A Palestinian Ministry of Health Medical
Stores was destroyed by IOF bombardment, eastern Gaza City, 09-02-2011

Israeli
Occupation Forces (IOF) Continued Systematic Attacks against Palestinian
Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

 

 

· Israeli
warplanes bombarded a number of targets in the Gaza Strip.

– A medicine warehouse of the Palestinian Ministry of Health was
heavily damaged.

– 11 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were lightly
injured.

 

· IOF continued
to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the
Gaza Strip.

– 4 Palestinian workers, including a child, were
wounded.

 

· IOF continued
to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.

– A Palestinian civilian
was wounded.

– IOF arrested 4
human rights defenders.

 

· IOF conducted 46
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one into
the Gaza Strip.  

– IOF arrested 27
Palestinian civilians, including 8 children.

– IOF harassed a
Palestinian family in al-Khader village near Betlehem.

 

· Israel has
continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip
from the outside world.

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (03 – 09 February 2011):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, 6
Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded by IOF in the Gaza
Strip and the West Bank. Additionally,
11 Palestinian civilians were lightly injured by glass fragments or shocked
when Israeli warplanes bombarded a civilian facility in Gaza City.

 

During the reporting period, 4
Palestinian workers, including a child, were wounded when Israeli soldiers
positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at workers who
were collecting scraps of construction materials.

 

On 09 February 2011, Israeli
warplanes bombarded the building of a plastics company in Gaza City, destroying
it. A warehouse of medicines of the
Palestinian Ministry of Health, a school and a furniture store located near the
building were also damaged. Additionally, 11 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were
lightly injured by glass fragments or shocked. Israeli warplanes also bombarded a training site of the al-Quds Brigades
(the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in Khan Yunis. Two members of the site sustained bruises
when they attempted to flee. 

 

In the West Bank, on 09 February
2011, a Palestinian child was wounded when IOF moved into ‘Ourif village, south
of Nablus, took position in front of its secondary school and fired at a number
of children who threw stones at them.

 

During the reporting period, IOF
used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest
to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation
wall. As a result, a Palestinian
civilian, who is the photographer of the Public Committee against the Wall and
Settlement, was wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international
human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained
bruises. Additionally, IOF arrested 4
human rights defenders.  

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 46 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 27
Palestinian civilians, including 8 children.

 

IOF moved
into al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. They raided a two-storey house belonging to the family of Jameel Salem
Balboul, 68, an extended family comprised of 5 small families. They harassed members of the family,
especially a 7-year-old child, who was evacuated to the hospital. He is now facing difficulties in
speaking. When IOF left the house, the
family found the they Israeli soldiers extensively damaged the house. Israeli soldiers further arrested two of the
owner’s sons. The family discovered also
that Israeli soldiers had stolen two kilograms of gold and US$ 29,000. 

 

In
the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one limited incursion into Gaza Valley village in
the central Gaza Strip, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian
land. 

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

Israel
had continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all
border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal
Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since
June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic
situation in the Gaza Strip. 

 

· The illegal closure has caused not only a
humanitarian crisis but a crisis of human rights and human dignity for the
population of the Gaza Strip. Measures declared recently to ease the
blockade are vague, purely cosmetic and fail to deal with the root causes of
the crisis, which can only be addressed by an immediate and complete lifting of
the closure, including lifting the travel ban into and out of the Gaza Strip
and the ban on exports. PCHR is concerned that the new Israeli policy is simply
shifting Gaza to another form of illegal blockade, one that may become
internationally accepted and institutionalized. Palestinians in Gaza may no
longer suffer from the same shortage of goods, but they will remain
economically dependent and unable to care for themselves, and socially,
culturally and academically isolated from the rest of the world.

 

· Expanding the list of items allowed into Gaza
does not change the illegality of this policy, which is inconsistent with
Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying Power and under international
human rights treaties to which it is party, such as the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the
ground refute Israeli claims with
respect to the easing of the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and the
reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of goods.

 

· Israeli
declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes
an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the
minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have
continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip. 

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip. 

 

· Israel had
continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing
to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social
visits.

 

· Israel has
imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

 

West
Bank

 

IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank,
including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.

 

· IOF have
established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting
Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented from praying
at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

 

· There are
approximately 585 permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints
across the West Bank.

 

· When complete,
the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers
around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of
the Wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been
constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.

 

· At least 65% of
the main roads that lead to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are
closed or fully controlled by IOF.

 

· There are
approximately 500
kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In
addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East
Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit issued by the IOF.
These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

 

· IOF continue to
harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the
construction of the Annexation Wall.

 

· Palestinian
civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West
Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by IOF.

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (03 – 09 February 2011)

 

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

 

Thursday, 03 February 2011

 

· At approximately
22:30 on Wednesday, 03 February 2011, IOF moved into al-Khader village, south
of Bethlehem. They raided a two-storey
house belonging to the family of Jameel Salem Balboul, 68, an extended family
comprised of 5 small families. Israeli
soldiers broke the door of the first floor. They broke into the house pointing their guns into the faces of its
residents, claiming that they were searching for a 12-year-old child who threw
stones at their vehicles. They searched
the house and damaged some of its furniture. An Israeli officer entered the room of the owner’s son, Saher. He moved towards Saher’s son, who was
sleeping. He pulled the child from his
leg off the bed and pushed him onto the ground. Residents of the house screamed because of the scene.  The child fainted as he was extremely
terrified. The officer did not allow
members of the family to offer the child first medical aid for 10 minutes. A debate erupted between the officer and two
of the child’s uncles. Members of the
family were eventually able to offer the child first medical aid and to awake
him. He was not able to speak and
suffered from pains in the head, the abdomen, the back and the left hand. Israeli soldiers did not allow members of the
family to evacuate him to hospital. So, they
called Palestine Red Crescent Society, which sent an ambulance that transported
him to Beit Jala Hospital, where he was placed under medical observation. The child is still receiving medical
treatment at the hospital, and he is facing difficulties in speaking. According to Saher Balboul, Israeli soldiers
gathered the 16 residents of the first floor in the owner’s room. They then resumed searching the house,
damaging some of its furniture. About
half an hour later, they left the house. The family found the they Israeli soldiers extensively damaged the
house. Israeli soldiers further arrested
two of the owner’s sons: Salem, 37; and Samer, 35. The family discovered also that Israeli
soldiers had stolen two kilograms of gold and US$ 29,000. At noon, members of the family went to an
Israeli police station in “Kfar Tezion” settlement to submit a
complaint, but the officer of the station refused to receive their
complaint. So, they went to an Israeli
police station near “Kiryat Arba” settlement.      

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

 

1. ‘Azzam
   Lutfi Hamed, 22; and
2. Sa’id
   ‘Omar Kharraz, 19.

 

· At
approximately 10:40, IOF moved into Kufor Sour village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 10:45, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets and arrested
Ma’awia ‘Abdul Latif Radwan, 13. 

 

· At
approximately 15:15, IOF moved into al-‘Araqa village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 16:30, IOF moved into Habla village, south of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a tractor
maintenance workshop. They withdrew
later, and no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 18:20, IOF moved into Ras ‘Atiya village, south of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses,
but no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 19:00, IOF moved into Kufor Malek village, east of Qalqilya, and
patrolled in the streets. A number of
Palestinian boys threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, a number of Palestinian
civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

· At
approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Sinjel village, north of Ramallah, and
patrolled in the streets. A number of
Palestinian boys threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, a number of Palestinian civilians
suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

· At
approximately 23:30, IOF moved into ‘Attil village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· Also at
approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

Friday,
04 February 2011

 

· At
approximately 15:15, IOF moved into al-‘Araqa village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 15:30, IOF moved into Hares village, north of Salfit. They arrested two Palestinian farmers while
they working on their lands:

 

1. Mohammed
   Mahmoud Sultan, 42; and
2. Mahmoud
   Mohammed Sultan, 18.

 

· At
approximately 22:40, IOF moved into Beit Qad village, east of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 05 February 2011

 

· In the morning,
Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel
fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of
constructions materials in the east of al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in the east of
Gaza City, nearly 500 meters away from the border. Two workers were wounded:

 

1. Bilal
   ‘Abdullah al-Da’our, 19, wounded by two bullets to the right hand and
   foot; and
2. Ibrahim
   al-Nabahin, 22, wounded by two bullets to the right side and foot. 

 

· At approximately
10:40, IOF moved into Baqa al-Sharqiya village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north of Beir Lahia town in the
northern Gaza Strip fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were
collecting scraps of construction materials from a site where the evacuated
Israeli settlement of “Elli Sinai” used to stand. As a result, ‘Abdullah Rabee’ ‘Olwan, 46,
from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the right thigh, when he was
nearly 150 meters away from the border. 

 

· At
approximately 12:00, an Israeli infantry unit moved into Zabbouba village,
northwest of Jenin. Israeli soldiers
raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Adnan As’ad Jaradat. They forced the owner’s son to stand with his
hands up and photographed him. They
withdrew from the village later, and no arrests were reported.

 

Sunday, 06 February 2011

 

· At
approximately 00:30, IOF moved into al-Tabaqa village, southwest of
Hebron. They raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Ra’ed Badawi Abu Za’nouna, 29, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled I the streets flyers warning
villagers of throwing stones at them or attacking the annexation wall. They withdrew from the village later and no
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately
02:00, IOF moved into al-‘Ouja village, north of Jericho. They raided and searched a number of houses,
but no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested Sharaf Fadel Tamimi, 19.

 

· At
approximately 09:45, IOF moved into Kufor Sour village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 10:40, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They took position in front of the campus of Palestinian Technical
College. A number of Israeli soldiers
stepped down and deployed near the gate of the campus. They stopped, checked and interrogated a
number of students. Later, IOF moved
towards al-‘Alimi area and established a checkpoint. They stopped and checked Palestinian
civilians.. They withdrew from the town
later, and no arrests were reported. 

 

· At
approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah, and
patrolled in the streets. A number of
Palestinian boys threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, a number of Palestinian
civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

· At
approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of Heborn. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian children:

 

1. Mohammed
   Ibrahim Abu Maria, 17;
2. Mohammed
   Jameel Abu Maria, 16; and
3. Khaled
   Ibrahim Sabarna, 14.

 

· At
approximately 23:00, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· Also at
approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Seilat al-Harthiya village, northwest of
Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later. No house
raids or arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 07 February 2011

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian children:

 

1. Rasheed Mohammed ‘Awadh, 16;
2. ‘Aayesh Khaled ‘Awadh, 16; and
3. Qassam Ahmed Abu Maria, 16.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a two-storey house
belonging to the ‘Omar family, and arrested Ibrahim Khalil ‘Omar, 21.

 

· Also at
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Burham village, northwest of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 03:40, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Saleh Sa’id Saleem, 23, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 07:55, Israeli soldiers positioned the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel to the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun
opened fire at Palestinian farmers who were on their lands in the area. The farmers were forced to flee, and no
casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 10:30, IOF moved into ‘Attil village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Zibda village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 14:30, Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting
scraps of construction materials in the east of al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in
the east of Gaza City. As a result, Nash’at
Sa’id Hous, 17, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded by a
bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 500 meters away from the border.

 

· At
approximately 17:50, IOF moved into Brouqin village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 18:00, IOF moved into al-‘Araqa village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 19:50, IOF moved into Kufor Hares village, north of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 23:50, IOF moved into Jafna village, north of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

  

Tuesday, 08 February 2011

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Deir Estia village, northwest of
Salfit. They raided and searched a house
and arrested Muntasser Qassim Mansour, 20.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Ayman
   Mohammed Hannoun, 18;
2. Mohammed
   Ibrahim Bani Ghurra, 20; and
3. Ahmed
   Khaled Abu Khalifa, 20.

 

· Also at
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Seilat al-Harthiya village, northwest of
Jenin. They raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Yousef Mousa Tahaina, 30, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 09:00, IOF moved nearly 200 meters into al-Shouka village, east
of the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. They opened fire and leveled areas of Palestinian land. No casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

 

1. Ahmed
   Isma’il al-Khatib, 15;
2. Murad
   ‘Abdul Qader Ekhlil, 22; and
3. Ibrahim
   Isma’il al-Za’aqiq, 18.

 

Wednesday, 09 February 2011

 

· At
approximately 00:05, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at the
1,200-square-meter building of Hashem al-Hatu’s Sons Company for Plastics,
which belonging to Mohammed Hashem al-Hatu, 23, in the east of al-Taffah
neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The building, a car and a lever were destroyed. A nearby medicine warehouse of the Ministry
of Health was also damaged, which caused further shortages in some medicines in
the Gaza Strip. Additionally, a factory
of textiles belonging to Jawad Mohammed ‘Ouda, 4 stores of wood belonging to
Mujahed Mahmoud al-Sousi and a private school sustained partial damages. Eleven residents of the area, including 4 children,
were lightly injured.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:10, IOF moved into Tammoun village, southeast of Tubas. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested Adam ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Bani Matar, 30.

 

· At
approximately 01:15, Israeli warplanes bombarded a training site of the al-Quds
Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in the west of the southern Gaza
Strip town of Khan Yunis. Five minutes
later, they bombarded the site again. Two
members of the al-Quds Brigades sustained bruises while they were attempting to
flee. It is worth noting that the site
was also bombarded on 12 January 2011.

 

· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into ‘Anabta village, east of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Tubas. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 07:30, IOF moved nearly 250 meters into Gaza Valley village in
the central Gaza Strip. They leveled
areas of Palestinian land. They moved
back to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel two hours later.

 

· Also at
approximately 07:30, IOF moved into ‘Ourif village, south of Nablus. They stopped in front of ‘Ourif Secondary
School in the east of the village. A
number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at Israeli military
vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers
fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
children. As a result, Ahmed Mohammed
Shihada, 17, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left leg. 

 

· At
approximately 16:00, IOF moved into al-Zubaidat village, north of Jericho. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of ‘Ali Mohammed al-Zubaidat, 44, and arrested him.

 

2. Use of
Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrations Protesting Settlement
Activities and the Construction of the Annexation Wall

 

During
the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized
by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the
West Bank. As a result, a Palestinian civilian
was wounded. Dozens of Palestinian civilians
and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others
sustained bruises.  Additionally, IOF
arrested 4 human rights defenders.    

   

· Following the
Friday Prayer on 04 February 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction
of the annexation wall.  Israeli
soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs
and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, Haitham Mohammed al-Khatib, 34, a photographer of the
Public Committee against the Wall and Settlement, was hit by a tear gas
canister to the back, and a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas
inhalation.  

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 04 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in
Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the annexation
wall. They clashed with Israeli troops
positioned near the Wall. Israeli troops
fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at
demonstrators. As a result, a
Palestinian civilian, who has not been identified, was hit by a tear gas
canister to the right foot. Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas
inhalation. 

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 04 February 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international
and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit
Reema village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations in
the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach
areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement,
Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas
canisters at them. As a result, a number
of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.  IOF also arrested 4 human rights defenders,
who have not been identified. 

 

3. Continued
Closure of the OPT

 

Israel has continued to impose a tightened closure of the OPT and
imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all
border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal
Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since
June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic
situation in the Gaza Strip.

 

· The illegal
closure has caused not only a humanitarian crisis but a crisis of human rights
and human dignity for the population of the Gaza Strip. Measures declared
recently to ease the blockade are vague, purely cosmetic and fail to deal with
the root causes of the crisis, which can only be addressed by an immediate and
complete lifting of the closure, including lifting the travel ban into and out
of the Gaza Strip and the ban on exports. PCHR is concerned that the new
Israeli policy is simply shifting Gaza to another form of illegal blockade, one
that may become internationally accepted and institutionalized. Palestinians in
Gaza may no longer suffer from the same shortage of goods, but they will remain
economically dependent and unable to care for themselves, and socially,
culturally and academically isolated from the rest of the world.

 

· Expanding the
list of items allowed into Gaza does not change the illegality of this policy,
which is inconsistent with Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying
Power and under international human rights treaties to which it is party, such
as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the
ground refute Israeli claims with respect to the easing of the closure imposed
on the Gaza Strip and the reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of
goods.

 

· Israeli
declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes
an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the
minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have
continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip. 

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip. 

 

· Israel had
continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing
to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social
visits.

 

· Israel has
imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

At
approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the Egyptian authorities decided
to open Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border in both
directions without specifying a date for its closure. The Egyptian decisions came following the
Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla in international water. On the following morning, the crossing point
was effectively opened and restricted categories of Palestinian civilians were
allowed to travel through it.

 

Rafah
International Crossing Point: Rafah
International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border has been closed since 29
January 2011 due to the ongoing political crisis in Egypt. Palestinian sources in the crossing point
stated that 56 Palestinians have been stuck in Cairo International Airport
since the beginning of the crisis, as the crossing point has been closed.  

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

26
January – 08 February 2011

 

 

Note:

On Tuesday, 25 January, IOF allowed the entry of 120 tons of cement
for UNRWA.

On Wednesday, 26 January, IOF allowed the entry of 12 tons of
construction aggregate for UNRWA.

On Tuesday, 01 February, IOF allowed the entry of 105 tons of
construction aggregate for UNRWA.

On Thursday, 03 February, IOF allowed the entry of 120 tons of
cement for UNDP.

 

Exports:

 

On Tuesday, 25 January, 270,000 flowers and 5 tons of strawberries
were exported.

On Wednesday,
26 January, 4.5 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Thursday, 27
January, 290,000 flowers and 4.4 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Sunday, 30
January, 241,000 flowers and 11.5 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Monday, 31
January, 170 tons of sweet pepper and 4.6 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Tuesday, 01
February, 317,000 flowers and 5.2 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Wednesday,
02 February, 40,000 flowers and 4.2 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Thursday, 03
February, 239,000 flowers and 7.4 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Sunday, 06
February, 311,000 flowers and 9.3 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Monday, 07
February, 60,000 flowers and 2.9 tons of strawberries were exported.

On Tuesday, 08
February, 241,000 flowers and 4.2 tons of strawberries were exported.

 

Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: IOF partially
reopened the crossing on Tuesday, 25 January, and allowed 2,691 tons of wheat
and 1,911 tons of fodders. They also
opened it on Monday, 31 January, and allowed the entry of 2,535 tons of wheat
and 2,301 tons of fodders. They opened
it again on Tuesday, 01 February, an allowed the entry of 2,301 tons of wheat,
and 1,638 tons of fodders. They further
opened its on Wednesday, 02 February, and allowed the entry of 9,660 tons of
construction aggregate for UNRWA. They
opened it again on Monday, 07 February, and allowed the entry of 6,020 tons of
construction aggregate for UNDP.

 

Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: Israel
has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the movement of
Palestinian civilians. IOF have allowed only diplomats, a number of
international journalists, employees of international agencies and a limited
number of patients who suffer from serious diseases to pass through the
crossing. They have continued to prevent Palestinian civilians from visiting
their relatives who are detained in Israeli jails. The small number of patients
permitted to pass through the crossing is only able to do so under severe
restrictions that include prolonged checking.

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

02 –
08 February 2011

 

 

The West Bank

 

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

 

· Jerusalem: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians to and from the city. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. IOF have
established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the
movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim
Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.  

 

· Ramallah: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian
civilians in Ramallah. IOF troops
positioned at the Jaba’ and Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have
imposed additional restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged checks of
Palestinian civilians. During the
reporting period, IOF established a number of temporary checkpoints, and
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 08:00 on Thursday, 03
February 2011, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint at the
northern entrance of Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately 18:50, IOF established a checkpoint near
the entrance of al-Mughayar village, northeast of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately 08:00
on Friday, 04 February 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on Kufor
Malek-Khirbat Abu Falah road, northeast of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
09:30 on Saturday, 05 February 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
12:15 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint on Nabi Saleh-Kufor ‘Ein
road, northwest of Ramallah. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 12:15 on Sunday, 06 February
2011, IOF established a checkpoint on al-Mazra’a-Silwad road, east of
Ramallah. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 18:50, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ras Karkar
village, northwest of Ramallah. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 19:00 on Monday, 07 February
2011, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of
Ramallah. At approximately 23:00 on the
same day, IOF heckpoint at Silwad intersection, east of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
21:00 on Wednesday, 09 February 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of Sinjel village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 03 February 2011, IOF
established 8 checkpoints around Qalqilya. On Friday, 04 February 2011, IOF established 3 checkpoint around the
town. On Sunday, 06 February 2011, IOF
established 6 checkpoints around Qalqilya.  On Monday, 07 February 2011, IOF established 7 checkpoints around Qalqilya. Israeli soldiers stationed at these
checkpoints stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.  

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 13:20 on Friday, 04 February
2011, IOF established a checkpoint at al-Jaroushiya intersection, north of
Tulkarm. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 21:30 on Saturday, 05 February 2011, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of ‘Allar village, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
11:30 on Monday, 07 February 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the southern
entrance of Qiffin village, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.         

 

· Bethlehm: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 16:00 on Wednesday, 09
February 2011, IOF closed 4 entrances of Taqqou’ village, south of Bethlehem,
with sand barriers.  

 

· Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On
Thursday, 03 February 2011, IOF established 4 checkpoints around the town. Israeli soldiers positioned at these
checkpoints stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 07:55 on Sunday, 06 February
2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Yassouf village, east of
Salfit. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:30 on Sunday, 06 February
2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Fassayel village, north
of Jericho. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 22:50 on Monday, 07 February 2011, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Fassayel village, north of Jericho. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
22:45 on Monday, 09 February 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Marj Na’ja village, north of Jericho. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

…………………………………………………………

 

Recommendations to the International
Community

 

 

1. PCHR calls upon
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their
legal and moral obligations under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure
Israel’s respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence
practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it
is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human
rights and humanitarian law.

 

2. PCHR calls upon
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a
conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel’s respect of the Convention
in the OPT and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.

 

3. PCHR calls upon
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with
their legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for
and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.

 

4. PCHR calls for
the immediate implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the
International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the
Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal.

 

5. PCHR recommends
that international civil society organizations, including human rights
organizations, bar associations and NGOs, participate in the process of
exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and urge their governments to bring the
perpetrators to justice.

 

6. PCHR calls upon
the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association
Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a
precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to
prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the OPT.

 

7. PCHR calls on
the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was
implemented in September 2005, for what it is – not an end to occupation but a
compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza
Strip. 

 

8. In recognition
of ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR calls upon the
ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the OPT, including the
facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

 

9. PCHR
appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights
organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue
their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel’s respect for human
rights in the OPT and to demand Israel end its attacks on Palestinian
civilians.

 

10. PCHR calls upon
the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions
imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for
international organizations to the OPT.

 

11. PCHR reiterates
that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and
humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian
question. Rather, such an arrangement
can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace process or agreement must be based
on respect for international law, including international human rights and
humanitarian law.

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Public Document

For further information please visit
our website (www.pchrgaza.org) or contact
PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email ([email protected]) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).