The International Community Remains
Silent While the Israeli War Crimes Continue in the OPT
· 9 Palestinian civilians, including 8 civilians, were
killed by Israeli forces
· 3 Palestinian children were killed by Israeli
shelling, including one killed by a Flechette shell
· Israeli forces conducted a series of incursions into
Palestinian areas, accompanied by indiscriminate shelling
· The Israeli Forces continued the retaliatory campaign
against families of wanted Palestinians and those who carried out armed attacks
against Israeli targets
· Israeli forces used Palestinian civilians as human
shields during military operations
· A number of Palestinians were arrested
· The strict siege of the OPTs continued and a number
of Palestinians were arrested at Israeli military checkpoints
Introduction
Israeli occupying forces have perpetrated more war
crimes and human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including
willful and extra-judicial killings, shelling of and incursions into
Palestinian areas, house demolitions, and agricultural land leveling.
This week, 19-25 December 2002, 9 Palestinians – all civilians including a
member of the Palestinian Security Forces, 3 children and a woman, were killed
by Israeli forces.
This week, three Palestinian children were killed by
the indiscriminate Israeli shelling within the Gaza Strip, and a woman died
from a previous wound sustained by the Israeli shelling. On Thursday, 19 December 2002, Nada Kamal
Madhi, 11, from Rafah, was killed by a live bullet in the chest, while she was
in her bedroom, when Israeli forces shelled residential areas in Rafah. On Saturday, 21 December 2002, Hanin So’ud
Abu Sitta, 12, from Rafah, was killed by a live bullet in the abdomen, while
she was on her way back home from school, when Israeli forces shelled
residential areas in Rafah. On Tuesday,
24 December 2002, Mohammed Fikri Mubarak Bureik, 14, from Jabalya, was killed
by shrapnel from a Flechette shell fired by Israeli forces positioned on the eastern
border of the Gaza Strip, east of Jabaliya. On Friday, 20 December 2002, Siddiqa al-Ghoul, 42, from Rafah, succumbed
to a wound she sustained on 12 July 2002, when Israeli forces shelled
residential areas in Rafah.
In an apparent willful killing, a Palestinian
civilian from Maithaloun village in Jenin was killed when an Israeli armored
personnel carrier smashed the car he was traveling in.
In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial
assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and military
establishments against Palestinian activists, this week, Israeli occupying
forces perpetrated two new extra-judicial assassinations that left dead three
Palestinians in Jenin and Nablus. On
Monday, 23 December 2002, Israeli forces assassinated Mustafa Jalal Baqqas, 30,
and Shaman Hussein Subeh, 29, both from Burqin village in Jenin. This was on
agricultural areas located nearly 3km away from their village. On Wednesday, 25 December 2002, Israeli
forces assassinated Taleb Mohammed Abu Hawash, 32, from Nablus, having raided
the flat where he was staying. Field
investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of
Human Rights and the Environment (LAW) indicate that Israeli soldiers fired at
the victim from a close distance and that he bled to death.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces carried
out a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in Rafah and Deir al-Balah,
during which they shelled these areas and destroyed a number of houses and
civilian facilities. On Friday and Saturday, 20 and 21 December, 2002,
Israeli forces demolished eight houses in Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir
al-Balah. On Monday, 23 December 2002,
Israeli forces demolished and destroyed eight houses, three brick factories and
a cow farm, and damaged 18 houses in Rafah. Hundreds of Palestinians were rendered homeless.
In violation of international and humanitarian law
which prohibits collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliatory measures
against families of Palestinians who have carried attacks against Israeli targets
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli
forces. In this context, they destroyed five houses in Deir al-Balah and
two others in Rafah. Another thirty
houses were damaged during this action.
Israeli forces have maintained the total siege
imposed on the OPTs, collectively punishing the Palestinian people. Israeli
forces have partitioned Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons,
violating Palestinian civilians’ economic, social and cultural rights.
They have also imposed curfews on several different areas.
The Shelling of, and
Encroachment into Palestinian Areas
Thursday, 19 December 2002
At approximately 12:15hrs,
Israeli occupying forces in a military location near Salah al-Din Gate on the
Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian residential areas
in the town. Two live bullets penetrated
the window and a wall of a bedroom in flat owned by Kamal Mohammed Rezeq Madhi,
located near Kherbat al-‘Adas square on ‘Omar Ben al-khattab Street, approximately
1600m north of the border. One of the
bullets hit the owner’s daughter, Nada, 11, in the chest, while she was in
bed. She was evacuated to hospital in a
civilian car, but all efforts made to save her life failed.
Friday, 20 December 2002
At approximately 18:00hrs,
medical sources at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis declared that Siddiqa ‘Ateya
Mohammed al-Ghoul (Abu Sahloub), 42, from Rafah, succumbed to a wound she
sustained five months ago. According to
PCHR’s investigation, she was wounded by a live bullet in the head on 12 July
2002, while she was near his house in al-Salam neighborhood, approximately 300m
away from the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, when the neighborhood was
shelled by Israeli occupying forces. She
was evacuated to hospital where she remained until she died.
At approximately midnight,
an infantry unit of Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 500m into Abu
‘Arif area in the south of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers opened fire at two Palestinian
security men who were guarding the house of a Palestinian official in the
area. The two security men withdrew
towards the south, but they were surprised by other Israeli forces positioned
near the house of Nasser Abu ‘Obeid. An
exchange of fire erupted between the two sides. The two security men, who are brothers, were wounded, and one of them
was able to escape, while the other bled to death as he was not given any
medical attention. The victim was
identified as Majdi Mohammed ‘Abdul Karim Mousa, 29, a member of the
Palestinian Military Intelligence. His
brother Jamil, 29, who was able to escape, was wounded by two live bullets in
the left leg and a third bullet in the right forehand. In addition, a Palestinian civilian, Khaled
Suleiman ‘Ali Abu Sabra, 22, was wounded by two live bullets in the abdomen and
the right leg.
Soon, more Israeli forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles and two helicopters, moved into the
area from two directions and seized control of it. Israeli soldiers raided and searched
Palestinian houses in al-Zore’ei area, using a Palestinian girl, Walaa’
‘Abdullah Suleiman al-Zore’ei, 17, and a man, Nabil ‘Ali Salama al-Zore’ei, 37,
as human shields in searching houses. Then, Israeli soldiers destroyed three houses after having forced their
residents out. When they raided and
searched houses, Israeli soldiers damaged furniture. Some Palestinians informed
a PCHR field worker that they also lost money and jewelry. Israeli soldiers also arrested three
Palestinians:
1. Hussein Suleiman al-Zore’ei, 24, a member of the
Palestinian Military Intelligence;
2. Sa’id ‘Abdul Rahman Abu ‘Obeid; a worker, and
3. Fawzi ‘Abdul Rahman Abu ‘Obeid, a taxi driver.
Israeli forces withdrew
from the area at approximately 04:00hrs.
At approximately 09:00hrs,
an infantry unit of Israeli occupying forces, accompanied by military jeeps and
three military bulldozers, moved 300m into Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir
al-Balah. This Israeli incursion came after
an armed attack carried out by gunmen of the Islamic Jihad, in which an Israeli
settler was killed. Israeli soldiers
raided the compound of the family of Abu Sha’ar. They forced Palestinian civilians out of their
houses. Immediately, the Israeli
military bulldozers initiated a campaign of destruction in the area that lasted
for seven hours. They demolished six
houses:
1. They demolished a 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 4 people lived, and a bird farm owned by Fayez ‘Abdul Raziq Abu
Sha’ar.
2. They demolished a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 21 people lived, owned by Hassan Shihda Hassan Abu Sha’ar.
3. They demolished a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 8 people lived, rented by ‘Eteiwa ‘Othman ‘Atwa Abu Sha’ar, and
owned by Kamal Kamel Suleiman Abu Mosa’ed.
4. They demolished an 80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which two people lived, owned by Mohammed ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Eteiwi Abu
Sha’ar.
5. They demolished a 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 12 people lived, owned by Hassan Joma’a Rezeq Abu Sha’ar.
6. They demolished a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 12 people lived, and an 80-square-meter sheep farm, and
destroyed a car owned by Mohammed Khamis Suleiman Abu Mosa’ed.
Residents of those houses
were unable to evacuate their furniture.
Israeli forces moved into
the area again at approximately 21:00hrs. They raided and searched a number of Palestinian houses and they
arrested two Palestinians:
At approximately 18:00hrs,
Israeli soldiers on tanks positioned near the Egyptian border, south of Rafah,
opened fire at the Palestinian residential areas in the town. A Palestinian civilian, Mohammed Mohammed
Khalil al-Dabbas, 24, was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg. PCHR’s field worker in Rafah reported that
al-Dabbas was wounded while he was near his house in al-Shaboura refugee camp,
approximately 1400m away from the source of fire.
Saturday, 21 December 2002
At approximately 06:00hrs,
an infantry unit of Israeli occupying forces, accompanied by military jeeps and
three military bulldozers, moved approximately 700m into Wadi al-Salqa village,
east of Deir al-Balah. Soon, the
bulldozers blocked a branch road in the east of the village with sand. Israeli forces raided two houses in the
village, approximately 250m west of the border with Israel. The destroyed the two house after having
forces their residents out:
1. a 160-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which
six people lived, owned by ‘Aadel ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Abu Mighassib; and
2. a 200-square-meter, iron-roofed house, in which 10
people lived, owned by Mohammed ‘Ouda Hassan al-Hamidi.
They also arrested three
Palestinians:
1. Jawad ‘Aadel ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Abu Mighassib, 15;
2. ‘Ali Mohammed ‘Ouda al-Hamidi, 19; and
3. Hassan Mohammed ‘Ouda al-Hamidi, 16.
In another illegal action
comprised of the indiscriminate Israeli shelling of Plaestinian residential
areas, a Palestinian child was killed in Rafah while she was on her way back
home from school. In her testimony to PCHR, Ghalia Ahmed Hussein Abu Sitta, the
child’s mother, said:
At approximately 12:00hrs
on Saturday, 21 December 2002, while I was in my house in Musabbeh area,
approximately 500m away from Morag Junction, north of Rafah, which has been
blocked by Israeli occupying forces, “I heard sound of sporadic
shooting. Soon, My son ‘Aamer, 8, came
to the house and told me that his sister Hanin So’ud Harb Abu Sitta, 12, was
wounded. I hurried out of the house. Then, Hanin and her sister Zeinat, 9, arrived
home. Hanin told me that she felt heat and
pains in the abdomen and the pelvis and that she fainted while on her way back
home from school. People helped her until she recovered her conscious. She told me that she was still feeling heat
in the pelvis. I took her clothes
off. She was bleeding from the
pelvis. I cried calling for help. Some neighbors came and helped me evacuate
her to hospital. She was still able to
talk. A doctor told me that she will
undergo a surgery. She succumbed to her
wound approximately 90 minutes later.”
It is worth mentioning that
this child was the second to be killed by Israeli shelling in Rafah in two
days.
Sunday, 22 December 2002
At approximately 22:45hrs,
Israeli occupying forces positioned along the Egyptian border, south of Rafah,
opened fire at al-Shouka neighborhood in the southeast of the town. A Palestinian woman, Noura Eshteiwi
al-Bahaisa, 35, was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg, while she was
inside her house, approximately 500m away from the border.
Monday, 23 December 2002
Throughout the day, Israeli
occupying forces destroyed eight Palestinian houses, three brick factories and
a cow farm near the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, where they have been
continuing the construction of an iron wall along the border since 10 October
2002. For the sake of constructing that
wall dozens of Palestinian houses in Rafah refugee camp were destroyed.
According to PCHR’s
investigation, at approximately 12:00hrs, four tanks and four armored military
bulldozers of Israeli forces, covered by intense shelling, moved approximately
100m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp adjacent to the Egyptian border. They demolished three Palestinian houses,
three brick and a cow farm:
1. They demolished a 270-square-meter house, in which 14
people lived, owned by Mahmoud Mohammed ‘Ali Barhoum.
2. They demolished a 170-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 8 people lived, owned by Samir Falouji ‘Ouda al-Agha.
3. They demolished a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which two families counting 18 persons lived, owned by ‘Abdul Rahim
‘Ouda Falouji al-Agha.
4. They demolished a 1500-square-meter brick factory
owned by Falouji ‘Ouda Falouji al-Agha.
5. They demolished a 1500-square-meter brick factory
owned by ‘Abed Rabbu Hamdan Mousa Barhoum.
6. They demolished a 1000-square-meter brick factory and
destroyed 1000 bricks owned by Mansour Shihda Barhoum.
7. They demolished a 300-square-meter cow farm owned by
‘Abdul Rahim ‘Ouda Falouji al-Agha.
PCHR’s field officer in
Rafah reported that Israeli forces stopped the destruction of Palestinian
civilian property at approximately 19:00hrs. Nevertheless, at approximately 23:00hrs, more Israeli heavy military
vehicles, reinforced with helicopters, arrived at the area. They then started where they left off and
continued to demolish the houses. They
demolished four Palestinian houses and destroyed a fifth one, severely damaging
18 houses and a mosque. Two Palestinian
civilians were also injured.
Following are details of
the houses that were demolished and destroyed:
1. a 120-square-meter, two-story house, in which three
families counting 21 people lived, owned by Sa’id Hassan Mustafa Abu Hammad;
2. a 60-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 8
people lived, owned by Mohammed Sa’id Mustafa Abu Hammad;
3. a 400-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which
three families counting 15 people lived, owned by Rezeq Salem Suleiman Abu
Teilakh;
4. a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which
two families of 18 people lived, owned by Mohammed Rezeq Salem Abu
Teilakh;
5. a 170-square-meter, under-construction house owned by
Tamim Falouji ‘Ouda al-Agha.
At approximately 19:00hrs,
Israeli occupying forces in military outposts in the vicinity of the “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip, opened
fire at Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp and al-Nimsawi
neighborhood. A Palestinian civilian,
Nafez Mahmoud Huneideq, 36, was wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the
left foot.
Tuesday, 24 December 2002
In yet another illegal action
as proscribed by international law, Israeli occupying forces fired three
Flechette shells at a Palestinian child in Jabaliya, killing him
instantly.
According to PCHR’s
investigation and eyewitnesses’ testimonies, at approximately 12:30hrs, Mohammed
Fikri Mubarak Bureik, 14, and ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Hussin al-Muta, 22, both from
Jabalya, were in a cow farm, owned by al-Muta, where Bureik used to work
because of his bad living conditions, located nearly 700m west of the eastern
border of the Gaza Strip. Few minutes
later, they went to an area located nearly 500m away from the border, to gather
wood to set a fire as it was cold. As
soon as Israeli soldiers on a tank positioned near the border noticed them,
they fired three Flechette shells at the area. Al-Muta was wounded by shrapnel and was able to run towards the main
road. There, he informed members of the
Palestinian National Security Force about the incident. Soon, security men hurried to the area and
were able to evacuate Bureik who was dead. According to medical sources, Bureik was hit by the flechettes from the
shell in the chest, while al-Muta was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout
the body.
Extra-Judicial Assassinations
In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial
assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and military
establishments against Palestinian activists this week, Israeli occupying
forces perpetrated two extra-judicial assassinations in the West Bank that left
dead three Palestinians.
According to information available to PCHR, at
approximately 13:15hrs on Monday, 23 December 2002, an undercover unit of
Israeli occupying forces, traveling in a civilian car with a Palestinian
registration number, attacked Mustafa Jalal Saleh Baqqas, 30, and Shaman
Hussein Mohammed Subeh, 29, from Burqin village in Jenin. They were riding a
tractor on a branch road in Wad Hassan area, nearly 3km away from their
village. Israeli soldiers opened fire at
the two men, killing them instantly. According to Palestinian medical sources, they were shot in the upper
part of the body and they were attacked from behind. Israeli occupying forces claimed that the two
men were on their way to carry out a bombing inside Israel and that they were
wanted for being members of Hamas.
At approximately 02:00hrs on Wednesday, 25 December
2002, while Taleb Mohammed Abu Hawash, 32, from Nablus, was in a flat on the
second floor of an apartment building in Ras al-‘Ein neighbourhood in Nablus,
Israeli occupying forces surrounded the building and made their way quietly
into the flat where Hawash was. After a
4-hour detention, without the neighbours having been aware of what he was being
subjected to by the Israeli forces, the neighbors heard sounds of two live bullets
at approximately 06:15hrs. Israeli
forces withdrew from the building at approximately 09:00hrs. Then, the neighbours entered the flat where
they found Hawash dead. The evacuated
him to Rafidya Hospital in Nablus. According to medical sources, he was shot by two explosive bullets that
entered the left thigh and settled in the right one, causing massive
hemorrhaging that led to his death. Israeli forces announced that they had carried out the action, claiming
that Hawash was wanted and they went to arrest him but that he fired at them, so
on account of this the Israeli soldiers shot him dead. However, neighbors asserted that they did not
hear an exchange of fire.
Collective Punishment
Measures against Families of Wanted Palestinians and Those Who Carried out
Armed Attacks against Israeli Targets
In violation of international and humanitarian law
which prohibits collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliatory measures
against families of Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli
targets in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli
forces.
At about midnight on
Friday, 20 December 2002, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy
military vehicles and two helicopters and covered by intense shelling, moved
into Abu ‘Arif area in the south of Deir al-Balah. Israeli soldiers raided and searched a number
of Palestinian houses, using two Palestinian civilians, including a girl as
human shields in searching houses. Then,
Israeli soldiers destroyed three houses of families of allegedly wanted Palestinians:
1. a 150-square-meter, three-story house, in which 8
people live, owned by Marzouq Bureik Khammash al-Zore’ei;
2. a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed uninhabited house
owned by Yasser ‘Oliyan Abu Mosa’ed; and
3. a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in which four
families of 29 people lived, owned by ‘Abdul Rahman Hussein Abu ‘Oeid.
In addition, more than 30
neighboring houses were damaged.
On Sunday morning, 22
December 2002, an infantry unit of Israeli occupying forces, covered by intense
shelling, moved approximately 600m into al-Salam neighborhood adjacent to the
Egyptian border, south of Rafah. Israeli
soldiers raided seven houses and forced their residents out. Then, they destroyed two houses owned by
Murad and ‘Emad Ahmed ‘Abdul ‘Aal. Six
neighboring houses were also damaged. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the two brothers had bought
the houses in May 2001 from their relative, Yasser ‘Atwa ‘Abdul ‘Aal, whose
brother Mohammed was assassinated by Israeli forces on 2 April 2001.
Following are details of
the houses:
1. a 200-square-meter house, in which 8 people lived,
owned by ‘Emad Ahmed Zayed ‘Abdul ‘Aal; and
2. a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 7
people used to live.
Owners of the houses lost
amounts of money and some jewelry.
Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
Thursday, 19 December 2002
At approximately 12:30hrs,
Israeli soldiers on a tank positioned near the Educational Institute in
Qalandya refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem, fired live ammunition,
rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at a number of Palestinian
children who threw stones at them. Two
passing Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Ghazal Wajih ‘Abed al-Haj Mustafa, 5, was wounded by
shrapnel from a live bullet in the head; and
2. ‘Eissa ‘Eid ‘Eissa Wazwaz, 53, was wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
Saturday, 21 December 2002
At approximately 10:00hrs,
Israeli soldiers on an observation tower at an Israeli military checkpoint,
south of Deir al-Balah, fired at a civilian car that was on its way to Deir
al-Balah, after Israeli soldiers had called on the driver to stop. It appears,
however, that he did not do so because he did not hear the call. Ra’ed Fu’ad Khalil Abu Tawahin, 16, jumped
out of the car and ran towards Deir al-Balah, but Israeli soldiers fired at
him, wounding him with a live bullet in the right hip.
Sunday, 22 December 2002
At approximately 13:30hrs,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of the “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of Palestinian
children who threw stones towards them. One of the children, Yasser ‘Ali Musallam Abu Ghanem, 14, was wounded by
a live bullet in the right hand.
Tuesday, 24 December 2002
At approximately 12:45hrs,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve
Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of Palestinian
children and young men who threw stones towards them. Mohammed Nasser Eslayeh, 19, was wounded by a
live bullet in the left foot.
At approximately 14:00hrs,
Israeli occupying forces in a military location east of Wadi al-Salqa village,
east of Deir al-Balah, fired at Eyad Salem ‘Othman Abu Sha’ar, 12, for no
apparent reason, while on his way back home. He was critically wounded by a live bullet in the neck. He was evacuated to the intensive care unit
at Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City.
An Israel Armored Personnel
Carrier Ran Over a Civilian Car, Killing a Palestinian Civilian
In an apparent willful
killing, an Israeli armored personnel carrier chased and smashed a civilian car
in Jenin, killing a passenger and injuring the driver.
According to the
information available to PCHR, at approximately 19:00hrs, ‘Abdullah Nazhmi
‘Abdullah Salah Rabai’a, 29, from Maithaloun village, southeast of Jenin, was
traveling in a civilian car that had an Israeli registration number, which was
driven by his relative, Bassel Jamal Rabai’a, on their way back home from their
work in Israel. When the car arrived at
a junction in al-Fawar area, approximately 2000m away from the Rabai’a’s house,
an Israeli armored personnel carrier, with lights off, moved towards the car
and chased it. The driver moved the car
towards the left and then stopped. Nevertheless, the armored carrier chased the car and mounted over
it. ‘Abdullah Rabai’a tried to jump out
of the car, but he was not able and he was killed by fractures and injuries
throughout the body. The driver was also
injured. According to eyewitnesses, it
was nearly impossible to remove Rabai’a’s body from the car and Israeli
soldiers prevented a Palestinian ambulance from evacuating the injured driver
to hospital, so they were forced to carry him towards a nearby clinic.
Restrictions Remain on Freedom of
Movement
Israeli occupying forces have restricted movement
inside the Gaza Strip. They have
continued to stop and search cars at military checkpoints erected on Salah
al-Din Street, the main road between the north and south of the Gaza
Strip. They also continued to fire at
Palestinian civilians at those checkpoints.
At approximately 15:00hrs on Thursday, 19 December
2002, Israeli forces closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints on
Salah al-Din Street, the main road between the north and south of the Gaza
Strip. Israeli soldiers searched a number of cars and checked the
identity cards of passengers. They interrogated a number of people.
On the following day, Friday, 20 December 2002, after
an Israeli settler was killed on the “Kissufim” settler road, north
of Khan Yunis, Israeli forces closed the two above military checkpoints several
times. They searched a number of cars
and checked the identity cards of passengers. At approximately 18:15hrs on the same day, four Israeli heavy military
vehicles closed the coastal road linking between Gaza City and the central Gaza
Strip. An Israeli military bulldozer
blocked the road with hills of sand.
On Saturday morning, 21 December 2002, Israeli forces
closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints, and consequently divided
the Gaza Strip into three separated zones. Some people were forced to wait at the checkpoints until Sunday morning,
22 December 2002.
On Tuesday afternoon, 24 December 2002, Israeli
forces closed the two checkpoints again. They searched dozens of cars and arrested two Palestinians: Ahmed Shukri
Ibrahim al-Qedra, 22, a university student; and Ibrahim Samih ‘Aamer, 25, both
from Khan Yunis. On the following day
afternoon, Wednesday, 25 December 2002, Israeli forces closed the two checkpoints
and searched cars. People were able to
travel back home only several hours later.
In the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces restricted
movement at al-Tuffah checkpoint, separating Khan Yunis from al-Mawasi
area. Many people were unable to go back
to their houses in al-Mawasi, and they were humiliated by Israeli
soldiers.
********
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 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
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”
