· Demolition of houses
during Israeli incursion into Rafah;
· Willful killings of 2
Palestinians by Israeli occupation forces this week;
· 2 Palestinians killed
during incursions into and shelling of Palestinian residential areas;
· A Palestinian patient dies
as a result of obstructed access to hospital by Israeli soldiers at a military
roadblock in Rafah;
· More arrest campaigns
against Palestinians; and
· Continued siege on the
OPT.
On two occasions, two Palestinians died in willful
killings by Israeli occupation forces. On 16 November, Israeli police shot dead a Palestinian laborer near
Tulkarm, while he was on his way to his work. On 19 November, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian from Burqa village
near Nablus.
This week, the Israeli forces invaded and shelled
Palestinian controlled areas. On Tuesday,
20 November, Israeli occupation forces invaded Rafah refugee camp and
completely demolished 18 houses, while partially destroying two more. Twenty-four Palestinian families were
rendered homeless.
On Monday, 19 November, two members of the Palestinian
Marine Police were killed by Israeli forces while the latter invaded Beit
Lahia, in the northern Gaza strip. The
two victims received shrapnel from artillery shells that contained dart-like
objects.
Israeli occupation forces maintained their position
in parts of Tulkarm, contrary to claims that they had withdrawn. In Jenin, the Israeli forces were still
positioned in Palestinian areas they had reoccupied for 5 weeks.
This week, Israeli occupation forces razed more
Palestinian agricultural land, especially in the northern Gaza Strip. They also maintained a strict siege on
Palestinian cities in the West Bank, especially Tulkarm and Jenin. A Palestinian patient died on Wednesday, 21
November, when Israeli occupation forces obstructed his evacuation to hospital.
Following are details of Israeli violations against
Palestinian civilians in the second week of November:
1. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians
Thursday, November 15, 2001
At approximately 11:00, Israeli occupation soldiers
positioned at Tal Al-Sultan checkpoint, opened fire on Palestinian houses in
Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood, west of Rafah. Ne’ma Mohammed Miqdad, 42, was wounded by a live bullet in the left
leg. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah
reported that Miqdad was wounded when she was 300m away from the source of
fire. According to eyewitnesses, the
area did not witness any clashes.
At approximately 15:50, Israeli occupation forces,
positioned at a military checkpoint at Al-Matahen junction, north of Khan
Yunis, fired at Palestinian cars traveling from Gaza towards Khan Yunis. Three passengers, who were on their way in a
taxi to visit relatives in Khan Yunis, were wounded:
1) Rihab Rajab Abu ‘Ataya,
45, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the neck;
2) Tha’er Rajab Abu ‘Aatya,
25, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the abdomen and the neck; and
3) ‘Emad Hassan Abu ‘Ataya,
37, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the right hand.
This incident was not the first of its kind in that
area. Israeli soldiers often fire at
Palestinian cars with no apparent reason. As a result, a number of Palestinians have been killed or injured.
At approximately 15:50, Israeli occupation soldiers
at Al-Tuffah checkpoint, separating Khan Yunis from its Al-Mawasi area, opened
fire on Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp. Yousef Khalil Mansour, 37, was wounded by
shrapnel from a live bullet in the face, while he was sitting near his house,
approximately 200m away from the checkpoint.
At approximately 19:30, Israeli occupation soldiers
at Rafah Border Crossing, east of Rafah, fired at 60-year-old Suleiman Hamdan
Ben Hassan, wounding him with a live bullet in the left leg. Ben Hassan is mentally handicapped and went
to the crossing carrying his Palestinian passport. He entered an area solely designed for
travelers. When he was around 70m away
from Israeli soldiers, they fired at him without any prior warning.
Friday, November 16, 2001
In the morning, Israeli police killed a Palestinian
laborer from the Gaza Strip and seriously wounded another, while on their way
from Tulkarm to Lud, east of Tel Aviv where they work in citrus
cultivation. PCHR was informed that
‘Aahed Fayez Abu Dahrouj, 20, from Nusseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip,
Ahmed El-Kurd, 20, from Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, and Farid Masalha,
20, from Tulkarm, were on their way from Tulkarm to Lud inside Israel, where
they used to work in citrus cultivation. When they arrived at a farm, they were surprised by an ambush of the
Israeli police, who instantly fired at the three laborers. Abu Dahrouj was immediately killed, El-Kurd
was seriously wounded in the head and Masalha was arrested.
Abu Dahrouj entered Israel around a year ago
through the “Safe Passage” searching for a job. Due to the incidents of the Intifada, he had not been able to come back
to the Gaza Strip. The Israeli official
radio station first said that the three were laborers who entered Israeli
without permission. Later, it claimed,
according to the spokesman of the Israeli police, that the incident took place
after the police received information about the possibility that a military
attack may occur inside Israel, which led the police to search for suspicious
persons in citrus farms.
After the Friday prayers, dozens of Palestinian
civilians demonstrated in the vicinity of City Inn Hotel. They threw stones at Israeli occupation
soldiers, who immediately fired tear gas, live ammunition and rubber-coated
metal bullets at the demonstrators, wounding three:
1) Mohammed Khaled Hamdan,
16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the abdomen;
2) Samer ‘Atta Karakra, 11,
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
3) Nidhal Na’im Shehadeh, 17,
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg.
At approximately 15:10, Israeli occupation soldiers
in a tank, around 300m south of Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing in the northern
Gaza Strip, opened fire on a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces,
around 500m away. Sameh Hassan Abu
‘Obeid, 27, from Al-Nasser neighborhood, an officer stationed at the site, was
wounded by several live bullets throughout the body. According to medical sources, he was in
stable condition.
At approximately 15:30, Israeli occupation forces
at Al-Tuffah checkpoint, west of Khan Yunis, separating Khan Yunis from its
Al-Mawasi area, opened fire on Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee
camp. Mohammed Tale’ Sahloul, 17, was
wounded by a live bullet in the right hand. According to eyewitnesses, the shooting took place for no apparent
reason, and Sahloul was near his house when he was wounded. Khan Yunis refugee camp has been targeted by
shooting and bombardment daily since the outbreak of the Intifada.
Saturday, November 17, 2001
At approximately 09:00, 12 Israeli military jeeps
raided Ya’bad village in Jenin and besieged an elementary school at the center
of the village. They fired tear gas,
live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets at the school, while children
were inside. As soon as the villagers
heard news about this attack by the Israeli forces, they hurried towards the
school to ensure the safety of their children on their way back home. Nevertheless, the Israeli forces fired at
them. The villagers from their side
threw stones towards the Israeli forces. Four villagers, including a girl who was inside her house, were wounded:
1) Ahmed Maher Abu Baker, 20,
wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the head;
2) Wa’el Samih Mitani, 23,
wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh;
3) Zeid Helmi Hamarsha, 17,
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
4) Inshirah Nemer Baker, 24,
wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the right knee.
Sunday, November 18, 2001
At approximately 08:30, Taher ‘Aatef Zeid
El-Kilani, 16, from Ya’bad villgae in Jenin, was pronounced dead in Rafidya
Hospital in Nablus from a previous wound he had received on Wednesday, 7
November. El-Kilani had received a live
bullet in the head when Israeli occupation forces encroached into Ya’bad
village, firing at school children while they were exiting their schools.
In the evening, Ibrahim Suleiman Ese’id, 50, from
Al-Maghazi refugee camp, was pronounced dead at Palestine Hospital in
Egypt. Ese’id was wounded by a live
bullet in the right side that cut the liver, when Israeli occupation forces at
the eastern border of the Gaza Strip fired at him on 16 September. He was shot when no clashes were reported in
the area.
In the evening, Israeli occupation forces willfully
killed Maher Tariq Daghlas, 22, from Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. According to investigations carried out by
the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
(LAW), at approximately 17:00, Daghlas, a member of the Palestinian Preventive
Security Service, together with his friend, were attempting to get out from
Burqa village towards Jenin-Nablus road. They resorted to a branch road, around 200m away from the main
road. As soon as, the two were close to
the main road, Israeli soldiers in a jeep at the road fired at them from a
short distance. Daghlas was wounded by a
live bullet in the left leg. Then, he
threw his identity card to his friend and asked him to inform his family and to
call for an ambulance. At approximately
20:00, Daghlas’ family came to the area where they found their son dead. He received several live bullets throughout
the body, which indicates that the Israeli forces shot him dead after he had
been wounded.
At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupation forces,
positioned in a military location at Al-Shuhada’ junction, south of Gaza City,
fired at ‘Ateya Kishku, 30, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, wounding him
with a live bullet in the right leg. PCHR’s field officer in Gaza reported that Kishku was fired at for no
apparent reason while he was riding a tractor, approximately 50m away from the
military location.
2. Shelling of, and
Incursions into Palestinian Cities and Residential Areas
At approximately 01:00, a number of Israeli tanks
and armored personnel carriers moved from military locations in the vicinity of
the headquarters of the Israeli military liaison, west of Tulkarm, into the
southern neighborhood of the city. They
shelled Palestinian houses. An artillery
shell hit a Palestinian house owned by Wajih Ahmed El-Haj Qassem, causing
severe damage.
At the same time, a number of Israeli tanks and
armored personnel carriers and a bulldozer moved into Jaffa Street at the
center of Tulkarm. They fired artillery
shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses. An artillery shell hit a house, severely
damaging it together with a number of stores. The bulldozer also demolished the gate of Palestine Technical College
(Khadouri Institute).
At approximately 21:00, Israeli tanks, positioned
in Ektaba village in Tulkarm, which they had reoccupied since 20 October,
shelled Palestinian houses in Tulkarm and Nour Shams refugee camp. A number of houses were damaged, but no
casualties were reported.
At the same time, an Israeli tank in the south of
Thinnaba neighborhood in Tulkarm shelled Palestinian houses in the
neighborhood. No damage or casualties
were reported.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces,
positioned in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis,
fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian
houses in Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area, east of the settlement. The shelling continued until midnight. Three Palestinian civilians, a woman and her
two children, were wounded:
1) Rowaida Mustafa El-Astal,
38, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body;
2) ‘Aa’ed Musbah El-Astal,
11, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body; and
3) Wala’ Musbah El-Astal, 13,
wounded by shrapnel in the head.
At the same time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned
in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled
Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp and Al-Nemsawi neighborhood. A number of houses were damaged and civilians
were terrified.
At approximately 22:15, two Israeli tanks thrust
approximately 800m into Palestinian controlled areas south of “Dogit”
settlement, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. They fired artillery shells, which contained
dart-like objects, and heavy and medium caliber bullets at the area. Two members of the Palestinian Marine Police
who were on duty were killed:
1) Medhat ‘Ezzu Abu Dalal,
33, from Nusseirat refugee camp;
2) Mohammed Ibrahim Hassan,
35, from the northern Gaza Strip.
The western façade of a building of the American
School was also severely damaged after having been hit by four artillery
shells.
PCHR learned that the bodies of the two victims
were handed to the Palestinian side at approximately 01:30 on the following day
and were later transferred to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City. According to medical sources at the hospital,
the body of Abu Dalal was completely distorted:
1) His face features
disappeared;
2) A large injury in the left
side of the chest;
3) The intestines poured out
of the abdomen;
4) Several live bullets hit
multiple parts of the body; and
5) Dart-like shrapnel in the
back, which proves that the Israeli forces used “Flechette” shells, which have
been repeatedly used by these forces.
Hassan received several heavy and medium caliber
bullets throughout the body. Palestinian
security sources accused the Israeli forces of having run over the two victims
using tanks after the two had been wounded.
At approximately 08:00, five Israeli tanks and a
bulldozer thrust approximately 400m in the north of Beit Hanoun in the northern
Gaza Strip. One of those tanks moved
around 100m into Palestinian agricultural land, causing damage to some
crops. Two hours later, the tanks
withdrew from the area.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with four tanks and two bulldozers, thrust more than 100m into Block
“O” area in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border, under full
control of the Palestinian National Authority, under the cover of intensive shelling. Eighteen houses were totally demolished and
another two were partially demolished, while others were severely damaged. The Israeli forces totally demolished the
following houses:
|
No. |
Owner |
Area in square meters |
Number of residents |
|
1. |
‘Abdel-Fattah Khalil Abu |
85, asbestos-roofed |
4 |
|
2. |
Wasila Mohammed Abu |
85, asbestos-roofed |
6 |
|
3. |
Khaled Mahmoud Abu |
110, asbestos-roofed |
9 |
|
4. |
‘Omar and Ra’fat Khalil |
200, asbestos-roofed |
13 |
|
5. |
Musbah Hassan Muwafi |
350, asbestos-roofed |
21 |
|
6. |
Mohammed Suleiman Abu |
250, asbestos-roofed |
13 |
|
7. |
‘Abdel-Salam Hassan |
600, asbestos-roofed |
13 |
|
8. |
Mohammed ‘Abdel-Salam |
120, asbestos-roofed |
13 |
|
9. |
Khaled Mohammed |
125, asbestos-roofed |
9 |
|
10. |
‘Emad ‘Ali El-Sharif |
150, asbestos-roofed |
7 |
|
11. |
Marwan Ahmed El-Fayoumi |
200, asbestos-roofed |
10 |
|
12. |
Eyad Nabil Abu Lebdeh |
200, asbestos-roofed |
6 |
|
13. |
Ahmed Musleh Abu Lebdeh |
100, asbestos-roofed |
4 |
|
14. |
Fathi Ahmed Abu Lebdeh |
100, asbestos-roofed |
6 |
|
15. |
Khaled ‘Abdel-Hakim Abu |
150, asbestos-roofed |
9 |
|
16. |
Aamena Hassan Abu |
80, asbestos-roofed |
1 |
|
17. |
Mohammed Musbah Muwafi |
150, asbestos-roofed |
5 |
|
18. |
Bashir Nabil Abu Lebdeh |
150, asbestos-roofed |
5 |
The Israeli forces partially demolished the
following houses:
|
No. |
Owner |
Area in square meters |
Number of residents |
|
1. |
Mohammed ‘Abdel-Salam |
120, asbestos-roofed |
13 |
|
2. |
Mohammed Abu Taha |
100, asbestos-roofed |
7 |
At approximately 23:00, Israeli occupation forces
moved into Palestinian-controlled areas, around 700m west of “Netzarim” settlement,
south of Gaza City. They fired heavy and
medium caliber bullets at a site of the Palestinian National Security
Forces. The site was severely damaged,
but no casualties were reported.
At the same time, Israeli occupation forces moved
into Al-Zahra’ town, south of Gaza City, firing heavy and medium caliber
bullets at Palestinian houses. Palestinian civilians were terrified, but no casualties were reported.
In the morning, Israeli occupation forces,
positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire from heavy and
medium machine guns on Palestinian houses in Block “O” area in Rafah refugee
camp. Mohammed Salah El-Din ‘Omar, 33,
was wounded by shrapnel throughout the body while inside his house. On the previous day the area was raided by
Israeli forces and it has been shelled daily since the outbreak of the
Intifada.
At noon, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in
the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire on
Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp. Fu’ad ‘Abdel-Rahman Eslim, 39, was wounded by a live bullet in the right
thigh.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli occupation soldiers
in a tank in the vicinity of “Rafiah Yam” settlement, west of Rafah, opened
fire on Palestinian houses in Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood in the west of
Rafah. Two Palestinian children were
wounded:
1) Mohammed Suleiman Hijazi,
11, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg; and
2) Mohammed Bassam Abu Ghali,
16, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the right upper arm.
2. Razing of Land
Israeli occupation forces razed areas of
Palestinian agricultural land in Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood in the south of
Gaza. On Tuesday, 20 November, Israeli
occupation forces razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land, around 200m
north of “Netzarim” settlement:
1) They razed a 22-donum area
of agricultural land planted with grapes and figs, owned by Mohammed ‘Ali
El-Za’bout;
2) They razed a 12-donum area
of agricultural land planted with grapes and figs, owned by the hires of
Ramadan Mohammed El-Za’bout;
3) They razed a 12-donum area
of agricultural land planted with grapes and figs, owned by ‘Abdel-Karim
Mohammed El-Za’bout;
4) They razed a 12-donum area
of agricultural land planted with grapes and olives, owned by Khalil Ibrahim
El-Za’bout;
5) They razed parts of a
48-donum area of agricultural land planted with grapes and figs and destroyed a
well, owned by ‘Ali Mohammed El-Za’bout.
2. A Palestinian Patient Dies
Due to Obstructed Access to Hospital
On Wednesday morning, 21 November,
Sami Salim Basala, 50, from Al-Mawasi area in Rafah, was pronounced dead. Basala was suffering from severe pains in the
chest his health condition deteriorated. Although he was badly in need of medical care, Israeli occupation
soldiers at Tal Al-Sultan military roadblock, separating Al-Mawasi area from
Rafah, obstructed his access to hospital for a long time. Consequently, his health condition further
deteriorated and he died before arriving at hospital. Traveling between Al-Mawasi area and Rafah
normally takes around10 minutes.
3. Arrests by Israeli
Occupation Forces
This week, Israeli occupation forces arrested many
Palestinians. These arrests took place
in the following circumstances:
1) At international border
crossings, under the control of Israeli occupation forces.
2) At Israeli military
roadblocks on main and branch roads and at the entrances to Palestinian cities
and villages.
3) In Palestinian towns and
villages, often during house raids.
The following table lists significant arrests that
took place this week:
|
No. |
Name |
Age |
Place |
Date |
Manner |
|
1. |
Nader Mhmoud ‘Ali |
27 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
2. |
Khaled Talab El-Dara’awi |
21 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
3. |
‘Eissa Mohammed |
38 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
4. |
Ayman Ibrahim |
25 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
5. |
‘Essam Hassan |
23 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
6. |
Jamil Ibrahim |
18 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
7. |
Tayseer Talab |
25 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
8. |
Dhiab Talab Salem |
26 |
Al-Shawawra, Bethlehem |
November 15 |
Arrested at his house |
|
9. |
‘Abdel-Jalil Ibrahim |
17 |
Kufor Al-Dik, Salfit |
November 16 |
Arrested during a raid |
|
10. |
Amir Mahmoud Hamdan |
16 |
Kufor Al-Dik, Salfit |
November 16 |
Arrested during a raid |
|
11. |
Tha’er Younis Fahmawi |
15 |
Shweika, Tulkarm |
November 16 |
Arrested at his house |
|
12. |
Majdi Ahmed Abu ‘Aaisha |
37 |
Shweika, Tulkarm |
November 16 |
Arrested at his house |
|
13. |
Amjad Ahmed Abu ‘Aaisha |
34 |
Shweika, Tulkarm |
November 16 |
Arrested at his house |
|
14. |
Bashar Khader ‘Azayza |
18 |
Shweika, Tulkarm |
November 16 |
Arrested at his house |
|
15. |
Ayman Bashir Hamarneh |
22 |
Ya’bad, Jenin |
November 17 |
Arrested at his house |
|
16. |
Lu’ai Khalil ‘Amarneh |
20 |
Ya’bad, Jenin |
November 17 |
Arrested at his house |
|
17. |
‘Abed-Rabbu Mohammed Abu |
43 |
Jabalya |
November 18 |
Arrested at his house by |
|
18. |
Ahmed Maslamani |
43 |
Beit Hanina, Jerusalem |
November 19 |
Arrested near his house |
|
19. |
Yousef Ghazi Sweidan |
24 |
‘Azzoun, Qalqilya |
November 20 |
Arrested at his house |
|
20. |
Ma’moun ‘Omar Sweidan |
25 |
‘Azzoun, Qalqilya |
November 20 |
Arrested at his house |
|
21. |
Mohammed Zaki Barghouthi |
27 |
Baqat Al-Hatab, Tulkarm |
November 20 |
Arrested at his house |
|
22. |
Fadi Zaki Barghouthi |
18 |
Baqat Al-Hatab, Tulkarm |
November 20 |
Arrested at his house |
|
23. |
Samer Majed Hamad |
22 |
Hejja, Qalqilya |
November 20 |
Arrested at his house |
|
24. |
‘Omran Yousef Hamad |
26 |
Hejja, Qalqilya |
November 20 |
Arrested at his house |
|
25. |
Samer Rabah Kayed |
24 |
Kufor Al-Lubbad, Tulkarm |
November 21 |
Arrested at his house |
|
26. |
Samir Rabah Kayed |
18 |
Kufor Al-Lubbad, Tulkarm |
November 21 |
Arrested at his house |
|
27. |
Manuel ‘Eissa ‘Abdel-‘Aal |
44 |
Shu’fat, Jerusalem |
November 21 |
Arrested while on his way to his work |
|
28. |
Ibrahim ‘Abdel-Rahim |
25 |
Qalqilya |
November 21 |
Arrested at his house |
****
PCHR calls:
1) Upon governments that
participated in the World Conference Against Racism in Durban in South Africa
to adopt crucial decisions condemning practices by Israel and its belligerent
occupation forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which can only be
described as apartheid against the Palestinian people.
2) Upon the international
community to provide immediate and independent international protection for the
Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
3) 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.
4) Upon the international
community to investigate and prosecute those believed to have committed war
crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before international courts
5) Upon the ICRC to enhance
its presence, expand its activities, and intensify its field observations
throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
6) Upon the European Union to
activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides
that Israel must respect human rights.
7) 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 the Israeli occupation forces on the entire
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
v For more information on the Al-Aqsa Intifada see: www.pchrgaza.org
