· Israeli occupation forces combat helicopters
shell Gaza and Rafah;

· Man assassinated in Rafah

· Nine Palestinian civilians are killed by the
Israeli occupation forces;

· Dozens of Palestinian civilians are wounded
with live and rubber-coated metal bullets fired by the Israeli occupation
forces;

· A number of Palestinian medical personnel
are wounded; and

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

 

 

 

Introduction

 

The last
week witnessed a very serious escalation of Israeli violations, some of which
constitute war crimes under international law, against Palestinian civilians in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 

 

At the
beginning of the seventh month of clashes between Palestinian civilians and the
Israeli occupation forces that erupted on September 29, 2001, the Israeli
forces continued to employ excessive force against Palestinian civilians and
shell residential areas in the absence of a military threat.  As a result, nine Palestinian civilians were
killed and dozens were wounded.[1]  During clashes that erupted between
Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces on Land Day (Friday,
March 30, 2001), the Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians,
killing six and wounding dozens with live and rubber-coated metal bullets. 

 

Nablus
witnessed the bloodiest clashes. 
According to medical sources, the Israeli occupation forces used
explosive live bullets during the clashes, killing five Palestinian
civilians.  Shrapnel of these bullets
were found in the bodies of the killed, who are:

 

 1) ‘Ayesh Ghazi Mustafa
Zamel, 19, from Deir El-Hatab village, killed with a an explosive bullet in the
head;

 2) Ahmed Mahmoud Abu Marahil,
16, from Balatta refugee camp, killed with an explosive bullet in the neck;

 3) Sha’ban Sa’id Salloum, 31,
from Balatta refugee camp, killed with an explosive bullet in the head that cut
it from the rest of his body;

 4) Murad Hani Sharai’a, 20,
killed with an explosive bullet in the head that exploded part of it;

 5) Khaled Shehadeh Dhib
Nahla, 28, from Nablus, killed with a live bullet in the abdomen. 

 

At
the northern entrance of Al-Bireh, similar clashes erupted between Palestinian
civilians and the Israeli occupation forces. 
These forces opened fire and killed Mohammed ‘Abdel-Muhsin El-Wawi, 21,
from Al-Am’ari refugee camp, with a live bullet in the head.

 

On
April 1, 2001, a 12-year-old child from Deir Nezham village in the northwest of
Ramallah, Lu’ai Mohammed Hussein El-Tamimi, was pronounced dead at Ramallah
hospital.  The child was wounded on March
14, 2001 with a live bullet in the head that fired by the Israeli occupation
forces as they tried to burst into the village.

 

On
Monday, April 2, 2001, the Israeli occupation forces committed another
assassination.  Mohammed ‘Atwa
‘Abdel-‘Al, 26, from Rafah, was killed when an Israeli combat helicopter
shelled his car. During his funeral, clashes erupted between Palestinian
civilians and the Israeli occupation forces in Rafah.  The Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian
civilians, wounding two–including a fifteen-year-old from Al-Shaboura refugee
camp in Rafah, Sa’id Amin El-Khayat, who was critically wounded with a live
bullet in the head.

 

The
Israeli occupation forces also continued to shell Palestinian residential
areas, especially in Rafah, Khan Yunis, Hebron, Bethlehem, Ramallah and
Al-Bireh.  The shelling resulted in
wounding dozens of Palestinian civilians, including children, with shrapnel of
artillery shells and live bullets. 
During shelling of Rafah on March 31, 2001, the two and a half year old
child, Samar Fuad Abu Jazar, was wounded with two live bullets in both thighs;
and the eight year old child Wala’ Mahmoud Abu ‘Obeid was wounded with a live
bullet in the left thigh, when the Israeli occupation forces opened fire
indiscriminately on Palestinian houses.    

 

On
March 31, 2001, Whid Nasser ‘Azer El-Dik, 54, from Ramallah, was pronounced
dead at Ramallah hospital.  El-Dik was
critically wounded during shelling the headquarters of the Palestinian
President’s Guards (Force 17) in Ramallah by the Israeli occupation forces on
Wednesday, March 28, 2001.  He was a
guard of the nearby Palestine Technical College located near the Force 17
headquarters.  He fell off the roof the
campus when he tried to flee once he heard the bombings near him.

 

In the
evening of Tuesday, April 3, 2001, combat helicopters of the Israeli occupation
forces shelled Gaza and Rafah.  Khan
Yunis and Ramallah were shelled from Israeli forces’ positions.  The shelling resulted in severe damage to a
number of Palestinian security and civilian facilities.  Furthermore, more than 60 wounded
Palestinians were evacuated to hospitals in Gaza, Rafah and Khan Yunis.  Missiles also hit a number of civilian
facilities, including an UNRWA elementary school in Rafah.

 

During
the period covered by this report (March 29-April 4, 2001), Jewish settlers
escalated their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their
properties.  These attacks reached the
climax in Hebron, where Jewish settlers, under full protection by the Israeli
occupation forces destroyed Palestinian civilian property.

 

During
the same period, the Israeli occupation forces razed large area of agricultural
land and demolished civilian facilities, especially in the northern area of the
Gaza Strip and in Khan Yunis.  A significant
portion of this land razing and building demolition was in the area adjacent to
the northern border of the Gaza Strip.

 

 

 1. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

 

Thursday, March 29, 2001[2]

 

At approximately 10:00 local time, approximately
100 Palestinian children from Nusseirat refugee camp went to Al-Shuhada’
junction leading to Netzarim settlement, south of Gaza City.  This came as soon as they heard news about
the death of Hussam Ghanem Al-Kronz, 24, from Al-Boreij refugee camp, who was
killed by Israeli occupation forces positioned near the aforementioned
settlement.[3]  When those children were approximately 150m
to the south of the junction, they started to throw stones at Israeli
occupation soldiers positioned there. 
Those soldiers opened fire, wounding 10 children as follows:

 

 1) Salah Abu Dabbagh, 14, wounded with a live bullet in the right knee;

 2) Samir Zakaria Abu Dalal, 12, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet
in the face;

 3) Mohammed El-Hawajri, 17, wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh;

 4) Mohammed Abu Shawish, 17, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the abdomen;

 5) ‘Abdel-Rahim Zaqout, 14, wounded with a live bullet in the right foot;

 6) Mohammed Zaki Abu Safeya, 17, wounded with a live bullet in the back;

 7) Qais El-‘Aidi, 15, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
head;

 8) ‘Ali Ghaleb El-Namrouti, 12, wounded with a live bullet in the side;

 9) Mohammed Talal El-Sheikh, 12, wounded with a live bullet in the right
shoulder; and

 10) Tariq Sueiman Abu Shallouf, wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen.

 

Friday,
March 30, 2001 (the Land Day)

 

In a
serious escalation in the use of excessive force and willful killings, the
Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians during clashes
that erupted in Palestinian cities, villages, and refugee camps, on the 25^th
anniversary of the Land Day.   The
Israeli occupation forces killed six and injured approximately 100.

 

The
West Bank city of Nablus witnessed the bloodiest clashes. During the clashes,
Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians, killing five
and injuring dozens.  After the Friday
prayer, a mass demonstration moved from the city’s largest mosque towards the
city’s southern entrance where Israeli occupation forces had been reinforced in
the morning by additional deployments. 
The Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians,
killing:

 

 6) ‘Ayesh Ghazi Mustafa
Zamel, 19, from Deir El-Hatab village, with a an explosive bullet in the head;

 7) Ahmed Mahmoud Abu Marahil,
16, from Balatta refugee camp, with an explosive bullet in the neck;

 8) Sha’ban Sa’id Salloum, 31,
from Balatta refugee camp, with an explosive bullet in the head that cut it
from the rest of his body; and

 9) Murad Hani Sharai’a, 20,
with an explosive bullet in the head that exploded part of it.

 

Furthermore,
94 Palestinian civilians were evacuated to Raffidia and Al-Ittihad hospitals in
Nablus, after they were wounded with live and rubber-coated metal bullets or
inhaled tear gas employed extensively by the Israeli occupation forces during
clashes in Nablus.  Of the wounded, 32
were wounded with live bullets.  This
includes Khaled Shehadeh Dhib Nahla, 28, from Nablus, who was critically
wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen. 
At approximately 20:30 local time, Nahla was pronounced dead at Raffidiah
hospital in Nablus.  Medical sources at
Raffidia hospital stated that the Israeli occupation forces used a type of
explosive bullets against Palestinian civilians.  These bullets partially exploded the heads of
three victims.  Shrapnel from these bullets
were found in: the heads of Zamel, Zalloum and Sharai’a; in the neck of Abu
Marahil; and in the abdomen of Nahla, whose kidney, spleen and arteries were
ruptured.  The same medical sources
asserted that the Israeli occupation forces also used a highly effective gas
with unfamiliar symptoms, similar to that used first in Khan Yunis on February
12, 2001 (for more details about the symptoms, see PCHR’s Weekly Report on February 15, 2001.)  The wounded in Nablus who received live
bullets were:

 

 1) Ahmed Mahmoud Faraj, 13,
wounded with a live bullet in the right leg;

 2) Sumar Yahia Darwish, 27,
wounded with a live bullet in the genital area;

 3) Ghassan Mohammed Jaber,
36, wounded with a live bullet in the right hand;

 4) Bilal ‘Abdel-Rahim
Dweikat, 38, wounded with a live bullet in the right knee;

 5) Mohammed Bahjat
El-Khalili, 19, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;

 6) Sabe’ Salim Sayeh, 15,
wounded with a live bullet in the left leg;

 7) Hamad Kamal Abu Thera’,
19, wounded with a live bullet in the right knee;

 8) Majdi Jamil Barakat, 28,
wounded with a live bullet in the back;

 9) ‘Abdullah Sedqi Qanadilo,
16, wounded with a live bullet in the head;

 10) Samer Fahmi ‘Oweijan, 27, wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh;

 11) Najib Mas’oud ‘Abdel-Karim, 19, wounded with an explosive live bullet in
the left thigh; and

 12) Farid Mustafa Abu Leil, 17, wounded with a live bullet in the neck.

 

At
the northern entrance of Al-Bireh, in the afternoon, the Israeli occupation
forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians who were demonstrating more than
100m away.  As a result, Mohammed
‘Abdel-Muhsin El-Wawi, 21, from Al-Am’ari refugee camp, was killed with a live
bullet in the head.  Additionally,
another 16 civilians were wounded with live and rubber-coated metal bullets and
dozens suffered from suffocation due to tear gas inhalation.  Among the wounded were:

 

 1) Mohammed Mahmoud Moqbel,
50, from Ramallah, wounded with a live bullet in the pelvis;

 2) Wasfia ‘Ali El-Barghouthi,
51, from Deir Abu Mesh’al, wounded with a live bullet in the left leg and shrapnel
in the abdomen;

 3) Mohammed Zakaria Abu
El-‘Adas, 18, from Bitounia, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;

 4) Amjad Rushdi El-Hanbali,
39, from Ramallah, wounded with two live bullets in the left leg and hand; and

 5) Mohammed Hussein, 23, from
Qaddoura refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the head.

 

Also
in the afternoon, a demonstration of approximately 300 Palestinian civilians
moved from Nusseirat refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip towards
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction south of Gaza City.  Israeli occupation forces opened fire and
used tear gas against civilians, wounding seven with live bullets and
shrapnel.  The wounded were:

 

 1) Anwar ‘Abdel-Rahman
El-Sharif, 18, wounded with a live bullet in the left side of the chest;

 2) Jehad ‘Ezzat El-Hour, 13,
wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen;

 3) Akram Khaled Hamad, 16,
wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;

 4) Islam Hussam El-‘Essawi,
9, wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;

 5) Mahmoud Salim Haroun, 17,
wounded with shrapnel in the face;

 6) Yousef ‘Ali El-Asmr, 15,
wounded with a live bullet in the pelvis; and

 7) Rami Mattar, 15, wounded
with a live bullet in the left knee.

 

On
Friday afternoon, a similar demonstration moved toward Beit Hanoun (Erez)
Crossing in the north of the Gaza Strip. 
Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of Erez industrial
zone, opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators. 
As a result 11 civilians, mostly children, were wounded with live and
rubber-coated metal bullets.  They are:

 

 1) Nabil Suleiman Shabat, 15, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a
live bullet in the left leg;

 2) Thae’r Fayeq Abu El-Qumsan, 14, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with
a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand;

 3) Sufian ‘Abdel-Hai ‘Abed-Rabbo, 16, from Jabalya village, wounded with a
live bullet in the left knee;

 4) Maher Salim Abu Mo’awadh, 23, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a
live bullet in the right foot;

 5) Mohammed Fathi Abu El-‘Eish, 16, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with
a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;

 6) Mahmoud Helmi El-Madhoun, 13, from Beit Lahia, wounded with a live
bullet in the left foot;

 7) Khalil ‘Abdel-Karim Abu Zhaher, 18, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded
with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;

 8) Mohammed Yousef Sahwil, from Beit Hanoun, 15, wounded with a live bullet
in the left thigh;

 9) ‘Abdel-Karim Mohammed Abu Jabal, 10, from Tal El-Za’tar, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left arm;

 10) Khalil Maher El-Masri, 23, from Beit Hanoun, wounded with a live bullet
in the right foot;

 11) Khalil Ziad Abu Jasser, 14, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh;

 12) Ahmed Sahwil, 15, from Beit Hanoun, wounded with shrapnel in the right
foot;

 13) Ibrahim Faisal Mousa, 13, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head; and

 14) Mohammed Nizar Rayan, 13, from Jbalya refugee camp, wounded with a live
bullet in the abdomen.

 

Also
in the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian
civilians who were demonstrating near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet.  As a result, 12 civilians were wounded with
live bullets as follows:

 

 1) the child Ibrahim Tayseer
Yassin, 15, from Al-Shati refugee camp, critically wounded with a live bullet
in the head;

 2) the child Hani Khamis
Baker, 14, from Gaza, critically wounded with a live bullet in the head.

 3) Jamil Na’im El-‘Attar, 14,
from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh;

 4) Amin ‘Abdel-Karim
Mohammedein, 20, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a
live bullet in the left thigh;

 5) Ahmed Khamis ‘Oudeh, 16,
from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
left ear;

 6) Hassan Mohammed Ghazal,
17, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in
the left upper arm.

 7) Mohammed Ahmed Helles, 19,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
right leg;

 8) Fahmi Mahmoud El-Shawa,
17, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in
the right forearm;

 9) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Rahim
El-Dabash, 16, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with
shrapnel in the head;

 10) Sami Fathi Abu ‘Amr, 15,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the
right thigh;

 11) Mohammed Khalil Barakat,
16, from Al-Shati refugee camp, wounded with a bullet in the right arm; and

 12) Khamis Hassan El-Fishawi,
25, from Al-Shati refugee camp, wounded with shrapnel in the head.     

 

Saturday,
March 31, 2001

 

At
approximately 8:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of Gaza City, opened fire on a
number of Palestinian boys who were demonstrating approximately 150m south of
the junction.  As a result, five were
wounded as follows:

 

 1) ‘Abdel-Razeq Ya’cob El-Qatrawi,
13, from Nusseirat refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the right hand;

 2) Mohammed Saleh El-Helo, 18, from
Nusseirat refugee camp, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the face;

 3) Khalil Mahmoud Ramadan, 12, from
Nusseirat refugee camp, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;

 4) Nour Hamad Abu Maktouma, 13, from
Nusseirat refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the right shoulder;

 5) Hammouda Mohammed Hammouda, 14,
from Nusseirat refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh.

 

Also at
approximately 8:00 local time, approximately 200 Palestinian civilians, mostly
school children, came from Jabalya and Beit Hanoun to demonstrate near the
entrance of Erez industrial zone which is in the north of the Gaza Strip and
under control by the Israeli occupation forces. 
Israeli soldiers opened fire at demonstrators during clashes that lasted
until the afternoon, wounding:

 

 1) Ziad ‘Arafat ‘Abdel-Dayem, 33, a
medic from Beit Lahia, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left
hand;

 2) Wae’l Zamel Al-Weheidi, 33, from
Jabalya, seriously with two live bullets in the chest and the abdomen;

 3) Ossama Ahmed Hammad, 16, from
Beit Lahia, with a live bullet in the right thigh;

 4) Tariq Mohammed Abu Eshkian, 20,
from Beit Lahia, with a live bullet in the left foot;

 5) Ahmed Jamal Mohammed Dhiab, 17,
from Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the right knee;

 6) Ashraf Jamal Zeidan, 18, from
Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left thigh;

 7) Mohammed Mohammed Samir
El-Leddawi, 16, from Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left
thigh;

 8) ‘Abdel-Salam Amin Mousa, 16, from
Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left knee;

 9) Sae’d Mohammed ‘Awadallah, 25,
from Jabalya refugee camp, with two live bullets in the right leg and arm;

 10) Ramzi Ibrahim Abu Namous, 17,
from Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left leg;

 11) Hassan Abu El-Yakhni, 18, with
two live bullets in the left leg and arm;

 12) Adam ‘Omar El-Kahlout, 18, from
Beit Lahia, with a live bullet in the buttocks;

 13) Yousef Ibrahim Abu Sa’da, 17,
from Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left thigh;

 14) Hussein Na’im ‘Abbas, 25, from
Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left leg;

 15) ‘Abdel-Khaleq ‘Adel Zhaher, 13,
from Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left leg; and

 16) Haitham Isamail Mahanna, 23, from
Jabalya refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left leg.

 

Furthermore,
dozens of Palestinian civilians suffered from suffocation and breathing
difficulties due to tear gas inhalation, including Hazem Ismail Ghaben, a
33-year-old Palestine Red Crescent Society medic from Sheikh Radwan
neighborhood in Gaza City.

 

In Rafah,
Shaker Mohammed Shaker Shahin, a 54-year-old UNWRA ambulance driver from Khan
Yunis, was wounded with shrapnel in the left forearm while he was driving the
ambulance near the border in Rafah.  In
his testimony to PCHR, Shahin said that, immediately after being informed of
clashes in the area, he and an accompanying nurse, he drove the ambulance from
the UNRWA clinic in Rafah towards the Brazil refugee camp next to the
border.  He added that he and his
colleague offered medical assistance to five civilians who were lightly wounded
with shrapnel of live bullets fired by the Israeli forces.  He stated that at approximately 9:00 local
time, he was wounded with shrapnel in the forearm when he was inside the
ambulance, approximately 40m away from the border.

  

In the
afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces fired upon a number of Palestinian
civilians who were demonstrating near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of
Gaza City.  As a result, the 13-year-old
child from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, Mohammed Rafiq El-Sedoudi,
was wounded with a live bullet in the left knee.

 

Clashes
also erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces at
the southern entrance of Nablus.  The
Israeli forces opened fire, wounding Nafez Mohammed ‘Eissawi, 30, from Balatta
refugee camp, with a live bullet in the left shoulder.

 

Sunday,
April 1, 2001

 

In the
morning, a 12-year-old child from Deir Nezham village in the northwest of
Ramallah, Lu’ai Mohammed Hussein El-Tamimi, was pronounced dead at Ramallah
hospital.  The child was wounded on March
14, 2001 with a live bullet in the head fired by the Israeli occupation
forces.  On March 14, 2001, the Israeli
occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians in Deir Nezham village
who were attempting to stop these forces from storming into their village. As a
result, a number of Palestinian civilians were wounded, including the child
El-Tamimi, who was shot from a distance of approximately 200m.  The Israeli forces then prevented his
evacuation to a hospital for approximately 65 minutes, which resulted in
further deterioration in his condition. 
The child was clinically dead from 14 March until he physically died the
morning of April 1, 2001.

 

Also in
the morning, a number of Palestinian civilians, mostly school children,
demonstrated more than 100m away from a military site of the Israeli occupation
forces in the vicinity of Erez industrial zone in the north of the Gaza
Strip.  PCHR’s field officer in the area
reported that during the clashes that lasted until the afternoon, Israeli
occupation forces fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters
at Palestinian demonstrators.  As a
result, three civilians were wounded as follows:

 

 1) Mohammed Ahmed Abu Jalhoum, 13,
from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
head;

 2) Mohammed Sa’id El-Zahhar, 16,
from Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with shrapnel in the eyes;
and

 3) Tal’at Saleh Abu ‘Asser, 22, from
Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the right
thigh.

 

In the
afternoon, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet,
to the east of Gaza City, fired at a number of Palestinian children who were
demonstrating more than 100m away.  As a
result, a 13-year-old child from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood, Mohammed Riadh Joma’
Shamali, was wounded with a live bullet in the left leg.

 

At
approximately 18:00 local time, Hassan Mousa El-Akhras, 20, from Rafah, was
wounded with a live bullet in the left shoulder fired by the Israeli occupation
forces.  According to PCHR’s
investigation, El-Akhras is mentally handicapped.  He was approximately 100m away from the border,
adjacent to Brazil refugee camp when he was shot.  Clashes between Palestinian civilians and the
Israeli occupation forces were occurring in the area, but El-Akhras was not
participating in them.  According to
PCHR’s documentation, El-Akhras was wounded with a live bullet in the left
thigh fired by the Israeli occupation forces on October 13, 2000.

  

Monday,
March 26, 2001

 

In
the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces committed a new assassinated
Mohammed ‘Atwa ‘Abdel-‘Al, 26, from Al-Salam neighborhood in Rafah, was
killed.  This crime, the latest in a
growing record of assassinations and extra-judicial killings during the past
six months, represents a serious escalation against Palestinian civilians.  The Israeli government has openly declared a
policy of extra-judicially killing and assassinating and Palestinians.

 

At
approximately 12:40 local time, Israeli combat helicopters flew over Rafah and
fired three rockets at a a white civilian car, a Peugeot Thunder.  At the time, the car was on Khaled Ben
Al-Walid Street in Al-Barazil neighborhood, adjacent to the border in the south
of Rafah.  The two direct hits on the car
killed its driver Mohammed ‘Atwa ‘Abdel-‘Al. 
PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the car was completely
destroyed and that ‘Abdel-‘Al’s body completely burnt.  ‘Abdel-‘Al’s body was removed from the
scorched vehicle to Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah.  Furthermore, a taxi behind ‘Abdel-‘Al’s car
was destroyed.  Its driver ‘Omar Sahqfeh
miraculously survived because he and the passengers fled as soon as they heard
the first explosion.  Additionally, two
passing civilians, including an 11-year-old child who was on her way back from
school, were evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah after they suffered a
nervous breakdown.

 

It
is worth mentioning that the policy of assassination and extra-judicial killing
carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians
resulted in killing 17 Palestinians in the past six months.  This includes six civilian bystanders who
were not targets.

 

This
incident increased tension in Rafah and throughout the Occupied Palestinian
Territories.  During the funeral ceremony
of ‘Abdel-‘Al in Rafah, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the
Israeli occupation forces, near Salah El-Din Gate on the border in Rafah.  The Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian
civilians, wounding a 15-year-old child from Al-Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah,
Sa’id Amin El-Khayat, , with a live bullet in the head.  He was evacuated to the intensive care unit
at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City in critical condition.  Furthermore, the child Fadi ‘Ali Joudeh, 13,
was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body.   

 

In
the afternoon, similar clashes erupted near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the
east of Gaza City, during which Nedal ‘Ezzat El-Sheikh Khalil, 17, from
Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded with a live bullet in the
abdomen.  He was evacuated to Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City, where medical sources stated that his spleen and right
kidney were reuptured.  

 

Before
this, in the morning, Ashraf Mohammed El-Sayed, 17, from Jabalya refugee camp,
was wounded with a live bullet in the right hand, when the Israeli occupation
forces fired at a number of Palestinian youth who were demonstrating near Erez
industrial zone in the north of the Gaza Strip.

 

Tuesday,
April 3, 2001

 

At
approximately 11:00 local time, after an exchange of fire with a number of
armed Palestinians, Israeli occupation forces, positioned on military
observation towers in the west of Kfar Darom settlement in Deir El-Balah,
indiscriminately opened fire on Palestinian civilians in the area.  As a result, Ibrahim Ahmed Abu El-Rous, 31,
from Deir El-Balah, who was passing by the area, was wounded with shrapnel in
the left forearm and in the head behind the left ear.  He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza
City for treatment.

 

At
approximately 13:30 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned on
military observation towers in the north of Kfar Darom settlement, fired at
Hazem Subhi El-‘Abit, 18, from Deir El-Balah, wounding him with a live bullet
in the left foot.  He was evacuated to
the Palestine Red Crescent Society Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City.  

 

At
approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
east of Kfar Darom settlement in Deir El-Balah, fired at Salma Hussein Abu
Meghsib, 73, from a distance of approximately 400m, wounding her with a live
bullet in the right hand.  At the time,
she was returning to her home.

 

Wednesday,
April 4, 2001

 

At
approximately 10:00 local time, approximately 70 school students from Nuseirat
organized a peaceful march that moved towards Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction,
to the south of Gaza City.  Some of those
students started to throw stones at Israeli occupation soldiers positioned at
the junction.  Those soldiers opened
fire, wounding four students as follows:

 

 1) Wasfi Nahedh Wasfi Weshah,
15, wounded with a live bullet in the left arm, and was evacuated to Palestine
Red Crescent Society Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City for treatment;

 2) Lu’ai Yousef Zaqout, 15,
wounded with a live bullet in the chest, and was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital
in Gaza City for treatment;

 3) Bilal Jehad El-Qattawi,
17, wounded with a live bullet in the left hand, and was evacuated to Al-Aqsa
Martyrs hospital in Deir El-Balah for treatment; and

 4) Hassan Nassar, 17, wounded
with shrapnel in the face, and was evacuated to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in
Deir El-Balah for treatment.

 

In
the afternoon, similar clashes erupted near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the
east of Gaza City, during which a 15-year old from Al-Remal neighborhood in
Gaza City, Rami Rafiq Ismail ‘Enaya, was wounded with a live bullet in the
right thigh.  He was evacuated to the
Palestine Red Crescent Society Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City for treatment.

 

 2. Shelling of Residential Neighborhoods

 

Thursday,
March 29, 2001

 

At approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli tanks
positioned at the border in Rafah opened fire on Palestinian civilians and
houses near Al-Nour mosque in the Brazil refugee camp, adjacent to the
border.  As a result, four Palestinian
civilians, including a 3-year-old child, were wounded near their homes, located
5-100m away from the border.  The wounded
were:

 

1. Hadil Jehad Abu El-S’oud,
3, wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh;

2. Mohammed Lutfi El-Sayed,
20, wounded with a live bullet in the right arm;

3. Sawsan Abu El-‘Einein, 35,
wounded with shrapnel in the left foot; and

4. Khaled Kassab, 15, wounded
with shrapnel in the right arm.

 

In addition, a number of houses were damaged after
their walls were hit with bullets.

 

In the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces
fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Abu Sneineh
neighborhood in Hebron.  At approximately
16:00 local time, the Israeli forces stormed at least 150m into the
neighborhood which is located in an “area A”–an area under full
control by the Palestinian National Authority. 
Fifteen minutes later, they withdrew to nearby Israeli military sites.

 

Friday,
March 30, 2001 (Land Day)

 

Not
only did the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians who
peacefully demonstrated, but also they fired artillery shells and heavy and
medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and civilian facilities, thus
wounding more civilians and causing severe damage to properties.

 

At
approximately 16:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired artillery
shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Al-Taktouri, Al-Sheikh, Bab
Al-Zawia, Al-Karantina, Abu Sneineh, Khllet Hadour, Sh’aba and Nemra
neighborhoods in Hebron.  According to
eyewitnesses, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Ramay Yishai and Avraham
Avino settlements inside Hebron, and the Kharsina and Hagai settlements east
and southwest of Hebron, participated in the shelling.  The intensity of the shelling on a scale
unprecedented since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada. Fourteen Palestinian
civilians, including three brothers and four children, were wounded as follows:

 

 1) Munjid Ahmed Dandis, 29,
wounded with shrapnel in the right shoulder;

 2) Anas Zuhdi Rezeq, 23,
wounded with shrapnel in the back;

 3) ‘Amer Rezeq Abu El-Fillat,
18, wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh;

 4) Lu’ai Waddah El-Qatrawi,
22, wounded with shrapnel in the left shoulder;

 5) ‘Abdullah Joudi Abu ‘Eisha,
18, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot.

 6) Khamis ‘Abdel-‘Azziz
Edris, 17, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;

 7) Nofouz Ibrahim Dweik, 12,
wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;

 8) Feras Mosawdi, 25, wounded
with shrapnel throughout the body;

 9) Wissam Ibrahim El-Qawasmi,
25, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;

 10) Samih Ibrahim El-Qawasmi,
15, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;

 11) ‘Adnan ‘Ali El-Haimouni,
15, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;

 12) Ibrahim Naji El-Fakhouri,
33, wounded with shrapnel in the right hand;

 13) Hussam Ibrahim El-Qawasmi,
23, wounded with shrapnel in the left thigh; and

 14) Ibrahim Jamil Hassan, 20,
wounded with shrapnel in the left hand.

 

In
addition, dozens of Palestinian houses and civilian facilities were severely
damaged.

 

At
approximately 18:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in a
military site near Kishori factory in Tulkarm, shelled the southern
neighborhood in the city.  The shelling,
in which heavy, medium and light machine guns were used, resulted in wounding
three Palestinian civilians with shrapnel; another civilian was wounded with a
live bullet in the right hand. 
Additionally, a number of houses and buildings were severely damaged.  The wounded were:

 

 1) Shaker Hamdan Shaker, 24,
wounded with shrapnel in the back;

 2) Riadh Qattawi, 35, wounded
with shrapnel throughout the body; and

 3) Ossama Saqafa, 22, wounded
with a live bullet in the right hand.

 

At
approximately 21:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
vicinity of Gani Tal settlement, in the northwest of Khan Yunis, shelled
Palestinian houses to the west of Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in Khan Yunis.  This shelling coincided with similar shelling
from Israeli occupation forces’ postions in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah roadblock
and Neve Dekalim settlement, that targeted Palestinian houses in the west of
Khan Yunis refugee camp, and Al-Nemsawi (the Austrian) neighborhood in the
southwest of the city.  The shelling,
which lasted until 2:30 local time Saturday, resulted in damaging dozens of
houses, whose residents left due to the frequent shelling. 

 

Saturday, March 31, 2001

 

At
approximately 8:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the
border in Rafah fired a hail of bullets on Al-Joneina neighborhood in Rafah,
located approximately 1,000m from the border. 
This shooting wounded two children with live bullets who were near their
families’ homes at the time.  They were:

 

 1) Wala’ Mahmoud Abu ‘Obeid,
8, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh; and

 2) Samar Fuad Abu Jazar, 2.5,
wounded with two live bullets in both thighs.

 

In
the evening, Whid Nasser ‘Azer El-Dik, 54, from Ramallah, was pronounced dead
at Ramallah hospital.  El-Dik was
critically wounded during shelling the headquarters of the Palestinian
President’s Guards (Force 17) in Ramallah by the Israeli occupation forces on
Wednesday, March 28, 2001.  He was a
guard of the nearby Palestine Technical College near the aforementioned
headquarters.  He fell off the roof the
campus when he tried to flee after hearing the nearby bombings.

 

Monday,
April 2, 2001

 

At
approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
vicinity of Bilal mosque (Rachel Tomb area) in Bethlehem and in Gilo and Abu
Ghuneim Mount settlements, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber
bullets at: a Palestinian house in Al-Mahd Street, the Paradise Hotel in
Bethlehem, and a number of houses in ‘Aida and Al-‘Azzeh refugee camps.  As a result, seven Palestinian civilians were
wounded, including Jessica ‘Abboud Safar, 4, who was wounded with shrapnel in
the eye, the chest, the abdomen and pelvis. 
She was in critical condition and lost her right eye.

 

Also
at approximately 15:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired heavy
and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Kherbet El-‘Adas area in
the northeast of Rafah.  As a result,
Fathi Salameh Hamdan Duheir, 55, was wounded with a heavy caliber bullet in the
back.  In his testimony to PCHR, Duheir
said that he was in a balcony of his house when he was wounded.  He was evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in
Rafah, where he underwent surgery to extract the bullet. 

 

In
the afternoon, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the border in Rafah,
opened fire on Palestinian houses in Brazil refugee camp in Rafah.  As a result, the 13-year-old child Hiba
‘Aawdh Joheish, was wounded with shrapnel of live bullets in the right hand,
while she was inside her family’s house, adjacent to the border.    

 

At
approximately 22:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in a
military site in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement in the west of Khan
Yunis, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at a number
of Palestinian houses in Al-Nemsawi (the Austrian) neighborhood in the city.  Housing units owned by Al-Farra Company and
the fence of the western cemetery of the city were also hit.

 

Tuesday,
April 3, 2001

 

In
the evening, the Israeli occupation forces escalated their aggression when they
resorted to combat helicopters and heavy guns to shell a number of Palestinian
cities.  They shelled sites of the
Palestinian security services as well as security and civilian facilities in
the cities of Rafah, Khan Yunis, Gaza and Ramallah. 

 

At
approximately 19:45 local time, combat helicopters of the Israeli occupation
forces started to shell Rafah.  Land-land
missiles were also seen flying over the city before hitting their targets.  PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported the shelling,
which lasted up to 20:30 local time, resulted in the following damage:

 

 1) A missile hit an
electricity transmitter near the headquarters of the Palestinian Military
Intelligence Service, and cut electricity to the city.

 2) A missile hit the
headquarters of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service, causing severe
damage.  No injuries among its members
were reported.

 3) A missile fell onto the
yard of Al-Zahra’ UNRWA elementary school behind the headquarters of the
Palestinian Military Intelligence Service, but it did not explode.

 4) Two land-land missiles hit
the main police station of the city, causing severe damage to one of its
buildings.  It also resulted in damage to
the adjacent conference hall of Rafah governate whose windows were
destroyed.    

 5) Three missiles fell onto
agricultural area in Kherbet El-‘Adas neighborhood in the northeast of Rafah,
but they did not explode.

 6) A missile fell near a
housing building in Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood, but it did not explode.

 

At
approximately 20:00 local time, combat helicopters that flew over Gaza City
started to shell the city.  The shelling
lasted for 30 minutes and targeted the building of the musical band of the
Palestinian President’s Guards (Force 17) in Ansar Compound.  The building and a maintenance facility of
Force 17 also were completely destroyed. 
Furthermore, a number of missiles fell near sites of the Palestinian
Marine Police and Civil Defense at the seashore, but no damage was reported.

 

These
operations resulted in wounding dozens of Palestinian civilians.  Forty-eight Palestinian civilians were
evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah, most of them were wounded with
shrapnel and the rest suffered from suffocation and nervous breakdowns.  Those who wounded with shrapnel were:

 

 1) Ref’at Mahmoud Mattar, 24,
wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;

 2) Bassel Eyad El-Hams,
wounded with shrapnel in the pelvis;

 3) Zakaria Hassan El-Jamal,
32, wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;

 4) Mohammed As’ad El-‘Ennabi,
25, wounded with shrapnel in the left leg and the right hand;

 5) Kamel ‘Abdel-‘Azziz
‘Obeid, 25, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

 6) Suleiman Mansour
El-Duheini, 29, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

 7) Rami Mohammed Madhi, 22,
wounded with shrapnel in the head and the left knee;

 8) Mahrous ‘Eissa Abu Baker,
16, wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;

 9) Nahedh ‘Oudeh Madhi, 26,
wounded with shrapnel in the right elbow;

 10) Rabah ‘Eid Mo’ammar, 38,
wounded with shrapnel in the right thigh;

 11) Amin Mohammed El-Jazzar,
29, wounded with shrapnel in the left forearm;

 12) Mohammed Taleb El-‘Arja,
14, wounded with shrapnel in the face;

 13) Ashraf Ahmed Joudeh, 24,
wounded with shrapnel in the right knee;

 14) Ashraf Sahwqi Madhi, 30,
wounded with shrapnel in the right knee;

 15) Raji Na’im ‘Ashour, 19,
wounded with shrapnel in the right forearm;

 16) Mohammed Khalil
El-‘Ennabi, 21, wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;

 17) Mo’men ‘Ali Abu ‘Assaker,
12, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

 18) Yahia ‘Atteya El-‘Azzazi,
32, wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;

 19) Ahmed Ahmed Sha’ban, 22,
wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;

 20) Nasser ‘Ali Abu ‘Athreh,
23, wounded with shrapnel in the face;

 21) Ayman ‘Omar Abu El-‘Oun,
10, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;

 22) Sharif Mohmoud El-‘Amoudi,
37, wounded with shrapnel in the left thigh;

 23) Nasser Ibrahim Subeh, 37,
wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;

 24) Mohammed Rezeq Mattar, 32,
wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

 25) Ibrahim Salem El-Zameli,
32, wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;

 26) Khalil Hatem El-Moghrabi,
20, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

 27) Khaled Zaki Zannoun, 25,
wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;

 28) Ahmed Taha Abu Rezeq, 19,
wounded with shrapnel in the left forearm and leg;

 29) Anis ‘Ali Abu Muhsin, 34,
wounded with shrapnel in the left hand; and

 30) Hazem Ishaq Abu Rezeq, 16,
wounded with shrapnel in the head.

 

Palestinian
civilians in the targeted areas in Gaza City were terrified.  Ten of them were transferred to Shifa’
hospital in the city, suffering from bruises after having fell down during the
shelling of the city.

 

At
approximately 1:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired artillery
shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and farms, in
the north of Khan Yunis.  As a result,
two 180-square-meter houses that were under-construction and owned by
‘Abdel-Hakim Mohammed Ahmed El-Shanna and Mohammed Hashem El-Majaydeh, were
severely damaged.  In addition,
greenhouses were damaged after having been hit with artillery shells and live
bullets.  They are owned by ‘Adel Mousa
El-Astal, Dhib Ahmed El-Astal and Khamis Mousa El-Astal.

 

In
the morning, Rami ‘Adnan El-Jamal, 22, from Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah,
was wounded with shrapnel of live bullets in the head and the right hand, when
the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian houses in the
neighborhood.  El-Jamal was in front of
his house, approximately 500m to the north of a military site of the Israeli
occupation forces on Tal Zo’rob, the source of fire.

 

At
approximately 20:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces shelled
Palestinian house Al-Nemsawi (the Austrian) neighborhood in Khan Yunis.  PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported
that Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah roadblock and Neve
Dekalim settlement, in the west of Khan Yunis, fired artillery shells and heavy
and medium caliber bullets up to 22:30 local time.  The shelling resulted in severe damage to a
number of houses and buildings. 
Furthermore, four Palestinian civilians were wounded with shrapnel,
while they were on the street, approximately 150m away from Al-Tuffah
roadblock.  They were:

 

 1) Akram Semari El-‘Araj, 28,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the right leg;

 2) Walid Semari El-‘Araj, 25,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the left forearm;

 3) Shaima’ Mohammed El-‘Araj,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the right arm; and

 4) Wae’l Fayez Mo’ammar, 20,
wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the right arm.

 

In
the evening, Israeli occupation forces, positioned on Jarzim Mount, to the
south of Nablus, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at
Khellet Al-‘Amoud, Khellet Al-Rohban and Al-Horsh neighborhoods in Nablus,
causing damage to a number of houses.

 

Wednesday,
April 4, 2001

 

At
approximately 17:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned on Jarzim
Mount, to the south of Nablus, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium
caliber bullets at Khellet Al-‘Amoud Neighborhood, Balatta refugee camp,
Al-Kabrit Street and Amman Street, wounding:

 1) Hassan Khalil Abu Mustafa, 19, with two live bullets in both feet;

 2) Mohammed Medhat El-Kharraz, 14, seriously with shrapnel in the head;

 3) Subhi Mohammed El-Sha’ar, 28, with shrapnel in the lower jaw;

 4) ‘Abdel-Ra’uf Jamil Dweikat, 50, with shrapnel in the right shoulder;

 5) ‘Abdel-Karim Hussein Saqef El-Heit, with shrapnel in the left leg;

 6) Jamila Hassan El-Ghanama, 51, with shrapnel in the left foot;

 7) Manal Tahsin El-Ghanama, 23, with shrapnel in the right elbow;

 8) Mohammed ‘Omar El-Moghrabi, 17, wounded with shrapnel in the neck; and

 9) Hani Mohammed Eshteiwi, 26, wounded with shrapnel in the face.

 

At
approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the
vicinity of Netzarim settlement, to the south of Gaza City, opened fire on
Palestinian farms in Al-Moghraqa area, to the south of the settlement.  As a result, farmer Mousa Mohammed Abu
‘Oreiban, 38, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded with a
live bullet in the abdomen.  His entrails
were also ruptured.  He was evacuated to
the Palestine Red Crescent Society Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City for treatment.  At the time, Abu ‘Oreiban was farming
approximately 500m to the south of Netzarim settlement when he was wounded.

 

 3. Razing of Agricultural Land

 

Thursday, March 29, 2001

 

At
approximately 9:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces resumed razing
areas of agricultural land adjacent to the border east of Beit Hanoun, in the
north of the Gaza Strip.   PCHR’s field
officer in the area reported this included:

 

 1) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Nazhmi Mohammed Ibrahim
Hamad.  In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.

 2) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Jamil Ibrahim Kahalil
Hamad.  In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.

 3) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Ahmed Ibrahim Khalil Hamad.  In addition, an irrigation network was
destroyed.

 4) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by the heirs of Khalil Ibrahim
Khalil Hamad.  In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.

 5) They razed a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by the heirs of Mohammed Hassan
Abu ‘Oudeh.  In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.

 6) They razed a three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mousa Saqer Hussein Abu ‘Amsha.  In addition, an irrigation network was
destroyed.

 7) They razed a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by ‘Abdel-Rahman Mohammed
‘Abdel-Rahman Hweihi. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.

 8) They razed a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with sugar canes, owned by Ibrahim Mohammed
‘Abdel-Rahman Hweihi.  In addition, an
80-square-meter rabbit farm, an agricultural pool and a water pump were
destroyed.

 9) They razed a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Mohammed Mohammed ‘Abdel-Rahman
Hweihi.  In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.

 10) They razed a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Shawqi Mohammed ‘Abdel-Rahman
Hweihi.  In addition, an irrigation network
and a water pump were destroyed, and storing room was demolished.

 11) They razed a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Halima ‘Abdullah Ismail Hweihi.
In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.

 12) They razed a three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Rmadan Mahmoud El-Bo’.  In addition, an irrigation network was
destroyed.

 13) They razed a three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Hassan Mahmoud El-Bo’.  In addition, an irrigation network was
destroyed.

 14) They razed a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with barley, owned by Jaber Hassan Na’im. 

 15) They started tom raze a
61.5-donum area of agricultural land, planted with citrus, owned by Ragheb
‘Abdel-Rahman Murtaja.  They razed 18
donums of this tract of land.

 

At the
same time, the Israeli occupation forces razed areas of agricultural land near
the border in the southeast of Beit Hanoun. 
They razed:

 1) a 3.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives, owned by Ziad, Yousef and Sa’id Ahmed Mohammed
El-Motawaq;

 2) a 1.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives, owned by Ahmed Mohammed ‘Abdullah El-Motawaq; and

 3) a 15-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives, owned by Taher Abu El-Husni.

 

They also
completed razing a 65-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus,
owned by Saqer Mohammed El-Da’our.  On
March 23, 2001, 40 donums of this tract of land were razed, and on March 29,
2001, another 20 donums were razed, so only five donums remained
untouched. 

 

Sunday,
April 1, 2001

 

At
approximately 10:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces demolished five
houses and three agricultural barracks in Foroush Beit Dajan village in the
Jordan Valley, without prior notification. 
The house that were demolished were as follows:

 

 1) a 60-square-meter house with a
grocery store, owned by Khader Ibrahim Abu Salameh;

 2) a 70-square-meter house owned by
‘Abdel-Rahim Hassam Mohawesh;

 3) a 50-square-meter house owned by
Khalil Hassan Besharat;

 4) a 60-square-meter house owned by
Sae’d Hayel Besharat; and

 5) a 60-square-meter house owned by
Mahmoud Hayel Besharat.

 

Monday,
April 2, 2001

 

At
approximately 7:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces demolished an
building under-construction in Al-Eizareya village in Jeruslaem, owned by
Sheikh Mohammed Sa’id El-Jamal.  The
building was located on a 400-square-meter area and was designed to include a
school, a kindergarten and recreational facilities.

 

At
approximately 8:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land in Al-Qatbania area, adjacent to the border in the
east of Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip.  PCHR’s field officer in the area reported
this lasted up to 18:00 local time, and affected more than 130 donums of
agricultural land, as follows:

 

 1) They razed an eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, almonds and vegetables, owned by Jamil
Dhiab Ibrahim ‘Abed.  In addition, they
destroyed an irrigation network.

 2) They razed a 15-donum area of
agricultural land planted with wheat, barley and vegetables, owned by Ibrahim
Salem Abu Sel’a.

 3) They razed a 3.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Hussein Ibrahim Abu Sal’a.

 4) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and almonds, owned by Rabi’ and Samir
‘Abed Rabi’ Sultan;

 5) They razed a 3.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, olives and fruits, owned by Majed
‘Atteya El-Qanou’.

 6) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, owned by Ismail Ahemd
El-Motawaq.

 7) They razed a one-donum area of
agricultural land planted with wheat, owned by Ahmed Mohammed Faraj El-Qanou’.

 8) They razed a seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, owned by ‘Abdel-Rahman Ahmed
‘Abdel-Rahman Khader.  In addition, they
destroyed an irrigation network.

 9) They razed a seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, owned by Mohammed Ahmed
‘Abdel-Rahman Khader.  In addition, they
destroyed an irrigation network and a sprinkle pump.

 10) They razed a ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, owned by Mohammed Jamil
Dardouna and brothers.

 11) They razed a seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, owned by Mousa Reihan.  In addition, they destroyed an irrigation
network.

 12) They razed a twelve-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by ‘Atteya Ghoneim.

 13) They razed an eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and almonds, owned by ‘Ashour ‘abdel-Hai
Mas’oud.

 14) They razed a ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and fruits, owned by Mohammed Mohammed
Hussein Dardouna.

 15) They razed an eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Rabi’ Badawi.

 16) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Sedqi El-Khatib.

 17) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by ‘Ali Ahmed Yassin Sultan.

 18) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by ‘Ali El-Borsh.

 19) They razed a ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Riad Ghali Sha’ban Kahader and
partners.

 20) They razed a three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Halima Ahmed ‘Abdullah
Dardouna.

 21) They razed a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Ahmed Mohammed Hussein
Dardouna.

 22) They razed a seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, owned by ‘Abdel-Rahim
Mohammed Hussein Dardouna.

 23) They razed an eleven-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, owned by Tayseer and
Tahsin Hassan Sami El-‘Ottal.  In
addition, they destroyed an irrigation network and a 16-square-meter storing
room.

 

At
midnight, the Israeli occupation forces stormed Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in the
north of Khan Yunis, and climbed onto the roof of a two-story house that had
been evacuated last November due to frequent shelling by the Israeli forces,
owned by Ref’at ‘Abdel-Ghafour.  At the
same time, a bulldozer of the Israeli forces started to demolish a site of the
Palestinian President’s Guards (Force 17), which was evacuated approximately
two months ago.  PCHR’s field officer in
Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces also demolished a
balcony and a wall of 180-square-meter house, whose 16 residents left last
November due to frequent shelling.  It is
owned by Mustafa ‘Oleyan El-‘Aqad.  They
also uprooted a number of olive and palm trees around the house and closed a
dirt road between Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area and Al-Amal neighborhood.

 

Tuesday,
April 3, 2001

 

The
Israeli occupation forces demolished a 140-square-meter, house
under-construction in Al-Za’im village in Jerusalem, owned by Ghaleb Mohammed
El-Razem.

 

The
Israeli occupation forces also demolished three houses under-construction in
Al-Eizareya village in Jerusalem.  They
were:

 

 1) The house of Ibrahim
Hamada Qorash, established on a 120-square-meter area;

 2) The house of Salah
El-Ghawi; and

 3) The house of Khaled ‘Eissa
El-‘Atta, established on a 90-square-meter area.

 

At
approximately 23:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land, to the northeast of Kfar Darom settlement in the
east of Deir El-Balah.  PCHR’s field
officer in the middle area of the Gaza Strip reported this lasted until 5:00
local time on the following day and affected 30donums of agricultural land as
follows:

 

 1) They razed a two-donum
area of agricultural land, on half of which a greenhouse planted with
vegetables stood, and the other half was planted with olives, owned by Hussam
Mohammed Abu Samra.

 2) They razed a five-donum
area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, on two donums of which two
greenhouses stood, owned by Hisham Mohammed Salem Abu Samra.

 3) They razed a two-donum
area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, and uprooted 13 palm trees,
owned by Kahled Ahmed ‘Obeid.

 4) They razed a one-donum
area of agricultural land, on which a greenhouse planted with vegetables, and
uprooted five olive trees, owned by Jaber Mohammed Abu Mosabbeh.

 5) They razed a 1.5-donum
area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Sae’d Mohammed
El-‘Azayzeh.

 6) They razed a 1.5-donum
area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Salim Mohammed
El-‘Azayzeh.   

 7) They razed a 1.5-donum
area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Shaher Mohammed
El-‘Azayzeh.

 8) They razed a 1.5-donum
area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Sami Mohammed
El-‘Azayzeh.

 9) They razed a 1.5-donum
area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Nawal Mohammed
El-‘Azayzeh.

 10) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
owned by Suleiman Mohammed El-‘Azayzeh.

 11) They razed a ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, and
uprooted 20 palm trees, owned by Khalil Suleiman El-‘Azayzeh.

 12) They razed a one-donum area of agricultural land, on which a greenhouse
planted with vegetables stood, owned by Mohammed Ahmed El-Ma’ni.

 

Wednesday,
April 4, 2001

 

Early
in the morning, the Israeli occupation forces demolished parts of a
250-square-meter, one-story house, to the west of Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction, to the south of Gaza City, owned by Suleiman Salim El-Khoratti.  PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that
they demolished a room, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a 20-meter fence.

 

At
approximately 8:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces demolished four
Palestinian houses in ‘Anata village in Jerusalem, as follows:

 

 1) a 110-square-meter house
owned by Salim Ismail Shawamra;

 2) a 135-square-meter house
owned by Mohammed Suleiman Mohammed Karshan;

 3) a 40-square-meter house
owned by ‘Eid Suleiman Mohammed Karshan; and

 4) a 50-square-meter house
owned by Daoud ‘Eid Suleiman Karshan.

 

At
approximately 9:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces demolished four
houses in Wadi Al-Fardous area in the east of Hebron, as follows:

 

 1) a 210-square-meter house owned by Faraj Hammouda Mahmoud Jaber;

 2) an 80-square-meter house owned by Mohammed Borhan Mohammed El-Ja’bari;

 3) a 500-square-meter house, owned by Na’im ‘Abdel-Mon’em Naji El-Fakhouri;
and

 4) a 90-square-meter house owned by Nasser Dhib Mosawdeh.

 

In
the morning, the Israeli occupation forces demolished a 100-square-meter house
in Al-Khader village in Bethlehem, owned by Mohammed Suleiman Mohammed Salah.

 

On
the same day also, the Israeli occupation forces demolished two houses and a
number of agricultural facilities in Jenin. The demolished houses were:

 

 1) a 216-square-meter, house
under-construction in the east of Jenin, owned by ‘Adel ‘Abed; and

 2) a 150-square-meter house
in ‘Arrabeh village, owned by Nazhmi Qassem Abu Hannana.

 

 4. Other Assaults and Arrests by the Israeli Occupation Forces against
Palestinian Civilians

 

On
Sunday, April 1, 2001, at approximately midnight, the Israeli occupation forces
raided on a roadblock of the Palestinian President’s Guards (Force 17) at the
entrance of Jaljilya village in the north of Ramallah, which is under full
control of the Palestinian National Authority. 
The Israeli forces arrested five of the roadblock’s members and a
resident of the village.  In the morning
of Tuesday, April 3, 2001, the Israeli forces released three of the detainees,
including two members of Force 17.

 

On
Monday, April 2, 2001, the Israeli occupation forces arrested Head of the
Palestinian Marine Police in the West Bank Colonel ‘Essam El-Beleidi, 51, at
Al-Karama crossing, when he returning to the West Bank from abroad.

 

Also
on Monday, April 2, 2001, at approximately 7:00 local time, three military
jeeps of the Israeli occupation forces burst into the Western Hills area in the
Al-Satar Al-Gharbi neighborhood in the north of Khan Yunis.  PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported
that the jeeps came from Gani Tal settlement in the northwest of Khan Yunis and
entered  approximately 300m inside areas
under control by the Palestinian National Authority.  However, Palestinian civilians confronted
them and forced them to withdraw from the area.  

 

On
Wednesday, April 4, 2001, at approximately 17:00 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces burst into Al-Qarara area, to the east of Al-Matahen
junction, in the north of Khan Yunis. 
PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli forces
entered approximately 200m inside the area, and mounted on a house, owned by
Taher Ibrahim ‘Abdin, who lives abroad. 
The Israeli forces remained in the area up to approximately 22:00 local
time.

 

 5. Attacks and Shooting on Palestinian Civilians by Settlers

 

Saturday,
March 31, 2001

 

At
approximately 17:00 local time, a number of Jewish settlers from Beit Hadassa
settlement inside Hebron, attacked the house of Nabil El-Halabi near the
aforementioned settlement with stones and Molotov cocktails.  The house was severely damaged.

 

Sunday,
April 1, 2001

 

At
approximately 6:00 local time, Jewish settlers set fire to three Palestinian
commercial stores in the old city of Hebron. 
These stores, owned by the families of El-Shweiki and Abu Sneineh, were
completely scorched.  Jewish settlers
also set fire to a bakery owned by ‘Azmi El-Shweiki and Mohammed Abu Sneineh,
which was completely burnt.  According to
eyewitnesses, settlers also obstructed the passage of fire engines of Hebron
Municipality into the affected area. 

 

At
approximately 18:00 local time, a number of Jewish settlers burst into a
commercial store owned by ‘Abdel-Fattah El-Qasrawi in Hebron.  They broke its doors and plundered its goods.

 

At
approximately 22:00 local time, Jewish settlers set fire to three Palestinian
civilian cars near Kharsina settlement in the east of Hebron.  The cars were completely burnt.

 

Monday,
April 2, 2001

 

At
approximately 1:00 local time, a number of Jewish settlers living in the
so-called Avraham Avino settlement center in Hebron exploded gas filled jars in
front of Palestinian commercial stores and the aforementioned mentioned bakery
during a curfew imposed on the area by the Israeli occupation forces.  The bakery, which was burnt by settlers on
the previous day and the two stores were completely destroyed.  In addition, a nearby mosque was partially
damaged.

 

In
the evening, a number of Jewish settlers from Keryat Arba’ settlement, in the
east of Hebron, set fire to a civilian car owned by Wahid Qafisha while it was
in front of his house in Sh’aba area, adjacent to the settlement.  The car completely burnt.

 

Tuesday,
April 3, 2001

 

In
the morning, during curfew imposed on the part of Hebron under control by the
Israeli occupation forces, Jewish settlers burst into Al-Aqtab mosque adjacent
to the so-called Avraham Avino settlement, inside Hebron.  They broke its doors and windows and partially
damaged its furniture.  They also stole a
number of carpets and volumes of the Quran. 

 

 

 

****

 

PCHR
reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to
stop Israeli occupation forces’ killings and criminal acts against Palestinian
civilians.  Although PCHR is satisfied
with the establishment of a commission of inquiry by the UN High Commission for
Human Rights, it hopes that during its 57^th session, the Commission
will fulfill its responsibilities and implement measures to put an end to
Israeli violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. PCHR calls in
particular for:

 

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

2. The 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. 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.

4. The provision of
humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living
conditions are rapidly deteriorating due to the continued total siege imposed
by the Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian
territories.