Ramallah
– Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian child in Bitounia

Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians
and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

 

 

3 Palestinian
civilians, including a child, were wounded in the northern and central West
Bank.

 

Israeli forces opened fire in the northern Gaza Strip,
but neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

 

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

 

4 Palestinian
civilians, including a reporter of Palestine TV were wounded during Bil’in
weekly protest.

Dozens of
civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.

 

 

Israeli forces conducted 51 incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank and 3 limited ones in the Gaza Strip.

 

At
least 41 Palestinian civilians,
including 6 children, were arrested in the West Bank.

Israeli forces maltreated a family in Hebron and
attacked a number of civilians in Burin village, south of Nablus.

 

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

Israeli
forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.

At least 6 Palestinian civilians were arrested at
checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

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

Israeli forces issued notices to demolish houses.

Israeli settlers damaged 189 olive trees in the West
Bank.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and
international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period
(03 – 09 October 2013).

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 7
Palestinian civilians, including a child, in the West Bank. Four of them,
including reporter of Palestine TV, were wounded during Bil’in weekly protest, west
of Ramallah, while the 5^th one was wounded when Israeli forces moved
into al-Bireh town in the centre of the West Bank. The child was wounded when
Israeli forces moved into Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus, and fired sound
bombs and tear gas canisters into Beit Dajan high school for girls. The 7^th
person was wounded when Israeli forces moved into Jenin.

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces continued
the systematic use of excessive force against peaceful protests organised by
Palestinian, Israeli and international activists against the construction of
the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank.  As a result, 4 civilians, including a
journalist, were wounded during Bil’in weekly protest, dozens suffered tear gas
inhalation and others sustained bruises.

 

On 05 October 2013, a Palestinian civilian was wounded
when Israeli forces moved into al-Bireh. Some boys gathered and threw stones
and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers who fired rubber-coated metal bullets,
sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response. As a result, the civilian was
wounded by a bullet to the back of his head and others suffered tear gas
inhalation.

 

On 08 October 2013, a child was hit by a sound bomb in
the hand when Israeli forces moved into Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus.
Israeli forces stationed around the village’s school and fired sound bombs into
the school yards.

 

On the same day, a civilian (23) was hit by a gas
canister in the left leg when Israeli forces moved into Jenin.

 

(PCHR keep the names of the Palestinian wounded
persons and apologizes for not publishing the names fearing for Israeli forces
would arrest them in the context of their policy to oppress peaceful protests).

 

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces stationed along the
border fence opened fire thrice in the northern Gaza Strip. On 07 October 2013,
Israeli forces stationed north of the landfill, north of Beit Hanoun, opened
fire at open area. On 08 October 2013, Israeli forces stationed in the east of
Beit Hanoun opened fire at open area as well. On 09 October 2013, Israeli
forces opened fire at Palestinian farmers. As a result, the farmers fled
fearing of being wounded. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

 

 

 

Incursions:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted
at least 51 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During
these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 41 Palestinians, including 6
children.

 

On 04 October 2013, Israeli forces moved into Khellet
Hadour in the centre of the Old Town of Hebron. They raided and searched a
5-storey building belonging to al-Syouri family. They damaged its contents and
doors and kept its occupants outdoors for 5 hours.

 

On 05 October 2013, Israeli forces moved into Burin
village, south of Nablus. They raided a house belonging to the family of Murad
Ma’rouf Najjar and attacked him and his wife. They also attacked Walid ‘Eid and
his daughter and son. During which, a gas canister was fired into a
neighbouring house. As a result, the garret of the house and part of the
furniture caught fire.

 

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces carried out 3
limited incursions. Two incursions were carried out on 03 October 2013 in the
central and southern Gaza Strip. They levelled lands along the border fence and
withdrew later. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

 

On 07 October 2013, Israeli forces moved about 200
meters into the north of Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip. They
levelled lands along the border fence firing sporadic fire. Famers escaped
fearing of being wounded.   

 

Restrictions on movement:

 

Israel continued to impose a tightened 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
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 7
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 a grave violation of the economic,
social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7
million people.  The Israeli authorities
has 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 that
has been aggravating for years due to the shortage of imports.  They also aim at imposing a complete ban on
the Gaza Strip’s exports. 

 

Israeli forces 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.

 

As part of using military checkpoints and border
crossings as traps to arrest Palestinian civilians under the pretext they are
wanted, Israeli forces arrested at least 6 civilians.

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 03 October 2013, Israeli forces handed residents of
Kherbet Safi al-Fouqa, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, a notice to halt work in
solar power cells that would provide the Palestinian families living in that
area with power. The notice was given to them under the pretext the solar power
cells were being installed without a prior permit from the Israeli Civil
Administration. It should be noted this area is threatened to be evacuated, as
it is located in area (918), which is a military training zone according to the
Israeli Ministry of Defence.

 

On the same day, a group of Israeli settlers from “Mitzpe
Yair” settlement, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, damaged 45 olive trees
in Khellet ‘Azeiwah, near Kherbet Qweiwis, east of Hebron.

 

On 04
October 2013, Israeli settlers attacked a vehicle belonging to Abdul Rahman
Awad, from Jama’in village, southwest of Nablus, while the vehicle was parking
in Hara’eq al-‘Awil area.

 

On 05
October 2013, Israeli forces handed the family of Ayman Jamil Mahdawi (28) in
Shweika suburb, north of Tulkarm, a notice to halt construction works in their
150-square-meter house under the pretext it is close to the annexation wall.

 

On the same
day also, settlers from “Shavei Shomron” settlement damaged 120 olive
trees and stole the olives from Deir Sharaf village, northwest of Nablus. The
trees belong to Yasser Abdul Rahman Faqha, Sedqi Abdul Ghani Faqha, Mostafa
Mer’i Faqha and Mostafa Ibrahim Faqha.

 

On the same
day, a group of settlers from “Beit Eil” settlement, attacked
Palestinian houses in the agricultural area, south of Doura al-Qare’, northeast
of Ramallah. They also threw stones at the houses.

 

On 06 October
2013, a group of settlers from “Niria” settlement, northwest of
Ramallah, damaged 12 fruitful olive trees in al-Nabi ‘Anir area, north of the
village. The trees belong to the family of Azmi Saleh Samhan (37).

 

On 08
October 2013, a group of settlers from “Kerot Shomron” settlement,
east of Qalqilia, attacked lands in Kofur Laqef. They cut 12 olive trees with
electric saws. The olive trees belong to Suleiman Saleh Jaber, from the said
village.    

 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period
(03 – 09 October 2013)

 

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

Thursday, 03 October 2013

 

At approximately 00:20, Israeli forces moved into
Housan village, west of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging
to the family of Khattab Mohammed Hamamrah (22). They arrested the
aforementioned persons and took him to an unknown destination.   

 

At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and
stationed near the Gran Mosque in the centre of the camp. They deployed between
the houses and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:40, Israeli forces moved into
al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. They stationed in the centre of the
village and raided a house belonging to the family of Omar Abdul Salam al-Seir.
They arrested his son Jihad (14) and took him to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Moureq village, southwest of Doura, southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the
streets and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces moved about 200
meters into the east of Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. They levelled
lands for a few hours and withdrew later. No casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 07:30, Israeli forces backed with 2
tanks and 4 bulldozers moved about 200 meters into the east of Gaza Valley
(Johr al-Deek), in the central Gaza Strip. 
They levelled lands along the border fence for 2 hours and withdrew
later.

 

At approximately 23:00, Israeli forces moved into the
housing project area, west of al-Daheriya village, south of Hebron. They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

Friday, 04 October 2013

 

At approximately 00:00, Israeli forces moved into
Khellet Hadour in the centre of the Old Town of Hebron. They patrolled the
streets and stationed near the building of Hebron Rehabilitation Committee.
They also raided a 5-storey building belonging to the family of al-Syouri. They
searched the house and damaged its content. Moreover, Israeli forces damaged
the doors and kept the occupants of the house outdoors for 5 hours. They
arrested Isma’il Salim al-Syouri (34) and Basem Salim al-Syouri (36).

 

Hazem al-Syouri (55) said to PCHR’s fieldworker:

 

“I live with my mother and brothers in a 5-storey
building in the centre of the Old Town in Hebron. At approximately 00:00 on
Thursday, 03 October 2013, I woke up as I heard knocks on the front door. I
opened my apartment’s door, which overlooks the yard and found a number of
Israeli soldiers trying to open the gate from inside while other soldiers were
doing the same from outside. I realised then that some soldiers had jumped over
the wall. I tried to talk to them but they did not listen to me. In the
meantime, Israeli forces raided my apartment while I was trying to open gate
that got stuck because they hit it from outside. A large number of Israeli
soldiers raided the yard after the gate was open. They deployed in my apartment
while other soldiers climbed the stairs leading to other apartments belonging
to my brothers and mother. The soldiers were yelling and ordered me to go out.
In the meantime, Israeli soldiers raided the whole building. They forced my
mother, brothers and children, who were asleep, to go out as well. They kept
searching the house until 04:30. We heard the sounds of smashing glass and
destroying doors. Children were crying all the time. When I tried to talk to
the Israeli soldiers to allow me in, a soldier pushed me away and prevented me
from talking to them, during which, two female soldiers arrived. Israeli
soldiers ordered women and children to get inside to be personally searched
with the metal detector. Furthermore, an Israeli soldier searched my niece Joud
(17 months) and took all her clothes off. As a result, my mother fainted. At
approximately 04:00, Israeli soldiers took my 2 brothers Isma’il (34) and Basem
(36) to the street, handcuffed them and made them stop by the military
vehicles. Israeli forces withdrew later, so I went home and saw heavy damage.
The Israeli soldiers destroyed the doors and electric appliances, damaged the
furniture and closets, mixed the foodstuffs in the kitchen together and took
off some of the building bricks on the roof. The damage caused to my brothers’
apartments and mine are above NIS 100,000.”   

 

At approximately 00:30, Israeli forces moved into Seer
village, south of Jenin. They patrolled the streets and raided and searched 2
offices belonging to 2 agricultural companies. In addition, they questioned the
guards and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. It
should be noted that on 12 September 2013, Israeli forces moved into the
village and arrested 2 civilians, who are of the owners of an agricultural
company, and confiscated the company’s equipment.

 

At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into
Nablus and ‘Ein Beit al-Ma’ refugee camp, west of the city. They patrolled the
streets and raided and searched a number of houses from which they arrested
Zaher al-Shashtari (47), from Ras al-Ein neighbourhood, and Mohammed Nimer
al-Shatawi (32), a member of the popular committee for services in al-Ein
refugee camp. Both of them are members of the Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine (PFLP).

 

At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Foreek village, east of Nablus. They patrolled the streets and raided and
searched a number of houses from which they arrested Yusef Mohammed Abu Ghalama
(33).

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Madama
village, southeast of Nablus. They patrolled the streets and raided and
searched a number of houses. They also arrested Thabet Ezzat Nassar (37) and
took him to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Luqia village, southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 14:45, Israeli forces moved into
Azzoun village, east of Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Awwa village, southwest of Doura, southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the
streets and deployed between stores, where some boys gathered and threw stones
at Israeli soldiers, who fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response.
As a result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and fainted.
Israeli forces withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:00, Israeli forces moved into Bani
Na’im village, east of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. No arrests were reported.         

 

Saturday, 05 October 2013

 

At approximately 00:40, Israeli forces moved into Ras
‘Atiya village, south of Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.   

 

At
approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Jabal Jawhar area, south of
Hebron. They patrolled the streets and raided a number of houses from which
they arrested 4 civilians, including a child:

1. Nidal Rasmi al-Haddad (18);

2. Shaker Rasmi al-Haddad (17);

3. Abdul Rahim al-‘Ajlouni (18); and

4. Qadafi Yehia al-Rajabi (19).

 

At
approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Sa’eer village, east of Hebron.
They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into Halhoul town, north of Hebron. They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 15:00, Israeli forces moved into Burin village, south of Nablus,
to protect a group of settlers, who were on the outskirts of the village, and
secure their return to “Bracha” settlement. Israeli forces then
patrolled the streets firing sound bombs and tear gas canisters. They knocked
the door of a house belonging to the family of Murad Ma’rouf Najjar (40) and
attacked him and his wife Fatima Qasem Najjar, as she tried to prevent them
from raiding the house. Moreover, they attacked his elderly father Ma’rouf
al-Najjar and fired a tear gas canister at them.
Israeli forces also attacked the elderly, Walid Sa’id ‘Eid (64), and pushed him
out to the street. The aforementioned person was in a meeting in the village
council and went to his house that is located in the eastern side of the
village. Israeli forces denied him access to the house, but when he entered the
house that was turned by the Israeli forces into a military site, they attacked
him and his daughter Khadija (28) under the pretext they threw stones at
Israeli soldiers. When the father saw an Israeli soldier attacking Khadija, he
pulled the soldier and started fighting him. As a result, Israeli soldiers
gathered, attacked him and threw him on the street. In the meantime, his son
Hamdan (25) arrived and found Israeli soldiers in their house. The Israeli
soldiers attacked Hamdan as well. In the meantime, a tear gas canister got into
the neighboring house belonging to the family of Abdullah Ahmed Najjar. As a
result, the garret that contains winter clothes and part of the furniture
caught fire before the Civil Defense could reach the area.

 

At approximately 22:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Bireh. They
patrolled the streets firing sound and flash bombs. Some boys gathered and
threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers, who fired rubber-coated
metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response. As a result,
Shadi Mohammed Khalil (23) was wounded by a bullet to the back of the head.
Besides, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces
closed the entrance to the city and erected a temporary checkpoint. They
questioned civilians on the spot. It should be noted that those restrictions
were imposed due to claims that a Palestinian civilian had opened fire at
“Psagot” settlement and wounded a female Israeli settler inside the
settlement that is established on lands of al-Bireh.

 

Sunday, 06 October
2013

 

At
approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Aroub refugee camp, north of
Hebron. They patrolled the streets and stationed in the centre of the camp.
They also deployed between the houses and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.   

 

At
approximately 01:10, Israeli forces moved into Birzait village, north of
Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into al-Khader village, south of
Bethlehem. They stationed in the centre of the village and raided a house
belonging to the family of Wa’el Abdullah Subuh. They arrested his son Ziad
(15). Moreover, they raided a house belonging to the family of Ra’ed amir
al-Zayah and arrested his son Amir (15) as well.

 

At
approximately 02:55, Israeli forces moved into al-Shawawra village, east of
Bethlehem. They raided a number of houses and withdrew later. Of the raided
houses were: a house belonging to the family of Dawood Khalaf Salem, a house
belonging to the family of Isma’il Abed Salem, a house belonging to the family
of Islam Khalaf Salem, a livestock barrack belonging to Abed Mousa Salem.  No arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 19:30, Israeli forces accompanied by a number of settlers from
“Havat Ma’oun” settlement outpost, east of Yatta, south of Hebron,
moved into al-Tawani village. They patrolled the streets and stationed near the
village’s mosque. They also raided a number of houses. Palestinian civilians
confronted the heavily armed settlers and prevented them from raiding
Palestinian houses with the Israeli soldiers. At approximately 21:00, the
Israeli forces and settlers withdrew and no arrests were reported. Some of the
raided houses belong to Salman Jebrin Rab’i, fadel Ahmed Rab’i, Suleiman Jaber
al-‘Emour, Suleiman Salem al-‘Adra, Hafza al-Hreini and Jaber al-Hreini.

 

Mos’ab Rabi’ said to PCHR’s fieldworker:

“We were
surprised to see about 15 settlers approaching our house coming from the wood
in between the village and “Havat Ma’oun” settlement outpost, west of
the village. During which, Israeli forces patrolled the streets of the village.
The settlers tried to raid and search houses with the soldiers, but residents
of the area prevented them from doing so. The residents of the area were
frightened because settlers deployed between the houses with no intervention
from the Israeli forces to prevent them.”

 

 

Monday 07 October 2013

 

At
approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Ethna village, west of Hebron.
They patrolled the streets and stationed in the western neighbourhood of the
village. In addition, they raided and searched a house belonging to the family
of Isma’il Talab al-Nattah (38). They arrested the aforementioned person and
tool him to an unknown destination.  

 

At approximately
02:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummar villge, north of Hebron. They
patrolled the streets and stationed in the centre of the village. They also
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Maysara Sadeq Abu Maria
(28) and arrested him. In the meantime, backups arrived and raided and searched
a house belonging to the family of Mahmoud Mohammed Awad (26). They arrested
the aforementioned person and withdrew at approximately 03:00.

 

At
approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Deir Estia village, northwest of
Salfit. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Omar Fares
Abu Hajla. They also arrested his 2 sons Belal (20) and Ahmed (24) and took
them to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately
03:30, Israeli forces moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. They
patrolled the streets and raided a house belonging to the family of Nour al-Din
Nayef ‘Atatrah (22). They arrested the aforementioned person and withdrew
later.

 

At approximately
03:55, Israeli forces moved into al-Dheisha refugee camp, southwest of
Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ibrahim
Mohammed al-Khmour (18). They arrested the aforementioned person and took him
to an unknown destination.

 

At
approximately 06:30, Israeli forces backed with 4 tanks and 3 bulldozers moved
about 200 meters into Bouret Abu Samra, north of Beit Lahia, in the north of
the Gaza Strip. They levelled lands along the border fence firing sporadically.
As a result, farmers left their lands fearing of being wounded. Israeli forces
withdrew at approximately 12:00, on the same day. Neither casualties nor
material damage were reported.

 

At
approximately 08:30, Israeli forces moved into Kherbatha al-Musbah village,
southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew
later. No arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 11:30, Israeli forces moved into al-Bireh. They patrolled the
streets and stationed in Sateh Marhaba neighbourhood. They raided a house
belonging to the family of Sofyan Adawi. Some boys gathered and threw stones
and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers, who fired rubber-coated metal bullets,
sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response. Moreover, they arrested sons of
Adawi: Alaa’ (27) and Majd (25) and took them to Ofer detention facility,
southwest of Ramallah. The arrested were released at approximately 16:30, on
the same day.

 

At
approximately 22:40, Israeli forces stationed in watchtowers along the border
fence, north of the land fill, north of Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza
Strip, opened fire at open areas. Neither casualties nor material damage were
reported.

 

Tuesday, 08 October 2013

 

At
approximately 01:15, Israeli forces moved into Tulkarm. They patrolled the
streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At
approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummar village, north of
Hebron. They patrolled the streets and stationed near al-Mesrara area, east of
the village. They also deployed between the houses and raided and searched 2 of
them. They arrested Malek Yusef al-Douda (17) and Nour Riyadh ‘Arrar (17) and
took them to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Sheikh neighbourhood, in the centre of Hebron. They raided a house belonging
to al-Haymouni family, from which they arrested Jihad Hassan al-Haymouni and
Wesam Jihad al-Haymouni.

 

At approximately 02:10, Israeli forces moved into
Taqou’ village, southeast of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of
houses from which they arrested 4 civilians:

1. Amjad Nayef Sabbah (20);

2. Mo’ayed Mohammed Hmeid (18);

3. Ahmed Ouda al-‘Emour (20); and

4. Abed ‘Adel al-‘Emour (19).

 

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into
al-Ouja village, northeast of Jericho. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces moved into
Ethna village, west of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and stationed at the
entrances of the village. They also denied Palestinians access to and from the
village and prevented Palestinian workers from reaching Tarqoumia checkpoint,
south of Hebron, between the West Bank and Israel.  On the other hand, Israeli forces distributed
a warning statement signed by the military commander in Hebron. The statement
accused the Palestinian civilians of trying to damage the annexation wall, west
of the village.

 

At approximately 12:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Dajan village, east of Nablus. They patrolled the streets firing sound bombs
and tear gas canisters. They stationed around Beit Dajan high school for girls
and fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the school yards. As a result,
Zain Nasser Abu Jaish (12) was directly hit by a gas canister to the hand and
other girls suffered tear gas inhalation.

 

At approximately 19:30, Israeli forces moved into
Jenin. They patrolled the streets, where some boys gathered and threw stones
and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers, who opened fire heavily in response. As
a result, Mohammed ‘Ashour Zakarnah (23) sustained bruises in the right leg as
a gas canister hit him. Moreover, dozens of civilians suffered tear gas
inhalation. Israeli forces withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 20:00, Israeli forces moved into
Jelqamous village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Deir
Abu Da’if village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into
al-Jiftlek village, north of Jericho. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:40, Israeli forces stationed in
watchtowers along the border fence, east of al-Umma land, east of Beit Hanoun,
in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at open areas. Residents of the area
were frightened as a result. Neither casualties nor materials damage were
reported.  

 

Wednesday, 09 October 2013

 

At approximately 00:15, Israeli forces moved into
Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Ma’sara
village, south of Bethlehem. They raided a house belonging to the family of
Hassan Abdul Karim Breijiya (44), an activist against settlement activities.
They handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli intelligence service in
“Gosh Etzion” settlement, south of the city. When he went there, he
was given another summons to return to them on 14 October 2013.

 

At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into
Fasayel village, northwest of Jericho. They patrolled the streets and raided 2
houses from which they arrested 2 civilians: Alaa’ Hussein ‘Ebayat (24) and
Sultan Nassar Sawarka (21).

 

At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Tal
village, south of Nablus. They patrolled the streets and raided and searched a
number of houses from which they arrested 5 civilians:

1. Mahmoud Hassan Hindi (22);

2. Hamed ‘Awad Ramadan (23);

3. Suleiman Na’im Hamad (24);

4. Walid Hassan Ramadan (22); and

5. ‘Asem Issa Ramadan (25).

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Ummar village, north of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and stationed in the
centre of the village. They also raided a house belonging to the family of Adam
Diab Atiya (21) and arrested him.

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Bani
Na’im village, east of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and stationed at the
entrance of the village. They raided a house belonging to the family of
Mohammed Ali Tarayra (22) and arrested him.

 

At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into
Tafouh village, west of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 06:20, Israeli forces stationed in
watchtowers along the border fence, east of Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza
Strip, opened fire at the Palestinian farmers. As a result, the farmers fled
fearing of being wounded. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

 

At approximately 11:20, Israeli forces moved into al-Khader
village, south of Bethlehem. They stationed near al-Khader school for boys, in
the centre of the village. They also fired tear gas canisters inside the
school. As a result, a number of students suffered tear gas inhalation and
others were frightened. The students were asked to go home fearing for their
lives. 

 

 

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 organised 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, 4 civilians, including a journalist, were wounded during Bil’in
weekly protest. Moreover, dozens of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and
others sustained bruises.

 

(PCHR keep the names of the Palestinian wounded
persons and apologizes for not publishing the names fearing for Israeli forces
would arrest them in the context of their policy to repress peaceful protests).

 

 

Following the Friday prayer, 04 October 2013, dozens
of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organised a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, in
protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities
and marking the 13^th anniversary of the al-Aqsa Intifada. The
demonstrators raised the Palestinian flag and made their way towards the
annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the wall gate with barbwire and when the
demonstrators attempted to access the lands behind the barbwire, they were
stopped by Israeli soldiers. The demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli
soldiers who responded with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound
bombs, and tear gas canisters, and chased them across olive fields as far as
the outskirts of the village. As a result, 4 civilians, including a journalist,
were wounded. Moreover, dozens of protestors suffered tear gas inhalation and
others sustained bruises. The first (45) was hit by a gas canister to the right
leg, the second (23) was wounded by a bullet to the back, the third (19) was
wounded by a bullet to the upper part of the left thigh and Ali Dar Ali (29),
reporter of Palestine TV, was hit by a gas canister to the right leg.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international
and Israeli human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Ni’lin
village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation
wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators made their way towards the
annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the wall gate with barbwire and, when
the demonstrators attempted to access the lands behind the barbwire, they were
stopped by Israeli soldiers. The demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli
soldiers who responded with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound
bombs, and tear gas canisters, and chased them across olive fields as far as
the outskirts of the village. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered
tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

 

Around the same time on Friday, dozens of Palestinian civilians,
Israeli and international human rights activists gathered at the Martyrs
Square in al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a weekly
peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement
activities. The protesters walked towards Palestinian lands that Israeli
settlers from the nearby “Halmish” settlement are trying to
seize.  From the morning, Israeli forces
had closed all entrances to the village to prevent Palestinians, international
activists, and journalists from joining the demonstration.  Upon their arrival in the area, Israeli
soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs,
and tear gas canisters, chased the demonstrators into the village and sprayed
them and civilian houses with waste water. As a result, dozens of Palestinians
suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

 

At
approximately 12:30, dozens of Palestinian civilians from Kofur Qaddoum,
northeast of Qalqilia, and international activists gathered and made their way
through the eastern entrance of the village in protest at closing that entrance
with an iron gate since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada.  Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters
indiscriminately. As a result, dozens of civilians suffered tear gas
inhalation.

 

Also
following the Friday prayer, dozens of civilians from al-Ma’sarah village,
south of Bethlehem, and a number of international activists and popular
resistance activists organized a peaceful protest against settlement activities
and the construction of the annexation wall. They gathered in front of
al-Shomou’ cultural centre in the centre of the village and made their way
through the village streets raising the Palestinian flag. When they approached
the annexation wall, Israeli forces fired sound bombs to disperse them. As a
result, dozens of protestors suffered tear gas inhalation.

 

Around the same time on Friday, 04 October 2013,
dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in front of Ofer Prison, southwest of
Ramallah. The demonstrators headed towards the gate of the prison before
Israeli forces closed it and fired live bullets, rubber coated-metal bullets
and sound bombs at them. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered tear
gas inhalation. Israeli forces arrested Jamal Hosni Hreish (12), when he was in
front of his house and took him to Ofer Prison, south of the village. However,
he was released 2 hours later.

 

3. Continued closure of the oPt

 

Israel has continued to impose a
tightened 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 tightens the closure of the Gaza Strip and closes 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.

 

The
total closure of al-Mentar (“Karni”) crossing since 02 March 2011 has
seriously affected the economy of the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all
economic and commercial establishments in the Gaza Commercial Zone were shut
off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the
Gaza Strip, in terms of its capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports.
The decision to close al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of
decisions resulting in the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the
Gaza Strip in the beginning of 2009, and the Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza
City, which was dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza
Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

 

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.

 

The
cooking gas crisis has ranged between the ebb and flow for 3 months due to the
closure of Karm Abu Salem for security reasons. 
According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli authorities only allow around 98
tonnes of cooking gas into Gaza per day. 
This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, which is 200
tonnes per day, of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip during the winter.

 

For almost 6 consecutive years,
Israeli forces have continued to prevent the delivery of construction materials
to the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, Israeli forces approved the
delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of
international organisations in the Gaza Strip. 
Israeli forces also continued to impose almost total ban on the Gaza
Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for
light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices.

 

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 denied permission to access
hospitals via the crossing for new categories of patients from the Gaza Strip.

 

For around a year and a half,
Israeli forces have allowed Palestinian detainees’ families to visit their sons
in the Israeli jails according to special and unfair conditions after more than
5 years of deprivation in violation of international humanitarian law.

 

The Egyptian authorities allow the
population of the Gaza Strip to travel via Rafah International crossing, which
connects the Gaza Strip with the outside world. 
Only limited and specified categories are allowed, including patients,
students, persons that hold residencies in Egypt or abroad, men over 40 years,
females in all ages, children under 18, persons who hold Arab and foreign
nationalities, and members of Arab and international humanitarian
delegations.  It should be mentioned that
the crossing opens seven days a week. 
Nowadays, the crossing is overcrowded due to the prolonged procedures
from the Egyptian side, particularly after closing it for several days over the
past weeks due to Egypt’s security conditions, which has affected the
travellers’ movement in both directions.

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing

01
– 07 October 2013

 

 

Exports:

 

On
Monday, 7 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 120 kilograms
of garlic leaves, 360 kilograms of basil and 90 kilograms of mints.

 

Other
Imports:

 

 

On
Tuesday, 1 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 2,380 tonnes of
construction aggregates, 369 tonnes of construction steel, 792 tonnes of cement
and 120 tonnes of white cement for the private sector; 38 tonnes of cement, 840
tonnes of construction aggregates, 23 tonnes of construction steel for UNRWA;
700 tonnes of construction aggregates for the Water Authority and 1,120 tonnes
of construction aggregates for UNDP, in addition to 858 tonnes of fodders and
1.131 of wheat.

On
Wednesday, 2 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 1,540 tonnes of
construction aggregates, 662 tonnes of construction steel, 1,134 tonnes of
cement and 247 tonnes of white cement for the private sector; 334 tonnes of
cement and 1,120 tonnes of construction aggregates for UNRWA; 840 tonnes of
construction aggregates for the Water Authority and 840 tonnes of construction
aggregates for UNDP, in addition to 897 tonnes of fodders and 897 tonnes of
wheat.

On
Thursday, 3 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 2,100 tonnes of
construction aggregates, 596 tonnes of construction steel, 1,300 tonnes of
cement and 161 tonnes of cement for the private sector; 112 tonnes of cement
and 1,960 tonnes of construction aggregates for UNDP and 1,190 tonnes of
construction aggregates and 100 tonnes of cement for the Water Authority, in
addition to 1,170 tonnes of fodders and 858 tonnes of wheat.

On
Sunday, 6 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 344 tonnes of
cement and 2800 tonnes of construction aggregates for UNRWA, and 1,680 tonnes
of construction aggregates, 384 tonnes of construction steel and 884 tonnes of
cenment for the private sector, in adittion to 897 tonnes of fodders and 858
tonnes of wheat.

On
Monday, 7 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 1,960 tonnes of
construction aggregates, 738 tonnes of cement and 225 tonnes of construction
iron for the private sector; 1,960 tonnes of construction aggregates for UNRWA
and 1,120 tonnes of construction aggregates for UNDP, in addition to 1,248 tonnes
of fodders and 624 tonnes of whaet.

Empty Plastic
Containers Returned to Israel via Karm Abu Salem

 

 

 

On
Tuesday, 1 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed 7 truckloads of empty plastic
containers to be returned via Karm Abu Salem.

On
Wednesday, 2 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed 4 truckloads of empty plastic
containers to be returned via Karm Abu Salem.

On
Thursday, 3 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed 4 truckloads of empty plastic
containers to be returned via Karm Abu Salem.

On
Sunday, 6 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed 3 truckloads of empty plastic
containers to be returned via Karm Abu Salem.

On
Monday, 7 October 2013, Israeli forces allowed 6 truckloads of empty plastic
containers to be returned via Karm Abu Salem.

 

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

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing

01
– 09 October 2013

 

 

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:

 

• Ramallah: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 22:00 on Saturday, 05
October 2013, re-established at ‘Atara checkpoint at the northern entrance of
Birzeit, north of Ramallah.  They
prevented people from leaving or entering through the aforementioned
checkpoint.  Israeli forces later
withdrew, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 08:00 on Sunday, 06 October 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Loqaya, southwest of Ramallah.  At approximately 09:00, they established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Sanjel village, north of Ramallah.  The two checkpoints were later removed, and
no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 09:30 on Monday, 07 October 2013, Israeli froces established a
checkpoint at the northern entrance of Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah.  The checkpoint was later removed, and at
approximately 16:00, they re-established the checkpoint in the aforementioned
area and prevented vehicles from passing through it.

 

• Hebron: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 15:00 on Thursday, 03
October 2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kharsa
village, south of Dura, southwest of Hebron. 
At approximately 17:00, they established another checkpoint at the
northern entrance of Hebron, as this entrance is connected with Bypass Road
(60).  The two checkpoints were later
removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 08:00 on Friday, 04 October 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Sa’ir village, east of Hebron.  Around the same time, they established a
similar checkpoint at the entrance of Wad Abu Rishah Road, west of Ezna, west
of Hebron.  The two checkpoints were
later removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 15:00 on Monday, 07 October 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.  At approximately 16:30, they established
another checkpoint at the entrance of Beit ‘Aynoun village, east of
Hebron.  At approximately 19:00, a
similar checkpoint was established at the entrance of Kharsa village, south of
the city.  All checkpoints were later
removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 07:30 on Tuesday, 08 October 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the northern entrance of Ezna village; west of Hebron.  Around the same time, they established
another checkpoint at the entrance of al-Koum village, west of Dura, southwest
of Hebron.  At approximately 17:00, they
established a similar checkpoint at the entrance of al-Fawwar refugee camp,
south of Hebron.  Around the same time,
another checkpoint was established at the northern entrance of Hebron, as this
entrance is connected with Bypass Road (60). 
All checkpoints were later removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 07:00 on Wednesday, 09 October 2013, Israeli forces established
at the entrance of Halhoul, north of Hebron. 
At approximately 07:30, they established another checkpoint at the
entrance of Deir Samit village, southwest of Dura, southwest of the city.  The two checkpoints were later removed, and
no arrests were reported.

 

• Tulkarm: Israeli forces have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 07:00, Israeli forces
stationed at ‘Inab Checkpoint, which is established on the main road between
Tulkarm and Nablus, east of Tulkarm, tightened its restrictions against
Palestinian civilians and obstructed their movement to the checkpoint.  The tightening later ended, and no arrests
were reported.

 

At
approximately 09:00 on Tuesday, 08 October 2013, Israeli forces stationed at
‘Inab checkpoint, which is established on the main road between Tulkarm and
Nablus, east of Tulkarm, tightened their restrictions against Palestinians and
obstructed their movement.  The
tightening later ended, and no arrests were reported.

 

· Qalqilya: Israeli forces have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 20:00 on Thursday, 03
October 2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azoun
village, east of Qalqilya.  The
checkpoint was later removed, and no arrests were reported. 

 

At
approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 05 October 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint near Sorah village, southwest of Nablus, and then detained a number
of civilians from Kafr Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqilya for an hour and a
half.  Civilians from the village
emphasized that the Israeli soldiers deliberately tightened on the
aforementioned village residents.

 

Arrests at military checkpoints

 

• At approximately 15:20 on Sunday, 06 October
2013, Israeli forces arrested four children from ‘Azoun village, east of
Qalqilya, while they were patrolling in Qalqilya-Nablus Street.  The children were trying to catch their
families in order to harvest olives after they came back from school.  Eyewitnesses said to a PCHR fieldworker that
a number of soldiers arrested the four children and took them to the military
vehicles although the children were walking 200 meters near the main
street.  At approximately 22:30, they
were released after the intervention and coordination between the Palestinian
and Israeli Military Liaison.  The
children in question were identified as: ‘Ekremah Mohammed Sweidan (8); Yazan
Khaled Sweidan (12); Ahmed Mohammed Salim (11); and Rashad Sa’ad Rashed Salim
(15).

 

• At approximately 15:00 on Monday, 07 October
2013, Israeli forces arrested 2 children from ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqilya,
while they were patrolling in Qalqilya-Nablus Street.  The children were trying to catch their
families in order to harvest olives after they came back from school and were
identified as Lafi Mo’atasem Mojahed Redwan (16) and Wael Salim Derar Redwan
(15).  Later, Wael Redwan was released,
but Lafi was taken to an unknown destination.

 

• At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 06 October
2013, Israeli forces stationed at “Jelbert” checkpoint, which is
established in the centre of Tal al-Ramidah neighborhood in the centre of
Hebron, inuslted and hit ‘Oday ‘Awni Kamel Abu Shamsiyah (13) with the wire of
a radio he had on his face.  As a result,
the child sustained minor injury in the left side of his face.  It should be mentioned that the child in
question was beaten by settlers last month and taken to the Hebron Public
Hospital.

 

‘Awni Abu
Shamsiyah (13) said to a PCHR fieldworker that:

“At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 05
October 2013, I was on my way home to Ed’eis grocery, which is in the begning
of Tal Ramidah road and 100 meters away from our house.  Meanwhile, a soldier at Jelbert checkpoint
detained a ball, with which my brother Mohammed (12) and other children were
playing.  The ball entered the soldier’s
cabin while they were playing with it.  I
went to the soldier and asked him to return the ball to my brother.  The soldier knows me and knows that Mohammed
is my brother as the checkpoint is a few meters away from our house.  The soldier insulted me with bad words, so I
felt angry as he insulted my mother.  He
then ordered me to leave.  I was very
close to the soldier, so I looked at him in the eye to express my anger.  At that moment and when I turned to leave, he
hit me with the radio wire he had on my face. 
As a result, he caused wound on my left cheek.  I felt angry with the soldier’s behavior and
started to swear at him.  I distanced a
few meters away from him, and then he tried to assault me again while
laughing.  I left him and went home to
tell my mother what happened.  She went
with me to the checkpoint and rebuked the soldier.  I heard the soldier swearing at my mother and
asking her to go home.  Meanwhile,
international activists arrived and one of them pictured me and talked to the
soldier.  She tried to understand why he
assaulted me, but he claimed that he did not hit me and I caused myself injury
while playing with other children.  I
then went home with my mother, and 18 minutes later, my father accidentally
came out of our house.  A police car, in
which there were 2 policemen, passed, and my father talked to them and told
them about what happened.  The two
policemen went to the soldier and talked with him for 3 minutes.  They told my father that what I told him was
right and that he has to submit a complaint against the soldier.  It should be mentioned that the soldier, who
assaulted me, is tall, bearded, rotund, brown, and in his twenties and is
always in the area.”

 

· At approximately 15:00 on Sunday, 06 October
2013, Israeli forces detained 10 Palestinian workers after chasing them on the
bypass road near ‘Arab al-Ramadin village, far south of Hebron. Ratib al-Jbour,
Coordinator of the Popular Committee against Settlement, said to a PCHR
fieldworker that Israeli forces detained 10 Palestinian workers after chasing
them while the workers were trying to reach their workplaces in Israel through
a hole in the fence.  The detained
workers were identified as: ‘Ayed Ibrahim Abu ‘Aram; Ahmed Farid Abu ‘Aram;
Zidan al-Haroush; Mohammed Jihad Abu ‘Aram; Rashad Samamrah; Ashraf Shwahin;
Mohammed Jabbarin; Mohammed ‘Emad Shalaldah; and Ramzi Hourani.           

 

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

 

 

Settlement expansion activities and house demolition notices

 

· At approximately 17:00 on Thursday, 3 October 2013, Israeli forces accompanied by
three military vehicles and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration moved into Khirbet Safi al-Fawqa, in the east of Yatta, in the southern
Hebron, which is declared by the Israeli Ministry of Defence as “Firing Zone
918” and whose residents are threatened with displacement. An Israeli Civil
Administration officer handed Palestinian civilians a notice to stop working on
the solar cells that provide Palestinian families with power, under the pretext
of establishing them without a prior permission from the Department of Planning
and Construction of Israeli Civil Administration.

 

· At approximately 11:00 on Saturday, 5 October 2013, Israeli forces
accompanied by several military vehicles and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil
Administration, moved into Shweikeh suburb, north of Tulkarem. They patrolled the streets and
stationed in the western area of the suburb. Israeli forces broke into a house
belonging to Ayman Jamil Rashid Mahdawi, 28, and an Israeli Civil
Administration officer handed him a notice to stop the construction works in
his 150-meter house that is threatened with demolition, under the pretext of
its proximity to the Israeli annexation wall. Later on, Israeli forces withdrew
and no other incidents were reported.

 

Attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and their properties

 

· At approximately 17:00 on Thursday, 3 October 2013, a
group of settlers destroyed 45 olive trees in “Mitsa Yair” settlement which is established
on civilian territories in the east of Yatta, in the southern Hebron. The trees
were 1 year old, planted in Kila Aziwa area, near Khrbet Qwiwous, in the east
of the aforementioned city, and belonged to Jabr Shatat, 40.

 

· At approximately 08:30 on Friday, 4 October 2013, Abd
al-Rahman Ibrahim Abd al-Rahman Awad, from Jama’in village, in the
south-western Nablus, was driving his car (Hyundai 2006, Gray) with his wife
Etaf Salama Awad, and their son, 16, to their land in Harayeq al-Awil area, on
the road of “Aberat al-Samira”, about 300 meters far from it. The
aforementioned civilian parked his car about 150 meters far from his land. 15
minutes after they had arrived at the land, they heard an explosion. Akram
walked ten meters and saw an Israeli settler smashing his car with a stick.
Akram shouted at him and rushed towards him to find three Israeli settlers
running away and two other settlers watching the area, and then ran away
towards “Taffuh” settlement. When Akram reached the car, he found out that its
rubber tires were punctured with a sharp object and that its front and side
glass was smashed.

 

· On the following day morning, 5 October 2013, Yasser
Abd al-Rahman Hassan Faqha, 55, from Deir Sharaf Village, in the north-western
Nablus, went with his family members to harvest olives in his land, located in
the western side of “Shavei Shomron” settlement; on the road linking Nablus with
Tulkarem, in front of “Arabic Gas Station”. When Faqha arrived at the land, he
was surprised that Israeli settlers from the aforementioned settlement had
destroyed more than 120 olive trees belonging to him, Sedqi Abd al-Ghani,
Mustafa Mer’i Faqha and Mustafa Ibrahim Faqha, and robbed their fruits.

 

· At approximately 22:30 on Saturday, a group of settlers
from “Beit Eil” settlement, which is established on the lands of Ramallah and
Bireh, attacked civilian houses in the neighbourhood of the agricultural
suburb, in the south of Dora al-Qar’ village, in the north-eastern Ramallah,
and threw stones at them. Palestinian civilians and residents of Jalzoun
refugee camp immediately gathered and threw stones at Israeli settlers.
Following this incident, Israeli reinforcements arrived and fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at Palestinian civilians to disperse them.

 

· Late on Sunday, 6 October 2013, a group of settlers
from the Israeli settlement outpost “Niria”, established in the lands of the
northern area of Rass Karkar village, in the north-western Ramallah, destroyed
and cut branches of 12 olive trees in “Nabi Anir” area in the north of the
village, near the aforementioned settlement. The attacked trees belong to the
family of Azmi Saleh Taha Samha, 37.

 

Samhan said to a PCHR fieldworker:

“At Approximately 08:00 on Monday, 7 October 2013,
I received a phone call from my cousin “Abdellatif” who was harvesting olives
with his family in his land located near mine; he told me that a group of
settlers destroyed branches of 12 olive trees that are 100-150 years old. Our
land and mine that is of approximately 12 dunums is planted with about 150
olive trees and located in the agricultural area of “Nabu Anir”, in the north
of the village, and is only 500 meters far from the mentioned outpost. The
attack included destroying branches of 12 olive trees with hands and hand saws.
My cousin confirmed that he left the land at about 17:00 on Monday, 06 October
2013, and there were no destroyed branches, which means this attack happened
late at night on Sunday.”

It is worth
mentioning that Nabi Anir agricultural area annually witnesses frequent attacks
by the settlers of “Niria”, especially during olive harvest season. The attacks
include burning and destroying trees, beating, and throwing stones at
Palestinian civilians in their lands in front of the Israeli soldiers in the
watchtowers deployed in the vicinity of the settlement.

 

· On Monday morning, 8 October 2013, a group of settlers
from “Kerott Shomron” outpost, in the east of Qalqilia, attacked lands of
Palestinian farmers form Kafr Laqaf village, cutting 12 olive trees by hand
saws, in “Baqtan Naqi’a” land belonging to Sulaiman Saleh Mahmoud Jabr, from
the aforementioned village.

Jaber told a PCHR fieldworker:

“At approximately 08:00 on Monday, 8 October 2013,
we went to crop olives from our land, known as “Baqtan Naqi’a”, guarded by
Israeli soldiers; since we are not allowed to enter the area unguarded because
of its proximity of settlers’ houses of “Kerott Shemron” outpost, in front of
the village. We were surprised that 12 olive trees were cut with hand saws and
found out that the attack was recent since the branches were still green”

 

 

 

 

Recommendations to the International Community

 

 

PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position
that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is still
under the Israeli occupation, in spite of the Israeli military redeployment
outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli force have
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 an 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 continued
aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially the latest offensive
that lasted for 8 days in November, 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 and victims;

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 directed 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 violation and crimes
against Palestinian civilians;

14. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and
accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva
Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the United
Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to international human
rights law and humanitarian law instruments.

 

 

 

 

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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 08 282 4776 – 282 5893.