘Alla’
Ahmed al-Aa’raj, 22, a member of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service,
and Mohammed Suleiman Abu ‘Amra, 26 a member of the Palestinian National
Security Force, were on duty in the area in civilian clothes. Israeli forces opened fire at them as soon as
they noticed them. Al-Aa’raj was killed
by three live bullets in the chest and Abu ‘Amra was wounded by several live
bullets in the right foot.

 

· At approximately 14:30, Israeli occupation forces in
the vicinity of “Nissanit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza
Strip, opened fire at a Bedouin Village approximately 700m away. At approximately 10:30 on the following day,
the body of a Palestinian man was brought to al-Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza, after
the Palestinian liaison forces received him from Israeli occupation
forces. According to medical sources,
the young man was hit by several live bullets in the head. No one was able to identify him until 14:00,
when his relative identified him and also asserted that he was mentally
handicapped and had a physical handicap in the right leg. He was identified as Younis Mohammed ‘Oudeh Abu
Gharara, 25, from the Bedouin Village. According to residents of the area, they saw the young man 40m away from
his houses during the Israeli shelling. It was still unknown whether Israeli forces took him to the settlement
alive or dead, as they moved into the village and took his body. They delivered the body to the Palestinian
side in the morning. 

 

· Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

 

· Friday, 12 April 2002

 

· At approximately 04:30, in a retaliatory action after
an exchange of fire between Israeli occupation forces and a Palestinian gunman
near Beit Hanoun (Erez) Checkpoint, in which the gunman was killed, Israeli
forces opened fire at some Palestinian laborers, who were on their way to work
in Erez industrial zone. A Palestinian
laborer, Nazhmi Hamdan Yassin, 27, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, was
killed by several live bullets throughout the body. Two other laborers were wounded:

· ‘Abed Mohammed Yassin, 25, from al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand; and

· Munir Radwan Yassin, 30, wounded by a live bullet in
the left hand.

 

· Israeli occupation forces also closed the industrial
zone and denied the access of Palestinian laborers to their work.

 

· In an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupation
forces shot dead ‘Attallah Mikhael al-Hayek, 47, from Beit Sahur in the West
Bank, from a close distance. According
to investigations carried out by LAW, the victim received a phone call at 12:00
from a relative who lives near another house owned by the victim, and was
informed that Israeli occupation forces had broken the doors of the house in an
attempt to break into it. The victim and
his brother Riad, 30, went to the house in Abu Sa’da Satreet in their car. As soon as they arrived at the area, Israeli
forces thoroughly checked them and their identity cards. They also took keys of the house. Israeli forces resumed breaking the doors of
the house. Then, they ordered the two
brothers to leave the area. As soon as
they started the car, Israeli forces fired at them. The victim was killed by three live bullets
in the head, the chest and the back, and his brother was slightly wounded by
shrapnel.

 

· At approximately 21:00, Israeli occupation soldiers
in a military jeep that chased some Palestinian men in Biddu village, northwest
of occupied Jerusalem, opening fire indiscriminately at Palestinian
villagers. Riad ‘Abed Dhiab Sa’ada, 24,
was killed by a live bullet in the heart while at the entrance of the village.

 

· Sunday, 14 April 2002

 

· At approximately 11:30, Israeli occupation forces at
the entrance to Erez industrial zone in the northern Gaza Strip, fired at a
Palestinian taxi, whose driver Ashraf ‘Abdul Latif al-Masri, 27, from Beit
Hanoun, and another young man, Ahmed al-Katari, 25, were traveling to
Gaza. Al-Katari was wounded by shrapnel
in the head.  According to the driver,
Israeli forced fire at them without prior warning and for no apparent
reason. 

 

· Monday, 15 April 2002

 

· At approximately 07:00, medical
sources at al-Maqassed Hospital in occupied Jerusalem announced that Rasmi
Mustafa ‘Abdul Jalil Qadadha, 42, from ‘Atara billage, north of Ramallah,
succumbed to a wound in the abdomen he received on 5 April, when Israeli
occupation forces near ‘Atara bridge fired at him from a close distance while
on his way to work.

 

· At approximately 10:00, Shadi
‘Eissa Jaradat, 16, from Sa’ir village near Hebron, was wounded by two live
bullets in the right hand and thigh fired by Israeli occupation forces. He told LAW that he walked towards road (60),
east of his village, to travel towards Hebron. When he was close to the road, an Israeli military jeep arrived at the
area and an Israeli soldier fired at him. He was wounded by a live bullet in the right hand. He hurried towards the house of a relative
near the area. While he was running,
Israeli soldiers fired at him again. He
was wounded by another live bullet in the right thigh. In addition, Ashraf ‘Ali al-Tarwa, 24, was
wounded by a live bullet while he was near his house.

 

· At noon, a number of
Palestinian men threw stones towards an Israeli patrol on the
Ramallah-Jerusalem road near Qalandya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem. Israeli forces fired at the demonstrators,
killing Khaled ‘Abdul Ra’ouf Hamad, 31, with a live bullet in the chest.

 

· Tuesday, 16 April 2002

 

· In an apparent willful killing,
Firas Qassem Abu Mayala, 24, from Hebron, was killed by three live bullets
fired by Israeli occupation forces from a very close distance. At approximately 16:00, Abu Mayala was on his
way back home in the old town of Hebron, under control of Israeli occupation forces. While he was walking in al-Sahla Street, a
number of Jewish settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, stopped him. They pushed him down to the ground and
severely beat him. When he tried to
defend himself and escape, an Israeli soldier fired at him, seriously wounding
him. A Palestinian ambulance came to the
area to evacuate him to hospital, but Israeli forces prevented it. They left him bleeding for 100 minutes. He bled to death.

 

· Wednesday, 16 April 2002

 

· At approximately 09:30, Israeli
occupation soldiers, who took position in Palestinian farms in Kharba area in
Dura town near Hebron, fired from a distance of approximately 700m at a car in
which three Palestinian civilians were traveling. One of the civilians, Hassan Khamis Rusrus,
35, from al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron, was killed by several live bullets
throughout the body. According to
eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers then moved towards the car and ordered one of
the other two civilians to get the body of Rusrus out of the car. Then, they took the three civilians to an
unknown destination.

 

· Arrests

 

· This week, Israeli occupation
forces arrested a number of Palestinians.  The arrests took place in the
following circumstances:

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

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

· In Palestinian towns and
villages, often during house raids.

· During incursions into
Palestinian controlled areas.

 

· The following are significant
arrests that took place this week: 

 

· Friday, 12 April 2002

 

· Israeli occupation forces moved
into Bir Nabala village in Jerusalem. The raided houses and arrested seven Palestinian men, who were still
unidentified.

 

· At approximately 14:00, Israeli
occupation forces raided a house in al-Jib village, northwest of Jerusalem, and
arrested four Palestinian young men.

 

· Monday, 15 April 2002

 

· At approximately 06:15, Israeli occupation forces raided
Qalandya Institute, north of Jerusalem, where 290 Palestinians who were
released recently after they were arrested by these forces during the Israeli
offensive on Ramallah, had sought shelter. There were also 52 students of Ramallah Educational College, out of 105
students who had been already arrested by Israeli forces. Later, Israeli forces declared the institute
a “closed military area” and arrested 13 and ordered all those who were in the
institute to leave.

 

· Tuesday, 16 April 2002

 

· Israeli occupation forces
restricted movement of Palestinian civilians living in Jaba’ village, north of
occupied Jerusalem. They blocked the two
entrances of the village. They raided
houses in the village and arrested 13 Palestinians.

 

· At approximately 08:30, Israeli
occupation forces imposed a curfew on al-‘Eissawia village in Jerusalem. They detained laborers and students in the
village. They beat a number of civilians
in the village and arrested a number of laborers who have Palestinian identity
cards for being in the village, which is included in the Jerusalem metropolitan
area defined by Israel. 

· *****

· PCHR calls:

 

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

· 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.

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

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

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

· 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.