Ramallah
– Israeli Forces While Arresting a Civilian at Qalandia Checkpoint

Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the
occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) 

(02 – 08 July 2015)

 

 

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child in al-Ram
village, north of occupied Jerusalem.

4 journalists sustained burns in their faces due to
pepper spray, north of the city.

 

Israeli forces continued to use excessive force
against peaceful protests in the West Bank.

A Palestinian child sustained wounds at the
entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp.

 

Israeli forces conducted 45 incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank.

A child and a young man were wounded during an Israeli
incursion in al-Jalazoun and al-Dheisha refugee camps, and one of them was
arrested.

40 civilians, including 8 children, were arrested.

11 of these civlians, including 5 children, were
arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

 

Israel continued to impose a total closure on the oPt
and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.

Many
checkpoints were established in the West Bank.

7 Palestinian
civilians were arrested at checkpoints.

 

Israeli navy forces continued to open fire at
Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip Sea.

Israeli
navy forces arrested 6 fishermen, including a wounded one, and confiscated 3
fishing boats.

 

Israeli forces continued efforts to create Jewish
majority in occupied East Jerusalem.

A tent
resided by Abu Jabal family in al-Mukaber Mount after their house was closed on
the ground of collective punishment was demolished.

A girl
sustained wounds as an Israeli police car ran her down in the centre of the
city.

A
2-month pregnant woman miscarried due to settlers’ attack on her.

 

Israeli forces continued to support settlement
activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack
Palestinian civilians and property.

A tract of land, east of Hebron, was leveled and
sheds, north of the city, were demolished and confiscated.

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt
continued during the reporting period (02 – 08 July 2015).

 

Shooting:

Israeli forces continued to use excessive force
against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, and opened fire at Palestinian
fishing boats in the Gaza Strip sea. During the reporting period, Israeli
forces killed a Palestinian child, north of occupied Jerusalem, in excessive
use of force. They also wounded 8 civilians, 7 of whom including 2 children and
4 journalists were wounded in the West Bank, while the 8^th was a
fisherman from the Gaza Strip.

 

In the
West Bank, in excessive use of force, on Friday, 03 July 2015, Israeli forces
killed a Palestinian civilian in Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied
Jerusalem. Israeli forces claimed that the child threw stones at an Israeli
officer in a patrol that was passing by the annexation wall in al-Ram village,
north of the city.

 

On 02
July 2015, 4 journalists sustained burns in the face when Israeli forces
attacked a group of Palestinian civilians at the intersection of al-Jaba’
village, north of East Jerusalem, who gathered to mark the first anniversary of
the killing of Mohammed Abu Khdair. Israeli forces sprayed pepper spray over
their faces.

 

On 02
July 2015, a 19-year-old civilian sustained 2 bullet wounds to the left leg
when a number of Palestinian youngsters protested against the Israeli forces
who moved into al-Dheisha refugee camp, south of Bethlehem, to arrest a
civilian. Israeli forces arrested the wounded civilian and took him to Hadasa
Hospital in West Jerusalem.

 

On 07
July 2015, a 17-year-old child sustained a bullet wound to the left thigh when
a number of Palestinian youngsters protested against the Israeli forces who
moved into al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah, to arrest a civilian as
well.

 

Israeli forces continued to use excessive force
against peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians and Israeli and
international human rights activists in protest at the construction of the
annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli policies
in the oPt. As a result, a 16-year-old child sustained a bullet wound to the
right leg during a protest at the south-eastern entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee
camp, north of Ramallah.  

 

As part of targeting fishermen,
on 07 July 2015, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha resort, northwest of
Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at 2 fishing boats,
arrested 4 fishermen on board of the boats and confiscated the 2 boats. When a
third fishing boat headed towards fishing nets left by the 2 other fishing
boats, 2 fishermen on board of that boat were surprised to see Israeli gunboats
surrounding and arresting them. When they were released on the following day,
it was found out that one of whom sustained a rubber-coated metal bullet wound
to the leg.

  

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 45 military incursions into Palestinian communities
in the West Bank and 3 ones in East Jerusalem. During these incursions, Israeli forces
arrested at least 40 Palestinians, including 8 children.  Eleven of these civilians, including the 5
children, were arrested in East Jerusalem.

 

Restrictions on movement:

 

Israel continued to impose a tight closure of the oPt, imposing severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

The
illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has been steadily tightened since June
2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in
the Gaza Strip.  The Israeli authorities
impose measures to undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs
for the Gaza Strip population and the agricultural and industrial products to
be exported. For 8 consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval
closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied
Jerusalem, and other countries around the world. This resulted in grave
violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of
living conditions for 1.8 million people. 
The Israeli authorities have established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum)
as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order to exercise its control
over the Gaza Strip’s economy.  They also
aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports. The Israeli closure
raised the rate of poverty to 38.8%, 21.1% of which suffer from extreme poverty.
Moreover, the rate of unemployment increased up to 44%, which reflects the
unprecedented economic deterioration in the Gaza Strip.

 

Efforts to create a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem

In the context of collective punishment policies, on 07 July 2015,
Israeli forces raided a residential tent resided by the family of Odai Abu
Jamal in front of their house in al-Mukaber Mount village, southeast of
Jerusalem, that was closed by fortified concrete and metal plates. The tent was
the only shelter the family had after their house was closed on 01 July 2015.

 

On 06 July 2015, Israeli forces raided a house belonging to the family
of Ghassan Abu Jamal in al-Mukaber Mount village. They photographed its doors
and roads leading to it and other nearby houses. They also wrote down names of
families residing in those houses.

 

Moreover, Israeli forces raided a house belonging to the family of
Mohammed Nayef Ja’abees in al-Mukaber Mount village. They photographed the
house from inside and outside and other nearby houses. It should be noted that
Ja’abees was killed on 04 August 2014 when the bulldozer he was driving hit a
bus near Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.

 

In the same context, Israeli forces raided the vicinity of a house
belonging to Mo’taz Hijazi in al-Thawri neighbourhood in Silwan village, south
of the old city. They photographed it from the outside and the roads leading to
the house although the family was not home then. It should be noted that
Israeli High Court decided lately to close the room of Mo’taz, which is part of
the house. Hijazi was killed on 30 October 2014, when Israeli forces opened
fire at him on the roof of his family house on the ground that he attempted to
assassinate Yehuda Glick on 29 October 2014.

 

In a different context, an 8-year-old girl sustained fractures and
bruises when an Israeli police jeep ran her down in al-Sultan Suleiman Street
in East Jerusalem. The girl’s father said that his daughter sustained fractures
in the right leg, nose and jaw, in addition to bruises and pains. She was taken
to Hadasa Hospital in West Jerusalem to receive medical treatment.

 

In the context of settlers’ attacks on Palestinian civilians and their
property, on 06 July 2015, a group of settlers threw stones at vehicles
belonging to Palestinian civilians on road no. (1), north of the old city. They
then attacked their owners with sticks and stones. As a result, a 2-month
pregnant woman miscarried.

 

On the same day, a group of settlers attacked 3 Palestinian civilians
walking on al-Mesrara street in East Jerusalem. As a result, one of whom was
wounded and then taken to Hadasa Hospital, while the 2 others were arrested by
the Israeli police.

Settlement activities

 

Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, a direct
violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

 

On 02 July 2015,
Israeli forces accompanied by an Israeli Civil Administration vehicle and a
bulldozer moved into al-Baq’a area, east of Hebron. The bulldozer levelled
2-dunum tract of land and demolished 170-meter-long stone chains that were
rebuilt few months ago.

 

On
07 July 2015, Israeli forces accompanied by a Civil Administration vehicle and
a bulldozer demolished and confiscated sheds established by Beit Ommar
residents, north of Hebron, along bypass road (60) to sell their agricultural
products.

 

 

 

Details

1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks
on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

 

Thursday, 02 July 2015

 

In the
early morning, Israeli force moved into al-Dheishah refugee camp, south of
Bethlehem, from several directions.  They
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Jihad Shehadah
al-Ja’afary and arrested his elder brother Waleed (24).  While withdrawing from the camp, a number of
Palestinian youngsters gathered and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, who
in response fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
stone-throwers.  As a result, Raghd Ra’ed
Shamroukh (19) was wounded by two bullets to the left foot. Israeli forces
arrested the wounded person and took him to Hadasa ‘Ein Karem Hospital in West
Jerusalem.  

 

At
approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Far’one village, south of
Tulkarm.  They raided and searched a
house belonging to the family of Ahmed ‘Abdel Fattah Ahmed ‘Omer (21) and
arrested him.

 

At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Ummar village, north of Hebron.  They
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mahmoud Mohammed Darwish
‘Adi.  They handed the aforementioned
civilian two summonses for his two sons, Sultan (20) and Mohammed (18), to
refer to the Israeli intelligence in “Gosh ‘Etzion”, south of
Bethlehem.

Note:
During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in the
following areas, but no arrests were reported: Halhoul and al-Samou’a village
in Hebron; and Kherbtha al-Mesbah, southwest of Ramallah.

 

Friday, 03 July 2015

 

At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into
‘Awerta village, southeast of Nablus. 
They raided and searched a number of houses.  Israeli forces arrested Hazza’a As’ad ‘Abdel
Karim Lolah (23) and ‘Abdel Salam Yousif ‘Awwad (35) and withdrew later taking
him to an unknown destination.

Note:
During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in the
following areas, but no arrests were reported: the villages of Termes’ayah, ‘Abwein,
al-Laban al-Gharbi and Kafr Malekin Ramallah; ‘Ein al-Sultan refugee camp, west
of Jericho and al-Zbeidat village, north of the city.

Saturday, 04 July 2015

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces
carried out incursions in the following areas, but no arrests were reported: the
villages of Deir Jarir and Beitin , north of Ramallah; al-‘Oja village, north
of Jericho; Karmah village, southeast of Dura, southwest of Hebron; Bani Na’im
and Sa’ir villages, east of Hebron.

 

 

Sunday, 05 July 2015

At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit
‘Awa village, southwest of Dura, southwest of Hebron.  They stationed in al-Khaneq area and then
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Rateb Mohammed
al-Masalmah (49).  They arrested his son,
Mohammed (17) and withdrew later taking him to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces moved into
Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem.  They
raided and searched a number of houses, from which they arrested Ibrahim Hasan
Shakarnah (19) and Hasan Ahmed Shakarnah (18).

 

At approximately 05:00, Israeli forces moved into a
number of neighbourhoods in Hebron.  They
stationed in Abu ‘Atwan Castle area in the western area of the city and then
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed ‘Orabi
al-Juneidi (22).  They arrested the aforementioned
civilian and withdrew later taking him to an unknown destination.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces
carried out incursions in the following areas, but no arrests were reported: Beit
Kahel village, west of Hebron; Sorif village, northwest of the city; ‘Ein
al-Sultan refugee camp and Fasayel village, north of the city.

 

 

Monday, 06 July 2015

 

At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved
into Ethna village, west of Hebron.  They
stationed in ‘Aziz Valley area and then raided and searched a number of houses
belonging to Tumeizah family.  They
arrested Khaled Khalil Tumeizah (30) and withdrew later taking him to an
unknown destination.

 

At approximately 05:00, an Israeli military undercover
unit dressed as Palestinian civilians sneaked into Beit Ummar village, north of
Hebron.  They used a Mercedes914 white
commercial car with a Palestinian registration plate. They raided and searched
a house belonging to Fathi Fakhri Ekhlil (48), and arrested his son, Yousef
(21).

 

Naser Akhlil (26), the brother
of the arrested person, said to a PCHR fieldworker:

“I woke up at
approximately 05:00 to perform the dawn prayers.  I saw Yousef (21) praying and I then entered
the bathroom.  Meanwhile, I heard heavy
vehicle brakes in front of our house and someone was taking the inside stairs
of the house.  I then knew it was Yousef,
who wanted to go to his room on the first floor.  I got out from the bathroom to hear some
noise at the house door.  I then
approached the inside door of the apartment to head to the first floor, but my
mother stopped me telling me that the Israeli soldiers are surrounding the
house.  Minutes later, a number of
Israeli soldiers came to us and deployed in the house.  They started searching with a metal detector,
and other Israeli soldiers followed them. 
Meanwhile, a masked person dressed in civilian clothes went upstairs and
was grabbing Yousef, who was bleeding from his mouth and nose, from his neck to
the back.  An Israeli soldier stopped and
asked about my name.  I requested from
him after an argument to allow Yousef to change his clothes and wash his
face.  The officer agreed and after 10
minutes, the Israeli soldiers left the house taking my brother with them.  I knew later from the complaints office that
he is in Ashkelon prison.” 

 

At approximately 16:00, Israeli forces moved
into al-‘Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. 
They stationed at the camp entrance and then raided and searched a
number of houses.  They arrested Khalil
Khaled al-Balasi (22) and ‘Abdel Majeed Kamal al-Teeti (25). 

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces
carried out incursions in the following areas, but no arrests were reported: villages
of Qebia; Beit ‘Oar al-Tahta and ‘Atarah in Ramallah and al-Bireh; villages of
al-Zbeidat and al-‘Oja, north of Hebron and al-Fawar refugee camp, south of
Hebron.

 

Tuesday, 07 July 2015

At
approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Irtah Suburb, south of
Tulkarm.  They raided and searched a
house belonging to Mohammed Fo’ad Mohammed Rashed (24) and arrested him.

 

At
approximately 04:00, Israeli forces deployed in Tal al-Ramidah neighbourhood in
the centre of Hebron arrested ‘Abdel Khaleq al-Dweik (19) after raiding and
searching his family house. 

 

At
approximately 05:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north
of Ramallah.  They raided and searched a
house belonging to the family of Mohammed Hussam Mahmoud Safi (19).  They arrested the aforementioned civilian and
withdrew later taking him to an unknown destination.  It should be mentioned that the arrested
civilian has been suffering from an injury in his knee since 2014.  While withdrawing from the camp, a number of
Palestinian children and young men gathered to throw stones at the Israeli
soldiers, who in response fired tear gas canisters at the stone-throwers.  As a result, Baraa’ Murad Wajih al-Romhi (17)
was wounded to the left thigh and taken to Palestine Governmental Medical
Complex in Ramallah to receive medical treatment.

 

Around
the same time, Israeli forces raided and searched a house belonging to the
family of Redwan Helmy Abu Ghayazah in Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem.  They arrested his son, Baraa’ (19) and took
him to an unknown destination.

 

At
approximately 05:45, Israeli forces moved into Selwad village, northeast of
Ramallah.  They raided and searched a
house belonging to Munir Saleh Hamed in al-Fadel residential building taking
tracker dogs with them.  They then
arrested the two sons of the aforementioned civilian, ‘Abdullah (24) and ‘Ali
(21), and withdrew later taking them to where the military vehicles were
stationed.  Meanwhile, other Israeli
forces raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Amjad Mustafa
Gom’ah Hamed (39) taking tracker dogs with them.  Israeli forces arrested the aforementioned
civilian and confiscated his 2014 KIA40 car and DVR of his surveillance cameras
from the surrounding houses.

 

At
approximately 06:00, Israeli naval forces stationed off al-Soudaniya shore in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at 2 Palestinian fishing boats carrying 4
Palestinian fishermen on board and sailing within three nautical miles off
al-Soudaniya shore. The first boat belongs to Jihad Ahmed Mohammed al-Sultan
(52) from al-Salatin neighbourhood in Beit Lahia and Ramadan Saleh Rushdi Abu
Wardah (37) from Jabalia and was manned by Kamal Rushdi Saleh Abu Warda(45) and
Refaat Khaled Rushdi Abu Wardah (21). 
The second boat belongs to Zayed Mahmoud Yousif Zayed (60) from
al-Salatin neighbourhood as well and was manned by his two sons, Refaat (26)
and Medhat (23). Both fishing boats were sailing within 3 nautical miles and
were surrounded by the gunboats. Israeli naval officers, who were on board of 3
small gunboats, forced the four fishermen to stop working, jump into the sea
and swim towards the gunboats. Eventually, the fishermen were arrested, and
their fishing boats were confiscated and taken to an unknown destination.

At approximately 07:30, a Palestinian fishing boat
belonging to Jihad Ahmed Mohammed al-Sultan (52) and carrying two fishermen
identified as Ramadan Saleh Rushdi Abu Warda (37), and his son, Mahmoud
Mohammed Rushdi Abu Warda (26), tried to go together to fishing nets that
belong to the above-mentioned fishermen, referred to in the first incident.
Israeli gunboats forced the fishermen to jump into the sea and swim toward one
of the gunboats, arrested them and confiscated their fishing boat.

According to field investigations and fishermen who
were in the area, 3 Israeli gunboats surrounded the two gunboats after
terrifying those who were on its board due to the heavy shooting in their
vicinity.  The Israeli soldiers asked the
four fishermen to jump into the water and swim toward the gunboat.  They then fastened the two boats to the
gunboat and confiscated them in addition to arresting the fishermen.  When the third boat tried to pull the fishing
net out, the gunboat surround it ordering the two fishermen who were on board
to swim and then arrested them taking them to an unknown destination.

 

Note:
During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in the
following areas, but no arrests were reported: al-Koam village, west of Dura,
southwest of Hebron; and Ethna village, west of Hebron.

 

Wednesday, 08 July 2015

 

At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into a
number of neighbourhoods in the centre of Hebron.  They stationed in Abu Katilah area and then
raided and searched two houses.  Israeli
forces arrested Hatem Nabil al-Jneidi (22) and Yousif Rashed al-Jneidi (26) and
withdrew later taking them to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved Nahalin
village, west of Bethlehem.  They raided
and searched a number of houses, from which they arrested ‘Abdel Rahman Yousif
Shakarnah (19) and Nassar Mohammed Najajrah (17).

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Til
village, southwest of Nablus.  They
raided and searched a number of houses. 
They arrested Osayd Khaled Rihan (21) and withdrew later taking him to
an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into
Qaryout village, southeast of Nablus. 
They raided and searched a number of houses, from which they arrested Ahmed
Mahmoud Kharoush (25).  Israeli forces
withdrew later taking him to an unknown destination.

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Beit
‘Awa village, southwest of Dura, southwest of Hebron.  They raided and searched a house belonging to
Mohammed Mahmoud Masalmah (23) and arrested him.  Israeli forces withdrew later taking him to
an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into
al-‘Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. 
They stationed near the UNRWA distribution centre and then raided and
searched a number of houses.  They
arrested Mahmoud Yousef al-‘Adarbah (15) and Mohammed Hasan al-Sharif (18) and
took them to where the military vehicles were stationed.  They also handed Yousef Taysir al-Teeti (18)
and Mohammed Ibrahim Jawabrah (20) two summonses to refer to the Israeli intelligence
in “Gosh ‘Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem.

 

2. Use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting
settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall

 

During the reporting period, Israeli soldiers
used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian
civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the
construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank.
As a result, a child (16) sustained bullet wounds to the right leg while
participating in a protest in the south-eastern entrance of Jalazone refugee
camp, north of Ramallah.

 

(PCHR keeps the names
of the wounded in fear of being arrested by the Israeli forces within its
policy to oppress the peaceful protests and prevent Palestinian civilians from
participating).

 

Demonstrations
against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activity

 

Following the Friday prayer, on 03 July 2015, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in, west of Ramallah, in protest
against the Annexation Wall and Settlement Activity. The protestors marched by
the annexation wall and tried to cross the fence. Israeli soldiers stationed
behind the wall, in the western area, and a large number of soldiers deployed
along it, fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets,
sound bombs and wastewater at them and chased them into the olive fields. As a
result, a number of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others
sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them up.

 

On the same day, dozens of
Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of
Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the Annexation Wall and
Settlement Activity. The demonstrators took the streets and headed to the
annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the gates of the wall with barbwires and
prevented the demonstrators from crossing to the land behind it before they
responded by throwing stones. Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition,
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the civilians,
and chased them into the village. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas
inhalation and others sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them up.

 

Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
Israeli and international human rights defenders organised a peaceful
demonstration in al-Nabi Saleh village, southwest of Ramallah, in protest
against the Annexation Wall and Settlement Activity. The demonstrators headed
to the lands that the settlers are trying to rob by force near “Halmish”
settlement. Israeli forces had closed all the entrances of the village since
the morning to prevent them from participating in the demonstration. When they
arrived at the aforementioned land, the demonstrators were met by live bullets,
tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and skunk water
and were chased into the village. As a result, many demonstrators suffered tear
gas inhalation and other sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them
up.   

 

Following the Friday
prayer, Palestinian civilians and international
solidarity activists organized a protest in the center of Kufor Qaddoum
village, northeast of Qalqilya, heading to the eastern entrance of the village
in protest against closing that entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa
Intifada with an iron gate. The demonstrators threw stones at Israeli soldiers,
who fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response. A similar protest was
organized following al-Asr prayer on Saturday, 04 July 2015. As a result, many
demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and other sustained bruises as
Israeli soldiers beat them up.   

 

Note: the protest of Kufor Qaddoum
was scheduled twice a week (following the Fridays’ prayer and following al-Asr
prayer on Saturdays).

 

Other Demonstrations

 

On Thursday afternoon, 02 July 2015 , dozens of Palestinian
young men gathered in the southern entrance of Jalazoun refugee camp, north of
Ramallah, to organize a peaceful demonstration in protest at Israeli attacks against
Palestinian civilians. The demonstrators threw stones at Israeli soldiers, who
fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response. As a result, a child (16),
sustained a bullet wound to the right leg. He was then taken to the Palestine
Medical Compound for medical treatment.

 

3. Continued closure of the oPt

 

Israel
continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,
including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israeli
forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and close all
commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial
crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes
in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets.

Israeli
forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the
closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of
imports and exports.

  

Israeli
forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to
the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited
quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of
the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

 

 

Israeli
forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports,
including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted
products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices. However, they
lately allowed the exportation of some vegetables such as cucumber and tomatoes,
furniture and fish.

 

Israel
has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing for the majority of
Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a
limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases.
Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of
Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical
treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel
also continued applying the policy of making certain civilian traveling via the
crossing interviewed by the Israeli intelligence service to be questioned,
blackmailed or arrested.  

 

Movement at Karm Abu Salem
(Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, according to the Ministry of
Economy and General Petroleum Corporation 

 

 

Exports:

 

On
Tuesday, 30 June 2015, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 38.8 tons of
tomatoes.

On
Wednesday, 01 July 2015, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of a truckload
of stationary.

On
Thursday, 02 July 2015, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 36 tons of
tomatoes; 6 tons of eggplants, a ton of hot pepper and a truckload of clothes.

On
Sunday, 05 July 2015, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 58 tons of
tomatoes, 17.7 tons of eggplants and 2.5 tons of sweet potatoes.

 

 

Beit
Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing, in the north of the Gaza Strip, is
designated for the movement of individuals, and links the Gaza Strip with the
West Bank.

 

Movement at Beit Hanoun
(“Erez”) crossing

30 June – 07 July 2015

 

 

Notes:

 

On
Wednesday, 01 July 2015, Israeli authorities allowed a Palestinian Christian to
go to Bethlehem.

 

On
Tuesday, 30 June 2015, Israeli authorities allowed one person who works in the
Civil Affairs Department to attend a meeting in Beit Hanoun “Erez”
crossing.

 

On
Friday, 03 July 2015, Israeli authorities allowed 457 Palestinian civilian from
the Gaza Strip to perform prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque.

 

West Bank

 

Israel
has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the reporting period,
Israeli forces imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians:

 

· Hebron:
Israeli forces established 9 checkpoints all over the city. On Thursday,02 July
2015, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the entrance of Halhoul
village, south of Hebron.

 

On Saturday, 04 July 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Beit Awaa village, southwest of Dura, southwest of Hebron.

 

On Sunday, 05 July 2015, Israeli forces established three
checkpoints at the entrance of al-Sa’ir village, at the entrance of al-Samou’a
village, and at the entrance of al-Karmel village, east of Yata city, south of
Hebron.

 

At approximately 08:00, on Monday, 06 July 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Dura city, southwest of Hebron.

 

At approximately 09:00, on Tuesday, 07 July 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the northern entrance of Halhoul village, south of
Hebron.

 

At approximately 08:00, on Wednesday, 08 July 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of
Hebron.

 

· Ramallah:
Israeli forces established 26 checkpoints all over the city. On Thursday, 02
July 2015, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the entrances of ‘Aboud
village, and Termes’ayaa village.

     

On Friday, 03 July 2015, Israeli forces established 6 checkpoints
at the entrance of al-Nabi Saleh village; under the bridge of Yabrud village,
the entrance of Ni’lin, Deir Jarir, Ain Senia, and Betten village.

 

On Saturday, 04 July 2015, Israeli forces established 8
checkpoints at the entrance of Deir Abu Mesh’al village between Deir Ezee’a and
Ras Karkar villages, on Al Mu’arrajat road between Jericho and Ramallah, in ‘Oyoun
Hramiaa village, between Nablus and Ramallah, at the entrance of al-Nabi Saleh,
‘Ein Yabrod and Betello village. 

 

On Monday, 05 July 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint
in the vicinity of Kherbtha al-Mesbah Bridge, southwest Ramallah.

 

· Qalqilya:  Israeli forces established 3
checkpoints all over the city.  On Sunday, 05 July 2015, Israeli forces
established 3 checkpoints at the entrance of Amatin village, east of Qalqilya, ‘Ezbet
al-Tabeeb village, southwest of Qalqilya, and on the road between ‘Azoun and
Jayous villages, east of the city.

 

· Jericho:  Israeli forces established 4
checkpoints all over the city.  On Thursday, 02 July 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho village.

 

On Saturday, 04
July 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-‘Oja
village, north of the city.

 

· Nablus: Israeli
forces established 4 checkpoints all over the city.  At
approximately 08:00, on Saturday, 04 July 2015, Israeli forces closed Hawara
checkpoint at the southern entrance of Nablus in front of the movement of
Palestinian civilians and their vehicles. The closure of checkpoint continued till
at 20:00, and Israeli forces didn’t allow anyone to cross the checkpoint during
the mentioned hours claiming it was for security reasons.

 

At approximately 16:00 on Monday evening, 06 July 2015, Israeli
forces closed the entrance of Bitaa village, southeast of Nablus using 8
concrete cubes and set up a watchtower on the main road of the village. Residents
of the village described this step as a preparation for closing the entrance of
the village, or establishing an iron gate. Israeli forces claimed that the
entrance of the village which was on the road between Nablus and Ramallah
witnesses shooting at settlers’ cars and throwing Molotov cocktails and stones at
their cars.

 

· Tulkarm:  Israeli forces established 4
checkpoints all over the city.  At approximately 10:00, on Sunday morning, 05 July 2015, Israeli
forces established a checkpoint on the main road between Tulkarm and Nablus in
the vicinity of Bazarya intersectiom, east of Tulkarm. At approximately 11:30,
Israeli forces stationed at ‘Annab checkpoint on the main road between Tulkarem
and Nablus, east of Tulkarem, tightened their restrictions against Palestinian
civilians.  Around the same time, another
checkpoint was established on the main road between Tulkarm and Nablus near the
intersection of Beit Leed, east of Tulkarm.

 

At approximately 09:30, on Monday, 06 July 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint on the main road between Tulkarem and Nablus in the
vicinity of Beit Leed village, east of Tulkarm.

 

On Tuesday, 07 July 2015, Israeli forces stationed at ‘Anab
checkpoint, tightened their restrictions against Palestinian civilians.

 

Note: all the aforementioned checkpoints were later removed, and no
arrests were reported.

 

Arrests and Maltreatment at Military Checkpoints

 

· At approximately 16:00 on Thursday,
02 July 2015, Israeli forces stationed at the electronic gates to the Ibrahimi
Mosque in the center of the old city in Hebron arrested Mahmoud Riyadh Akram
al-Zarou (19) under the pretext of having a knife.  He was then taken to an unknown destination.

 

· On Sunday evening, 05 July 2015,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the main road between Jenin and
Nablus near Sebstyah village, northwest of Nablus.  They arrested Ihab Radi ‘Abed Souqi (20) from
Jenin while passing through the checkpoint. 
The checkpoint was removed later, and he was taken to an unknown
destination.

 

· On Monday, 06 July 2015,
Israeli forces stationed at al-Karamah crossing between the West Bank and
Jordan arrested Tamer Soliman Abu ‘Ayyash (22) from Beit Ummar village, north
of Hebron.  They arrested the aforementioned
civilian when he was on his way back from Jordan and took him to an unknown
destination.

 

· At approximately 14:00 on
Tuesday, 07 July 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. 
When Ramdan Ahmed Saleh Abu Haniyah (41) and Tariq Maher Ahmed Abu
Haniyah (18), both from ‘Azoun village, east of the city, were passing through
the checkpoint, the Israeli soldiers arrested both of them and took them to an
unknown destination.

 

· At approximately 19:00 on the
aforementioned Tuesday, Israeli forces deployed in the neighborhoods of the Old
City and the southern area classified as H2 area in Hebron according to the
Oslo Accords arrested Mohammed Soliman Abu Hadid (29) when he was on his way
back from his house in al-Sahlah area, south of the city.  They were taken to an unknown destination.

 

· At approximately 15:00 on
Wednesday, 08 July 2015, Israeli forces deployed at the entrance of Beit Ummar
village, north of Hebron, arrested Rashid Mohammed Walid Akhlil (20) after
detaining him in the watchtower established at the village entrance.  The aforementioned civilian was later
handcuffed and taken to an unknown destination.

 

 

5. Efforts to create
Jewish majority

 

Shooting incidents

 

· On Thursday,
02 July 2015, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered at the intersection of
al-Jaba’ village, north of East Jerusalem, to mark the first anniversary of the
killing of Mohammed Abu Khdair, who was burnt by settlers in early July 2014. A
number of Israeli military vehicles arrived at the place and surrounded the
protest. Israeli officers stepped out of the vehicles and started firing tear
gas canisters and sounds bombs. They then beat the protestors with hands and
clubs and attacked journalists in particular with pepper spray. As a result,
Nepal Farsakh and Mohammed Shousha, journalists working for Ro’ya Jordanian
channel, journalist Mohammed Radi from Palestine TV and journalist Mohammed
Turkman sustained burns in their faces, due to which they were taken to
Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah, to receive the necessary medical
treatment.

 

· On
Friday, 03 July 2015, an Israeli officer opened fire at a Palestinian child
from Qalandia refugee camp, after his military vehicle was stoned. As a result,
the child sustained 4 bullet wounds, due to which he was taken to Palestine
Medical Compound in Ramallah to receive medical treatment, but he was
pronounced dead later due to wounds his sustained.

 

According to
investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 07:30 on Friday, Mohammad
Sami al-Kesba (17) was participating with a group of scouts in organizing
traffic at al-Ram intersection near the southern iron gate of Qalandia
checkpoint. In the meantime, an Israeli military vehicle passed quickly in a
way that made the boys throw stones at it. An Israeli officer accompanied by 4
soldiers stepped out of the vehicle and opened fire at al-Kesba, who was
running away. As a result, he sustained 4 bullet wounds to the chin, left cheek,
left side and right leg. The officer and soldiers pointed their guns at a
number of Palestinians who gathered around and banned them from approaching.
After the Israeli vehicle left, al-Kesba was transported by a Palestinian
private car to Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah. His health condition was
serious. He was pronounced dead after a while. It should be noted that his 2
brothers were killed too by Israeli forces in 2002.   

 

House raids in
al-Mukaber Mount and Silwan village on the ground of collective punishment

 

· At
approximately 16:00 on Monday, 06 July 2015, Israeli forces raided a house
belonging to the family of Ghassan Abu Jamal from Jabal al-Mukaber village,
southeast of East Jerusalem. They photographed the house from inside and
outside and the roads leading to it and its occupants. Abu Jamal family said
that Israeli forces raided the family house and photographed the house and its
occupants. They also photographed the neighbouring houses and wrote down names
of families to whom the houses belong without telling the reason. The family
added that a quarrel erupted between Israeli soldiers and the family members.
It should be noted that Ghassan and Odai Abu Jamal carried out an attack on an
Israeli synagogue near Deir Yassin area, west of Jerusalem, in November 2014.
On 01 July 2015, Israeli forces closed the house of Odai with fortified
concrete and metal plates.

 

· Moreover,
Israeli forces raided a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Nayef
Ja’abees in Jabal al-Mukaber village. His family said that Israeli forces
raided the house and photographed the house from inside and outside and other
nearby houses. It should be noted that Ja’abees was killed by 47 bullets on 04
August 2014 when the bulldozer he was driving hit a bus near Sheikh Jarrah
neighbourhood, north of the old city in East Jerusalem. Although Ja’abees was
doing his work there, but Israeli forces insist that he intended to
deliberately carry out an attack with his truck.

 

· In the
same context, on the same day, Israeli forces raided the vicinity of a house
belonging to Mo’taz Hijazi in al-Thawri neighbourhood in Silwan village, south
of the old city. They photographed it from outside and the roads leading to the
house although the family was not home then. It should be noted that Israeli
High Court decided lately to close the room of Mo’taz, which is part of the
house. Hijazi was killed on 30 October 2014, when Israeli forces opened fire at
him on the roof of his family house on the ground that he attempted to
assassinate Yehuda Glick on 29 October 2014.

 

· At
approximately 16:00 on Tuesday, 07 July 2015, Israeli forces raided a
residential tent belonging to the family of Odai Abu Jamal that was established
in front of the house in al-Mukaber Mount, southeast of East Jerusalem. The
family said that Israeli forces violently raided the tent and damaged and
confiscated it. They also damaged the content of the tent. It should be noted
that Israeli forces closed their house with concrete on 01 July 2015, therefore
the family stayed in a tent offered by the ICRC. The tent was the only shelter
for the family that included 6 members.

 

Incursions

 

· At
approximately 03:00 on Monday, 06 July 2015, Israeli forces raided and searched
a house belonging to the family of Belal Afana (52) in Sour Baher village,
south of East Jerusalem. They arrested him and his son Abdullah (24).

 

· At
approximately 05:00, on the same day, Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinian
children, who were going back homes in Ras al-Amoud neighbourhood, east of the
old city in East Jerusalem, from al-Aqsa Mosque: Hosam Maher Hassan (15), Ahmed
Nasser al-Ghoul (17), Mohammed Emad Awad (17), Nour al-Din Zughul (17) and
Mo’men Abdullah Adila (17).

 

· At
approximately 03:00 on Tuesday, 07 July 2015, Israeli forces raided and
searched a house belonging to the family of Abdullah al-Tamimi in al-Qaa’
neighbourhood in al-tour Mount, east of East Jerusalem. They arrested his son
Ahmed (19) and took him to an unknown destination.

 

· At
approximately 04:00 on the same day, Israeli forces raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Ahmed Abu Znaid in Shu’fat neighbourhood, north of
the old city in East Jerusalem. They arrested his son Nour (21) and took him to
an unknown destination.

 

A Palestinian little
girl wounded as an Israeli police car run over her

 

· On
Sunday, 05 July 2015, Aseel Nazih Da’eef (8) sustained fractures and bruises
when an Israeli police jeep run over her on al-Sultan Suleiman Street in East
Jerusalem. The girl’s father, Nazih Da’eef, said that his daughter sustained
fractures in the right leg, nose and jaw, in addition to bruises and pains
after an Israeli police car ran her down. He added that his daughter was
crossing the street at approximately 19:54 on the same day, but she was
surprised to see a speedy police jeep coming towards her. The jeep hit her, due
to which she was thrown on the ground. She was taken to Hadasa Hospital in West
Jerusalem to receive medical treatment.

 

Settlers’ attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property

 

· At
approximately 19:00 on Monday, 06 July 2015, a group of settlers threw stones
at vehicles belonging to Palestinian civilians on road no. (1), north of the
old city. They then attacked their owners with sticks and stones. As a result,
a 2-month pregnant woman suffered abortion.

 

· At approximately
20:00 on the same day, a group of settlers attacked 3 Palestinian civilians
walking on al-Mesrara street in East Jerusalem. As a result, one of these
civilians was wounded and then taken to Hadasa Hospital, while the 2 others
were

arrested by the Israeli police.

 

Feras Mojahed (45),
one of those who were attacked, said to a PCHR fieldworker that at
approximately 20:00 on the abovementioned day, 6 settlers aging between 15 and
19 attacked him, his brother Mohammed (37) and Hassan al-Joulani (28) while
walking on al-Mesrara street going to their houses. He added that the settlers insulted
them, but they did not care and kept walking, but they were surprised to see
the settlers chasing and attacking them with stones. One of the settlers hit
him on his head with a club. Mojahed added that Israeli forces arrived at the
place and arrested the settlers while his brother Mohammed and Hassan
al-Joulani were referred to interrogation in al-Masqoubiya police station. He
was taken to Hadasa Hospital to receive medical treatment. Feras explained that
he sustained bruises around his eye and in the leg and pains throughout his
body.    

 

 

6. Settlement
activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property

 

Israel has continued
its settlement activities in the oPt, a direct violation of international
humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian
civilians and property.

 

· At approximately
08:00 on Thursday, 02 July 2015, Israeli forces accompanied by an Israeli Civil
Administration vehicle and a bulldozer moved into al-Baq’a area, east of
Hebron. The bulldozer levelled 2-dunum piece of land and demolished
170-meter-long stone chains that were rebuilt few months ago by Mohammed Mostafa
Awwad Jaber (62) and his brothers.

 

It
should be noted that Israeli forces by the end of 2009, levelled a 10-dunum tract
of land belonging to the same person and his brothers; demolished 1,000-meter-long
stone chains, a water well and a basin and confiscated agricultural tools. The
loss was estimated at JD 33,200. Israeli forces claimed that the tract of land
is a state property and no one shall work in it unless by the agreement of the
competent authorities in the Israeli Civil Administration.

 

· At approximately
16:00 on Tuesday, 07 July 2015, Israeli forces accompanied by a Civil
Administration vehicle and a bulldozer demolished and confiscated sheds
established by Beit Ommar residents along bypass road (60) to sell their
agricultural products. The Civil Administration officers confiscated part of
the products and damaged the other part. The sellers’ loss was estimated at
about NIS 1,000 for each one of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recommendations to the International Community

 

 

PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position
that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still
under Israeli occupation, in spite of Israeli military redeployment outside the
Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli forces continued to
impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, which have escalated
since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which Hamas won the
majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR stresses that
there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect
international human rights instruments and the international humanitarian law,
especially the Hague Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War
on Land and the Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply
the international human rights law and the law of war sometime reciprocally and
other times in parallel in a way that achieves the best protection for
civilians and remedy for victims.

 

In light of continued arbitrary measures, land
confiscation and settlement activities in the West Bank, and the latest 51-day
offensive against civilians in the Gaza Strip, PCHR calls upon the
international community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting
Parties to the Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of
their natural obligation to respect and enforce the international law – to
cooperate and act according to the following recommendations:

 

1. PCHR
calls upon the international community and the United Nations to use all
available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to
self-determination, through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which
was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all
international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of
the State of Palestine;

2. PCHR
calls upon the United Nations to provide international protection to
Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against
the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;

3. PCHR
calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel
Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the
Conventions in the oPt;

4. PCHR
calls upon the Parties to international human rights instruments, especially
the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to comply with their provisions in
the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt
in its reports submitted to the concerned committees;

5. PCHR
calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfil
their obligation to ensure the application of the Conventions, including
extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to prosecute suspected war
criminals, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a
crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end
the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;

6. PCHR
calls on States that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction not to
surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal jurisdiction to perpetuate the
impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war criminals;

7. PCHR
calls upon the international community to act in order to stop all Israeli
settlement expansion activities in the oPt through imposing sanctions on
Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;

8. PCHR
calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer the Goldstone Report to the UN
Security Council in order to refer it to the International Criminal Court in
accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome Statute;

9. PCHR
calls upon the United Nations to confirm that holding war criminals in the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to achieve stability and peace
in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the expense of human rights;

10. PCHR
calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to explicitly
declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the annexation wall in the
West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the two issues to the UN Security
Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel it to remove them;

11. PCHR
calls upon the international community, in light of its failure to the stop the
aggression on the Palestinian people, to at least fulfil its obligation to
reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of hostilities launched by Israel
which directly targeted the civilian infrastructure;

12. PCHR
calls upon the United Nations and the European Union to express a clear
position towards the annexation wall following the international recognition of
the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the annexation wall seizes large
parts of the State of Palestine;

13. PCHR
calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the EU-Israel
Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must respect human rights
as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel,
and the EU must not ignore Israeli violations and crimes against Palestinian
civilians;

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

Public Document

For further
information please visit our website www.pchrgaza.org or contact PCHR’s
office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email pchr@pchrgaza.org or telephone +972 08 282 4776 – 282 5893.