Israeli Forces escalate war crimes
in the OPT
· 5
Palestinians, including a child and an old man, were killed
by Israeli forces
· 1
of the victims was killed in an extra-judicial assassination in Hebron
· 3
of the victims, including a child, were killed in 3 cases of apparent willful
killing
· Israeli
forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip
· 40
houses were demolished by Israeli forces in Rafah leaving dozens of families
homeless
· Houses
were raided and a number of Palestinian civilians were arrested
· Trees
were uprooted in Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis
· 7
houses in the West Bank were destroyed by Israeli forces as part of the
continued campaign of retaliation against the families
of wanted Palestinians and those who allegedly carried out armed attacks
against Israeli targets
· Construction
of the separation wall in the West Bank continued
· Indiscriminate
shelling of Palestinian residential areas continued leaving dead an old
Palestinian man and injuring dozens of others
· Israeli
forces have imposed a comprehensive closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Introduction
This week, Israeli occupying forces perpetrated more
violations of human rights against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories (OPTs), including willful and extra-judicial killings,
indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, incursions into Palestinian
areas, house demolition and arrests. They also seized more Palestinian land for the purpose of the
construction of the separation wall. They continue to maintain a total siege on the OPTs. This week, 5 Palestinians, including a child
and an old man, were killed and a number of others were wounded by Israeli
occupying forces.
This morning, Thursday, 18 September 2003, Israeli
occupying forces, supported by helicopters, moved into Nusseirat refugee camp
in the central Gaza Strip to arrest Jihad ‘Ezzat Abu Swaireh, 34, allegedly
wanted by Israeli forces. They
surrounded his house and seized a neighboring house, using it as a military
site from which they opened fire at Abu Swaireh’s house. Israeli forces called
on Abu Swaireh through a megaphone to surrender, but he remained inside to
resist the Israeli forces, while his wife and children left the building. Soon after, Israeli helicopter gun-ships
attacked the house, killing Abu Swaireh who was reportedly within close
proximity to the house and Israeli soldiers ordered one of his relatives to
identify him. They then planted explosives
inside the house and destroyed it, leaving Abu Swaireh’s body amongst the
rubble of the building. A number of
neighboring houses were severely damaged and Abu Swaireh’s father and brother
were wounded in the incident.
In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial
assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and security
establishments, on Tuesday morning, 16 September 2003, Israeli occupying forces
committed another assassination, which left dead Ahmed Fawzi ‘Abdul Latif Abu
Doush, 25, from Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They also destroyed his house, leaving 5
families homeless. Israeli occupying
forces claimed that they killed Abu Doush as he attempted to escape. They further claimed they surrounded the
house and called on members of an armed Palestinian cell, who were hiding
inside the house to surrender, but an exchange of fire occurred, during which
time Israeli soldiers shot Abu Doush dead as he attempted to escape.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces conducted
8 incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they destroyed a number of
Palestinian houses. This week, Israeli
occupying forces completely or partially destroyed 40 Palestinian houses in
Rafah near the Egyptian border, leaving more than 350 Palestinians, mostly children,
homeless.
This area of Rafah adjacent to the Egyptian border
has witnessed the largest number of house demolitions in the southern Gaza
Strip. Israeli occupying forces have
demolished hundreds of Palestinian homes in Rafah since the beginning of the
al-Aqsa Intifada; in most cases the justification given was “security.” In reality, the facts on the ground indicate
that these demolitions represent a strategic policy to clear a large area of
Palestinian land near the border with Egypt to facilitate a wide buffer zone that
increases Israeli military control in the area. In particular, Israeli forces have begun construction of a concrete and
metal wall parallel to the border with Egypt on land cleared of Palestinian
homes in similar demolition operations.
In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces conducted
a series of incursions into Palestinian controlled areas, accompanied by
indiscriminate shelling and shooting. They
raided houses and arrested a number of Palestinians. This week, 3 Palestinian civilians, including
a child and an old man, were killed by Israeli occupying forces in Ramallah and
Nablus.
In violation of international humanitarian law, in
particular the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons
in Time of War of 1949, article 33 of which prohibits punishing any protected
person for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli forces
continued to take retaliatory measures against the families of Palestinians
Israel alleges have ordered, facilitated, or carried out attacks against
Israeli targets. In this context, they destroyed 7 Palestinian houses in
the West Bank and 1 in Nusseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip,
bringing to the total to 8.
While the
international community and the United Nations Security Council are caught up
in the debate over the Israeli decision to deport President Arafat from the
OPTs, Israel continues to execute plans to annex yet more Palestinian land in
violation of international law. Israeli
occupying forces continued to build the separation wall in the West Bank,
issuing new orders concerning the confiscation of land privately owned by
Palestinians. Israeli forces warned a
number of Palestinian civilians that property standing in the way of the proposed
path of the wall or within close proximity to it will be destroyed. On
Thursday, 11 September 2003, the Israeli security cabinet decided to hasten
construction of the wall.
Israeli media sources had revealed an Israeli plan to
build the separation wall from the area surrounding “Alkinah” settlement, east
of Qalqilya, in the north to Hebron mountain in the south. The wall is to extend from the aforementioned
settlement to the area surrounding ‘Ofra camp southwest of Ramallah. Another sector of the wall extends from the
south of Jerusalem to “Karme Ma’on” settlement, south of Hebron. There is an ongoing debate within Israel as
to whether or not to include “Ariel” settlement in the northern West Bank,
which lies 20 km inside Palestinian territory.
Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict
siege on the OPTs, especially in the West Bank, restricting movement of
Palestinian civilians. On 7 September
2003, Israeli occupying forces imposed a comprehensive closure on the OPT and
prevented all Palestinians from entering Israel
In the Gaza Strip, last week, Israeli occupying
forces re-erected 2 observation towers at Abu Houli and al-Matahen junctions on
Salah al-Din Street north of Khan Yunis. Salah al-Din Street is the main
road between the northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip. This
reinstates the situation that was in place prior to 30 June 2003. In accordance with Palestinian-Israeli
security negotiations concluded on 30 June 2003, Israeli occupying forces had
redeployed from Salah al-Din Street and the 2 observation towers were moved
15-20m away from their original sites. Enforcing the 2 checkpoints allow
Israeli occupying forces to retain complete control over Salah al-Din Street,
partitioning the Gaza Strip into 3 isolated zones.
Israeli occupying forces have also restricted
movement at border crossings in the Gaza Strip. Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip has been closed for 2 weeks,
denying thousands of Palestinians access to their places of work in
Israel. On 14 September 2003, Israeli
occupying forces closed al-Mentar crossing, the only commercial crossing
between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The
crossing was reopened on the following day.
In the West
Bank, Israeli occupying forces continued to impose a strict military siege on
Palestinian communities. This week, they
declared Ramallah a closed military zone, preventing Palestinian civilians,
Israeli, Palestinian and international peace activists and international
delegations from entering the town to express solidarity with Palestinian President
Yasser Arafat against an Israeli decision to deport him. Thousands of Palestinian patients, employees,
school and university students were unable to reach hospitals, work, schools
and universities.
Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas
and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property
Thursday, 11 September 2003
In the morning, Israeli occupying forces demolished
16 houses in block L of the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. Israeli forces moved into the camp, and began
the demolition operation under cover of Israeli gun and tank fire. The
demolitions left more than 160 Palestinian civilians, mostly children,
homeless. These latest victims are added
to the thousands of other Palestinian civilians made homeless when their houses
were demolished in similar Israeli military operations throughout the Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
This area of Rafah has witnessed the largest number
of house demolitions in the Gaza Strip. Israeli occupying forces have demolished hundreds of Palestinian homes
in Rafah since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada; in most cases the Israeli
authorities cite “security concerns” as a justification for the demolitions. In reality, the facts on the ground indicate
that these demolitions represent a strategic policy to clear a large area of
Palestinian land near the border with Egypt and to facilitate a wide buffer
zone that increases Israeli military control in the area. In particular, Israeli forces have begun construction
of a concrete and metal wall parallel to the border with Egypt on land cleared
of Palestinian homes in similar demolition operations.
According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately
01:00, Israeli occupying forces reinforced by heavy military vehicles,
including 4 bulldozers, and under cover of intense shelling, moved into Block L
of Yibna refugee camp in Rafah. Immediately,
the Israeli military bulldozers began to demolish Palestinian houses without
giving residents the opportunity to evacuate belongings. At the end of the operation, 10 Palestinian
houses had been totally demolished, and 6 others had been partially destroyed.
35 Palestinian families have been left homeless. Following are details of the demolitions:
1. They
totally demolished a 300-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Husni
Hamdan Abu Taha, in which 26 people (4 families) lived.
2. They
totally demolished an 80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Ata
Ahmed Shaqfa, in which 7 people lived.
3. They
totally demolished a 175-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Mohammed
Yousef Abu Ziada, in which 16 people (3 families) lived.
4. They
totally demolished a 90-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hassan
Marzouq Abu Jazar, in which 8 people lived.
5. They
totally demolished an 80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Fatema
Isma’il Abu Jazar, in which 8 people lived.
6. They
totally demolished a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Anis
Mohammed al-‘Arja, in which 13 people (2 families) lived.
7. They
totally demolished a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Mahmoud
Mohammed al-‘Arja, in which 16 people lived.
8. They
totally demolished a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hamdan
Mohammed al-‘Arja, in which 25 people (4 families) lived.
9. They
totally demolished a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hamda
Hamad Radwan, in which 22 people (3 families) lived.
10. They totally demolished a
100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Bahaa’ Mohammed Radwan, in
which 4 people lived.
11. They partially demolished a
100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Khaled Sa’id Radwan, in which
9 people (2 families) live.
12. They partially demolished a
170-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hassan Suleiman Radwan, in which
26 people (5 families) live.
13. They partially demolished an
80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Ali Hassan Radwan, in which 8
people live.
14. They partially demolished a
130-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Amin Khalil ‘Omar, in which 10
people live.
15. They partially demolished a
220-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hamda Ahmed ‘Abdul ‘Aal, in
which 18 people (3 families) live.
16. They partially demolished a
90-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Ahmed ‘Ali Shaqfa, in which 1
person lives.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” and “Gadid” settlements,
west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at al-Nimsawi neighborhood and the areas of
Baten al-Samin and the cemeteries to the east. A Palestinian civilian, Lafi Hamad Tabasi, 43, was wounded by a live
bullet in the thigh while he was inside his house, approximately 500m away from
the source of fire.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 150m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis. They partially destroyed a 130-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Abdul Hai Marzouq Salama al-Sha’er. Four people lived in the house.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations between “Gani Tal” and “Neve Dekalim” settlements, west of
Khan Yunis, opened fire at al-Amal neighborhood and Khan Yunis refugee
camp. A Palestinian civilian, Majed
Mohammed Hassan Abu ‘Ouda, 42, was wounded by a live bullet in the back while
he was walking approximately 300m away from the source of fire.
Friday, 12 September 2003
At approximately 08:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 150m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis. They destroyed the remainders of a house
owned by ‘Abdul Hai Marzouq al-Sha’er, which they had partially destroyed on
the preceding day. They also partially destroyed a 130-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house owned by Rezeq Salama Suleiman al-Sha’er, in which 36
people (3 families) lived.
Saturday, 13 September 2003
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 150m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis. Under the cover of intense gunfire, they
destroyed the remainders of a house owned by Rezeq Salama Suleiman al-Sha’er,
which they had partially destroyed on the preceding day. Then, they leveled areas of Palestinian
agricultural land, which they had already razed. They also demolished an agricultural room owned
by ‘Emad Musbah Sha’ban al-Najjar.
Early in the morning, Israeli occupying forces moved
into al-Yassamina neighborhood in Nablus. They opened fire at Palestinian houses, killing an elderly Palestinian
man.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately
02:00, 12 Israeli military vehicles moved into Nablus through its western
entrance. They moved forward and
surrounded al-Yassamina neighborhood in the old town. They opened fire at Palestinian houses. Israeli soldiers raided a number of houses,
including the house of Khaled al-Zhaher, whom they detained together with his
family in one room. At approximately
03:15, Fathi Mahmoud Hussein Bulbul, 85, woke up. He tried to get up and leave his bed to find
a more secure place in his bedroom that overlooks al-Zhaher’s house. Immediately, Israeli soldiers opened fire at
him. He was hit by live bullets and fell
on the bed. He cried for help. His son, Bashar hurried to offer him help,
but he was not able to enter his father’s bedroom as Israeli soldiers were
still shooting. He called for an
ambulance, but due to the intense Israeli gunfire in the area, the ambulance
crew was not able to attend to the wounded old man until 04:00, when he was
dead. According to medical sources, he
was hit by two live bullets in the neck and the chest.
Sunday, 14 September 2003
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles and covered by intense shelling, moved
approximately 300m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian
border. They partially demolished 8
Palestinian houses, claiming to be searching for underground tunnels. The incursion lasted until 05:00. The Israeli occupying forces demolished the
following homes:
1. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Majdi ‘Abdul Ra’ouf Sha’at, in
which 10 people live;
2. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hammad Mohammed Sha’at, in
which 5 people live;
3. A
270-square-meter, 3-storey house owned by Yahia Ahmed ‘Ayash, in which 31
people (7 families) live;
4. A
210-square-meter house owned by Ibrahim Yousef al-Najjar, in which 9 people
live;
5. A
270-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Abdul Wahab al-Zatma, in
which 9 people live;
6. A
250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Ra’ed Zaki al-Jazzar, in which
7 people (2 families) live;
7. A
250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Mahmoud ‘Abdul ‘Aziz
al-Jazzar, in which 30 people (5 families) live; and
8. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Abed Hassan al-Jamal, in
which 9 people live.
In the morning, Israeli occupying forces demolished 4
houses, 2 sheds and a cow farm and destroyed 2 water tanks in Wadi Houra area
in the southeast of Hebron. The
demolitions took place in order to facilitate the expansion of pre-existing
illegal Israeli settlements.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately
07:00, Israeli occupying forces, accompanied by 3 bulldozers, moved into the
areas of al-Baqa’a and Wadi Houra in the south of Hebron. They demolished 4 houses, 2 sheds and a cow
farm and destroyed 2 water tanks:
1. They
demolished a 100-square-meter house, in which 7 people lived, and a
300-square-meter shed used for agricultural purposes owned by Jamal Ahmed
al-Tawil.
2. They
demolished an 80-square-meter house, in which 5 people lived, and destroyed a
water tank owned by Nabil Mohammed al-Hanjouri.
3. They
demolished a 50-square-meter uninhabited house owned by Mowaffaq Ahmed
al-Tawil.
4. They
demolished a 200-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by Mohammed ‘Abed al-Rujbi,
in which 20 people (4 families) lived.
5. They
demolished a 100-square-meter house owned by Isma’il Jamal alRujbi.
6. They
demolished a 200-square-meter shed used for agricultural purposes owned by
‘Emad Mohammed Jadallah al-Rujbi.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of
Deir al-Balah, opened fire at Palestinian students protesting an Israeli
Security Cabinet decision to deport the Palestinian President Yasser
Arafat. The students began to throw stones
at Israeli soldiers positioned outside the aforementioned settlement. Seven students were wounded by Israeli
gunfire:
1. Isma’il
Mahmoud al-Sha’rawi, hit by a live bullet in the left leg;
2. Tariq
‘Abdullah Abu al-Hussain, 17, hit by a live bullet in the right foot;
3. Ahmed
Ibrahim ‘Aabed, 17, hit by a live bullet in the legs;
4. Ibrahim
Jamal al-Sheikh ‘Ali, 17, hit by a live bullet in the right hand;
5. Mohammed
Ibrahim al-Sheikh ‘Ali, 17, hit by a live bullet in the left thigh;
6. Marwan
Fathi ‘Ayash, 18, hit by a live bullet in the right thigh; and
7. Mohammed
Jamal al-Baz, 18, hit by a live bullet in the left leg.
At approximately 18:00, an undercover unit of Israeli
occupying forces infiltrated into Ras al-‘Ain neighborhood in Nablus using a
minibus that had a Palestinian registration. Soon, 20 Israeli military vehicles moved into the city to sustain the
undercover unit. They surrounded the
house of Bashar Tabila, 37, and opened fire at neighboring houses. A Palestinian civilian, Bassel Zuhdi Bashir
‘Ali, 27, from Jenin, was wounded by shrapnel in the left shoulder. Upon their withdrwal from the city, Israeli
forces arrested Tabila, claiming that he was wanted for his activities in the
al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a military wing of the Fatah movement.
In the evening, in an apparent willful killing, Israeli
occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian child, when they fired at a number of
Palestinian children demonstrating near Qalandiya Airport, north of occupied
Jerusalem.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately
16:30, dozens of Palestinian boys protesting an Israeli Security Cabinet
decision to deport the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat demonstrated on a
hill opposite to Qalandya military checkpoint, north of al-Ram village. The boys threw stones at Israeli soldiers
positioned at the checkpoint. At
approximately 19:00, a number of Israeli soldiers began to chase them. Immediately, a number of the boys fled
towards al-Ram village, while others fled towards Jerusalem-Ramallah road. A child ran towards the west, and when he saw
Israeli soldiers chasing him, he was apparently scared, so he ran towards the
southeastern fence of Qalandya Airport. Immediately, an Israeli soldier fired at him from a distance of
approximately 70m. He was wounded by a
live bullet. Israeli soldiers carried him
to the aforementioned checkpoint without offering him any medical aid. At approximately 19:50, a Palestinian
ambulance passed by the checkpoint. When
it stopped to be checked by Israeli soldiers, its medical personnel saw the
child. They asked Israeli soldiers to
allow them to evacuate the child to the hospital, but the child was dead. The ambulance removed the body to Ramallah
Hospital, where he was identified as Ahmed Nayef Taha Abu Latifa, 13, from
Qalandya refugee camp. According to
medical sources, he was hit by a live bullet under the left arm, which exited
the right side.
Monday, 15 September 2003
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 200m into al-Salam
neighborhood, adjacent to the Egyptian border, south of Rafah. They surrounded a 200-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house owned by Fathi ‘Ali Mohammed ‘Abdul ‘Aal. Its 68 residents had already evacuated it as
it had been partially destroyed by Israeli forces. Then, Israeli soldiers planted explosives
inside the house and destroyed it. During this incursion, Israeli soldiers raided a 250-square-meter,
2-storey house owned by Tawfiq Hashem al-‘Ashi. They held its 15 residents in the first floor, made holes in the walls
of the second floor and opened fire at the surrounding area.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 200m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis. They leveled areas of Palestinian
agricultural land that they had already razed. They also razed the following areas of agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and palms and
destroyed an irrigation network, owned by Nizam Khamis Khalil Shaat.
2. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Mohammed Ahmed al-Masri.
In the morning there was another Israeli attack on
Palestinian ambulances and medical personnel. Israeli soldiers intercepted a Palestinian ambulance in Nablus and fired
a sound bomb at it. The front window of
the ambulance was destroyed.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately
10:30, while an ambulance of the Medical Scientific Society was traveling on
Faisal Street in Nablus coming from the eastern part of the city, the driver
was surprised by a tank and 2 military jeeps of Israeli occupying forces coming
from a branch road and blocking the road in front of the ambulance. Without warning, Israeli soldiers fired a
sound bomb at the ambulance. As a
result, the front window of the ambulance was destroyed and the medical
personnel were placed under great stress.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli heavy military vehicles,
including a bulldozer, moved approximately 500m into Palestinian agricultural
areas located to the north of “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of Deir
al-Balah. The bulldozer immediately started
to uproot palm trees belonging to the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture on
the main road, Salah al-Din Street. In
an operation that lasted until midnight, 10 palm trees were uprooted.
In another attack on Palestinian property along the
Egyptian border, south of Rafah, Israeli occupying forces moved into Rafah
refugee camp, destroying or damaging 13 Palestinian houses. The Israeli forces claimed to be searching
for tunnels. The demolitions expand the
existing Israeli controlled “buffer” zone on Palestinian land along the
Egyptian border.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 23:00, 13 Israeli heavy military vehicles, including a number of
bulldozers, moved approximately 200m into Salah al-Din Street in Block K in
Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border. During this 4-hour incursion, they destroyed
2 Palestinian houses totally and 11 others partially:
1. They
totally destroyed a 200-square-meter house owned by Hassan ‘Awadh Mohammed
Barhoum, in which 9 people lived.
2. They
totally demolished a 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Munira
‘Awadh Hamed Barhoum, in which 7 people lived.
3. They
partially demolished a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hassan
‘Abdullah Barhoum, in which 5 people (2 families) live.
4. They
partially demolished 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Salman
Hassan Barhoum, in which 8 people live.
5. They
partially demolished 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Na’im
Ahmed ‘Abdullah Barhoum, in which 10 people live.
6. They
partially demolished 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Ahmed
Hamdan Mousa Barhoum, in which 6 people live.
7. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Sabri ‘Abed Shuraiqi Barhoum,
in which 8 people live, was partially destroyed as a result of the destruction
of the first house.
8. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Eyad Ahmed Hamdan Barhoum, in
which 3 people live, was partially destroyed as a result of the destruction of
the first house.
9. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Sa’id Suleiman Barhoum, in
which 6 people live, was partially destroyed as a result of the destruction of
the first house.
10. A 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house owned by Na’im Sa’id Suleiman Barhoum, in which 3 people live, was
partially destroyed as a result of the destruction of the first house.
11. A 130-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house owned by Hamdan Joma’a Mohammed Barhoum, in which 10 people live, was
partially destroyed as a result of the destruction of the first house.
12. A 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house owned by Isma’il Joma’a Ahmed Barhoum, in which 8 people live, was
partially destroyed as a result of the destruction of the first house.
13. A 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house owned by Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Abu Qamar, in which 15 people (2
families) live, was partially destroyed as a result of the destruction of the
first house.
At midnight, 12 Israeli soldiers raided a 2-storey
Palestinian house owned by ‘Ezziddin Ibrahim al-Haddad, located approximately
150m to the north of “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah. They held the 11 residents of the house in
one room and searched it. Then, they
mounted the roof and used it as an observation point. After 4 hours, the Israeli occupation forces
left the house.
Tuesday, 16 September 2003
At approximately 17:25, Israeli occupying forces
positioned in military locations between “Gani Tal” and “Neve Dekalim”
settlements, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Khan
Yunis refugee camp. A Palestinian
civilian, Mazen Sa’di Budair, 23, was wounded by a live bullet in the left
hand.
At approximately 23:30, Israeli heavy military
vehicles, including 4 bulldozers, moved approximately 300m into Block J in
Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border. Under the cover of intense shelling, they
destroyed 2 Palestinian houses:
1. They
destroyed a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Majdi ‘Abdul
Ra’ouf Sha’at, in which 10 people lived.
2. They
destroyed a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Abdul Qader
Rashid Hussein al-Jamal, in which 10 people lived.
The electricity and telephone networks of the area
were severely damaged by this destruction.
Wednesday, 17 September 2003
In an apparent willful killing, in the morning,
Israeli occupying forces shot a Palestinian in Nablus and left him bleeding to
death. According to eyewitnesses, these
forces could have used less lethal means against the victim.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 03:00 an infantry unit of Israeli occupying forces moved from
al-Tour Mount, south of Nablus, into al-Qarioun neighborhood in the old
town. An infantry unit of the Israeli
occupying forces mounted the roof of a 3-storey house in the area owned by
Ahmed Soufan. At approximately 03:30,
Fadi Kamal Saleh Abu Zant, 22, a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a
military wing of the Fatah movement, came out to confront the Israeli
forces. While he was walking towards the
area where Israeli forces were present, Israeli soldiers positioned on top of
Soufan’s house opened fire at him without warning, wounding him. He fell to the ground and immediately, an
Israeli force of 3 armored personnel carriers and 11 military jeeps arrived at
the area to cover the withdrawal of the infantry unit. They surrounded the area and denied ambulances
access to the wounded man. At
approximately 04:30, Israeli occupying forces withdrew from the area. A Union of Palestinian Medical Relief
Committees ambulance tried to evacuate the victim, but he was already dead. The body was removed to Rafidya
Hospital. According to medical sources,
the victim was hit by 8 live bullets in the right shoulder, the chest, the
pelvis, the thighs and the feet. It is
worth noting that the victim’s brother, Ayman Abu Zant, was killed by Israeli
occupying forces on 16 February 2003, during an operation into Nablus to arrest
Tayseer Khaled, a member of the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation
Organization.
At approximately 17:25, Israeli occupying forces
positioned in military locations in the vicinity of “Gadid” settlement, west of
Khan Yunis, opened fire at the Baten al-Smin area. A Palestinian civilian, Ibrahim Khader ‘Abdul
Salam, 18, was wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen.
At approximately 17:50, Israeli occupying forces
positioned in military locations in the vicinity of “Morag” settlement, north
of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Musabbeh neighborhood,
approximately 700m away. A Palestinian
civilian, Baker Hamed Dhuhair, 18, was wounded by a live bullet in the right
hand.
At approximately 21:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced by heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved into
al-Brazil and al-Sha’er neighborhoods, adjacent to the Egyptian border south of
Rafah. They raided 6 Palestinian houses
and held residents of each in one room. They searched the houses and interrogated their residents about
tunnels. Then, the bulldozer damaged
water, electricity and telephone networks of the area.
Extra-Judicial Assassination
In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial
assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and security
establishments, on Tuesday morning, Israeli occupying forces committed a new
assassination, which left dead Ahmed Fawzi ‘Abdul Latif Abu Doush, 25, from
Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They
went further and destroyed the house which Dura had evacuated earlier. The evacuated house had been home to 5 families
who are now homeless. Israeli occupying
forces claimed that they killed Abu Doush as he attempted to escape. They further claimed that they surrounded the
house and called on members of an armed Palestinian cell, who were hiding
inside the house to surrender. Israeli
sources explained that an exchange of fire occurred, during which Abu Doush
attempted to escape, but Israeli soldiers noticed him and shot him dead.
However, according to the investigation conducted by
PCHR, at approximately 08:20, an undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces
infiltrated into Sinjar neighborhood between Hebron and Dura village, using a Palestinian
registered civilian car. 6-7 Israeli soldiers in civilian clothes and armed
with machine guns, got out of the car. They moved through a dirt road towards the house of Ahmed Mahmoud Dayadh
Nassar, the victim’s uncle, approximately 100m away from the main road. In the meantime, Ahmed Abu Doush, known as
“Majed”, was leaving the house after a short visit. As soon as Israeli soldiers niticed him, they
opened fire without warning from a distance of about 20meters. He was killed instantly by about 10 live
bullets in the head, the neck and the chest. The victim was left on the ground until 12:00, when they removed the
body to an unknown destination.
Soon, 2 tanks, 3 armored personnel carriers and a number
of military jeeps and a helicopter of the Israeli occupying forces arrived at
the area. Israeli forces used megaphones
to call on residents of the 160-square-meter, 3-storey house to leave the premises
with their hands raised in the air. Residents of the building cooperated with the order and left the
building. Israeli soldiers moved the
residents away from the house and, at approximately 13:00, the Israeli
occupying forces planted explosives inside the house and destroyed it. The demolition left 18 people (5 families)
homeless. PCHR’s field worker in Hebron
reported that he saw an Israeli bulldozer searching for probable bodies of
wanted Palestinians under the ruins of the house. Upon their withdrawal from the area, Israeli
forces arrested Khaled and Yousef Ahmed Nassar, 25 and 28 respectively. Israeli occupying forces claimed that Ahmed
Abu Doush had been wanted for 2 years for being a member of Islamic Jihad.
Collective Punishment against Families of Wanted
Palestinians and Those Who Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli
Targets
In violation of international humanitarian law, in
particular the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons
in Time of War of 1949, article 33 of which prohibits punishing any protected
person for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli forces
took retaliatory measures against the families of Palestinians Israel alleges have ordered,
facilitated, or carried out attacks against Israeli targets.
In the early
hours on Thursday, 11 September 2003 Israeli occupying forces demolished 4
houses; 2 in Ramallah and 2 in Hebron. The houses were owned by the families of 4 Palestinian civilians who are
allegedly wanted or detained by Israeli occupying forces.
According to
PCHR’s investigations and eyewitnesses’ reports, at approximately 01:00, an
Israeli force of 17 military jeeps and 2 military vans moved into the Um
al-Sharayet area, south of Ramallah. They surrounded a 4-storey apartment building. Israeli soldiers ascended to the third floor
and raided the apartment of Mohammad Abdul Rahman Salem Mislih, 27, who is being
held in an Israeli detention. Mislih’s
wife initially refused to leave the apartment but was forced to evacuate the
premises after Israeli soldiers threatened to blow it up with her inside. Israeli soldiers then planted explosives in
the 135-square-meter apartment and detonated them, destroying the apartment
completely. Mislih is currently serving
nine life sentences.
At
approximately 03:45, an Israeli occupying force of 15 tanks, 1 armored
personnel carrier and a military jeep, moved into Bitounia village, west of
Ramallah. They surrounded the home of
lawyer Na’eem Saleh ‘Abdullah al-Sharif, 57. After soldiers ordered the family out of the house through megaphones
and an Israeli officer gave Sharif’s daughter 10 minutes to get her mother’s
handbag and her father’s medication (he suffers from a chronic disease). Israeli soldiers then planted explosives in
the house and blew it up, completely destroying it. Sharif, his wife and his daughter lived in
the house (200-square-meter ground floor, 220-square-meter first floor). Israeli soldiers confiscated the ID cards of
Sharif and his wife who are residents of occupied Jerusalem and hold Israeli ID
cards. Israeli occupying forces claim
that their son, ‘Imad, is wanted for being a member of the Hamas resistance
movement.
The same
morning, Israeli occupying forces blew up 2 apartments in a 4-storey building
in Hebron. One apartment belonged to the
family of the deceased Abdullah Abdul-Qader al-Qawasmi, 43, who was
assassinated by an Israeli undercover unit on 21 June 2003, and the second
belonged to his brother, Shafeeq, 56.
PCHR’s field
workers reported that at approximately 02:00, an Israeli military force of 10
military jeeps, 2 armored personnel carriers and a military ambulance moved
into al-Haras Street in the north of Hebron. They surrounded a 160-square-meter, 4-storey apartment building owned by
Abdul Qader al-Qawasmi, 78, and his sons. According to al-Qawasmi’s son, ‘Omar, 40, Israeli occupying forces
surrounded the building and forced the 53 residents, including 26 children, out
of the building under threat of fire. The families were turned into the streets, unable to remove any of their
furniture, clothing, personal belongings or documents. Israeli soldiers called on the residents (approximately
200, including a large number of children) of the neighboring buildings to
evacuate and walk approximately 500 meters to the main street. Soldiers then planted explosives in the
ground floor apartment which belonged to the deceased Abdullah al-Qawasmi and
his 8-member family. They also planted explosives in the fourth floor apartment
which belonged to Shafeeq al-Qawasmi and his 14-member family and at
approximately 06:30, they detonated the explosives. The 2 apartments were
totally destroyed and the second and third floors were severely damaged.
On the
following day, 12 September 2003, Israeli occupying forces destroyed a house
belonging to the family of the deceased Mohammad Izziddin Misk, 27. Misk was killed on 9 September 2002, along
with Ahmad Othman Bader, 22, when Israeli occupying forces shelled an apartment
building in the Abu Katila neighborhood in the northwest of Hebron for 14 consecutive
hours.
According to
PCHR’s investigation, as well as eyewitness reports, at approximately 01:10 on 12
September 2003, an Israeli military force of 8 military jeeps and armored
personnel carriers, accompanied by a military ambulance, surrounded the home of
Khader Misk in al-Basas valley in western Hebron. Israeli forces raided the house, forcing the
residents out and not allowing them to gather any belongings or furniture. They
planted explosives in the house and at approximately 03:00, Israeli soldiers
blew the house up, destroying it completely. The 250-square-meter house was home to 12 individuals.
PCHR’s
fieldworker reported that on the morning of the above-mentioned day, Israeli
occupying forces revealed to Othman Bader, 65, father of Ahmad Bader, their
intentions to destroy his 220-square-meter, 3-storey home. Bader lived in the house with his extended family.
At 04:00 on
Sunday morning, 14 September 2003, Israeli occupying forces blew up the house
of Waleed Fares Shawahna, 60, in Seilat al-Harthiyah village, southwest of
Jenin.
According to
PCHR’s documentation and eyewitness reports, at 01:00, an Israeli military
force of 10 military jeeps moved into Seilat al-Harthiyah village, southwest of
Jenin. Israeli forces surrounded, raided
and searched the house of Waleed Fares Shawahna, giving the family 10 minutes
to evacuate the house. Israeli forces
then planted explosives inside and around the house. At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces blew
the house up, destroying it completely. 14 people (3 families), including 5 children,
lived in the 150-square-meter house. It
is worth noting that Shawahna’s son, Bashar, 35, has been detained by Israeli
forces for 3 weeks, accused of being a member of the Islamic Jihad. Shawahna has been detained on two other
occasions during the Intifada, and had released from a 40-day detention before
he was recently re-arrested.
On Wednesday
morning, 17 September 2003, Israeli occupying forces blew up the house of
Waleed Mahmoud ‘Aref Hussein in Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm.
According to
PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 01:00 on 17 September 2003, an Israeli
military force of 15 vehicles, including tanks and jeeps, moved into Nour Shams
refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They
surrounded Hussein’s home in al-Maslakh neighborhood. Israeli forces ordered the residents of the
house to evacuate the building within 20 minutes and gather in front of the
neighboring mosque. Israeli soldiers
planted explosives in the house and at approximately 03:00, blew it up,
destroying it completely. The
100-square-meter house was home to a family of seven. It is worth noting that one of Hussein’s
sons, Mohammad, has been detained in Shatta prison inside Israel since the
beginning of this year. Israeli forces
claim that the detainee attempted to send suicide bombers into Israel on three
occasions.
Detention
as a Form of Collective Punishment
Israeli
occupying forces continue to use detention as a means of collective punishment
against the families of Palestinian detainees and activists and Palestinians who
have been killed in the Intifada. In
this context, on Thursday morning, 11 September 2003, Israeli forces arrested 4
relatives of Mohammad Jamal Yaghmour who was killed by Israeli fire during an
attempt to capture him near his home in the west of Hebron 14 months ago.
According to
PCHR’s investigations and a statement made by the sister of the deceased,
around midnight, Israeli occupying forces raided the family’s home in Farsh
al-Hawa neighborhood in northern Hebron. After conducting thorough searches, Israeli forces arrested her father,
Jamal Hilmy Yaghmour, 48, her brother, Jalal, 18, her uncle, Kamal, 45, and her
relative, ‘Eisa Mousa Yaghmour, 30, from Jordan. Israeli soldiers blindfolded and handcuffed
them and took them away.
At 03:00
Israeli forces raided the home of the family of Rashad al-Ja’bari in al-Namrah
neighborhood, east of Hebron. After
conducting thorough searches, Israeli soldiers arrested Ja’bari’s son, Mohammad,
23, and took him to an unknown destination after blindfolding and handcuffing
him. Mohammad, a fourth-year student in
Hebron University is the brother of Mo’amar al-Ja’bari, 19, who was arrested by
Israeli occupying forces 8 months ago.
The Separation
Wall inside West Bank Areas
While the
international community and the United Nations Security Council are caught up
in the debate over the Israeli decision to deport President Arafat from the
OPTs, Israel continues to execute plans to annex yet more Palestinian land in violation
of international law. Israeli occupying forces continued to build the
separation wall in the West Bank, issuing new orders concerning the
confiscation of land privately owned by Palestinians. Israeli forces warned a number of Palestinian
civilians that property standing in the way of the proposed path of the wall or
within close proximity to it will be destroyed. On Thursday, 11 September 2003,
the Israeli security cabinet decided to hasten construction of the wall and
Israeli media sources revealed parts of the separation wall planned for the
northwest and southwest of the West Bank.
On Monday
morning, 15 September 2003, Israeli bulldozers began to level Palestinian lands
in Sheikh Sa’ed, Sawahra and Wadi al-Nar areas, southeast of Jerusalem, in
preparation for the construction of the wall. The families who own land in the area are: ‘Weisat, Mansour, Mashhour,
Shqeirat and Mashahra. Palestinian
civilians reported that Israeli forces uprooted approximately 2000 olive trees.
On the same
day, the Department of Organization and Building of the Israeli “civil
administration” issued a final warning to Khaled Mahmoud Mohammad Ahmad and
Reyad Mohammad ‘Amer from Masha village in the northern West Bank district
Salfit, stating plans to demolish 2 corrugated iron chicken pens. Ahmad owned the 420-square-meter pen and the
other (250-square-meter) was owned by ‘Amer. They had both been warned a week prior to the demolition of the
buildings and Israeli occupying forces claimed that they were too close to the
separation wall. It is worth noting that approximately 4000 donums of the
above-mentioned area has been confiscated for the purpose of the construction
of the separation wall.
On that same
day, Israeli occupying forces issued 2 military orders signed by the head of
the Israeli military central command, confiscating 130 donums of land from Artah and Far’oun
villages, surrounding the Taybeh checkpoint, south of Tulkarm in order to
expand the section of the separation wall in that area. Israeli forces were to seize 80 dunums
according to the first order and 50 according to the second order.
Israeli media
sources revealed Israeli plans to build the separation wall from the area
surrounding “Alkinah” settlement, east of Qalqilya in the north, to Hebron Mountain
in the south. The wall is to extend from
the aforementioned settlement to the area surrounding ‘Ofra camp southwest of
Ramallah. Another sector of the wall
extends from the south of Jerusalem to “Karme Ma’on” settlement, south of
Hebron. There is an ongoing debate in
Israel as to whether or not to include “Ariel” settlement in the northern West
Bank, which lies 20km within Palestinian territory. If Ariel is not included, the Israeli
settlements between the Green Line and the wall will be: Yaker, Rifafa, Ghinot
Shomron, Kirny Shomron and Kadomim, which are close to Nablus. In the southern West Bank, the “Kfar Etzion”
settlement bloc southwest of Bethlehem will also be included by the separation
wall. As for “Efrat” settlement, south
of Bethlehem, it is not yet certain if it will or will not be within the
Israeli side of the wall. In the case of
both “Efrat” and “Ariel” settlements, large portions of the Palestinian lands
would have to be annexed with the settlements to Israel if the wall is to
encompass them. Such plans are a
reflection of the future of the Palestinian state in the eyes of the current
Israeli government, which is proposing to return only 42% of the West Bank to
the Palestinian Authority in order to establish a Palestinian state.
Continued Siege on the OPT
Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict
siege on the OPTs, particularly in the West Bank, restricting movement of
Palestinian civilians. On 7 September
2003, Israeli occupying forces imposed a comprehensive closure on the OPT and
prevented all Palestinians from entering Israel
In the Gaza Strip, last week, Israeli occupying
forces re-erected 2 observation towers at Abu Houli and al-Matahen junctions on
Salah al-Din Street north of Khan Yunis. Salah al-Din Street is the main
road between the northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip. This
reinstates the situation that was in place prior to 30 June 2003. In accordance with Palestinian-Israeli
security negotiations concluded on 30 June 2003, Israeli occupying forces had
redeployed from Salah al-Din Street and the 2 observation towers were moved
15-20m away from their original sites. Enforcing the 2 checkpoints allow
Israeli occupying forces to retain complete control over Salah al-Din Street,
partitioning the Gaza Strip into 3 isolated zones. Israeli occupying
forces have also maintained the closure of the western road between Rafah and
Khan Yunis; a section of Salah al-Din Street in the central Gaza Strip; Abu
al-‘Ajin road between Wadi al-Salqa and al-Qarara villages, north of Khan
Yunis; and a number of branch roads. In addition, Israeli occupying
forces have maintained a strict siege on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza
Strip and al-Sayafa area in the north.
This week, Israeli occupying forces restricted
movement of Palestinian civilians at Abu Houli and al-Matahen checkpoints on
Salah al-Din Street. They open the
checkpoints on stages, and only 5 vehicles are allowed to cross in each stage,
so Palestinian vehicles are forced to wait in long lines. These measures are especially escalated in
the morning and the afternoon, which are the periods that witness active
movement of Palestinian civilians.
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a
strict siege on al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip. Since the beginning of this school year,
Israeli occupying forces have delayed opening the gates at entrances of the
area, which makes access of school children to their schools on time
impossible. For example, on Saturday, 13
September 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed the area until 10:00, preventing
school children from attending classes on that day. On Sunday, 14 September 2003, Israeli
occupying forces totally closed the area, denying movement of Palestinian
civilians out and into the area. In addition, large amount of guavas were damaged
as Palestinian farmers were not able to transport their agricultural products
to markets outside the area.
Israeli occupying forces have also restricted
movement at border crossings of the Gaza Strip. They have closed Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip for 2 weeks,
denying access of thousands of Palestinian workers to their work places in
Israel.
On 14 September 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed
al-Mentar crossing, the only commercial crossing between the Gaza Strip and
Israel. The crossing was reopened on the
following day.
In the West
Bank, Israeli occupying forces continued to tighten their military siege on
Palestinian communities. This week, they
declared Ramallah a “closed military zone,” to prevent Palestinian civilians,
Israeli peace activists and international delegations from reaching the town
and expressing solidarity with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat against an
Israeli Security Cabinet decision to deport him. Thousands of Palestinian patients, employees,
school and university students were unable to go to hospitals, work places,
schools and universities.
Ramallah
and al-Bireh
On Thursday,
11 September 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed Qalandya checkpoint, north
of occupied Jerusalem. They denied
passage of all Palestinian civilians, including patients. On Sunday morning, 14 September 2003, Israeli
occupying forces declared the Ramallah and al-Bireh district a closed military
zone. Israeli soldiers at Qalandya
checkpoint denied passage of Palestinian civilians. Israeli soldiers at ‘Atara checkpoint, north
of Bir Zeit, also prohibited passage of Palestinian civilians, a measure that
deprived residents of nearby villages and the northern West Bank town of access
to Ramallah. At the same time, temporary
checkpoints were erected near the villages of Bal’in, Kharabtha and Deir Ebzi’
on the main road leading to Ramallah.
Nablus
Israeli
soldiers positioned at the checkpoints of Hawara to the south, Deir Sharaf to
the west and Beit Fourik to the east, continue to deny passage of Palestinian
civilians into Nablus, with very few exceptions. Israeli soldiers allow teachers whose names
are provided by the Israeli occupying forces in mysterious lists, medical
personnel and very few of the sick to pass. On Tuesday evening, 16 September 2003, Israeli soldiers at Deir Sharaf
checkpoint kept identity cards of dozens of Palestinian civilians, including
women and old people, for no apparent reason.
Tulkarm
This week, Israeli
occupying forces closed the main road between ‘Anabta and Bala’a villages, east
of Tulkarm, and denied access of Palestinian civilians to the town. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces
erected a checkpoint at Bala’a junction, while a number of military jeeps and
an armored personnel carrier were positioned in the area. Israeli soldiers stopped and searched
Palestinian vehicles. Israeli occupying
forces have also continued to close al-Kafriyat road, south of the town. As a result of these measures, Palestinian
civilians are forced to walk significant distances on dirt roads to reach the
town.
Qalqilya
On Sunday
morning, 14 September 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed the main road
between the Qalqilya and other towns, near the entrance to ‘Azzoun village to
the east. According to eyewitnesses,
dozens of Israeli soldiers were positioned on the road and denied passage to
Palestinian civilians. At noon, Israeli
forces also closed the iron gates at the entrances to Qalqilya and ‘Azzoun
village.
Jenin
Israeli
occupying forces erected military checkpoints at the main entrances to the
town, restricting movement of Palestinian civilians from and into the
town. Israeli soldiers at Tayasseer and
al-Hamra checkpoints in the Jordan Valley have continued to restrict movement
of Palestinian civilians who wish to travel to Jordan. On Tuesday morning, 15 September 2003,
Israeli forces closed al-Buqai’a checkpoint in the central Jordan Valley.
PCHR calls:
1. Upon the international community to
provide immediate and independent international protection for
the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
2. Upon the High Contracting Parties to
the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene to take effective measures
to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in
accordance with their obligations under article 1 and article 146, to ensure
respect for the Convention.
3. Upon the international community to
investigate and prosecute before international courts those believed to have
committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence,
expand its activities, and intensify its field operations throughout the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to activate
Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel
must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international community to
provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people, whose
living conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of the continued
siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
“END”
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
