Introduction

 

This report covers Israeli violations of human rights in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories (OPT) from July 19-25, 2001. According to PCHR’s investigations, this week
witnessed a significant escalation in the assassination policy officially
adopted by the Israeli government. The
Israeli occupation forces and settlers continued to fire at Palestinian
civilians when no serious threat was posed to their lives. The week witnessed a significant reduction in
the number of and attendance at peaceful marches organized by Palestinian
civilians in protest against the continued occupation. The week also witnessed several incursions by
the Israeli occupation forces into areas under full control of the Palestinian
National Authority.

 

This week witnessed an escalation in Israeli
occupation forces’ shelling of Palestinian residential areas in some
Palestinian cities, resulting in more Palestinian victims and severe damage to
Palestinian houses and civilian facilities. In the evening of Thursday, July 19, 2001, the Israeli occupation forces
shelled 8 Palestinian neighborhoods in Hebron, injuring 9 Palestinian
civilians.

 

In the evening of Saturday, July 21, 2001, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of “Netzarim” settlement south of
Gaza City, suddenly opened fire on Palestinian houses in Sheikh ‘Ejlin
neighborhood in Gaza City. Yhaia
Subhi El-Dayeh, 47, from Gaza City, was killed with a live bullet in the side,
when he was sitting with his wife near his house.

 

In the afternoon of Monday,
July 23, 2001, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at Salah El-Din Gate on
the border with Egypt south of Rafah, opened fire on ‘Omar Ben ‘Al-Khattab
Street, killing a 15-year-old child, Ref’at Saber El-Nahhal, from Rafah, with a
medium caliber bullet in the back.

 

This week, the Israeli
occupation forces committed extra-judicial killings against Palestinians. On Wednesday, July 11, 2001, the Israeli
government reaffirmed its adoption of this policy, challenging international law
and international humanitarian law, which prohibit these actions. It is worth mentioning that the Israeli
government is the only government in the world that discusses, declares and
adopts such policies. This week, in two
separate crimes, two Palestinians were killed in operations carried out by
Israeli occupation forces that targeted Palestinian activists. In the first crime, on Monday, July 23, 2001,
the Israeli occupation forces assassinated Mustafa Yousef Yassin, 22, from
‘Aanin village near Jenin, in his house and before the eyes of his wife and
child. The other crime targeted a
Palestinian in Nablus. On Wednesday,
July 25, 2001, a combat helicopter of the Israeli occupation forces fired 6 rockets
at a Palestinian car in Nablus, in which Salah Nour El-Din Darwazeh, 38,
traveled. The car was destroyed, and
Darwazeh was killed.

 

The Israeli occupation forces are suspected of
being engaged in two assassination attempts that targeted Palestinians in Jenin
and Nablus. In the first attempt, Raja’ei Mohamemd Farid Abu Rajab El-Tamimi,
35, from Hebron, was killed and 8 other civilians were injured a result of an
explosion that occurred in the city on Friday, July 20, 2001. In the other incident, Ibrahim Hassan ‘Ali
Jaber, 39, from Jenin, and his family survived an explosion that occurred in
their house on Wednesday, July 25, 2001.

 

According to PCHR’s documentation, 23 Palestinian
activists – 22 civilians and a military official – have been assassinated by
the Israeli occupation forces since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada on
September 29, 2000. Moreover, 10
Palestinian bystanders were killed in these operations. Ten Palestinian activists were killed by
Israeli combat helicopters, nine were killed in ambushes and as a result of
shootings, two were killed by ambushed cars, and two were killed by ambushed
public phones.

 

This week witnessed a significant escalation in
shootings and attacks by settlers, under full protection of the Israeli
occupation forces, against Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, July 19, 2001, settlers opened
fire on a Palestinian civilian car in Hebron, killing:

1) Dhia’ Marwan Helmi
Musallam Tumeizi, 3 months;

2) Mohammed Helmi Musallam
Tumeizi, 23; and

3) Mohammed Slameh Tumeizi,
22.

The Israeli occupation forces did not take any
legal measures against those settlers.

 

On Sunday, July 22, 2001, a large number of
settlers from “Elli” settlement, established on the lands of Al-Lubban village
on Nablus-Ramallah road, attacked Mohammed Mahmoud Daraghma, 35, while he was
at his agricultural land, which had been already leveled by the Israeli
occupation forces. He was there with
representatives of the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture to survey his
loss. Settlers severely beat him, injuring
him in the head.

 

On Monday, July 23, 2001, a number of settlers threw
stones at a Palestinian civilian car on Nablus-Ramallah road, injuring its
driver, Jamil Hassan Murad, 37, from Bethlehem, with a stone in the face, and
shrapnel from glass in the eyes. Murad
was traveling from Bethlehem to Nablus in his private car, along with three of
his friends. As soon as he arrived at
the entrance to Al-Sawia village, a settler threw a big stone at the car. Murad was evacuated to Ramallah Hospital.

 

This week, the Israeli occupation forces continued
to fire at Palestinian civilians in several areas in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories when no clashes were reported in these areas. As a result, a number of Palestinian
civilians were wounded.

 

This week, on five occasions, the Israeli
occupation forces penetrated into areas under full control of the Palestinian
National Authority. They leveled more
areas of Palestinian agricultural land.

 

This
week, the Israeli occupation forces continued to restrict movement of
Palestinians. They continued to place
roadblocks on main and branch roads and at the entrances of Palestinian cities
in the OPT. They prohibited movement
between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.[1] The Israeli occupation forces arrested some
Palestinians by picking them up at military roadblocks and border crossings, by
raiding villages and houses, and by kidnapping them from areas under full
control of the Palestinian National Authority.

 

It
is worth mentioning that Al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip,
approximately 5,000 donums in area, has been completely isolated by the Israeli
occupation forces, as is the case in Al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza
Strip. 

 

1. Shelling of Residential
Areas

 

Thursday, July 19, 2001

 

At approximately 18:00 local time, Israeli occupation
forces fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Abu
Sneineh, Al-Takrouri, Bab Al-Zawia, Al-Sheikh, Nemra, Sh’aba, Al-Harayeq and
Al-Zaytoun neighborhoods in Hebron. They
also attempted to penetrate into parts of the city under full control of the
Palestinian National Authority. A number
of Palestinian civilians were injured, including ‘Abdel-Jabbar ‘Awwad El-‘Ejel,
55, who was seriously injured by shrapnel in the chest and a heavy caliber
bullet in the abdomen. The following
civilians were among those who were injured:

1) Ishaq Bader Abu Ghalioun, 25, injured by shrapnel in
the limbs;

2) Jalal ‘Omar El-Muhtasseb, 40, injured by shrapnel in
the limbs;

3) Mohammed Ishaq Zalloum, 35, injured by shrapnel in
the shoulder and the right hand;

4) Bader Mohammed Hariz, 40, injured by shrapnel in the
left shoulder and the right hand;

5) Fatema Mohammed El-Qawasmi, 70, injured by shrapnel
in the limbs;

6) Najah Mohammed El-Qawasmi, 41, injured by shrapnel in
the limbs;

7) Mu’ath ‘Abdel-Rahman El-Ja’bari, 16, injured by
shrapnel in the back and the limbs; and

8) Mohammed ‘Arafat El-‘Allami, 14, injured by a live
bullet in the left thigh.

 

Friday, July 20, 2001

 

At approximately 10:00 local time, Israeli occupation
forces, positioned in “Ramat Yishai,” “Beit Hadasa” and “Beit Rumanu”
settlements, fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in
Al-Zahed, Al-Sheikh and Bab Al-Zawia neighborhoods in Hebron. Six Palestinian civilians were injured as
follows:

1) Fawaz ‘Azmi Fares El-Shammas, 24, seriously injured
by a live bullet in the head. He was
moved into the intensive care unit at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron;

2) ‘Omar Khalil Madhia, 20, injured by shrapnel in the
right arm;

3) Maher Hamed El-Qawasmi, 22, injured by shrapnel in
the left shoulder;

4) Bashar Ishaq Zugheir, 24, injured by shrapnel in the
limbs;

5) Ahmed ‘Abdel-Muhsen Taha, 58, injured by shrapnel in
the limbs; and

6) Jamal Ahmed ‘Abdel-Muhsen Taha, 21, injured by
shrapnel in the left hand.

 

Saturday, July 21, 2001

 

In the evening, Yhaia
Subhi El-Dayeh, 47, from Gaza City, was killed with a live bullet in the side
fired by Israeli occupation soldiers. According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 22:00 local time,
Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned in the vicinity of “Netzarim”
settlement, suddenly opened fire on Palestinian houses in Sheikh ‘Ejlin
neighborhood, approximately 600m north of the settlement, south of Gaza
City. Then, 6 Israeli occupation
soldiers and a tank penetrated approximately 1,000m inside areas under full
control of the Palestinian National Authority, indiscriminately firing live
bullets and flash bombs. In the
meanwhile, El-Dayeh was staying with his wife in a tin shed, approximately 20m
away from his house, 600m north of the settlement. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupation
soldiers fired at El-Dayeh from a distance of approximately 70m, wounding him
with a live bullet in the side. The
victim’s sister, ‘Abla, 25, got out of her house, hearing her brother and his
wife shouting. She hurried towards a
sewage treatment facility, approximately 400m north of the house, to ask for
help. According to her, Israeli
occupation soldiers fired an artillery shell at her, injuring her by shrapnel
in the feet. Nevertheless, she proceeded
towards the facility and asked a man there for help. He immediately called an ambulance. Yahia El-Dayeh and his sister were evacuated
to hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

 

PCHR’s field officer in
Gaza City reported that the incursion of the Israeli occupation forces into the
area resulted in the destruction of approximately 15 donums of agricultural
land planted with grapes and figs, approximately 300 trees. The destroyed lands are owned by:

1) Sa’id Habib Shaldan,;

2) Tal’at Habib Shaldan;

3) Faraj Habib Shaldan; and

4) ‘Omar Ismail El-Najjar.

 

Sunday, July 22, 2001

 

At approximately 20:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in military sites in “Morag”
settlement, northeast of Rafah, fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at three
sites of the Palestinian National Security Forces, west of the settlement. The sites were severely damaged. The shooting took place without any apparent
reason. According to residents of the
area, shootings takes place daily, especially in the evening.

 

Monday, July 23, 2001

 

In the morning, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned in a military site in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah
roadblock west of Khan Yunis, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium
caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the western part of Khan Yunis refugee
camp. Two Palestinian civilians, who
were near their houses, were injured as follows:

1) Maher ‘Ali Abu Salameh,
23, injured by shrapnel in the right thigh; and

2) Shadi Jad Lafi, 20,
injured by a live bullet in the left leg.

 

 At approximately 17:00 local time, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned at Salah El-Din Gate on the border with Egypt
south of Rafah, opened fire on ‘Omar Ben ‘Al-Khattab Street, approximately 500m
away from the gate, killing a 15-year-old child, Ref’at Saber El-Nahhal, from
Rafah, with a medium caliber bullet in the back. In his testimony to PCHR, ‘Eid ‘Abdel-Salam
Qeshta said that he was standing in front of his restaurant in ‘Omar Ben
‘Al-Khattab Street, when he heard sounds of intensive shooting from Salah
El-Din Gate. He saw bullets hitting the
walls of shops on the western side of the street, he added. Then, the child and another young man were
near a shop and were about to get into a civilian car. Suddenly, the child fell down to the ground. A number of young men hurried towards him and
carried him to a civilian car, which transferred him to Martyr Mohammed Yousef
Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. From there,
he was transferred to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City because of his critical
condition. He was pronounced dead at
approximately 19:30 local time.

 

At approximately 19:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in “Ofar” military site, west
of Bitounia near Ramallah, fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at
Palestinian houses in Bitounia. A
5-year-old child, Maram Ismail ‘Ali Salma, was injured by a heavy caliber
bullet that entered the back and exited the right side. Her cousin, a 19-month-old-child, Hamza
Hussein ‘Ali Salma, was injured by shrapnel from a live bullet in the
nose. PCHR was informed that the two
children were among a group of ten children who were playing in a balcony
opposite to the Israeli military site. Maram had arrived from Jordan only four hours before she was injured.

 

Tuesday, July 24, 2001

 

At approximately 18:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the border with Egypt
south of Rafah, opened fire on Palestinian houses in Yebna refugee camp
adjacent to the border. A number of
houses were damaged and a 9-year-old child, Mohammed Sho’eib Sweileh, was
injured by a live bullet in the chest when he was near his house, approximately
150m away from the Israeli forces. PCHR’s investigations showed that the area did not witness any clashes
when the shooting took place.

 

2. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians

 

Thursday,
July 01:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned at Salah El-Din
Gate on Egyptian border south of Rafah, fired at ‘Omar Ben ‘Al-Khattab Street,
opposite to the border. ‘Abdel-Rahman
Sha’ban Abu Dhiba’, 17, was injured by shrapnel in the right arm. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
Abu Dhiba’ was near a restaurant, approximately 500m away from Salah El-Din
Gate, and he was injured when no clashes were reported in the area.

 

Friday,
July 20, 2001

 

After Friday prayery, Israeli occupation forces
positioned at the northern entrance to Al-Bireh fired at a number of
Palestinian demonstrators who were throwing stones at them. Jebril ‘Abdel-Rahman Rummana, 21, from
Al-Am’ari refugee camp, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
head.

 

At approximately 16:00 local time, a number of
Palestinian children in Nabi Saleh village near Ramallah threw stones at
Israeli occupation soldiers who were positioned atop of a house seized from
‘Abdel-Karim El-Tamimi. Four Israeli
soldiers chased the children in the streets, firing live ammunition ,
rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at houses in
the village. A sound bomb hit the house
of Jamil Saleh El-Tamimi, and burnt the living room. Furthermore, Muyassar Mohammed El-Tamimi, 55,
suffered from tear gas inhalation, and Mustafa ‘Abdel-Raziq El-Tamimi, 18, was
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the face.

 

Monday, July 23, 2001

 

At approximately 17:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in a military site west of
“Dogit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia, fired at a Palestinian fishing boat
near the seashore of Beit Lahia, wounding a fisherman with a live bullet in the
left leg. PCHR’s field officer in the
northern Gaza Strip reported that Mohammed Mohammed Zayed, 28, from Beit Lahia
was about to start fishing, approximately 500m away from the Israeli military
site, when he was fired at. No clashes
were reported in the area then.

 

Tuesday, July 24, 2001

 

At approximately 15:00
local time, Israeli occupation soldiers at the northern entrance to Al-Fawar
refugee camp in Hebron fired rubber-coated metal bullets at a number of
Palestinian children who were playing near the houses in the camp. A 9-year-old child, Hala Jihad El-Sarahna,
was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right foot.

 

At approximately 20:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in three military sites
around ‘Assira village near Nablus, opened fire on Palestinian houses in the
village. Jamila ‘Awadh Jber ‘Assayra,
41, was seriously injured by two live bullets in the abdomen. PCHR was informed that ‘Assayra was trying to
close the door of her house when she was injured. She was evacuated to Rafidya Hospital in
Nablus.

 

3. Assassinations in Jenin
and Nablus

 

This week, Israeli
occupation forces assassinated two Palestinians. On Monday, July 23, 2001, at approximately
16:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces accompanied by an undercover unit
in plainclothes moved into ‘Aanin village, west of Jenin. They surrounded the house of Mustafa Yousef
Hussein Yassin, 26, and killed him.

 

PCHR was informed that
Yassin was with his wife and their child in the house when they heard sounds of
unusual movement outside the house. He
opened a window to check what was going on. Then, he came back and told his wife that Israeli occupation forces were
surrounding the house and started to reassure her. As soon as Yassin complied with the Israeli
soldiers’ demands to open the door to his house, Israeli soldiers fired a live
bullet at him from 1m, wounding him in the chest. He turned back, but the Israeli soldiers
fired another live bullet, hitting him in the back. Yassin fell down to the ground bleeding.

 

In her testimony to the
Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment,
Yassin’s wife stated that she was standing near her husband, carrying her
child, when Yassin fell down. She asked
the Israeli soldiers to help him, but they pointed their guns at her and forced
her to get out of the house away from her husband. She added that her husband bled for 40
minutes without Israeli soldiers offering him help, while she was shouting and
crying. When the Israeli soldiers were
certain that Yassin was dead, they took his body into a military vehicle and
left the area.

 

On Wednesday, July 25,
2001, the Israeli occupation forces assassinated Salah Nour El Din Darwazeh,
38, from Nablus, when an Israeli combat helicopter fired six rockets at his car
at the western entrance to Nablus. PCHR
learnt that at approximately 12:15 local time, Darwazeh was traveling in his
own car on Haifa Street towards Nablus. When he was approximately 20m away from Tamimi fuel station, an Israeli
combat helicopter fired two rockets at his car, but they missed. Darwazeh tried to move to the other side of
the road. When he drove the car 15m
forward, the Israeli combat helicopter fired four rockets at the car,
destroying it and killing Darwazeh.

 

4. A New Killing by Settlers
in Hebron

 

On Thursday, July 19,
2001, Jewish settlers killed three Palestinian civilians, including a
3-month-old infant. At approximately 21:15
local time, a number of settlers opened fire on a civilian car, in which
members of a Palestinian family were traveling from Ethna village to their
house at Ethna-Tarqoumia junction. According to eyewitnesses, the shooting took place from a distance of
only 5m. After having committed the
crime, the settlers fled in their car towards an Israeli military roadblock
approximately 200m away. Three of the
car’s occupants were killed:

4) Dhia’ Marwan Helmi
Musallam Tumeizi, 3 months;

5) Mohammed Helmi Musallam Tumeizi,
23; and

6) Mohammed Slameh Tumeizi,
22.

 

Moreover, 5 Palestinian
civilians were injured in the incident:

 1) Mai Najib Helmi Musallam
Tumeizi, 16, the wife of martyr Mohammed Salameh Tumeizi, who had been married
for only 6 weeks, seriously injured;

2) Samar Sa’di Musallam
Tumeizi, 22, cousin of the martyrs, married and mother of two children,
seriously inured;

3) Rawan Wa’el Helmi Musallam
Tumeizi, 4 months, daughter of Samar, seriously injured;

 4) Amira Wa’el Helmi Tumeizi,
3, Rawan’s sister, seriously injured by shrapnel in the head and the shoulder
and a live bullet in the left leg; and

5) Helmi Musallam Tumeizi,
15, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh.

 

According to eyewitnesses
and medical personnel, they faced difficulties in evacuating the injured to
hospitals due to Israeli military roadblocks. According to medical sources, some of the injuries were caused by
explosive bullets.

 

It is worth mentioning
that an extremist Jewish group of settlers, called “the Committee for Security
on Roads,” claimed responsibility for the crime, which recalls dozens of
similar attacks committed by settlers against Palestinian civilians. This crime further proves the need for an
international intervention to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, not only against killing by the Israeli occupation
forces, but also against crimes committed by settlers operating under the full
protection of these forces.

 

5. Other Attacks against
Palestinian Civilians by the Israeli
Occupation Forces and Settlers

 

Sunday, July 22, 2001

 

In the afternoon, a large number of settlers from
“Elli” settlement, established on the lands of Al-Lubban village on
Nablus-Ramallah road, attacked Mohammed Mahmoud Daraghma, 35, while he was on
his agricultural land, which had already been leveled by Israeli occupation
forces. He was there with
representatives of the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture to survey his
loss. Settlers severely beat him, injuring
him in the head.

 

Monday, July 23, 2001

 

At approximately 10:00 local time, a number of
settlers threw stones at a Palestinian civilian car on the Nablus-Ramallah
road, injuring its driver, Jamil Hassan Murad, 37, from Bethlehem, with a stone
in the face; he was also hurt in the eyes by pieces of broken glass. Murad was traveling from Bethlehem to Nablus
in his car, along with three of his friends. As soon as he arrived at the entrance to Al-Sawia village, a settler
threw a large stone at the car. Murad
was evacuated to Ramallah hospital.

 

In the afternoon, a number
of settlers severely beat two Palestinian children in the part of Hebron under
control of Israeli occupation forces, injuring two:

1) Murad Salah Jreiwi, 3, was
injured in the head and suffered a fracture in his left hand;

2) Faraj Jamil ‘Atteya, 5,
received bruises throughout the body.

 

At approximately 14:00
local time, Israeli occupation soldiers intruded several meters inside areas
under the full control of the Palestinian National Authority in Hadour
neighborhood in Hebron. They intercepted
a Palestinian civilian car, in which Muhannad Farahat El-Tabbakhi, 22, and
‘Aamer Farid ‘Arafa, 22, were traveling. The settlers forced the two to get out of the car and started beating
the two young men and destroying the car windows. El-Tabbakhi received bruises throughout the
body, and ‘Arafa received a fraction in the nose and bruises throughout the
body.

 

In the evening, Israeli
occupation soldiers positioned at Sammou’-Zhahereya junction in Hebron chased a
number of Palestinian civilians walking on agricultural roads near the
junction. They severely beat these
civilians, leaving injuries and bruises throughout their bodies. The civilians who were beaten were:

1) Nidal Khalil Masalma, 20,
from Beit ‘Awa village;

2) Mohammed Yousef
El-Salamin, 28, from Sammou’ village;

3) Khaled Murshed Rawshda,
36, from Sammou’ village;

4) Mahmoud Mohammed
El-Hawamda, 22, from Sammou’ village; and

5) Ismail Ahmed El-Fassous,
13, from Doura village.

 

Tuesday, July 24, 2001

 

At approximately 07:00
local time, approximately 30 settlers from “Gush Qatif” settlement block,
established on Palestinian lands in Khan Yunis, attacked Palestinian farms in
Tal Jinan, part of Al-Mawasi area. Mustafa Suleiman Zo’rob informed PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis that
settlers attacked his orange orchard, uprooting 60 trees and destroying a water
pump and an irrigation network. Zo’rob
tried to stop them, but they attacked and chased him. He miraculously survived.

 

6. Suspicions that the
Israeli Occupation Forces Are Responsible for an Explosion that Killed a
Palestinian Civilian and Another Explosion in Jenin

 

On Friday, July 21, 2001,
at 21:05 a heavy explosion occurred at the a building housing offices of
Palestinian political parties and civil society groups in Hebron. Raja’ei Mohammed Farid Abu Rjab El-Tamimi,
35, an electrical engineer, was killed, and eight Palestinian civilians were
injured. The headquarters and some
houses and shops were severely damaged.

 

PCHR was informed that the
blast occurred at the entrance of the building, which is located in the ‘Ein
Sara neighborhood in Hebron. Raja’ei Mohammed Farid Abu Rjab El-Tamimi, father
of three children, was sitting in the balcony of his house, adjacent to the
building, when the explosion occurred. He was killed instantly by shrapnel in the head and chest. Moreover, eight Palestinian civilians were
injured as follows:

1) Farouq ‘Abdel-Hamid
Hijazi, 60, injured by shrapnel throughout the body;

2) Hakema Khalil Hijazi, 86,
injured by shrapnel in the face and the chest;

3) Khaldoun Mohammed Farid
Abu Rajab; injured by shrapnel throughout the body;

4) Hatem Khalil Hijazi, 30,
injured by shrapnel throughout the body;

5) ‘Aadel ‘Adnan Ghaith, 20,
injured by shrapnel in the limbs;

6) Nabih Hatem Hijazi, 68,
injured by shrapnel throughout the body;

7) Munjed Mahmoud Zaid Abu
Rajab, 28, received bruises after having fallen from a high place; and

8) Dhia’ ‘Abdel-‘Azziz
El-Qawasmi, 20, injured by shrapnel from glass throughout the body.

 

Investigations carried out
by Palestinian security services indicated that a bomb was detonated near the
headquarters by remote control. Palestinian security services held the Israeli occupation forces
responsible for the explosion.

 

On Sunday, July 22, 2001,
at approximately 22:00 local time, an explosion occurred in the first floor of
the house of Ibrahim Hassan ‘Ali Jaber, 39, from Jenin, a Hamas activist. Jaber was not injured. PCHR was informed that Jaber and his family
were not in the house when the explosion occurred, in a bathroom in the first
floor of the house. No casualties were
reported, but the bathroom was destroyed and fire broke out on the first floor.

 

Jaber told a field officer
of the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment that he arrived at his house, which he left four month ago in
search from a more secure home, after he heard about the explosion. He discovered that iron bars designed to
protect the southeastern window had been cut, and that the bathroom window had
been pried open. This indicates that the
explosives entered the house through both windows or one of them. Jaber also said that he comes to the house
daily to check on it.

 

7. Arrests by the Israeli
Occupation Forces

 

This week, the Israeli
occupation forces arrested 16 Palestinians. These arrests took place in the following ways:

1) Arrests at international
border crossings, which are under control of the Israeli occupation forces.

2) Arrests at military
roadblocks on main and branch roads and at the entrances to Palestinian cities
and villages.

3) Penetration into
Palestinian towns and villages, raiding houses and arresting their residents.

 4) Kidnapping Palestinians
from areas under full control of the Palestinian National Authority by
undercover units of the Israeli occupation forces.

 

The following table lists
significant arrests that took place this week:

 

 

 

 

****

 

PCHR calls upon the international community:

 

1) To provide international protection to the
Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories immediately;

2) To ensure that the ICRC enhances its presence,
expands its activities and intensifies its field observations throughout the
Occupied Palestinian Territories;

3) To ensure that the High Contracting Parties to the
Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 reconvene in order to take effective measures
to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories;

4) To prosecute those believed to have committed war
crimes before international courts;

5) To ensure that the European Union activates Article 2
of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must
respect human rights;

6) To ensure that the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights visits the Occupied Palestinian Territories and that the Resolution
adopted by the UN High Commission on Human Rights in April 2001 be implemented;

7) To provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian
people, whose living conditions are increasingly deteriorating as a result of
the continued siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the entire
occupied Palestinian territories.