· Israeli occupation forces
break into Rafah, kill a Palestinian civilian and a security officer and
demolish 19 Palestinian houses;

 

· Five Palestinian
civilians, including two children, are killed in two mysterious explosions in
Gaza City and Ramallah for which the PNA holds Israel responsible;

 

· A Palestinian civilian is
killed and a child is wounded when Israeli occupation forces open fire on a
Palestinian civilian vehicle;

 

· Israeli occupation forces shot and killed a
Palestinian civilian after he fled his home, which was being raided;

 

· Shelling Palestinian
houses and civilian facilities escalates seriously. Shells containing dart-like materials are
used by Israeli occupation forces; and

 

· More land is leveled and more houses and civilian
facilities are demolished.

 

 

 

Introduction

 

On
Wednesday, May 2, 2001, at approximately 13:00 local time, Israeli occupation
forces broke into areas under control by the Palestinian National Authority, as
stipulated in the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement. Israeli tanks and bulldozers broke into
Al-Barazil and El-Sha’er neighborhoods adjacent to the border with Egypt in
Rafah, and entered approximately 200m inside Palestinian areas. Residents of the two neighborhoods woke up
hearing sounds of artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets. Hundreds of terrified Palestinian civilians,
including children, women and elderly, fled from their homes, as they were
shelled in the darkness. Mahmoud Nener
‘Abdel-Hadi ‘Aqel, 19, from Rafah, was killed with a live bullet in the chest
when he was approximately 300m from the Israeli occupation forces. In addition, 13 Palestinian civilians were
wounded, including four relatives whose house was shelled. The Israeli forces also destroyed 19
Palestinian houses and razed dozens of donums of agricultural land. 

 

The day
before, at approximately 11:00 local time, Israeli forces attempted to break
into the same area. Mohammed Mousa
Suleiman Abu Jazar, 57, a Palestinian National Security Forces officer, was
killed with a live bullet in the head when he was approximately 300m away from
the Israeli forces. This escalation is
a continuation of similar Israeli operations designed to create empty and burnt
areas in Palestinian residential and agricultural areas adjacent to areas under
control by these forces in the Gaza Strip. 

 

During
this week, the Israeli occupation forces continued to kill Palestinians and
attack their property. More victims were
recorded as a result of Israeli shooting and shelling.

 

On
Saturday, April 28, 2001, at approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli occupation
soldiers, positioned on a military observation tower in the vicinity of Bilal
Ben Rabah mosque (Rachel’s Tomb) fired medium caliber bullets at a Palestinian
civilian car that was traveling towards ‘Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem. ‘Emad Daoud Hassan Qaraqe’, 33, from ‘Aida
refugee camp, was killed and his five-year-old child, Haitham, was seriously
wounded with a live bullet in the left eye. This crime added to an increasing record of unjustifiable killings
committed by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians.

 

On Monday, April 30, 2001,
at
approximately 2:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces raided the house
of ‘Adnan As’ad ‘Oudeh, 38, from Habla village southeast of Qalqilya. ‘Oudeh was able to escape, but the Israeli
forces chased him and willfully fired upon him. He was killed with a live bullet that entered his back and settled in the
heart.

 

On Monday, April 30, 2001, two massive explosions
boomed in Ramallah and Gaza City, killing five Palestinian civilians, including
seven-year-old and four-year-old children, and wounding many, including a
10-year-old child, who is still receiving medical care in the intensive care
unit at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. The circumstances of the two explosions remain unclear. Nevertheless, the Palestinian National
Authority accused Israeli security services of being involved in the two
explosions, apparently targeting Palestinian activists.

 

A massive explosion completely destroyed a
two-story building adjacent to the building which houses PCHR offices. Two Palestinian civilians were killed and
three were injured in the blast. Hamdi
Salim Al-Madhoun, 18, from Gaza City, and Mohammed ‘Abdel-Karim Abu Khaled, 17,
from Gaza City, were killed in the blast. PCHR’s offices and equipment were severely damaged as a result of the
explosion in Gaza City.

 

The same evening, another
explosion occurred in a two-story housing building in Ramallah. Three Palestinian civilians, including two
children, were killed and three were injured. The building was completely destroyed. The blast killed:

 

1) A four-year-old child,
Malak Jamal Barakat, killed by shrapnel and burns throughout the body when she
was at her family’s home;

2) The seven-year-old brother
of the first victim, Shahid Jamal Barakat, killed by shrapnel and burns
throughout the body when he was at his family’s home; and

3) Hassan Mohammed Hassan
El-Qadhi, 27, from Bitounia in Ramallah, a member of Fatah Movement “wanted” by
the Israeli occupation forces and a senior majoring in political science at
Al-Quds Open University.

 

During
the same period, the Israeli occupation forces continued to raze areas of
Palestinian agricultural land and demolish civilian facilities in the northern
and middle areas of the Gaza Strip as well as in Rafah.

 

 

1. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians

 

Thursday,
April 26, 2001

 

In the afternoon, Israeli occupation forces,
positioned on top of a Palestinian house, owned by the Abu Khousa family, in
Al-Moghraqa area south of Gaza City, opened fire on Palestinian civilians, who
were 400m away, inside Palestinian National Authority controlled areas. The house had been seized by the Israeli
occupation forces at the beginning of the al-Aqsa intifada. As a result, Mahmoud Mohammed Madhi, 34, from
Gaza City, was wounded with a live bullet in the right forearm. He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza
City for treatment. 

 

At approximately 18:15 local time, Israeli
occupation soldiers in military jeep that was travelling on Qalandya-Givat
Z’eiv road, west of Qalandya, shot at Zuhair Mohammed Yousef Nasser, 40, from
Safa village near Ramallah, wounding him with a live bullet in the left
leg. Nasser was shot at when he got out
of his car to go to toilette. He was
fired upon when there were no clashes in the area. According to medical sources at Ramallah
hospital, where he was evacuated, the live bullet severed an artery in Nasser’s
leg, so he had to undergo surgery.

 

Friday,
April 27, 2001

 

At
approximately 6:40 local time, Israeli occupation forces in a military jeep
near Kissufim Crossing, to the east of Khan Yunis, fired on Ismail ‘Oudeh Abu
Roumia, 37, from Al-Qarara village near Khan Yunis, seriously wounding
him. He was evacuated to Soruka hospital
in Israel for treatment. According to
PCHR’s investigation, Abu Roumia, who is psychologically ill, crossed Israeli
barbwiress on Al-Shuhada’ (Kissufim) road, connecting Gush Qatif settlement
block and Israel, through Kissufim Crossing. Abu Roumia proceeded walking on the road. Then, two Israeli military jeeps arrived–
one coming from the east and the other coming from the west. Abu Roumia was trapped between the two jeeps,
approximately 10m from each. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired more than 10 live bullets at him. He fell to the ground, where he lay bleeding
for 15 minutes. Then, an Israeli
ambulance came to the area and evacuated him to Soruka hospital in Israel,
according to sources of the Palestinian Liaison Forces. The nature of his wounds was not clear.

 

After the Friday prayer, Palestinian civilians in
Ramallah and Al-Bireh organized a demonstration, in protest to Israeli
occupation forces’ crimes. The
demonstration moved toward the northern entrance of Al-Bireh. There, clashes erupted between them and
Israeli occupation forces, positioned near the City Inn hotel. The Israeli forces opened fire, wounding two
Palestinian civilians. In addition, a
member of the Palestinian National Security Forces was wounded with a live
bullet fired by the Israeli forces. He
was near the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, approximately 500m away
from the Israeli forces. He did not
participate in clashes and was shot when a military jeep of these forces burst
into areas under control by the Palestinian National Authority and fired at
him. The wounded were as follows:

 

1) Kamel ‘Abdel-Qader Zeidan,
52, from Bir Nabala in Ramallah, wounded with a live bullet in the shoulder;

2) Mohammed Mustafa Khader,
21, from Bitounia in Ramallah, wounded with a live bullet in the left
thigh. He is still receiving medical
care in the intensive care unit at Ramallah hospital; and

3) Ashraf Ahmed El-Qerinawi,
21, a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, wounded with a live
bullet in the right shoulder.

 

At approximately 14:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the entrance of a bypass
road used by settlers south of Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, east of Gaza City,
opened fire on Palestinian children demonstrating more than 150m away. Ten children were wounded as follows:

 

1) ‘Omar ‘Essam El-Nawajha,
13, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in
the right hand;

2) Mohammed Nayef ‘Oudeh, 13,
from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
right thigh;

3) Mohammed Ziad Kassab, 17,
from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
right thigh;

4) Mohammed Talal Abu Sidu,
17, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
left thigh;

5) Ismail Ehsan El-Jamleh,
14, from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
left thigh;

6) ‘Alla’ ‘Ammar El-Za’noun,
18, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with shrapnel in the
right eye and the head;

7) Mohammed Saber ‘Ambar, 16,
from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the right shoulder;

8) Ibrahim Sha’ban Abu
Sha’ban, 17, from Al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live
bullet in the left knee;

9) Maysara, Kamal Abu Riala,
21, Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the left
knee; and

10) Shadi Zuhair El-Dhib, 10,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
left thigh.

 

Saturday,
April 7, 2001

 

At
approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, on a military observation
tower near Bilal Ben Rabah mosque (Rachel’s Tomb) fired medium caliber bullets
at a Palestinian civilian car that was traveling toward ‘Aida refugee camp near
Bethlehem , killing a passenger and wounding the driver and another child
passenger. PCHR learned that a
Palestinian civilian car, a white Subaru driven by Ziad ‘Mohammed ‘Abdel-Khaleq
Qaraqe’, 27, in which ‘Emad Daoud Hassan Qaraqe’, 33, from ‘Aida refugee camp,
his six month pregnant wife, Maysa’ Qaraqe’, 23, and their five-year-old child,
Haitham, were travelling to ‘Aida refugee camp, northwest of Bethlehem. When the car turned near the Intercontinental
hotel, Israeli occupation soldiers on the observation tower suddenly opened
fire on the car from a distance of approximately 100m. ‘Emad Qaraqe,’ who was in the passenger’s
seat, was killed with a live bullet in the face and shrapnel in the chest. Furthermore, his child Haitham, who was
sitting in the back seat, was seriously wounded with a live bullet in the left
eye. The driver, Ziad Qaraqe,’ was
wounded with shrapnel in the shoulder and the chest. 

 

Sunday, April 29, 2001

 

At approximately 18:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the border east of
‘Abassan village in Khan Yunis, opened fire on Palestinian civilians who
gathered near the border to protest Israeli occupation forces’ razing of their
agricultural land. As a result, four
Palestinian civilians were wounded with live bullets as follows:

 

1) Rami ‘Oleyan
Abu Tair, 18, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the head and evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City for
treatment;

2) Bilal
Mohammed Baraka, 19, wounded with a live bullet in the chest;

3) Subhi Rushdi
El-Kharraz, 40, wounded with a live bullet in the left leg; and

4) Farid Khalil
‘Arab, 21, wounded with a live bullet in the right hand.

 

In addition, dozens of Palestinian civilians suffered
from suffocation due to tear gas canisters fired by Israeli forces.

 

At approximately 22:15 local time, Israeli occupation
soldiers opened fire on a Palestinian civilian car, which was passing
approximately 300m away from their military roadblock, known as “Al-Kafreyat
roadblock,” south of Tulkarm. Two
Palestinian civilians traveling in the car, were wounded. A passing taxi driver evacuated them to
Tulkarm hospital. The wounded were:

 

1) Mohraj Ibrahim ‘Abdel-Wahab Shehadeh, 25, from
Tulkarm refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet that entered his right armpit
and lung; and

2) Ghanem Mahmoud Ibrahim Ghanem, wounded with shrapnel
in his sides.

 

According to medical sources at Tulkarm hospital,
physicians decided to transfer Shehadeh to Rafidya hospital in Nablus because
of his serious condition. An ambulance
took him from Tulkarm hospital, but Israeli occupation soldiers positioned at
Al-Kafreyat roadblock, intercepted it and forcibly transferred it to Al-Taybeh
roadblock in order to arrest Shehadeh. An Israeli ambulance was waiting there to take him. Later, it became known that he was transferred
to the Israeli M’eir hospital in Kfar Saba.

 

Monday, April 30, 2000

 

At approximately 2:00 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces raided on the house of ‘Adnan As’ad ‘Oudeh, 38, from Habla
village southeast of Qalqilya. ‘Oudeh
was able to escape, but Israeli forces chased him and willfully shot at him,
approximately 500m away from his house. He was killed with a live bullet that entered his back and settled in
the heart.

 

In the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces fired
upon Palestinian children who were demonstrating near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet,
to the east of Gaza City, approximately 100m away from these forces. Two children were wounded as follows:

 

1) Ra’ed Nabil El-Zaharneh, 15, from Al-Tuffah
neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the right knee; and

2) Mohammed Khalil El-Nakhala, 14, from Al-Tuffah neighborhood
in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the thighs.

 

Tuesday, May 1, 2000

 

At approximately 13:30 local time, around 100
Palestinian children gathered approximately 150m away from a military site of
the Israeli occupation forces at the entrance of a bypass road used be settlers
near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, east of Gaza City. The children were throwing stones and did not
pose any threat to the Israeli forces. Then, two Israeli military jeeps arrived and suddenly approached the
children who fled. The Israeli forces
opened fire on children from a distance of approximately 100m. A twelve-year-old child, Bilal Ziad
El-Batesh, from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded with a live
bullet in the left side. He was
evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City for treatment. Approximately half an hour later, the Israeli
forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in the area in similar
circumstances. As a result, Jarir Zeidan
El-Rawagh, 15, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza, was wounded with a live
bullet in the head, as he was escaping. He is still in critical condition and receiving treatment in the
intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital.

 

At approximately 14:30 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces fired at Palestinian civilians demonstrating at the northern
entrance of Al-Bireh, approximately 300 from these forces. Hussein Mohammed Abu ‘Eid, 17, from Beddu,
northwest of Jerusalem, was wounded with shrapnel in the neck.

 

Wednesday, May 2, 2001

 

At approximately 5:30 local time, Israeli occupation
soldiers, positioned at Al-Taybeh roadblock, west of Tulkarm, fired upon
Palestinian laborers on their way to work places in Israel. As a result, Ibrahim Mossallam El-Sama’na, a
22-year-old resident of Tulkarm originally from Jabalya refugee camp in the
Gaza Strip, was wounded with a live bullet in the right shoulder.

 

At approximately 17:30 local time, Israeli occupation
forces, positioned on bypass road 35, north of Hebron, fired upon Palestinian
youths demonstrating nearby. Thalji
Fawzi El-Haimouni, 20, was wounded with a live bullet that entered the right
shoulder and the neck, and a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand. This shooting took place after the Israeli
occupation forces entered 15m inside areas under control by the Palestinian
National Authority.

 

2. Shelling of Residential
Neighborhoods

 

Friday,
April 27, 2001 

 

At approximately 20:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Kfar Darom settlement
east of Deir El-Balah, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber
bullets at Palestinian houses north and west of the settlement. A member of the Palestinian National Security
Forces and a civilian were wounded and a number of houses were partially damaged. The wounded were:

 

1) Yousef Taleb
Moshref, 22, from Deir El-Balah, a member of the Palestinian National Security
Forces, wounded with artillery shell shrapnel in the right thigh, when he was
in a Palestinian security site, approximately 200m to the north of the
settlement; and

 

2) Khalil Salman
Bashir, 50, from Deir El-Balah, wounded with artillery shell shrapnel in the
head and the neck, when he was inside his house located a few meters a way from
the settlement. Bashir’s house has been
frequently shelled by the Israeli occupation forces.

 

In
his testimony to PCHR, Bashir said that in the afternoon, four CNN reporters
climbed atop his three-story house and started to film Kfar Darom
settlement. Then, an Israeli occupation
forces officer prevented them from filming the settlement and tried to seize
their videotapes. The Israeli soldiers
claimed that the first story of the house was in area “A” (under full control
of the Palestinian National Authority) and the second and third stories were in
area “C” (under control by the Israeli occupation forces), and that filming
from this area requires the permission of the Israeli occupation forces.

 

At
approximately 21:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the
border east of Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, shelled
site 10 of the Palestinian National Security Forces at the border. Three artillery shells hit the site, making
holes 20cm in diameter in its walls, and three members of the site were wounded
as follows:

 

1) Mahmoud Rezeq
Safi, 27, wounded with shrapnel in the face;

2) Suleiman
Rezeq Abu Mandil, 27, wounded with shrapnel in the legs; and

3) ‘Obeid Abu
‘Oreiban, 50, wounded with shrapnel in the face, the chest and the back.

 

At
approximately 22:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in four
military sites in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah roadblock and Neve Dekalim
settlement, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at
Palestinian houses in the western part of Khan Yunis refugee camp. The shelling lasted until midnight and
resulted in severe damage to a number of houses.

 

Saturday, April 28, 2000

 

At
approximately 20:50 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in four
military sites near Al-Tuffah roadblock and Neve Dekalim settlement, fired
artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in
the western part of Khan Yunis refugee camp and Al-Nemsawi (the Austrian)
neighborhood. PCHR’s field officer in
Khan Yunis reported that a moveable tower based on a lever was used during the
shelling which lasted for half an hour. A twelve-year-old child Hatem Mohammed El-Bardawil, was wounded with
shrapnel in the left hand when he was near his family’s house, adjacent to
Al-Nemsawi neighborhood.

 

At
approximately 22:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces resumed shelling
the areas. The sporadic shelling lasted
for one hour, during which ‘Ali Ahmed Ibrahim Saqer, 45, was wounded with a
live bullet in the head, while he was one the balcony of his house in Zo’rob
quarter, more than 1,000m away from Israeli occupation forces’ positions. He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza
City for treatment. In addition, a
number of houses were damaged.

 

At
approximately 23:20 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Gani
Tal settlement fired three artillery shells containing dart-like shrapnel at
Al-Amal neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis. One of these shells fell onto a 250-square-meter house, in which 22
live, owned by Hassan ‘Ali Mousa Dababesh, located approximately 1,000m away
from the aforementioned site. The
house’s asbestos roof and water saving tanks were damaged, and a wall of one
room was potmarked by holes 10cm in diameter. Residents of the house were terrified; the wife and daughter
fainted. The other two shells fell near
an ice-cream factory owned by the family of El-Badrasawi, damaging the
factory’s store and water saving tank. In addition, Sa’id Yousef Dahlan, 25, was wounded with dart-like
shrapnel in the right shoulder. He was
evacuated to Al-Amal hospital of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Khan
Yunis.

 

Sunday, April 29, 2001

 

At
approximately 8:40 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Neve
Dekalim settlement, fired four artillery shells at Khan Yunis refugee
camp. Three houses that have been
frequently shelled and severely damaged during the past months and their
residents evacuated, were damaged further. These houses are: 

 

1) a 250-square-meter, two-story house, in which 18
people used to live, owned by ‘Abdullah and Ibrahim Shoreiqi Abu ‘Obeida;

2) a 130-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11
people used to live, owned by ‘Adel Abu ‘Obeida; and

3) a 180-square-meter, two-story house, in which 10
people used to live, owned by Jehad Khalil Abu Louz.

 

Furthermore,
the nine-year-old child Khaled Yousef Zo’rob, was wounded with shrapnel in the
right leg, when he was passing near the targeted area.

 

At
approximately 12:20 local time, the Israeli occupation forces resumed shelling
Khan Yunis refugee camp. This time, they
fired four artillery shells at both houses and the tents of Palestinian
civilians whose homes were demolished by the Israeli forces on April 11,
2000. These civilians were terrified and
were forced to leave their tents. Furthermore, an old woman and a child were wounded with shrapnel as
follows:

 

1) Hasna Hussein Abu Mokheimer, 80, wounded with
shrapnel in the left hand; and

2) Mohammed Khalil El-Aqqad, 9, wounded with shrapnel in
the head.

 

In addition, a number of
Palestinian civilians suffered nervous break-downs.

 

Monday, April 30, 2001

 

At
approximately 22:10 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Neve
Dekalim settlement and Al-Tuffah roadblock east of Khan Yunis refugee camp, and
near Gani Tal settlement northwest of Khan Yunis, fired artillery shells
containing dart-like shrapnel and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Al-Satar
Al-Gharbi area, Khan Yunis refugee camp and Al-Nemsawi neighborhood. The shelling, which lasted until 23:10 local
time, targeted Palestinian houses and civilian facilities located approximately
2km away from Israeli occupation forces sites. A number of Palestinian civilians were wounded with artillery shell
shrapnel. PCHR’s field officer in Khan
Yunis reported that there has been a serious escalation in indiscriminate
shelling by the Israeli occupation forces which had the objective of wounding
as many Palestinian civilians as possible. The wounded were:

 

1) Wa’el Jamil Hassan Khalifa, 14, wounded with shrapnel
in the right leg;

2) Majed Hussein Hneideq, 21, wounded with shrapnel in
the back after an artillery shell fell onto his house;

3) Falastin Kefah Hneideq, 18, wounded with shrapnel in
the legs after an artillery shell fell onto her family’s house;

4) Mowaffaq Mohammed El-Qassas, 15, wounded with
shrapnel in the right hand;

5) Hazem ‘Abdel-Mo’ti Abu Jaber, 26, wounded with
shrapnel in the right leg;

6) Ibrahim Khalil Abu Jarad, 26, wounded with shrapnel
in the right leg; and

7) Ahmed ‘Ayesh Sallam, 40, wounded with shrapnel in the
right leg.

 

Furthermore,
a number of houses and an UNRWA school were severely damaged as follows:

 

1) UNWRA’s Ahmed ‘Abdel’Azziz preparatory school: Three
artillery shells fell onto the school. Two shells hit the library, making three holes in its walls 15-30cm in
diameter. The shells broke the windows
and damaged a number of books and desks. The third shell hit a classroom, making a hole 50cm in diameter in a
concrete column and breaking its windows.

2) A 180-square-meter, one-story house, in which 10
people live, owned by Hussein Ahmed Hussein Hneideq: Walls of a bedroom were
potmarked, a television set was destroyed, walls of the house were cracked, and
the owner’s son and daughter-in-law were wounded (see the list of the wounded
above.)

3) A 120-square-meter, two-story house, in which 10
people live, owned by Ahmed Ismail Noufal: Windows were broken and the western
façade was potmarked.

4) A 100-square-meter, one-story house, in which 8
people live, owned by Sa’id ‘Aref ‘Abdullah Abu Sa’id: The asbestos roof was
destroyed.

5) A 200-square-meter, one-story house, in which 10
people live, owned by Mustafa Mahmoud Gannan: The asbestos roof was destroyed.

6) A 130-square-meter, two-story house, in which 13
people live, owned by Mahmoud Husni Shahin: Windows of the house were broken.

 

Tuesday, May 1, 2001

 

At approximately 11:00 local time, the Israeli occupation
forces reinforced with tanks and bulldozers again broke into areas under
control by the Palestinian National Authority in Rafah. They opened machine gun fires on Palestinian
houses and citizens. As a result, a
Palestinian National Security Forces member was killed and a woman was
seriously wounded in the chest. PCHR’s
field officer in Rafah reported that the Israeli occupation forces attempted to
break into the border area in order to demolish and destroy a number of
Palestinian houses in Al-Brazil neighborhood adjacent to the border. Thus attempt was accompanied by intensive
shooting by the Israeli forces, which killed Mohammed Mousa Suleiman Abu Jazar,
57, with a live bullet in the head, when he was at ‘Abdel-Hadi Street,
approximately 30m away from the border. In addition, Randa Jamil El-Qassir, 37, was wounded with a live bullet
in the chest when she was near her house, approximately 300m away from the
border. She was evacuated to the
intensive care unit at the European Hospital in serious condition. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
the Israeli occupation forces failed to demolish a single house.

 

At approximately 15:30 local time, Israeli occupation
forces, positioned in the vicinity of the northern entrance of Al-Bireh, fired
artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and
civilian facilities near the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and
Ministry of Local Government. As a
result, Fadi ‘Abdel-Rahman El-Barghouthi, 39, from Kober village near Ramallah,
an officer of the Palestinian National Security Forces, was seriously wounded
with shrapnel in the chest and the liver. When he was wounded, he was at a Palestinian security sited at the
northern entrance of Al-Bireh, approximately 100m away from the Israeli
forces. He was evacuated to the
intensive care unit at Ramallah hospital. Additionally, a number of buildings and civilian facilities were
partially damaged.

 

Wednesday, May 2, 2001

 

From
approximately 1:00 to 5:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces again
attempted to break into Al-Barazil and Al-Sha’er neighborhoods, adjacent to the
border south of Rafah. Israeli tanks and
bulldozers entered up to 200m inside Al-Barazil neighborhood, under the full
control by the Palestinian National Authority. This action, which has recently become a regular occurrence, was
accompanied by intensive shooting and shelling of Palestinian houses, whose
residents fled upon the start of the shelling and shooting. A Palestinian civilian, Mahmoud Nemer ‘Abdel-Hadi
‘Aqel, 19, was killed with a live bullet in the chest, when he was
approximately 300m away from the Israeli forces. Furthermore, 13 Palestinian civilians, were
wounded; this included four members of one family who were wounded when they
were trying to flee from their house that was shelled, located approximately
70m away from the border. The wounded
were:

 

1) ‘Adnan Harb El-Ghoreiz, 39, wounded with a live
bullet in the left thigh and was evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis;

2) Ra’dat Harb El-Ghoreiz, 23, wounded with shrapnel in
the neck;

3) Rana ‘Adnan El-Ghoreiz, 15, wounded with a live
bullet in the right thigh and was evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis;

4) Sa’id ‘Adnan El-Ghoreiz, 9, wounded with shrapnel in
the right arm;

5) Maher Fares Madhi, 26, wounded with shrapnel in the
right shoulder;

6) Munir Hussein El-Sedoudi, 21, wounded with shrapnel
throughout the body;

7) Bassam ‘Abdel-Qader El-‘Arja, 31, wounded with
shrapnel in the head;

8) Montasser Ismail Mansour, 31, wounded with shrapnel
in the back;

9) Sadeq Sa’d Abu Taha, 23, wounded with shrapnel in the
face and the neck;

10) Khaled Mustafa ‘Awaja, 29, wounded with shrapnel in
the left arm;

11) Ref’at Mustafa El-Sha’er, 18, wounded with shrapnel
in the left thigh;

12) Nazhmi Joudeh Abu Khatleh, 35, wounded with shrapnel
in the left elbow, and

13) ‘Emad Hussein Ahmed ‘Edwan, 35, wounded with shrapnel
in both arms.

 

PCHR’s
field officer in Rafah reported that the Israeli occupation forces also
demolished 19 Palestinian houses, most of which were empty. The residents either evacuated during past
months to escape the frequent Israeli shelling or fled during the recent
invasion. Most of these houses and a
site of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Al-Barazil neighborhood
were completely demolished. In addition,
dozens of donums of agricultural land were razed.[1] The demolished houses were as follows:

 

 

 

At
approximately 11:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the
border in Rafah, opened fired on Palestinian
houses in Al-Salam neighborhood adjacent to the border. As a result, a 12-year-old child,
‘Abdel-Rahman Hassanein, was wounded with a live bullet in the face, when he
was near Al-Nour mosque, approximately 300m north of the border. The child was evacuated to Al-Jeneina
hospital in Rafah for treatment.

 

3. Two Mysterious Explosions
in Gaza and Ramallah Kill Five Palestinian civilians

 

On
Monday, April 30, 2001, two massive explosions boomed in Ramallah and Gaza
City, killing five Palestinian civilians, including seven-year-old and
four-year-old children, and wounding some, including a 10-year-old child, who
is still receiving medical care in the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital
in Gaza City. Circumstances of the two
explosions remain unclear. Nevertheless,
the Palestinian National Authority accused Israeli security services of being
involved in planning for the two explosions, apparently targeting Palestinian
activists. PCHR’s offices and equipment
were severely damaged as a result of the explosion in Gaza City.

 

At approximately 17:00 local time on April 30,
2001, a massive explosion completely destroyed a two-story building adjacent to
the building which houses PCHR offices, located on Omar El-Mukhtar Street in
the Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City. Two were killed and three were injured in the blast. Hamdi Salim Al-Madhoun, 18, from Gaza City,
and Mohammed ‘Abdel-Karim Abu Khaled, 17, from Gaza City, were killed in the
blast.

 

Abu Khaled’s mother, ‘Afaf Sa’id Abu Khaled, 48,
who was in the home at the time of the blast, was injured in the head and was
evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. ‘Abdel-Karim Mohammed Al-Madhoun, a 21-year-old relative of the first
victim, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body and is now in
critical condition in the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital.

 

The force of the blast ripped the steel doors from
five stores and threw them across the street; rubble from the blast was thrown
at least 20 meters in all directions. A
10-year-old child, Khalil Na’im ‘Afanah, was wounded by the flying doors and
rubble from the blast and is now in critical condition in the ICU at Shifa’
hospital.

 

The blast, which originated in a part of the
building next to the PCHR building, also severely damaged PCHR offices. Fortunately, the PCHR staff had left for the
day and no one from PCHR staff was wounded. The PCHR offices were damaged as follows:

 

 § The walls adjacent to the destroyed building were damaged.

 § The stairwell adjacent to the destroyed building was damaged.

 § The pillars on the first floor of the PCHR building were severely
damaged. These pillars support the Legal
Aid Unit offices on the second floor.

 § All the windows facing the street on the first floor of the PCHR
building were damaged.

 § A side entrance to the PCHR offices leading to an attached building was
damaged.

 § The stone countertops in the PCHR kitchen were broken.

 § Rubble from the blast damaged the satellite dish on the roof of the PCHR
building.

 § PCHR’s 12-ton generator was thrown 7 meters by the blast and completely
destroyed.

 

Al-Amal
Hotel, to the east of the destroyed building, and a room of a home on the first
floor of the PCHR building, were also partially damaged.

 

Two
Israeli helicopters had been seen flying over the area since 11:00 local time. As a preemptive measure, all Palestinian
security buildings were evacuated. The
two helicopters disappeared after the explosion occurred. This does not exclude the possibility of
Israeli occupation forces’ involvement in the explosion through activating a
bomb by remote control. Investigation
concluded that two members of the families of Abu Khaled and El-Madhoun, Hisham
and Haitham, were “wanted” by the Israeli occupation forces, and that the
explosion targeted them. The two used to
work in marble engraving and they used a part of the targeted house as a store
and a workshop. The explosion coincided
with the presence of two members of the family of El-Madhoun, who own a marble
factory. They brought pieces of marble
to Abu Khaled’s house. One was killed
and the other was injured. Hisham and
Haitham import chemical materials from an Israeli trader, which they use to
burn the marble, through their brother-in-law Jihad Zureid who is a chemical
engineer.

 

On
Tuesday, April 29, 2001, at approximately 20:30 local time, Zureid brought a
cargo of goods, including three barrels that contained 50kg of chemical
materials in each one, to Abu Khaled’s house. The cargo was exported from the Israeli trader through Al-Mentar (Karni)
Outlet, under control by the Israeli occupation forces. When Zureid, Hisham and Haitham, were
unloading the cargo, Zureid noticed that one of the barrels weighed more than
50kg, so he decided to go to a store on the other side to the street to confirm
its weight. He discovered that the
barrel weighed 85kg. He took it to the
house and decided to phone the Israeli trader to inform him and to tell him
that he would pay the price of the additional material. After they removed 25kg from the barrel, they
discovered that the rest of the barrel contained a very solid material. They were surprised. They started to check it, and Zureid took a
part of it with a hammer and a chisel. He tried twice to burn it, but the fire would quickly extinguish
itself. Zureid thought that the material
was expired due to bad storage or humidity. They took the material back to barrels that remained in the house. Zureid decided to phone the Israeli trader
for more information.

 

On
the following day, Wednesday, April 30, 2001, at approximately 11:00 local time,
Zureid phoned the Israeli trader, who asserted that all barrels contained the
required material weighing 50kg in each and promised to look into the
matter. It seems that the solid material
was a bomb that targeted the two bothers Hisham and Haitham. The bomb exploded at a time when the two
brothers usually stay at home, but one of them at work late and the other was playing football outside the house. Their third bother, Mohammed, 17, was killed
in the blast. A member of the El-Madhoun
family was also killed and another one was injured. The mother, ‘Afaf, and a passing child were
also injured.

 

There
is evidence which does not exclude the possibility that Israeli security
services put the bomb in one of the barrels when it was transported to the Gaza
Strip, through Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet. If this is the case, this represents a new and unprecedented form of
assassination, in which imported goods are exploited to put bombs by the
Israeli occupation forces, targeting Palestinians. After the incident, a Palestinian police
spokesman stated that all paint shops would be required to obtain police
permission to sell a number of chemical materials, since “parts of it are
trapped by enemies to explode when melted or prepared, or after being stored.” He also asked citizens to be careful and to
inform police about and suspicious objects or materials, and not to touch or
otherwise handle them. 

 

The
same evening, at approximately 22:15 local time, another explosion occurred in
a two-story housing building in ‘Ein Mesbah area in Ramallah. Three Palestinian civilians, including two
children, were killed and three were injured. The building was completely destroyed. The blast killed:

 

4) The child Malak Jamal
Barakat, 4, killed by shrapnel and burns throughout the body when she was at
her family’s home;

5) The child Shahid Jamal
Barakat, 7, brother of the first victim, killed by shrapnel and burns
throughout the body when he was at his family’s home; and

6) Hassan Mohammed Hassan
El-Qadhi, 27, from Bitounia in Ramallah, a member of Fatah Movement “wanted” by
the Israeli occupation forces and a senior majoring in political science at
Al-Quds Open University.

 

The injured were:

 

1) ‘Abir Mohammed Zayed, 25,
mother of the first two victims, received injuries and bruises in the back and
the hands when she was at her home at the time of the explosion;

2) Wa’d Jamal Barakat, 5,
sister of the first two victims, received injuries and breaks in the face and
the right hand when she was at her family’s home at the time of the explosion;
and

3) ‘Ezzat ‘Abdel-Hamid
Farroukh, 24, injured during the rescue operation.

 

Circumstances of the explosion that apparently
occurred in the first floor, where El-Qadhi lived, are not clear. The Palestinian National Authority accused
the Israeli occupation forces of being involved in the explosion.

 

4. Attacks by Settlers
against Palestinian Civilians

 

On Friday, April 27, 2001, at approximately 10:00
local time, a number of settlers from Kharsina settlement severely beat
‘Abdel-Majid Sultan, 60, from Hebron, injuring him in the right hand. Settlers prevented the access of Palestinian
farmers to their farms in Tallat Al-Boweira area in the east of Hebron. Under full protection of the Israeli
occupation forces, settlers closed all dirt roads leading to these farms. PCHR learned that settlers also beat
journalist Nayef El-Hashlamoun, 40, a freelance cameraman, while he was filming
attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians.

 

On Tuesday, May 1, 2001,
at approximately 18:30 local time, a settler from ‘Elli settlement near
Al-Lubban village to the north of Ramallah fired at a Palestinian civilian car
that was traveling on the main road near the village. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were
wounded as follows:

 

1) Munir ‘Abdullah Abu
Zahria, 23, from Beit Hanina, wounded with a live bullet in the left leg and
shrapnel in the back and the right leg; and

2) Ahmed Abu Taha, 27,
wounded with a live bullet in the left arm and shrapnel in the left leg.

 

5. Other Attacks and Arrests
by the Israeli Occupation Forces

 

On Thursday, April 26, 2001, the Israeli occupation
forces arrested Saleh Mousa Hamad Abu Hamed, 34, from Bani Suheila in Khan
Yunis, when he was traveling to Egypt through Rafah Border Crossing.

 

On Saturday, April 28,
2001, the Israeli occupation forces arrested eight Palestinian fishermen when
they were fishing in a permitted area opposite the Gaza seashore. The Israeli marine forces stopped a number of
Palestinian fishing boats, approximately 5 miles away from the Gaza City
seashore. Twelve fishermen were on one
of the boats, owned by Khamis Baker. Israeli soldiers ordered four of them to leave the boat and then took
the boat with the other eight fishermen to Ashdod harbor in Israel. On the following day, one of these fishermen
phoned his family and informed them that he and his colleagues were detained at
Ashkelon prison in Israel. According to
the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreements, Palestinian fishermen are allowed
to sail up to 20 miles across the sea, but the Israeli occupation forces have
not been adhering to this since 1996. Recently, they allowed Palestinian fishermen to sail only up to 3 miles
across the sea, and on April 24, 2001, they allowed fishermen to sail only up
to 6 miles, but they canceled this two days later. The arrested fishermen are:

 

1) ‘Aahed Subhi Fares Baker,
41;

2) Mahmoud Subhi Fares Baker,
32;

3) Mohammed Subhi Fares
Baker, 35;

4) Methqal Ghazi Fares Baker,
28;

5) Wissam Ghazi Fares Baker,
20;

6) Suhail Fadhel Hussein
Baker, 35;

7) Ramadan Subhi Fares Baker,
26; and

8) Ramez ‘Ezzat Sa’id Baker,
26.

 

On Monday, April 30, 2001, the Israeli occupation
forces arrested Mohammed Yousef Hamed Bahloul, 26, from Gaza, and took him to
an unknown destination. Bahloul, whose
family owns a number of fuel stations throughout the Gaza Strip, was driving a
truck loaded with fuel from Gaza City to Khan Yunis, accompanied by his
four-year-old nephew, when Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned at a
military roadblock near Al-Matahen junction to the north of Khan Yunis stopped
him. The Israeli soldiers ordered
Bahloul to phone his family to come and take the truck and the child. Then, they tied up his hands, blindfolded him
and took him to an unknown destination.

 

On Tuesday, May 1, 2001,
at approximately 9:00 local time, a number of Israeli soldiers stopped Mohammed
Dhiab El-‘Aqqad, 17, from Al-Mawasi area in Khan Yunis, when he was on his way
to his family’s farm in Al-Mawasi area. They severely beat him, inflicting bruises throughout his body; he was
evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis for treatment. On the same day, at approximately 18:00 local
time, Israeli occupation soldiers raided on several Palestinian houses in Tal
Jenan area in the Al-Mawasi of Khan Yunis, under control by the Israeli occupation
forces. They checked these houses, and
severely beat Sayed Sabri Al-Najjar, 17. He had bruises throughout the body.

 

On Wednesday, at
approximately 12:45 local time, the Israeli occupation forces detained
Palestine Television Channel staff near a military roadblock at Al-Matahen
junction to the north of Khan Yunis. The
detained staff included:

 

1) ‘Adel El-Za’noun, a
correspondent;

2) Khaled Bolbul, a
cameraman;

3) Muna El-‘Akkawi, a
correspondent;

4) Suzan El-‘Aaour, an
editor; and

5) Jamal Zeidan, a driver.

 

The Israeli occupation forces detained the staff
who were on their way back to Gaza City after they have covered land leveling
and house demolition in Rafah in the morning for three hours. In his testimony to PCHR, one of the
correspondent, El-Za’noun, said that the Israeli soldiers confiscated their
equipment and detained the staff in the car until 16:00 local time.

 

6. Razing of Agricultural
Land

 

Friday,
April 27, 2001

 

At
approximately 8:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in ‘Oraybeh area to the west of Imam
‘Ali Street in Rafah. The razed 3 donums
as follows:

 

1) They razed a 1-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by ‘Abdel-Mo’ti
El-Hashash. In addition, they demolished
a wood cottage and a 200-square-meter bird farm owned by the same person.

2) They razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with potatoes, owned by Salem Sa’id El-Hashash.

 

At approximately 9:00 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces started to raze areas of Palestinian agricultural land in
Gizan Al-Najjar area in the south of Khan Yunis. During two hours, the Israeli occupation
forces:

 

1) razed a 6-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Mazen ‘Omar Al-Najjar;

2)  razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land
planted with vegetables and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Sa’id
Shaker Al-Najjar; and

3) razed a 3-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by ‘Ali Hamdan Tabas.

 

On the same day, the Israeli occupation forces
razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Al-Shouka area, in the east of
Rafah, as follows:

 

1) They razed a 20-donum area of
agricultural land planted with almonds and plums, and destroyed an irrigation
system, owned by Suleiman Hassan Abu Snaimeh.

2) They razed a 28-donum area of
agricultural land planted with almonds and olives, owned by Mohammed Hassan Abu
Snaimeh.

3) They razed a 3-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Hammad Abu Khatleh.

 

At approximately 23:00 local time, the
Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas of Palestinian agricultural land
between Dogit settlement, to the north of Beit Lahia, and a military site of
the Israeli forces at the seashore. The
razing started on Tuesday, April 24, 2001 (see PCHR’s previous Weekly
Report.) and included:

 

 1) finishing razing a 12.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with
citrus, owned by Fayez ‘Abed Tafesh;

 2) finishing razing a 6.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with
vegetables, and demolishing a 150-square-meter house, in which 10 people used
to live, owned by Nasser Fayez Tafesh;

 3) razing a 6.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables,
owned by Yasser Fayez Tafesh;

 4) razing a 6.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables,
owned by Sofian Fayez Tafesh;

 5) razing a 6.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables,
owned by Jasser Fayez Tafesh; and

 6) razing a 13-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, fruits
and vegetables, owned by Baker Fayez Tafesh.

 

Israeli occupation forces also besieged a
number of Palestinian houses, whose owners were forced to flee at night in
order to escape the shelling and demolition. The Israeli forces established a dirt barricade, 700m long and 3m high,
extending from an Israeli military site west of Dogit settlement until the
southwestern border of the same settlement in order to isolate the area and
pave the way for its annexation to the settlement. These houses are:

 

 1) a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 13 people used to live,
owned by Yasser Fayez Tafesh;

 2) a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 7 people used to
live, owned by Yasser Fayez Tafesh;

 3) a 180-square-meter house, in which 13 people used to live, owned by
Jasser Fayez Tafesh;

 4) a 300-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 5 people used to
live, owned by Baker Fayez Tafesh;

 5) a 150-square-meter, house under-construction, owned by Jasser Fayez
Tafesh; and

 6) a 180-square-meter house, owned by Hamdi Abu Daf, in which his land
guard, Shehadeh Nasman, and his wife used to live.

 

Saturday,
April 28, 2001

 

At
approximately 9:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Al-Shouka area in the east of Rafah
on the border. They razed a strip of
land 300-700m wide along the border between Sofa Crossing in the north and the
far south. During this, the Israeli
occupation forces:

 

1) razed a 23-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds and wheat, and destroyed
an irrigation system, owned by Mahmoud Hussein Abu Louli;

2) razed a 23-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds and wheat, and destroyed
an irrigation system, owned by Mohammed Hussein Abu Louli;

3) razed a 23-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds and wheat, and destroyed
an irrigation system, owned by ‘Atef Hussein Abu Louli;

4) razed a 23-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds and wheat, and destroyed
an irrigation system, owned by Ahmed Hussein Abu Louli;

5) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds, figs and wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Fuad Suleiman Abu Louli;

6) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds, figs and wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Ismail Suleiman Abu Louli;

7) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds, figs and wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Yahia Suleiman Abu Louli;

8) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds, figs and wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Amin Suleiman Abu Louli;

9) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds, figs and wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Jamal Suleiman Abu Louli;

10) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almonds, figs and wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Jamil Suleiman Abu Louli;

11) razed a 30-donum area of
agricultural land planted with plums and wheat, and destroyed an irrigation
system, owned by Suleiman Hussein Abu Louli;

12) razed a 15-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, grapes and figs, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by Mohammed ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;

13) razed a 12-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, grapes and figs, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by Marwan ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;

14) razed a 12-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, grapes, figs and wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Jamal ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;

15) razed a 12-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, grapes and figs, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Ibrahim Jarghoun;

16) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, plums, almond, grapes and figs, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Ayman ‘Abdullah Ismail Jarghoun;

17) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and almonds, and destroyed an irrigation
system, owned by Mohammed Ismail ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;

18) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, almonds and wheat, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by Fwazi Ismail ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;

19) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and almonds, and destroyed an irrigation
system, owned by Ahmed Ismail ‘Abdullah Jarghoun;

20) razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Nasser Nadi Mohammed Jarghoun;

21) razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Nasrallah Nadi Mohammed Jarghoun;

22) razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Ahmed Nadi Mohammed Jarghoun;

23) razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Mahmoud Nadi Mohammed Jarghoun;

24) razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by ‘Awadh Nadi Mohammed Jarghoun;

25) razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by ‘Oweidh Nadi Mohammed Jarghoun;

26) razed a 5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Ahmed
Yousef Mohammed Jarghoun;

27) razed a 5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Mohammed Yousef Mohammed Jarghoun;

28) razed a 5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Mahmoud Mohammed Ibrahim Jarghoun;

29) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, fruits and watermelons, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by Amin Mansour Suleiman Mo’ammar;

30) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, fruits and watermelons, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by ‘Adnan Mansour Suleiman Mo’ammar;

31) razed a 5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, fruits and watermelons, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by Ahmed Mansour Suleiman Mo’ammar;

32) razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, fruits and watermelons, and destroyed an
irrigation system, owned by Zaheya Mansour Suleiman Mo’ammar;

33) razed a 7-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and almonds, and destroyed an irrigation
system, owned by Talal Ahmed Mansour Mo’ammar;

34) razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Mohammed Mo’ammar; and

35) razed a 2-donum area of
agricultural land planted with almonds, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Shehadeh Marzouq Suleiman Mo’ammar.

 

Sunday and Monday, April 29 and
30, 2000

 

On Sunday, at approximately 9:00 local time,
the Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas of Palestinian agricultural
land in the east of ‘Abassan village in Khan Yunis. This land razing lasted until the following
day and included hundreds of donums of agricultural land planted with olives,
almonds, wheat and parsley. This razed
land was a strip 1km long along the eastern border of the Gaza Strip and
200-250m wide inside areas under control by the Palestinian National
Authority. The razed land was as
follows:

 

 1) They razed an 11-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
palms, owned by Mahmoud Baraka Khalil Abu Daqqa.

 2) They razed a 15-donum planted with almonds and wheat, owned by Ismail
Ahmed Maqboul Abu Farhana and partners.

 3) They razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
figs, and wheat, owned by Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim Qudeih.

 4) They razed a 30.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
figs, and wheat, owned by Salman Ahmed Marzouq Qudeih.

 5) They razed a 22-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat,
owned by Ibrahim Barham Rabah Abu Daqqa.

 6) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with Harb
Suleiman Salman Shahin and Ibrahim Suleiman Salem Qudeih.

 7) They razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned
by ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Suliman Salem Qudeih.

 8) They razed a 9-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned
by ‘Abed-Rabbu Braka Khalil Abu Daqqa.

 9) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives
almonds, wheat and parsley, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Khalil
Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 10) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds,
wheat and parsley, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by ‘Adnan Salman
Salman Abu Daqqa.

 11) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds,
wheat and parsley, owned by ‘Abdullah Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 12) They razed a 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
almonds, wheat and parsley, owned by Fuad Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 13) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
figs, wheat and parsley, owned by Ibrahim Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 14) They razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms,
figs, wheat and parsley, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Mousa
Ibrahim Suleiman Abu Daqqa.

 15) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
palms and legumes, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Fawzi Salman
Salman Abu Daqqa.

 16) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
palms, grapes and figs, and destroyed an irrigation system and an agricultural
pool, owned by Jaber Salman Salman Abu Daqqa;

 17) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
palms, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Nabil Salman Salman Abu
Daqqa.

 18) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
palms and legumes, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Talal Salman
Salman Abu Daqqa.

 19) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds,
wheat and parsley, owned by Karam Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 20) They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
wheat, owned by Ibrahim Mohammed Abu ‘Anza.

 21)  They razed a 1-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Musatafa ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Abu
‘Anza.

 22) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
wheat and parsley, owned by Ibrahim Salman Abu ‘Anza.

 23) They razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and
parsley, owned by Mansara Mahmoud ‘Ali Abu ‘Aqel.

 24) They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
fruits, and oranges, owned by Shawqi Suleiman ‘Abdel-Karim Baraka and his
brothers.

 25) They razed a 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables,
and destroyed a large amount of fertilizer, owned by ‘Abdel-Hadi Baraka Khalil
Abu Daqqa and Khadija ‘Abdel-Rahman Abu ‘Anza.

 26) They razed an 18-donum area of agricultural land planted with grains and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Yousef
‘Abdel-Rahman Salman Shahin and brothers.

 27) They razed a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
wheat, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Riad Mohammed Ahmed Abu
Farhana.

 28) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
palms, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Fattouh Mohammed Ahmed Abu
Farhana.

 29) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Marwan Mohammed Ahmed Abu Farhana.

 30) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Marzouq Mohammed Ahmed Abu Farhana.

 31)  They razed a 2.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation system,
owned by Sukria Mohammed Ahmed Abu To’eima.

 32) They razed a 2.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Houria Mohammed Ahmed Abu Daqqa.

 33) They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned
by Mohammed Ahmed Maqboul Abu Farhana.

 34) They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Nahedh ‘Abdullah Qudeih.

 35) They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
wheat, owned by Nasser ‘Abdullah El-‘Abed Qudeih.

 36)  They razed a 5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and wheat, owned by Fathi Hafezh El-‘Abed
Qudeih.

 37) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
owned by Mahmoud Shehdeh ‘Aabed Qudeih.

 38) They razed a 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and
parsley, owned by Sami Mohammed Barham Tabash and brothers.

 39) They razed a 5.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
wheat, owned by Naji ‘Abdel-Rahman Barakat Abu Daqqa.

 40) They razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
wheat, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Mohammed Ahmed Hassan Abu
To’eima.

 41) They razed an 18-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
grains, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Ibrahim ‘Abdel-Rahman
Salman Shahin.

 42) They razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned
by ‘Abed-Rabbu Barakat Khalil Abu Daqqa.

 43) They razed a 25-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
figs and palms, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Mohammed Shehadeh
Nasser El-Barrim.

 44) They razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds and
wheat, owned by Mohammed Mahmoud ‘Ali El-Daghmeh.

 45) They razed a 35-donum area of agricultural land planted with grains and
vegetables, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by ‘Abed-Rabbu
‘Abdel-Razeq Ibrahim El-Qarra and Ibrahim Rabah Maqboul Abu Daqqa.

 46) They razed a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds,
palms and grains, owned by Khalil Suleiman Ibrahim Abu Daqqa.

 47) They razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
citrus, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Fuad Mohammed Ahmed Abu Frahana.

 48) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
figs, guavas and palms, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Mohammed
Ahmed Hassan Abu To’eima.

 49) They razed a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds and
wheat, owned by Fathia Suleiman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 50) They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
palms and vegetables, owned by Mahmoud Ahmed Hamdan Tabash.

 51) They razed a 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with grains and
vegetables, owned by Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Tabash.

 52) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
grains, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Mohammed Yousef
‘Abdel-Rahman Abu Rojeila.

 53) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
wheat, owned by Hussein Khalil Abu Rojeila.

 54) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
grains, owned by Hussein Khalil ‘Abdel-Rahman Abu Rojeila.

 55) They razed an 11-donum area of agricultural land planted with grains,
owned by Mahmoud Ibrahim Khalil Abu Daqqa.

 56) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds and
palms, owned by Fatema Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 57) They razed a 9-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds and
grains, owned by Houria Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 58) They razed a 9-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds and
wheat, owned by Yusri Salman Salman Abu Daqqa.

 59) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by ‘Awadh ‘Abdel-Rahman Abu ‘Anza.

 60) They razed a 4.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Suleiman ‘Abdel-Rahim Salem Abu
‘Anza.

 61) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
palms, and destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Wasfi Hassan Abu ‘Anza and
brothers.

 62) They razed a 40-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds,
figs and grains, owned by Khalil ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Abu Latifa and brothers.

 63) They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by Suleiman ‘Abdel-Karim Salem Abu ‘Anza.

 64) They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, and
destroyed an irrigation system, owned by ‘Abdel-Halim ‘Abed-Rabbu Mohammed Abu
‘Anza.

 65) They razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat and
parsley, owned by Saleh ‘Ali Mahmoud El-Daghma and brothers.

 66) They destroyed an irrigation system on a tract of land owned by Harb
Mohammed Salem Qudeih.

 67) They destroyed an irrigation system on a tract of land owned by Ibrahim
Suleiman Salem Qudeih.

 68) They destroyed an irrigation system on a tract of land owned by Ismail
Suleiman Khader Abu Daqqa.

 69) They destroyed an irrigation system on a tract of land owned by Yousef
Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Tair.

 

Monday,
April 30, 2001

 

At
approximately 12:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas
of Palestinian agricultural land and demolish houses on the border in the east
of Beit Hanoun. This lasted until 19:00
local time and included the razing of 60 donums of Palestinian agricultural
land and destroyed the area’s electricity system as follows:

 

1) They razed a 5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Zaher Mousa Hamad. They also destroyed an irrigation system, a
well, and an agricultural pool, and demolished a 20-square-meter agricultural
store.

2) They razed a 5.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Sha’ban Na’im. They also destroyed an irrigation system.

3) They razed a 20-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Salah Murtaja. They also destroyed an irrigation system.

4) They razed a 15-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by ‘Atef El-Yazeji. They also destroyed an irrigation system.

5) They razed a 5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by ‘Abdel-Latif Abu ‘Oudeh. They also destroyed an irrigation system.

6) They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mustafa El-Z’anin. They also destroyed an irrigation system.

7) They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mohammed Hassan ‘Edwan. They also destroyed an irrigation system.

8) They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Ibrahim and Salem Abu
Ghazal. They also destroyed an
irrigation system.

9) They razed a 4-donum area of
agricultural land planted with canes, owned by Sa’id Fahmi Salah.

10) They demolished a
15-square-meter, tin house and a 50-square-meter sheep farm, owned by Fahmi
Salah.

 

In the middle of the day, the Israeli
occupation forces razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with
olives, palms and guavas, owned by Salah ‘Abdel-Shafouq El-‘Abadleh, and
destroyed an irrigation system that provided the area with water.

 

At
approximately 22:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Tal Zo’rob area in the southwest of
Rafah on the border with Egypt. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with potatoes and olives,
owned by Yahia Shehdeh Salem Zo’rob.

 

Tuesday,
May 1, 2001

 

The
Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas of Palestinian agricultural land
in the east of Beit Hanoun. They razed
more areas along the border and 500m inside areas under control by Palestinian
National Authority, as follows:

 

1) They razed an 18-donum
area of agricultural land planted with citrus, and destroyed an irrigation
system, owned by Ragheb Murtaja.

2) They razed an 8-donum area
of agricultural land planted with citrus, destroyed an irrigation system, a
well and an agricultural pool, and demolished an agricultural store, owned by
Khalil Mohammed Zweidi.

3) They completed razing a
6-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Jamil Mohammed
Zweidi.

4) They started to raze a
3.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Hassan Yousef
Shurrab.

5) They started to raze a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Adham Khaled
Shurrab.

6) They completed razing a
5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by ‘Attallah
‘Abdel-‘Azziz Zweidi.

7) They completed razing a
6-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Khaled ‘Okasha
and brothers.

 

Wednesday, May 2, 2001

 

The Israeli occupation
forces resumed razing areas of Palestinian agricultural land in the east of
Beit Hanoun, as follows:

 

1) They razed a 12-donum area
of agricultural land planted with parsley, owned by Shawqi El-Shami.

2) They razed a 10-donum area
of agricultural land planted with parsley and wheat, owned by Ziad Ahmed
El-Kafarneh.

3) They completed razing a
12-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by the heirs of
Khaled Mohammed ‘Okasha.

 

In Rafah, when the Israeli
occupation forces broke into Al-Barazil and Al-Sha’er neighborhoods adjacent to
the border with Egypt (see above), they razed areas of Palestinian agricultural
land and demolished some agricultural facilities as follows:

 

1) They razed a 2-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives and palms, owned by Yousef Hamed
Bahloul.

2) They razed a
500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Jamil
Hussein ‘Atteya El-Sattari.

3) They razed a
500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mousa
Ibrahim El-Sattari.

4) They razed a
500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by
Mahmoud Hassan El-Sha’er.

5) They razed a
300-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with fruits, owned by Khalil
Ibraim Rabi’.

6) They razed a 2-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mas’oud Mohammed El-Sha’er.

7) They razed a 2-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mohammed Hassan El-Sha’er.

8) They razed a 2-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mahmoud Mohammed El-Sha’er.

9) They razed a 4-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Sa’id Hamdan El-Sha’er.

10) They razed a 2-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Ra’ed Shehdeh El-Sha’er.

11) They razed a 1-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Ihab Hamed El-Sha’er.

12) They razed a 2-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mustafa Hamdan El-Sha’er.

13) They demolished a
250-square-meter bird farm, owned by Sabri Hamdan El-Sha’er.

14) They demolished a
250-square-meter bird farm, owned by Ra’fat Mustafa El-Sha’er.

15) They demolished a
250-square-meter bird farm, owned by Ayman Sa’id El-Sha’er.

16) They demolished a
250-square-meter bird farm, owned by Mahmoud Sa’id El-Sha’er.

 

****

 

PCHR reiterates its call for the international
community to immediately intervene to stop the killings and criminal acts
perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian
civilians. While PCHR is satisfied with
the establishment of a commission of inquiry by the UN High Commission for
Human Rights, it hopes that in its 57^th session, the Commission will
assume its responsibilities and take the appropriate decisions that will put an
end to Israeli crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In particular, PCHR calls for:

 

1. Providing immediate international protection for Palestinian civilians
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories against crimes and attacks committed by
the Israeli occupation forces and settlers.

2. Reconvening a conference
of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to
ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.

3. Immediately providing
international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian
territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the
Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the
protection of these forces.

4. Use by the EU of effective
political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel
Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights.

5. Providing humanitarian and
medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are
increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the
Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories.