· 7 Palestinians, including 5
civilians, killed by Israeli occupying forces
· Israeli combat helicopters shell civilian facilities
in the Gaza Strip
· Continued Israeli incursions into PNA-controlled
areas in the West Bank; many Palestinians arrested
· Israeli occupying forces start establishing a
security fence between the West Bank and Israel
· Israeli occupying forces order Palestinian fishermen
in Khan Yunis to leave their fishing harbor and move to Rafah fishing harbor
· Large areas of Palestinian agricultural land in the
Gaza Strip razed
· Continued strict siege on the OPT and a Palestinian
patient dies due to Israeli closure
Israeli occupying forces continue to perpetrate more violations against
Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). This week, Israeli forces encroached into
more Palestinian areas, killing a number of Palestinians and destroying public
and private facilities. Seven
Palestinians, including 5 civilians, were killed by Israeli occupying forces
this week.
Under security pretenses and in an apparent move to seize more land,
Israeli occupying forces initiated a large scale operation to unilaterally
redefine the borders between Israel and the OPT. On Sunday, 16 June, Israeli forces started
establishing “a security fence” between the West Bank and Israel. In its first stage, the fence will extend
from Salem military roadblock west of Jenin in the north to Kufor Qassem
military roadblock in Qalqilya in the south. Due to this fence, 13 Palestinian villages and 40000 Palestinians will
be separated from the rest of the OPT. Israeli forces confiscated thousands of donums of Palestinian
agricultural land for this end. In the
Gaza Strip, Israeli forces razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land
in the north as a preliminary step towards establishing a buffer zone around
Jewish settlements.
This week, Israeli occupying forces invaded the West Bank cities of Jenin,
Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Hebron and Salfit. They raided houses and arrested some Palestinians.
As part of their policy of targeting Palestinian civilians and striking
the Palestinian economy, on 19 June, Israeli combat helicopters destroyed four
Palestinian workshops located inside residential areas in the Gaza Strip. A number of houses and civilian properties
were also damaged. Israeli forces
claimed that these workshops were making mortars.
This week, Israeli occupying forces razed large areas of Palestinian
agricultural land in the Gaza Strip.
In continuation of the policy of assassination officially adopted by the
Israeli government against Palestinian activists and leaders, this week,
Israeli occupying forces assassinated two Palestinians in Bethlehem and
al-Khader on 17 and18 June respectively.
In an apparent willful killing, on 13 June, Israeli occupying forces
beat to death a 54-year-old Palestinian civilian from Silwan village in
occupied Jerusalem. They also wounded
his son with two live bullets in the chest.
Israeli occupying forces have maintained the total siege
imposed on the OPT in a form of collective punishment against the Palestinian
people. Israeli
forces have separated Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying
forces have maintained a strict siege on al-Mawasi area, isolating it from the
rest of the strip. On 17 June, Israeli
occupying forces prevented students of al-Mawasi area from attending the
Tawjihi (end of secondary school) exams in Rafah and Khan Yunis. After the ICRC and the Palestinian liaison
made efforts to solve the problem, Israeli forces allowed students to have
their exams in a school inside the area. On 18 June, Israeli occupying forces ordered Palestinian fishermen in
Khan Yunis to move from their fishing harbor in Khan Yunis to Rafah fishing
harbor, in an apparent first step to transform the harbor into a military base
or a settlement centre. When Palestinian
fishermen rejected this step, Israeli occupying forces beat and insulted
them. Israeli occupying forces checked
and arrested some Palestinian civilians while crossing al-Matahen military
checkpoint, north of Khan Yunis, which divides the Gaza Strip into two
parts. Israeli forces also started establishing
an iron barrier at al-Shuhada’ junction, south of Gaza City, apparently to
control movement of Palestinians on Salah al-Din Street (the road between the
north and south of the Gaza Strip), in the case of closure of the coastal road. Israeli forces will likely take measures
similar to those at al-Matahen military checkpoint.
Israeli occupying forces at military checkpoints and
roadblocks continued to fire at Palestinian civilians traveling on the main
roads, killing one and wounding more than ten. On 16 June, Israeli forces at a military checkpoint in the West Bank
shot dead a 20-year-old Palestinian civilian when he resorted to an alternative
road other than a main road.
This report covers Israeli violations against
Palestinian civilians in the OPT during the period 13-19 June 2002.
At approximately 01:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 150m into Tabba 86 area in
al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. They raided the house of Salah Suleiman Abu Zhaher, destroying its doors
and holding the 14-member family in one room. Many Israeli soldiers ascended atop of the house. The asbestos roof of the house collapsed and
some Israeli soldiers fell inside the house. In a violent reaction, Israeli soldiers severely beat two members of the
family: Eyad, 23, and ‘Arafat, 17. The
former sustained serious bruises throughout the body and was moved to
hospital. Israeli forces searched and
damaged the house before they left it at approximately 04:00.
At the same time, Israeli
occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at
Palestinian houses in Block I in Khan Yunis refugee camp. A Palestinian civilian, Adham ‘Ali Ahmed
Huniedeq, 23, was wounded by a live bullet in the right shoulder, while he was
moving from his house, approximately 150m away from the source of fire. In addition, some houses in the area
sustained further damage.
Also at the same time,
Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 900m into Abasan village, east of
Khan Yunis. Israeli bulldozers leveled
areas of agricultural land that were razed month and razed new areas:
1. They razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land planted
with wheat and olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Hafezh
‘Abdullah Qudeih.
2. They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with figs and watermelons and destroyed an irrigation network owned
Ramzi Mohammed al-Bureim.
3. They razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land
planted with wheat and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mahmoud Shehda
Qudeih.
At approximately 02:00,
Israeli heavy military vehicles, accompanied by police dogs, moved
approximately 300m into Uraiba area
in the northwest of Rafah. They raided a
4-story house, in which 20 persons live, owned by Khader Mohammed Mahmoud
Dahliz, 52. They searched the houses and
damaged furniture. Some Israeli soldiers
fired at walls of the house from the outside, terrifying its residents. Then, Israeli forces arrested the house’s
owner and his five sons: Nizar, 26; Bashir, 30; Mohammed, 24; Nadi, 21; and
Naji, 18. According to the housewife,
after Israeli forces had withdrawn from the area, she discovered that they
stole two mobile phones, 1500 JD, and a golden necklace from the house.
At approximately 03:00, 30
heavy military vehicles accompanied by infantry units and supported by two
combat helicopters invaded Tubas town in the northern Jordan Valley. They shelled the town, wounding three
Palestinian civilians:
1. Mahmoud Mohammed Harb Daraghma, 40, a taxi driver,
seriously wounded by 4 live bullets in the chest;
2. Jamal Jamil Kamel Mahasna, 39, wounded by 4 live
bullets in the abdomen, the left elbows and the thighs; and
3. Mohammed Fa’eq ‘Anbusi, 23, wounded by 2 live bullets
in the left thigh.
Israeli forces also
interrogated 4 Palestinians, and arrested 10 others:
1. ‘Aarafat Sidqi Mohammed
Sawafta, 25;
2. Sa’id Mohammed Daraghma, 24;
3. ‘Aatef Mohammed Darghma, 27;
4. Muwaffaq Husni Darghma, 27;
5. Jamal Mahmoud Abu Muhsen, 35;
6. Samir Ahmed Abu Khudeir, 50;
7. Ahmed Samir Ahmed Abu Khudeir, 22;
8. Ashraf Kahder Sawfta, 25;
9. Baker ‘Aazem Sa’id Darghma, 18;
and
10. Ra’ed Na’im
Jamil Daraghma, 30.
In the morning, Israeli
occupying forces invaded ‘Anabta village, east of Tulkarm. They seized complete control over the village
and imposed a curfew. Then, they forced
Palestinian civilians of their houses and gathered them in a public yard. Upon their withdrawal from the village at
approximately 07:00, Israeli forces arrested ‘Alla’ ‘Ammar Barakat, 18.
At almost the same time,
Israeli occupying forces moved into Kufor al-Labad village near Tulkarm. They raided the house of Na’im Kayed and
arrested four of his sons: ‘Abdul Hadi, 17; ‘Abdul Fattah, 21; Rebhi, 23; and
Rabah, 30. Israeli forces took the four
to a military location and interrogated them. The four were released 12 hours later.
At approximately 17:00,
Israeli occupying forces, accompanied by a military armored bulldozer moved
approximately 500m into Tallat Hamada area, north of Beit Lahia in the northern
Gaza Strip. They bulldozed three
greenhouses planted with vegetables owned by ‘Omar Ibrahim Hamada. Israeli forces also raided and searched a
house owned by Sa’id al-Da’our.
At approximately 18:00,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim”
settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Khan Yunis refugee camp. The shelling continued sporadically for 3
hours, during which 7 Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Mohammed ‘Ali Abu Shammala, 3,
wounded by shrapnel in the left foot;
2. Hamdi Fathi al-Salibi, 12, wounded by shrapnel in the
face;
3. Khaled Mohammed Sarhan, 15, wounded by shrapnel in
the left hand;
4. Ibrahim Yousef Huneideq, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the
chest and the abdomen;
5. Munir Suleiman Abu Rezeq, 28, wounded by shrapnel in
the left leg;
6. Majed Khalil al-Zein, 40, wounded by shrapnel in the
left shoulder; and
7. Nayef Mohammed ‘Abdullah al-Zarabi, 47,
wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen.
In addition, a number of
houses were severely damaged.
At the same time, Israeli
occupying forces in the vicinity of “Morag” settlement, south of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian
houses in Gizan al-Najjar area. Three
houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 02:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved into ‘Eis neighborhood in Hebron. They demolished a 100-square-meter house,
owned by Huda Salem al-Dweik, and rented by a number of students. They also raided the house of Jamal Salem al-Dweik and arrested his son
Fadi, 18.
At approximately 05:25,
Israeli heavy military vehicles, supported by two helicopters, moved into
Jenin. They seized complete control over
the city, including its industrial zone. They shelled houses and industrial facilities and destroyed a building
that comprised 3 workshops owned by ‘Essam ‘Abdul Qader ‘Oudeh.
At approximately 14:20,
Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 500m into Palestinian agricultural
land south of “Elli Sinai” settlement, north of Beit Lahia. They opened fire at the area
indiscriminately. Then they moved 1000m
into a Palestinian residential area. They intensely shelled the area. A number of Palestinian resistance men confronted the invading
forces. A resistance man, Mahmoud Hassan
Ahmed al-‘Aabed, 23, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, was killed by a
live bullet in the left eye and by shrapnel throughout the body. His body was discovered on the following day
and he apparently bled to death. In
addition, a Palestinian civilian, Mazen Mohammed al-Shaf’ei, 22, resident of
the area, was wounded by shrapnel in the left hand while inside his house.
At approximately 01:00,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim”
settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Block I in
Khan Yunis refugee camp. A number of
houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 13:00,
Israeli occupying forces, covered by intense shelling, moved into al-Sanati
area in the east of Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. Until 17:00, two Israeli armored bulldozers
were razing areas of agricultural land:
1. They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted
with olives and vegetables and destroyed an irrigation network owned by
Suleiman ‘Aabed ‘Abdullah Qudeih.
2. They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and vegetables and destroyed an irrigation network owned by
Salem ‘Aabed ‘Abdullah Qudeih.
3. They razed a
7-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Nahidh ‘Abdullah Qudeih.
At approximately 22:30, 13
Israeli heavy military vehicles, covered by intense shelling, moved into al-Nabatat
neighborhood in the west of Jenin. A
number of buildings, houses, shops and public institutions were damaged, but no
casualties were reported.
At approximately 13:45,
Israeli heavy military vehicles, supported by two helicopters, invaded al-Yamun
village, west of Jenin. They surrounded
the house Nash’at Ragheb Abu al-Haija. Before they completed surrounding the house, the housewife and her three
children, 5-7 year of age, moved to the house of their neighbor Mohammed ‘Ali
Fureihat, around 10m away. When Israeli
soldiers noticed them, they chased them to the neighbor’s house. They forced her, her children and the
neighbor’s family out of the house. Israeli forces destroyed a civilian car that in front of Abu al-Haija’s
house. Then, they order Fureihat to
enter his neighbor’ house, using him as a human shield. They entered the houses and searched it. Then, they threw some firebombs inside the
200-square-meter, two-story house, in which 12 persons used to live. The house was totally burnt. Upon their withdrawal from the village,
Israeli forces arrested Fureihat, his three sons: Shadi, 18; Firas, 17; and
Fadi, 15; and his nephew ‘Adawi ‘Aadel Fureihat, 20.
At approximately 23:00,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim”
settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis
refugee camp and al-Nimsawi neighborhood. A building that belongs to Khan Yunis Municipality, a school, and some
houses were damaged.
At approximately 15:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 200m into al-Mazra’a area in the
east of Deir al-Balah. They razed areas
of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and dates owned by Ahmed al-Tawashi.
2. They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and dates owned by Nizham al-Agha.
3. They bulldozed an animal farm owned by Ahmed Abu
Nusseir.
At approximately 21:30,
Israeli tanks positioned near “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza City, fired three tank
shells al-Zahraa’ housing development, approximately 1000m south of the
settlement. Eight Palestinian civilians
were wounded:
1. Hana’ Mahmoud Subeh, 31, wounded by shrapnel in the
forehead;
2. Lu’ai Badwan, 39, wounded by shrapnel in the right
foot;
3. Jihad ‘Othman Killab, 35, wounded
by shrapnel in the back;
4. ‘Abbas Mahmoud, 45, wounded
by shrapnel in the right foot;
5. Anas Subhi Abu Nar, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the
back;
6. ‘Abdul Sattar Mahmoud ‘Ajjur, 45, wounded by
shrapnel in the back;
7. Ahmed Salem al-Sheikh, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the
right foot; and
8. Mohammed ‘Abed al-Zatma, 29, wounded
by shrapnel in the back.
At approximately 23:00, 50
Israeli heavy military vehicles, supported by two combat helicopters, invaded Jenin. They opened fire from tanks and helicopters
at Palestinian houses. They seized
complete control over the city. Then,
they raided houses and arrested a number of Palestinians.
At approximately 03:00,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with a helicopter, moved into Nablus. They raided the house of Mr. Tayseer Khaled,
Member of the PLO Executive Committee, and member of the political bureau of
the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Israeli forces surrounded the apartment
building in which Mr. Khaled lives in Jeser al-Titi area. They called on residents of the building
through loudspeakers to get out of it. Israeli forces asked Mr. Khaled’s wife about him, but she denied knowing
where he was. Israeli forces thoroughly
searched his flat using dogs.
Also in the morning,
Israeli occupying forces, covered by intense shelling, invaded Qalqilya in the
northern West Bank. They seized complete
control over the town and imposed a curfew. In the afternoon, Israeli forces surrounded a 4-story apartment building
at Habla-Qalqilya road, in which Lieutenant Colonel Mazen Suleiman ‘Ali
al-Ahmed, 41, head of the Palestinian Military Intelligence in the town
lived. They shelled the building,
killing al-Ahmed. Israeli forces have
kept his body. Late at night, Israeli
forces forced residents of the building out and destroyed it.
At approximately 08:00,
Israeli occupying forces surrounded al-Razi Hospital in Jenin. They broke into the mosque of the hospital on
the fourth floor. Then, they broke into
offices of the administration department. They destroyed a coffer, furniture, computers and windows. Walls also were damaged. The hospital personnel were extremely
terrified. The attack on the hospital
lasted for four hours.
At approximately 10:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved into Palestinian agricultural land,
approximately 600 south of “Elli Sinai” settlement in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli armored military bulldozers blocked
all roads leading to the area. Israeli
forces fired at Palestinian farmers to drive them away from their land. Israeli tanks damaged parts of agricultural
land owned by the families of al-‘Aalul and al-Shambari. Israeli forces came to the area again at
approximately 17:00 and razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They razed an
8-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and corns owned by ‘Abdul Razzaq al-Mashharawi
and farmed by ‘Abdullah Ramadan Ghaben.
2. They razed a
6-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and corns owned by
Jamil ‘Abdul Khaliq Kilani and farmed by ‘Omar Ramadan Ghaben.
3. They razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and corns owned by ‘Atteya Rajab Kilani and
farmed by Ibrahim Matar Ghaben.
4. They razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with onions owned by ‘Abdullah Mohammed Kilani.
5. They razed a
2-donum area of agricultural land planted with grass owned by Hassan Mohammed
Kilani
6. They razed a
5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Zana ‘Abdul Khaliq Kilani.
7. They razed a
15-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Sa’id
Khamis Hamduna.
8. They razed a
6-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by ‘Oleyan Mousa Abu Khousa.
9. They razed a
6-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Hassan Mousa
Abu Khousa.
At approximately 14:00,
Israeli forces that had invaded
Jenin the previous night ordered male residents of Jenin refugee camp, 15-50 of
age, through loudspeakers to gather in an UNRWA school. Israeli forces interrogated them all and then
took 300 of them to Salem military location and 200 to Burqin area to continue
interrogating them.
At approximately 21:35, two
Israeli combat helicopters fired four missiles at a car maintenance workshop
and a lathe, located on the ground floor of a 450-square-meter apartment
building, in which 7 persons live, owned by Khaled Yousef Hamdan al-Agha, in
the centre of Khan Yunis. The
36-square-meter lathe, owned by ‘Ali Hussein Ramadan, and the 36-square-meter
car maintenance workshop, owned by ‘Abdul Samad Yahia Abu Shammala, were
totally destroyed. A civilian car, owned
by Fayez Mohammed Laqqan, which stopped near the two facilities was totally
destroyed, and a number of adjacent houses and shops were damaged. In addition, a passing civilian, Ahmed ‘Abdul
Karim Sadiq, 21, was wounded by shrapnel in the right foot.
At approximately 21:40, two
Israeli combat helicopters fired two missiles at a shop of car parts in
al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, owned by Sa’id Mohammed Yassin, totally
destroying it and damaging a number of adjacent houses and a school. The shop was located on the ground floor of a
170-square-meter, three-story apartment building, in which 24 persons
live.
At approximately 21:50, two
Israeli combat helicopters fired three missiles at a 30-square-meter smithery
in the highly-populated Jabalya refugee camp, owned by Wa’el al-Najjar and
rented by Ahmed Salim Zaqul. The smithery
was totally destroyed, and a number of adjacent shops and houses were
damaged. In addition, 11 Palestinian
civilians sustained bruises while escaping from the area.
In a continuation of the
assassination policy officially adopted by the Israeli government against
Palestinian activists and political leaders, Israeli occupying forces this week
committed two assassinations in Bethlehem and Hebron.
On Monday, 17 June, Israeli
occupying forces assassinated Walid No’man Subeih, 28, from al-Kahder village,
southwest of Bethlehem. At approximately
17:33 on Monday, Subeih stopped his private car near his bakery at Bethlehem-al
Kahder road. When he got out of the car,
Israeli occupying forces on al-Bakush Hill, west of al-Kahder village, adjacent
to the settler road (60), fired at him from a distance of approximately
400m. He was killed by approximately 10
medium caliber bullets in the neck, the chest, the abdomen and the back. His car was also hit by approximately 10 live
bullets. Subeih was a Fatah activist in
Bethlehem and had been wanted by Israeli occupying forces since the beginning
of al-Aqsa Intifada.
On Tuesday afternoon, 18
June, Israeli occupying forces assassinated a Palestinian university student,
Yousef Ahmed Mohammed Abu Khdier Bisharat, 21, from Tammun village in
Jenin. At approximately 15:00, Bisharat,
a student of Hebron University, was traveling in a taxi that had an Israeli
number plate at the eastern entrance of Hebron, apparently traveling to his
village. Israeli occupying forces at a
military roadblock stopped the taxi. They forced all those who were traveling in it to get out of it and to
take their clothes off. Israeli soldiers
checked their identity cards, and soon they opened fire at Bisharat, killing
him. Bisharat was an activist of the
Islamic Jihad and was wanted by Israeli occupying forces. When he traveled in the taxi, he was not
armed. Israeli forces fired at him after
they had found out his identity. After
they assassinated Bisharat, Israeli forces arrested three Palestinian civilians
who were traveling in the taxi. According to Palestinian medical sources, Bisharat received more than 14
live bullets in the upper part of the body. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces continued to fire at him from
a very close distance even after he died. Bisharat’s brother Mohammed was also assassinated by Israeli occupying
forces on 1 July 2001.
At approximately 06:00,
while Zuhair Khader al-Rujbi, 32, from Silwan village in occupied Jerusalem,
was on his way back home from a his work at a bakery, he was surprised by a
number of Israeli intelligence officers and a special unit standing near his house. As soon as he entered the house, they tried
to open its door using a heavy hammer. When the door was opened, the father Kahder ‘Abdul Fattah al-Rujbi, 54,
and his son Hazem went to check what was going on. Israeli soldiers fired at Hazem, wounding his
with two live bullets in the chest. Other Israeli soldiers took the father and severely beat him to death.
At approximately 05:00,
Israeli occupying forces on two tanks positioned near Kufor Dan junction on
Haifa-Jenin road opened fire at a Palestinian taxi in which 9 Palestinian female workers from
al-Yanub village near Jenin were traveling to their work in Marj Iben ‘Aamer area inside the Green
Line. Israeli forces first ordered the
driver to travel back to al-Yamun village, where he came from. When the driver turned the car to travel back, Israeli
forces opened fire at the car for no apparent reason. Three workers were wounded:
1. Kifaya Mahmoud ‘Abahra, 31, wounded by a
live bullet in the back;
2. Rowaida Mohammed Taher Zeid, 30, wounded by three
live bullets in the back and legs; and
3. Zarifa D’ib Abu Jabal, 32, wounded by two live
bullets in the left hand and the right leg.
Then, four Israeli soldiers
moved towards the car and ordered the driver and workers to get out of it. Although the three workers were bleeding, an
Israeli soldier ordered the second worker to take her dress off before the eyes
of all those who were present. Israeli
soldiers searched the workers and then allowed the driver to travel towards
hospital.
At approximately 14:00,
Israeli occupying forces positioned on a settler road between al-Shuhada’
junction and al-Mentar crossing, east of Gaza City, opened fire at a
Palestinian residential area west of the road. A child, ‘Eid Nu’man Tafesh, 12, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza,
was wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh. PCHR’s field worker in Gaza reported that the child was wounded while he
was approximately 500m away from the settler road.
In an excessive use of
forces, Israeli occupying forces in “Qidumim” settlement, southwest of Nablus, shot dead a
Palestinian young man from Sour village, south of Tulkarm. At approximately 18:00, a number of Israeli
occupying soldiers were seen chasing a Palestinian young man, Mohammed Yousef
Mohammed Hamza, 21, near a fuel station that belongs to the aforementioned
settlement on Nablus-Qalqilya road. They
fired at him from a very close distance. The young man fell a few meters away from the Israeli soldiers. He was killed by several live bullets in the
chest and the legs. An Israeli military
spokesman claimed that Hamza stabbed a Jewish settler in the hand. No eyewitnesses were present before the chase
took place. However, eyewitnesses who
saw the chase asserted Israeli soldiers could have used less lethal means
against the young man. They could have
arrested him as he did not pose any threat to them.
At approximately 22:00,
Israeli occupying forces in a military location near Rafah border crossing
opened fire at adjacent Palestinian houses. A Palestinian civilian, ‘Aatef Mohammed Abu Jazar, 39, was wounded by a live
bullet in the right thigh. PCHR’s field
worker in Rafah reported that Abu Jazar was wounded while he was near his
house, when the area did not witness any clashes.
As part of systematic targeting
of Palestinian medical personnel, in the evening, Israeli occupying forces
fired at an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society, wounding its
driver. According to PCHR’s
investigation, at approximately 20:30, the ambulance traveled to al-Shaima’
area in the north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, after PRCS received
information that the area was being shelled by Israeli occupying forces. When the ambulance arrived at the area, an
Israeli tank took position there. Israeli soldiers on the tank opened fire at the ambulance. The driver Mu’in Khalil Abu al-‘Eish, 37, was
injured by shards of glass after a live bullet hit the windshield of the
ambulance.
In the morning, Israeli
occupying forces at al-Hamra military checkpoint on al-Jiftlek-Nablus road in
the northern Jordan Valley shot dead a Palestinian young man who walked on a
branch road on his way back to his village from his work in Ramallah. At approximately 09:00, Ibrahim Khalil Yousef
‘Amur, 20, from ‘Anza village, south of Jenin, was on his way back from his
work in Ramallah to his village. Before
arriving at al-Hamra checkpoint, he got out of the taxi and walked on a nearby
agricultural road, to avoid delays caused by Israeli measures at the
checkpoint. Soon, Israeli soldiers at
the checkpoint shot him dead with three live bullets in the chest. ‘Amur was a member of the Palestinian police
in Ramallah and was in civilian clothes when he traveled to his village.
At approximately 11:00, a
number of Israeli military jeeps raided Rummana village, west of Jenin. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas, sound bombs
and rubber-coated metal bullets at Palestinian civilians. Mustafa Tayseer ‘Abdul Rahman Abu Hammad,
15, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
At noon, Israeli occupying
soldiers at Qalandya military checkpoint, north of occupied Jerusalem, fired
rubber-coated metal bullets at Palestinian civilians who were traveling to and
from Jerusalem. Three civilians were
wounded:
1. Fadi ‘Oudeh Hussein, 24, from Qalandya refugee camp,
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand;
2. Mohammed Jalal ‘Ammar, 22, from Qalandya
refugee camp, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg; and
3. ‘Ali ‘Abdul Halim Subeh, 50, from
Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right
leg.
At approximately 08:30,
Israeli occupying soldiers on a tank in the vicinity of “Nissanit” settlement in the northern Gaza Strip fired at a site
of the Palestinian National Security Force around 800m to the south for no
apparent reason. A member of the site,
Shadi ‘Adnan Abu Fannuna, 23, from Nusseirat refugee camp, was wounded by a
live bullet in the left thigh.
In the afternoon, Israeli
occupying soldiers at Surda military checkpoint, north of Ramallah, fired at
Palestinian civilians who were waiting to cross the checkpoint. Four civilians were wounded:
1. ‘Aadel ‘Abdul Rahman Seder, 35,
from Ramallah, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head;
2. Yousef Mustafa Dagher, 38, from Mazare’ al-Nubani
village, wounded by a live bullet in the left side;
3. Mohammed Hassan Muhanna, 33, from Abu Shukheidem
village, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh; and
4. Mousa Hussein Daoud, 39, from al-Jalazoun refugee
camp, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg.
At approximately 12:00 on
Tuesday, 18 June, ‘Oudeh Ya’qoub ‘Oudeh Shehada, 57, from Bir Zeit
village, north of Ramallah, suddenly had a health crisis. Soon, his family called for a physician who
came to the house, and when checked him, he decided that the patient must be
moved to hospital. Immediately, the
family called for an ambulance of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief
Committees, which soon moved from Ramallah towards the patient’s house. When the ambulance arrived at the northern
entrance of Ramallah, Israeli occupying forces there denied its passage. At 13:00, another ambulance came, but again
Israeli forces denied its passage. The
patient’s family was forced to take him on a vegetable cart. They crossed the Israeli military checkpoint
only after they had been checked. When
they arrived at the other side of the checkpoint, they did not find an
ambulance, so they were forced to move the patient to hospital in a taxi. They arrived at hospital at approximately
15:30, but the patient was dead.
This week, Israeli occupying forces arrested a number of
Palestinians. The
arrests took place in the following circumstances:
1. At international border
crossings, under the control of Israeli occupying forces.
2. At Israeli military roadblocks
on main and branch roads at the entrances to Palestinian cities and villages.
3. In Palestinian towns and
villages, often during house raids.
4. During incursions into
Palestinian areas.
The following are significant arrests
that took place this week:
|
No. |
Name |
Age |
Place of residence |
Date |
Notes |
|
1. |
‘Adila
|
17 |
Beit Fourik, Nablus |
13 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
2. |
Muhannad
|
17 |
Beit Fourik, Nablus |
13 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
3. |
Hakim
|
17 |
Beit Fourik, Nablus |
13 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
4. |
‘Abdul
|
40 |
Beit Fourik, Nablus |
13 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
5. |
Eihab ‘Abdul
|
38 |
Beit Fourik, Nablus |
13 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
6. |
Fares Fawaz
|
27 |
Beit Fourik, Nablus |
13 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
7. |
Najeh
|
37 |
Beit Fourik, Nablus |
13 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
8. |
Ahmed ‘Omar
|
27 |
Khan Yunis |
16 June |
Arrested at al-Matahen military checkpoint north of |
|
9. |
Mahmoud
|
17 |
Ta’nak, Jenin |
18 June |
Arrested at his house |
|
10. |
Ibrahim
|
20 |
Seilat al-Harthia, Jenin |
18 June |
Arrested at his house |
*****
PCHR calls:
1. Upon the international
community to provide immediate and independent international protection for the
Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
2. Upon the High Contracting
Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene in order to take
effective measures to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, in accordance with their obligations under Article 1, to ensure
the respect of the Convention.
3. Upon the international
community to investigate and prosecute those believed to have committed war
crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before international courts.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its
presence, expand its activities, and intensify its field observations
throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to
activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides
that Israel must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international
community to provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian
people, whose living conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of
the continued siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
