Israeli Forces Continue to
Perpetrate Crimes in the OPTs
¨ 9
Palestinians, including 4 children, were killed Israeli forces
¨ 8
of the victims were killed during an Israeli military incursion into Gaza city
¨ Israeli
forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip
¨ More
than 100 donums[1]
of Palestinian agricultural land were razed in the Gaza Strip
¨ Houses
were raided and a number of Palestinians were arrested
¨ Continued
use of Palestinian civilians as human shields in Israeli military operations
¨ Construction
of the “separation wall” in the West Bank has continued and more areas of
Palestinian land were seized
¨ Indiscriminate
shelling of Palestinian residential areas continued and a number of civilians were
injured
¨ A
5-storey apartment building in Nablus was destroyed by Israeli forces as part
of the continuing campaign of retaliation against the families of Palestinians
accused of involvement in attacks against Israeli targets
¨ Israeli
occupying forces have continued to impose a total siege on the OPTs; continued
obstruction of access of workers to their work places in Israel; women were
denied out and into Palestinian areas adjacent to settlements in the Gaza
Strip; and a number of Palestinian civilians were arrested at military
checkpoints and border crossings
Introduction
This week, Israeli
occupying forces continued to violate the human rights of Palestinian civilians
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), despite the close proximity if
the Islamic holiday, Eid ul-Adha. Throughout the week, Israeli occupying forces
conducted incursions into Palestinian areas; shot at Palestinian civilians,
which included children; indiscriminately shelled residential areas and
demolished houses; and leveled agricultural land. Israeli occupying
forces have also continued construction of the “Separation Wall” inside the
West Bank while imposing a tight siege on the OPTs. This week, 9 Palestinians, including 4
children, were killed by Israeli occupying forces. Eight of the victims were killed during an
Israeli military incursion into al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli
occupying forces conducted 11 military incursions into Palestinian areas,
during which they killed and arrested a number of Palestinians and damaged
civilian properties. In a major military
incursion into al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza city, Israeli occupying forces
killed 8 Palestinians, including 3 children and 4 members of the Palestinian
resistance. In addition, 4 other
civilians, including an ambulance driver, were injured. Israeli forces also caused severe damage to
civilian properties in the area.
In 4 military incursions
into Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah, Israeli occupying forces razed more than 100
donums of Palestinian agricultural land. Israeli forces also raided and searched some houses, and arrested a
number of Palestinians, including 3 children.
In an excessive use of force, on the morning of 22
January 2004, Israeli occupying forces shot dead an 11-year-old Palestinian
child and wounded 2 other children near the eastern border of the Gaza Strip,
east of Jabalya. The children were
hunting birds approximately 300m away from the border with Israel.
In the West Bank, Israeli
occupying forces continued to move into Palestinian areas as well. In a major military incursion into Nablus on
Thursday, 22 January 2004, Israeli occupying forces destroyed a 5-storey
apartment building in Ras al-‘Ein neighborhood, the reason for which according
to them was that an allegedly wanted Palestinian was hiding inside the
building. Israeli occupying forces also
moved into a number of villages and refugee camps and arrested dozens of
Palestinians.
Israeli occupying forces
have continued construction of the “Separation Wall” inside the West Bank, and
razed more areas of Palestinian land for this purpose. They also demolished 3 homes that were under
construction, a brick factory, and an animal farm. In addition this week, Israeli occupying
forces conducted a census in Beit Eksa village, southwest of Jerusalem, and
listed Palestinian properties. They also
continued to close several iron gates established along the wall, denying
movement for Palestinian civilians.
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip,
the West Bank, and Jerusalem. Specifically in the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying
forces have continued to impose a strict siege on Palestinian communities and
restrict movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli troops have also
maintained the closure of a number of main and branch roads in the Gaza Strip
by stationing Israeli soldiers at Israeli military checkpoints. For the second consecutive week, Israeli
occupying forces obstructed access of Gazan workers to their work places in
Israel. They have also denied movement
of Palestinian women through military checkpoints at entrances to the
heavily-restricted al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip and al-Sayafa area
in the northern Gaza Strip. Such
restrictions on the freedom of movement are in contravention of international
human rights law to which Israel is a state party, including the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
In the West Bank as well, Israeli occupying forces have
continued to impose a strict siege on Palestinian communities. They have also imposed severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have blocked a number of roads using cement blocks, sand barriers
and trenches. Since the beginning of the current Intifada in September 2000, Israeli
occupying forces have established 673 barriers (457 sand barriers, 95 cement
blocks, 65 trenches and 56 military checkpoints).
On Thursday morning, 22 January 2004, Israeli occupying
forces positioned at al-Karama Terminal on the border with Jordan denied travel
for no apparent reason, to Palestinians who are between 16 and 45 years old,
but cancelled the decision later this week. Israeli occupying forces ordered Palestinian civilians to cross military
checkpoints to obtain “checkpoint permits” from the so-called Israeli Civil
Administration.
Following are statistics regarding Israeli war crimes
perpetrated against Palestinian civilians in January 2004:
¨ 24 Palestinians (12 in the West Bank
and 12 in the Gaza Strip) were killed by Israeli forces, thus, the number of
Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the Intifada has increased
to 2405 (1355 in the West Bank and 1050 in the Gaza Strip). This number
includes 466 children.
¨ 37 Palestinians were injured in the
Gaza Strip, thus the number of Palestinians injured in the Gaza Strip since the
beginning of the current Intifada has increased to 6751.
¨ 97 Palestinian homes were demolished
in January, thus the number of homes demolished since the beginning of the
Intifada has increased to 2912.
¨ 277.5 donums were razed in the Gaza
Strip, thus the total area of agricultural land razed since the beginning of
the Intifada has increased to 22393 donums.
Shelling of, and Encroachment into,
Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property
Thursday, 22 January 2004
At approximately 05:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into Qoussin village, west of Nablus. They raided a house belonging to the family of ‘Abdul Karim ‘Abed Rabbu
Yadak, 21, and subsequently arrested him.
At approximately 09:00, while Israeli occupying
forces were surrounding an apartment building in Ras al-‘Ein neighborhood in
Nablus (see below), more enforcement of Israeli military vehicles moved into
the city. A tank positioned itself in
Sufian Street, while 10 military jeeps moved and stopped at the crossroads
leading to the center of the city. A
number of Palestinian children and young men gathered and threw stones at the
Israeli military jeeps, which caused an immediate response from the Israeli
soldiers, who fired at the stone throwers. Six Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were wounded:
1. Mohammed
‘Abed Rabbu Hassan Libbada, 22, wounded by a live bullet in the left hand;
2. Mohammed
Yousef ‘Abdul Salam Qassas, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
abdomen;
3. Salah
Eihab Salah Hindi, 9, wounded by shrapnel in the legs;
4. Ibrahim
‘Afifi Ma’ani, 12, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the abdomen;
5. ‘Alaa’
Shafiq Basiouni, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
and
6. Lu’ai
Ahmed Mahmoud Barakat, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the face.
Additionally that morning, in an excessive use of
force, Israeli occupying forces shot dead an 11-year-old Palestinian child and
wounded 2 other children near the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of
Jabalya. They claimed that they noticed
7 armed persons attempting to infiltrate into Israel, so they opened fire at
then. However, the child’s body was
found approximately 300m away from the border, and the children were hunting
birds before they were fired at by Israeli forces.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 10:00, a number of Palestinian children were hunting birds
approximately 300m west of the border with Israel, east of Jabalya. Soon after, Israeli soldiers positioned at
the border fired at them. The children attempted to escape, but the gunfire
continued. One of the children, Muhsen
Haidar Mohammed al-Da’our, 11, from Jabalya refugee camp, was killed by a live
bullet to the head. Two other children
were also wounded. Soon after, an
Israeli military jeep moved into the area and removed the two wounded
children. They were evacuated to an
Israeli hospital. A Palestinian
ambulance moved towards the area, but Israeli soldiers denied access to it due
to the lack of prior coordination. At
approximately 13:30, Israeli occupying forces allowed access to the area for an
ambulance of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in order to remove the child’s
body. The body was then transferred to
Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza city. According
to medical sources there, the child was fired at from the back. On Sunday, 25 January 2004, the two wounded
children were transferred from the Israeli hospital to Kamal ‘Edwan Hospital in
Beit Lahia. They were identified as:
1. Nader
Samir al-Far, 15, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet in the
right leg; and
2. ‘Abdul
Rahman ‘Abdul Hamid Matar, 15, from Jabalya refugee camp.
At approximately 14:00, an infantry unit of Israeli
occupying forces moved dozens of meters into Palestinian agricultural areas
near the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of al-Qarara village in Khan
Yunis. Israeli soldiers chased a number
of Palestinian children and arrested 3:
1. Ussama
Mazen Mohammed al-Sumairi, 15;
2. Suleiman
Mohammed Salman al-Sumairi, 15; and
3. Ahmed
Jihad Abu ‘Eid, 13.
At approximately 16:00, Mohammed Hassan ‘Abdul Halim
Zuraiq, 19, from al-Naqoura village, northwest of Nablus, was going back home
from an-Najah National University in Nablus. After crossing a bypass road west of the city, an Israeli military jeep
that was patrolling on the road moved close to him and fired at him. He was wounded by a live bullet in the right
ankle. According to eyewitnesses, Zuraiq
was wounded when he was in a mountainous area to the east of his village,
approximately 600m away from the bypass road. Israeli soldiers ordered a Palestinian shepherd to take him on a donkey
towards “Shavi Shomron” settlement, approximately 5km away, and from there an
Israeli ambulance evacuated to an Israeli hospital.
Friday, 23 January 2004
At approximately 01:00, 7 Israeli military jeeps
moved into the southeast of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and forced their residents
out until 04:00. They arrested 2
Palestinians:
1. Murad
‘Abdul Qader Ahmed Abu Khater, 22; and
2. Na’el
‘Omar ‘Abdul Karim al-Swais, 23.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces
positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian
houses in Block L in Rafah refugee camp. A Palestinian civilian, Bilal Daoud Abu ‘Obaid, 26, was injured by
shrapnel in the abdomen.
Saturday, 24 January 2004
At approximately 02:15, four Israeli military jeeps
moved into Jaba’ village, which is located south of Jenin. Israeli soldiers raided and searched Mohammed
Ibrahim Ghannam’s house. They arrested
his two sons: Razi, 18; and Ghazi, 21.
At approximately 03:00, 6 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched Samih Abu Mustafa’s house and arrested his
daughter, Intissar, 20.
At approximately 06:00, Israeli occupying forces
blocked the entrance to ‘Azzoun village. Later at approximately 07:30, they moved into the village and surrounded
an apartment building that includes a number of flats and offices of a number
of institutions. At approximately 09:00,
Israeli soldiers raided the building and arrested 4 Palestinians:
1. Nidal
Yousef Salama, 20;
2. ‘Ammar
Basem Sabbah, 20;
3. Khaled
‘Abdul ‘Aziz Hussein, 28; and
4. Mo’ayad
Mohammed al-Akhras, 20.
At approximately 07:15, an Israeli infantry unit
moved approximately 300m into Palestinian agricultural areas near the eastern
border of the Gaza Strip, east of al-Qarara village in Khan Yunis. Israeli soldiers arrested Ihsan Ahmed Joma’a
al-Sumairi, 20, who was hunting birds.
At approximately 11:50, Israeli occupying forces
moved approximately 50m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp, and opened fire at
the area. A Palestinian child, Sahar
Suleiman Abu Shawish, 16, was injured by shrapnel in the right forearm.
Sunday, 25 January 2004
At approximately 02:15, 3 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers ordered residents of the
village through megaphone to gather in the main yard of the village. After village residents complied with their
request, Israeli soldiers ordered female residents to return to their homes. Israeli soldiers then chose a number of young
men, photographed them, and took their fingerprints. At approximately 04:00, the Israeli military
jeeps withdrew from the village. No
arrests were reported.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, and imposed a curfew. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 17-year-old Akram Yousef Abu Ghazi, 17, after having severely
beaten him.
At approximately 14:30, Israeli occupying forces
moved approximately 300m into al-Fukhari area east of Khan Yunis. They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural
land, on which 2 greenhouses planted with tomatoes stood, and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Ghazi Mousa Abu ‘Ouda.
At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 600m into al-Birka
area in the southwest of Deir al-Balah. This incursion continued until 16:00 on the following day, during which
Israeli military bulldozers razed 64 donums of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas and destroyed an
irrigation network and a well owned by Salem Mohammed Abu Shimas.
2. They
razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with lemons and guavas and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by Yousef Suleiman Abu Shimas.
3. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas owned by Ahmed
Hammad Abu Shimas.
4. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms and guavas owned
by Salman Suleiman Abu Shimas.
5. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas owned by Hassan
Mustafa Abu Shimas.
6. They
razed a 40-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas and destroyed a
well owned by Suleiman Mohammed Abu Shimas.
At approximately 18:30, 3 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. They opened fire at Palestinian houses and forced traders to close their
shops. They also forced residents of the
village to evacuate their homes and gather in the main yard of the village, for
no apparent reason. Upon their
withdrawal from the village, Israeli soldiers arrested Mohammed Amin Saif, 56,
and took him as a hostage to force his children, ‘Abdullah, 15; and Muntasser,
13, to surrender. They claimed that the
two children threw stones at Israeli soldiers who frequently move into the
village.
Monday, 26 January 2004
At approximately 04:00, 5 Israeli military jeeps
moved into Ibn Rushod Street in Nablus. Israeli
occupation forces raided and searched ‘Abdul Raziq Hassan Hijazi’s house and
arrested his son Ra’fat, 18.
At approximately 11:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced by heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 300m into al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. They razed 39 donums of Palestinian
agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and wheat owned
by Jama’an Salama al-Sumairi.
2. They
razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and wheat owned
by ‘Abdul Rahim Ahmed Salman al-Sumairi.
3. They
razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and wheat and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ahmed Suleiman Ahmed al-Sumairi.
4. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by ‘Ouda
Suleiman al-Sumairi.
At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 300m into Wadi
al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah. They razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land, 3 donums of which were planted with
olives and vegetables and a greenhouse planted with tomatoes that stood on the
4th donum, and destroyed an irrigation network owned by ‘Azmi
Mohammed Musallam Abu Haddaf.
2. They
razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land, 2 donums of which were planted with
olives and figs and a greenhouse planted with cucumber stood on the 3rd
donum, and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Jamal Mohammed Abu Haddaf.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved approximately 600m into Palestinian agricultural areas to the northeast
of “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah. They razed an area of Palestinian
agricultural land and demolished 2 agricultural structures:
1. They
razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and beans owned by
Mohammed Ahmed Suleiman Abu Salim.
2. They
demolished 2 agricultural structures that stood on a 32-square-meter area,
owned by Ahmed Ibrahim ‘Awad Sa’id.
Tuesday, 27 January 2004
At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with military vehicles, moved from al-Matahen military checkpoint
approximately 100m into al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. They surrounded 2 houses belonging to the
Musleh family. They forced the 49
residents of the houses (4 families) out during very cold weather, after which soldiers
searched the houses. At approximately
03:00, Israeli forces withdrew from the area after having arrested 3 members of
the family:
1. Baraka
‘Ayash Musleh, 43;
2. Talal
‘Ayash Hamad Musleh, 56; and
3. Hajjaj
Talal ‘Ayash Musleh, 24.
The three are members of Palestinian security
services.
At approximately 02:45, an infantry unit of Israeli
occupying forces moved approximately 900m into the east of Beit Hanoun. Israeli soldiers surrounded ‘Adbullah ‘Abdul
Karim Abu Ouda’s house, blew up its door, and broke into it. They then forced the 6 residents of the house
out and searched the home. Half an hour
later, Israeli soldiers arrested the owner’s sons, Ahmed, 24, and ‘Abdul
Rahman, 22, and confiscated their ID cards.
Wednesday, 28 January 2004
In the
morning, Israeli occupying forces conducted a major military incursion into Al-Zaytoun,
a residential district of Gaza city, killing 8 Palestinians and causing
extensive damage to civilian property.
According to
investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 04:30, Israeli occupying
forces entered from al-Shuhada junction, near “Netzarim” settlement, south of
Gaza City, and moved approximately 2km into al-Zaytoun neighborhood. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces took
up a position in the center of al-Zaytoun neighborhood and fired live bullets
and artillery shells at Palestinian civilians and civilian property. Four
Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were killed, and 4 other
civilians, including an ambulance driver, were wounded. During the operation, members of the
Palestinian resistance clashed with Israeli forces; four resistance men were
killed in these clashes. Israeli
occupying forces finally withdrew from al-Zaytoun neighborhood at approximately
11:30, leaving widespread damage to civilian property in the neighborhood.
The eight
individuals killed were identified as:
1. Sameh
Kamel Toutah, 17; hit by a live bullet to the neck;
2. Akram
‘Abdul Karim Abu ‘Ajami, 17, hit by a live bullet to the chest;
3. Sami
Mohammed Badawi, 16, hit by a live bullet to the chest;
4. Ahmed
Mohammed ‘Ali Abu Rikab, 22, hit by a live bullet to the neck;
5. Eyad
Mahmoud al-Ra’ei, 38, hit by several live bullet throughout the body;
6. Marwan
Mahmoud Basal, 39, hit by a live bullet to the chest;
7. Mousa
Suleiman Dalloul, 30, hit by a live bullet to the head; and
8. ‘Othman
Mahmoud Jundiya, 22, hit by a live bullet to the neck.
Collective Punishment against Families of Wanted
Palestinians and Those Who Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli
Targets
In violation of international humanitarian law, in
particular the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons
in Time of War of 1949, article 33 of which prohibits punishing any protected
person for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli forces
took retaliatory measures against the families of Palestinians that Israel alleges have
ordered, facilitated, or carried out attacks against Israeli targets.
On Thursday evening, 22 January 2004, Israeli
occupying forces destroyed a 5-storey apartment building in Nablus, claiming
that an allegedly wanted Palestinian was hiding inside. As a consequence, 52 Palestinians (9
families) have become homeless.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately
05:45, 2 tanks and 10 military jeeps belonging to Israeli occupying forces,
supported by a helicopter, moved into Nablus through its southern
entrance. They surrounded an apartment
building owned by ‘Abdul Karim Ibrahim ‘Akouba and his brothers in Abu ‘Obaida
Street in Ras al-‘Ein neighborhood. An
Israeli officer ordered residents of the building to get out. Israeli soldiers checked the residents’ ID cards
and detained them in a store, approximately 25 meters away. Soon after, Israeli soldiers opened fire at
the building. Sounds of explosions
inside the building were also heard. In
the meantime, Israeli soldiers called through megaphones for ‘Emad ‘Akouba to
surrender. At approximately 09:00, a
tank, a military bulldozer, and 10 military jeeps moved into the city to
reinforce other forces that had already moved into the city. The tank and jeeps were positioned in the
center of the city, while the bulldozer moved towards the surrounded building
in Abu ‘Obaida Street. At approximately
11:00, the bulldozer started to demolish the building and continued until 15:30.
Israeli soldiers then planted explosives inside the building and threatened to
destroy it if ‘Emad ‘Akouba did not surrender. At approximately 17:15, Israeli soldiers destroyed the building. According to the building’s owner, he asked
the Israeli officer to search the building and he offered to serve as a human
shield for Israeli soldiers while they searched, but the officer refused his
offer. Israeli soldiers did not find any
body between the ruins of the building. With
the destruction of the 200-square-meter, 5-storey building was destroyed, 9
families (52 people, including 29 children) have become homeless:
1. ‘Abdul
Karim Ibrahim ‘Abdul Karim ‘Akouba’s family (8 people);
2. Muhannad
Ibrahim ‘Abdul Karim ‘Akouba’s family (9 people, including 7 children);
3. Majdi
Ibrahim ‘Abdul Karim ‘Akouba’s family (5 people, including 3 children);
4. Hani
Ibrahim ‘Abdul Karim ‘Akouba’s family (10 people, including 8 handicapped
children);
5. Fatema
Mohammed Asa’ad ‘Akouba;
6. Nabil
Jawad ‘Antar’s family (7 people, including 5 children);
7. Samir
Ibrahim Yousef’s family (8 people, including 6 children);
8. Hussam
Mohammed al-Khatib’s family (2 people); and
9. Yahia
Ma’zouz ‘Akouba’s family (2 people).
Continued
Construction of the “Separation Wall”
On Thursday, 22 January 2004, Israeli military
bulldozers demolished an under-construction Palestinian house, a brick factory
and an animal farm in Jalboun village in Jenin. They also demolished 2 under-construction houses in Far’oun village,
south of Tulkarm. They claimed that
these properties were established without proper licenses, but PCHR’s field
workers reported that these properties stood near the “Separation Wall.”
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 09:00, 12 Israeli military jeeps, 2 jeeps of the “Israeli Civil
Administration” and 2 military bulldozers moved into Jalboun village, northeast
of Jenin. One of the bulldozers
demolished a 150-square-meter house owned by Radi Mustafa Abu al-Rub in the
south of the village, while the other bulldozer demolished a brick factory
owned by Mohammed Nafe’ Shalabi in the north of the village. The second bulldozer also demolished a
130-square-meter animal farm owned by Ahmed Zaher Abu al-Rub, which was
established more than 20 years ago. PCHR’s field worker in Jenin reported that the house was about 30m away
from the “Separation Wall,” while the brick factory and the animal farm were
about 100m away.
At approximately 13:13, Israeli occupying forces,
accompanied by 2 bulldozers, moved into Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm. The bulldozers demolished 2
under-construction houses:
1. A
150-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by Faleh Rashad Hassan ‘Eissa, which is
4m away from the wall; and
2. A
140-square-meter house owned by Subhi Mohammed Yousef ‘Edwan, which is 40m away
from the wall.
On Monday, 26 January 2004, the officer of planning
and construction in the so-called Israeli Civil Administration delivered a
military order to Hani Mohammed ‘Abdullah ‘Aamer, 46, saying that an animal
farm near his house in Masha village, east of Qalqilya, would be
demolished. Since August 2003, Israeli
occupying forces have exerted pressure on ‘Aamer to force him to leave the
area. ‘Aamer, his wife and their 8
children live in a house built on a 3-donum area of land. Two donums of this area were razed by Israeli
occupying forces for the purpose of construction of the “Separation
Wall.” Israeli occupying forces even
threatened him once by saying that they would ask a settler to kill him.
This week, Israeli occupying forces began to conduct
a census of residents of Beit Eksa village, southwest of Jerusalem, as well as
beginning to list their properties. According to eyewitnesses, members of the so-called Border Guard of
Israeli occupying forces were registering telephone numbers and surveying homes,
comparing them to maps and aerial pictures they had. In the meantime, engineering units of Israeli
occupying forces were surveying lands in the north and northeast of the
village. PCHR is concerned that Israeli
occupying forces may isolate Beit Eksa village behind the wall, the same way
they had already isolated Palestinian communities in the north of the West
Bank.
Israeli occupying forces have continued to raze areas
of Palestinian land to the north of Bethlehem for the purpose of construction
of the wall. Israeli occupying forces
apparently plan to move a military checkpoint from Beit Safafa – Gilo junction
220m to the south towards Bethlehem, and to establish a service station in the
area, that would include loading and unloading yard and monitoring
facilities.
Israeli occupying forces have also continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians across the
“Separation Wall.” They have
continued to close iron gates at the wall, west of Masha village, denying
access of Palestinian farmers to their agricultural lands behind the wall.
On Monday morning, 26 January 2004, Israeli soldiers
positioned at an iron gate at the entrance to ‘Azzoun ‘Atma village denied
movement to female students of a secondary school allocated for Beit Amin and
‘Azzoun ‘Atma villages across the gate. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers forced the students to wait
for more than an hour, during which they checked school bags. Israeli soldiers
then allowed the students to cross the gate towards their school. It is worth noting that the school is located
between Beit Amin and ‘Azzoun ‘Atma villages, and serves students from the two
villages. The “Separation
Wall” has isolated the school and ‘Azzoun ‘Atma village from neighboring
Palestinian communities. Students from
Beit Amin village have to cross the iron gate established at the entrance to
‘Azzoun ‘Atma village everyday to go to school.
Since Monday morning, 26 January 2004, Israeli
occupying forces have adopted new procedures that would absolutely deny access
of Palestinian farmers to their agricultural lands behind the wall in Qalqilya
district. According to eyewitnesses,
Israeli occupying forces have started to falter in renewing permits offered to
Palestinian farmers that allow them to go to their agricultural lands behind
the wall. According to the new
procedures, farmers have to obtain magnetic cards and prove their ownership of
lands in order to be offered permits to reach their lands. However, most of the lands of Qalqilya do not
have registered ownerships, even before 1967 when Israel occupied the West
Bank. The new conditions imply that no
new permits would be offered to Palestinian farmers. It is worth noting that obtaining a magnetic
card is a condition that was first imposed on Palestinians wishing to work in
Israel, so the new procedures mean that Israeli occupying forces apparently
consider Palestinian lands isolated behind the wall as Israeli
territories. The construction of the
wall in Qalqiliya has isolated more than 32000 donums of the lands of the
district and 19 wells behind the wall.
Continued Siege on the OPT
Israeli occupying forces have continued
to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
Israeli occupying forces have continued
to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, and imposed more restrictions on
movement at border crossings and military checkpoints. They have also maintained the closure of a
number of main and branch roads in the Gaza Strip by Israeli soldiers stationed
at Israeli military checkpoints. Such restrictions on freedom of movement
are in contravention of international human rights laws to which Israel is a
state party, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights.
Israeli occupying forces positioned at
the Abu Houli and al-Matahen checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street, the main road
between the north and south of the Gaza Strip, continued to obstruct movement
of Palestinian civilians. The two checkpoints, which are open for a
maximum of a few hours each day, have become notorious for acts of humiliation
and harassment by Israeli soldiers.
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a
tightened siege on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip. They have also escalated violations of
Palestinian human rights in the area. In
a form of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians living in the
area, Israeli occupying forces continue to deny movement of women across the
two military checkpoints erected at the entrances to the area. They also completely closed the two
checkpoints on several occasions.
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose
severe restrictions on travel through Rafah Terminal on the Egyptian border,
which has been the only outlet the Gaza Strip has to the outside world since
the beginning of the current Intifada. Palestinian travelers are subject
to humiliation and prolonged travel procedures. Furthermore, many
Palestinian travelers are often forced to spend the night on the Egyptian side
of the terminal awaiting permission to cross into the Gaza Strip. Israeli intelligence officers often summon
and interrogate Palestinian travelers and even arrest some of them without
informing the Palestinian side. A number
of travelers are also denied travel permission for no apparent reason.
For the second consecutive week, Israeli occupying
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the access of
Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to
their work places in Israel. On
Thursday, 22 January 2004, 9 Palestinian workers suffered from suffocation due
to overcrowded conditions at the crossing. The overcrowded conditions were a result of prolonged inhuman checking
procedures by Israeli occupying forces stationed at the facility. Many workers were also unable to reach Israel
and were forced to go back to their homes because of the long procedures.
According to information available to PCHR, many
workers leave their homes at 01:00 in order to reach the crossing early. Israeli occupying forces hold workers in
lines leading to an electronic gate controlled by Israeli soldiers. The soldiers allow one worker at a time to
cross the gate. Then, workers are
subject to severe and humiliating checking before moving into 4 other lines
leading to 4 other electronic gates. Women are subject to special checking procedures. In addition to the electronic checking, women
are subject to physical checking by female Israeli soldiers. Israeli occupying forces have imposed these
severe checking procedures at the crossing since Sunday, 18 January 2004,
following a bombing carried out by a Palestinian woman against Israeli soldiers
at the crossing.
In a continuation of the polices of collective punishment
against Palestinian women, on Thursday, 22 January 2004, Israeli occupying
forces prohibited movement of women from and into al-Sayafa area, which is
trapped between “Elli Sinai” and “Dogit” settlements in the
northern Gaza Strip. They re-allowed
movement of women on Sunday, 25 January 2004, but under new security
procedures, which include subjecting women to physical checking by female
Israeli soldiers. Movement in and out of
al-Sayafa area is only allowed at specific times. Palestinian civilians gather near the gate
established at the entrance to the area. Then, one person at a time is made to walk toward a roadblock,
approximately 70m away, where an Israeli soldier is positioned. A tank is also positioned about 30m away from
the gate. Each person is forced to lift
their clothing and expose parts of their body. Then, the person is forced to cross an electronic gate to be physically
checked by Israeli soldiers. Israeli
occupying forces have started to establish a new, more comprehensive crossing
at the entrance to the area. Residents
hope this new crossing will make it easier to reach their homes inside the
fence, however it also establishes a more permanent Israeli military presence
on Palestinian land in the area and institutionalizes the discriminatory
searching and access procedures.
The West Bank
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a
strict siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have also imposed severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have blocked a number of roads using cement blocks, sand barriers
and trenches.
On Thursday morning, 22 January 2004, Israeli
occupying forces positioned at al-Karama Terminal on the border with Jordan
denied travel to Palestinians between 16 and 45 years old, for no apparent
reason.
Jerusalem
On Monday, 26 January 2004, Israeli occupying forces
and tax officials erected roadblocks at the main entrances to the city. They restricted movement of Palestinian
civilians and forced a number of them to pay “television set taxes”
retroactively for past years. These
civilians were forced to pay 5000-6000 NIS. At the same time, the Israeli police erected other roadblocks searching
for people who have Palestinian ID cards and travel in taxis that have Israeli
registrations. They stopped a number of
cars and took them to Qalandya airport. They also imposed excessive fines on the drivers.
Ramallah
Israeli soldiers positioned at Qalandya military
checkpoint, south of Ramallah, have continued to prohibit the movement of
Palestinian civilians, including patients, through the checkpoint. Israeli forces also confiscated the
identification cards from a number of teachers, claiming that they had been
forged. These cards are issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and
used to identify teachers. As a result of the confiscation of the cards, a
number of teachers were prevented from reaching their schools. According to
some of the teachers, Israeli officers informed them that they have to obtain
“checkpoint permits” in order to move from Ramallah to Jerusalem
suburbs. Hundreds of Palestinian civilians were forced to resort to other
longer branch roads, paying a total of NIS17 for transportation, instead of the
NIS2 it costs to travel on the main road.
Qalqilya
On Saturday morning, 24 January 2004, Israeli
occupying forces erected 4 military checkpoints on the main road leading to
Qalqilya. In an attempt to further
isolate Qalqilya and prevent the access of Israeli peace activists to the town,
on Sunday, 25 January 2004, Israeli occupying forces erected a sign at the
eastern entrance, saying that “any Israeli who enters Qalqilya will be
fined NIS3500.”
Nablus
Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have
continued to prevent Palestinians under 35 from crossing military checkpoints
around the city. Palestinian civilians are forced to enter rooms established at
various checkpoints to be electronically checked.
On Saturday morning, 24 January 2004, Israeli
soldiers positioned at al-Hamra military checkpoint in the central Jordan
Valley forced hundreds of Palestinian civilians to travel back to their towns
and villages, claiming that they do not have “checkpoint permits,”
which have to be obtained from the so-called Israeli Civil Administration. This
checkpoint is erected on the main road linking the north and south of the West
Bank. It also leads to Jericho for
Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to Jordan. Israeli soldiers also
erected a roadblock on the
Nablus-Ramallah road and forced Palestinian vehicles coming from Nablus,
Tulkarm, Qalqilya and Salfit to travel back.
Jericho
According to Palestinian taxi drivers who were able
to cross al-Hamra military checkpoint, a number of roadblocks had been erected
by the Israeli police near Fasayel area. The Israeli police often check
Palestinian ID cards to see if they have to pay delayed fines. The checking
often takes more than one hour and Israeli police also impose excessive fines
on Palestinian drivers.
According to Palestinian bus drivers, Israeli
occupying forces revoked a decision allowing buses with special permits to
transport passengers between the northern West Bank and Ramallah. Prior to
this, each passenger did not have to have an individual permit. As a result,
Israeli soldiers forced dozens of Palestinian students and employees to go back
to their homes, claiming that they were not in possession of the correct
permits.
*****
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.
3. Upon the international community to
investigate and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches perpetrated in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence,
expand its activities, and intensify its field operations throughout the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to activate
Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel
must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international community to
provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people, whose
living conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of the continued
siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
“END”
Public Document
**************************************
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on
+972 8 2824776 – 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip.
E-mail:[email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
