Israeli soldiers fire tear gas canisters at
Palestinian civilians during the weekly peaceful demonstration against the
construction of the annexation wall in Nabi Saleh village near Ramallah

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

 

A
Palestinian woman was wounded by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

 

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

3
Palestinian civilian were wounded.

IOF
arrested 5 Palestinian civilians, including a woman.

 

IOF
conducted 68 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited
one into the Gaza Strip.   

IOF
arrested 20 Palestinians, including two children and a university professor.

 

IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

IOF
arrested 4 fishermen and confiscated their boat.

 

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

Israeli soldiers arrested 6
Palestinian civilians, including two children, at various checkpoints in the
West Bank.

 

Israel
has continued efforts to create a Jewish majority in East Jerusalem.

IOF
demolished some civilian facilities in al-‘Eizariya village.

IOF
demolished some civilian facilities in al-‘Eissawiya village to establish a
biblical garden.

 

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

IOF
demolished 3 houses in al-Dyouk village, northwest of Jericho.

Israeli
settlers burnt 3 cars in Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (05 – 11 January 2012):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF wounded
4 Palestinian civilians, including a woman, in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip. 

 

In the West Bank, during the
reporting period, IOF used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations
organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of
the annexation wall in the West Bank.  As
a result, 3 Palestinian civilian was wounded. 
Dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders
suffered from tear gas inhalation.   IOF
also arrested 5 Palestinian civilians, including a woman. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 06 January 2012, a Palestinian woman was
wounded by the Israeli gunfire while she was grazing animals in the central
Gaza Strip.

 

On the same day, IOPF fired 3 artillery shells at Palestinian areas
in the northern Gaza Strip.  No
casualties were reported, but Palestinian civilians, especially women and
children, were extremely terrified. 

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 68 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 20 Palestinian
civilians, including two children and a university professor.  

 

In
the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one limited incursion into the north and leveled
areas of Palestinian land which they had already razed. 

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

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

 

IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and practically
made Karm Abu Salem crossing as the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip
although it is not proper for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and
operational capacity.

 

IOF have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the
strangulation of the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing
total control over the flow of imports and exports.

 

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

 

These statistics which were made available to PCHR by the Border
and Crossings Department indicate a continued drop in the number of truckloads
of Gaza imports and exports.

 

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

 

The cooking gas crisis which has erupted last November has
continued to affect the Gaza Strip.  This
crisis was created when the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed, on
04 January 2010, Nahal Oz crossing, which used to be dedicated for the delivery
of fuel and cooking gas supplies to Gaza, and shifted fuel and cooking gas
supplies to Karm Abu Salem crossing which is not technically equipped to
receive Gaza’s needs of fuel.  Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum
absorptive capacity, can receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day.

 

Approximately 80% of Gaza civilians have continued to depend on
alimentary aid provided by UNRWA and other relief agencies, rates of families
who are living below poverty line have continued to be on the rise and
approximately 40% of Gaza’s manpower has continued to suffer from permanent
unemployment as a result of shutting down the majority of Gaza’s economic
establishments.

 

IOF have continued to impose a total ban on the exportation of
Gaza’s products, especially industrial products, leading to undermining any
real chances to rerun economic establishments. 
The situation has been aggravated especially after making Karm Abu Salem
crossing as Gaza sole commercial crossing and the repeated closure of this
crossing which negatively affected the quantity of Gazan products which were
allowed to be exported during last April.

 

IOF have continued to prolong the implementation of their decision
to allow 60 cars into Gaza weekly although more than 11 months have passed
since they announced this decision after three years of ban imposed on the
delivery of cars to Gaza.  As a result,
the prices of cars in Gaza have been on the rise and local markets experience
serious shortage in spare parts.

 

For approximately four consecutive years, IOF
have continued to ban the delivery of construction materials to Gaza. During
the reporting period, IOF approved the delivery of limited quantities of
construction materials for a number of international organizations.

 

Israel has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for
Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip. 
IOF only allow the movement of limited groups amidst severe
restrictions, including long hours of waiting in the majority of cases.  IOF have also continued to adopt a policy
aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via Beit
Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the
West Bank and Jerusalem.  IOF denied new
categories of Gazan patient permission to have access to hospitals via the
crossing.

 

Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on international
diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza
Strip.

 

For approximately 55 months, IOF have continued to deny
approximately 700 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails
their visitation rights without providing any justification to this measure,
which violates the rules of the international humanitarian law.

 

West
Bank

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

IOF continue to harass and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful
protests against the construction of the annexation wall.

 

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

 

Efforts to
Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem

 

On
05 January 2012, IOF moved into al-‘Eizariya village, east of occupied
Jerusalem.  They demolished a
100-square-meter workshop of stone cutting belonging to Sameer Mohammed
Taqatqa.  They destroyed stones whose
value is 30,000 ILS, and confiscated stones whose value is 95,000 ILS.  IOF demolished also a 30-square-meter
workshop of stone cutting belonging to Mohammed ‘Ayad.  They destroyed stones whose value is 15,000
ILS.  Additionally, IOF demolished a 200-square-meter
shop of junks belonging to Majed Abu Ghalia, a 30-square-meter fence and
parking yard belonging to Ibrahim Abu Dhaim.

 

On
10 January 2012, IOF razed large areas of Palestinian land in the southeastern
part of al-‘Eissawiya village in occupied East Jerusalem, to establish a
biblical garden.  According to local
sources, IOF confiscated hundreds of dunums[1]
of land in al-‘Eissawiya and al-Tour villages to establish a biblical
garden.  By the establishment of the
garden, al-‘Eissawiya village would be completely isolated by Israeli
settlements.

 

Settlement
Activities:  

 

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

 

On
05 January 2012, IOF moved into al-Qassab area in the south of al-Dyouk
village, northwest of Jericho.  They
demolished 3 winter houses belonging to Palestinians from Jerusalem claiming
that they were built without licenses. 
They also handed notices of demolition of houses to a number of
Palestinian civilians.  They also
informed of their intention to destroy a number of electricity towers and an
electric transmitter.

 

On
11 January 2012, a number of Israeli settlers burnt 3 cars in Deir Estia
village, northwest of Salfit.  The cars
belong to Palestinian civilians living in the village.  The settlers also wrote hostile words on the
walls of Imam Ali Mosque near the burnt mosques, such as “paying the price,
lion group and Joseph’s sons.” A number of eyewitnesses reported that saw a car
with an Israeli registration plate leaving the village after the attack. 

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (05 – 11 January 2012)

 

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

 

Thursday, 05 January 2012

 

At approximately 00:30, IOF moved
into Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Suhaib
Bahjat Jom’a, 23, and arrested him.  They
broke the locks of doors and entered the house surreptitiously.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Nablus.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Dr. Mohammed ‘Ali al-Slaibi, 64,
a university professor;

2. Khaled Rawhi al-Sousa, 50; and

3. Murad Subhi Jom’a, 23.

 

They also raided and searched Madad
bookshop opposite to the old campus of an-Najah National University, which
belongs to Jom’a’s cousin. 

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved
into Deir vDibwan village, northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Fassayel village, north of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved
into Qebya village, west of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 11:00, IOF
moved into Kufor Ne’ma village, west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 14:00, IOF arrested
Mahmoud ‘Abdul Hafez Noufal, 28, from Halhoul town north of Hebron, as he was
summoned for interrogation by the Israeli intelligence in “Kfar Etzion”
settlement bloc, southwest of Bethlehem.

 

At approximately 14:30, IOF moved
into Yassouf village, east of Salfit. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.   

 

At approximately 16:30, IOF moved
into Toura al-Ghabiya village, southwest of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets and held a
number of workers for some time.  They
withdrew later and neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:15, IOF moved
into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 18:40, IOF moved
into al-‘Ouja village, northeast of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 19:00, IOF moved
into al-Jiftlek village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 21:15, IOF moved
into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 22:30, IOF moved
into Jericho.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Friday,
06 January 2012

 

At approximately 00:10, IOF moved into Kufor Qaddoum village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village,
northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Bireh.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 08:30, Israeli soldiers positioned the border
between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of al-Boreij refugee camp in the
central Gaza Strip fired at Hiba Mousa Abu Sa’id, 19, while she was grazing
animals.  She was wounded by a bullet to
the right foot.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into Khirbat Abu Falah village,
northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Jericho and the neighboring
‘Aqabet Jaber refugee camp.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 11:10, IOF moved into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta village,
west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 11:40, IOF moved into Qalqilya.  They raided and searched a shop in the
town.  They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 15:30, IOF moved into Jeet village, northeast of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 19:15, the Israeli artillery stationed at the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired two shells at Palestinian
agricultural areas in the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya.  Palestinian civilians, especially women and
children, were extremely terrified. 
‘Aaisha Isma’il Abu Hmaidan, 47, was shocked.  She was evacuated to the hospital.

 

At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Qiffin village, north of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:15, IOF moved into Um Safa village, northwest
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and photographed a number of houses and the old mosques
of the village.  They withdrew later and
neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:45, IOF moved into Beit Qad village, east of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.  

 

Saturday, 07 January 2012  

 

At approximately 10:00, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian
fishermen who were fishing opposite to the Egyptian coasts: Rani Sami Bakr, 29;
Tal’at ‘Othman Bakr, 46; Jad ‘Othman Bakr, 35; and Mahmoud Yahia Bakr, 26.  They took the fishermen to Ashdod Harbor
inside Israel, but released them at approximately 00:30 on Sunday, 08 January
2012, after interrogating them.  They
also seized the fishing boat, which belongs to Jad ‘Othman Bakr. 

 

At approximately 11:10, IOF moved into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta village,
west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

At approximately 15:00, IOF moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 15:45, IOF moved into Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:30, IOF moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of
Jenin.  A number of Palestinian boys
gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles.  Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and
sound bombs at the boys.  No casualties
were reported.

 

At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Be’r al-Mahjar area in the
northwest of Hebron.  They raided and
searched a house belonging to the family of Wassim Saleem Abu ‘Eisha, 24, and
arrested him.

 

Also at approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Bir Zeit village, north
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. 

 

At approximately 22:15, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:20, IOF moved into Bitounia town, west of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They withdrew later and
neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Beit Qad village, east of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Sunday, 08 January 2012

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of
Hebron.  They raided and searched a
number of houses ad arrested two Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Ra’ed Mahmoud Sabarna, 35; and

2. Yousef Mahmoud al-‘Allami, 25.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into Burham village, northwest of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

Also at approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Artah suburb, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Silwad village, northeast of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:55, IOF moved into Deir Estia village, east of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and summoned a number of Palestinians who were released in the
prisoners swap.  They withdrew later and
no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Kharabtha al-Misbah village,
west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:35, IOF moved into Jayous village, southeast of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
and held a number of workers for some time. 
They withdrew later and neither house raids nor arrests were
reported. 

 

At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta village,
west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into al-Mentar area in ‘Azzoun
village, east of Qalqilya.  They
patrolled in the area for some time and withdrew later.

 

Also at approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Ya’bad village,
southwest of Jenin.  A number of
Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at the boys. 
no casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 18:20, IOF moved into Jeet village, northeast of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:20, IOF moved into Koubar village, northwest of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Artah suburb, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. 

 

 

 

Monday, 09 January 2012

 

At approximately 01:20, IOF moved into Kufor Qaddoum village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 01:45, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Qabatya village, south of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:50, IOF moved into Hares village, north of
Salfit.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including two children:

 

1. Saqer Hussein Suleiman, 18;

2. Sameh Sameer Sultan, 18;

3. ‘Alaa’ Rushdi Daoud, 17; and

4. Ayoub Ahmed Klaib, 17.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into ‘Arraba village, southwest
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Sirris village, south
of Jenin.  They summoned Islam Bassam Abu
‘Ali, 21, and Eihab ‘Adnan Samara, 18, for interrogation.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into al-Jaroushiya village, north
of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew
later.  Neither house raids nor arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 11:05, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qalqilya.   They summoned 3 Palestinians
who were released in the latest prisoners swap for interrogation: ‘Odai Hamza
Hussein, 25; Ahmed ‘Abdul Latif Abu Haniya, 21; and ‘Alaa’ al-Din ‘Abdul Rahman
Rayan, 24.

 

At approximately 13:45, IOF moved into Khirbat Seer village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, northwest
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of
Jenin.  A number of Palestinian boys
gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at the boys. 
No casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 21:30, IOF moved into Beit Leed village, east of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:45, IOF moved into Kufor Qaddoum village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 23:45, IOF moved into Tulkarm.  A number of young men gathered and threw
stones at Israeli military vehicles.  IOF
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Abu Esniana neighborhood in
Hebron.  They raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of ‘Obaida Maher Abu Esnaina, 23, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Hawara village, south of
Nablus.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Bahaa’ Shafiq ‘Ouda, 29; and

2. Jarrah Waheed ‘Ouda, 30.

 

At approximately 08:00, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into the east
of the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya. 
They leveled areas of Palestinian land which they had already
razed.  At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
northwards.  At approximately 16:30, IOF
moved back to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. 

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of
Jenin.  A number of Palestinian boys
gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at the boys. 
No casualties were reported.

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

 

At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Khillat al-Natish
neighborhood in the southeast of Hebron. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Musallam
‘Abdul Mo’ez Edris, 24, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of
Hebron.  They raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Safwat Sameer Ekhlil, 25, and arrested him.

 

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

 

During
the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized
by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the
West Bank, and in protest to the establishment of a buffer zone in the Gaza
Strip.  As a result, 3 Palestinian
civilians were wounded.  Additionally, dozens
of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas
inhalation. 

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 06
January 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli
human rights defenders, including Louisa Morgantini, former Speaker of the
European Parliament, organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village,
west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall and
support for efforts to achieve national reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah
movements.  They raised the Palestinian
flag and called for ending political division. They then moved towards areas of
Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court ordered to be returned to their
Palestinian owners.  Israeli soldiers
stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear
gas canisters at the demonstrators.  As a
result, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded:

 

1. Sameer Suleiman Bernat, 35, wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet to the leg;

2. Ibrahim ‘Abdul Fattah Bernat, 30, wounded by two rubber-coated
metal bullets to the right leg; and

3. Kifah Mansour Mansour, 31, wounded by 3 rubber-coated metal
bullets to the right leg.

 

Additionally, a number of civilians suffered from tear gas
inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday prayer on 06 January 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and Israeli  and international human rights
defenders gathered in the center of al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah, to start the weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the
annexation wall and settlement activities.  The protesters walked towards
the gate erected by IOF near the entrance of the village and leading to
Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby “Halmish”
settlement are trying to seize.  Israeli soldiers who had been extensively
deployed in the area and near all the entrances of the village since the
morning, began to confront the protesters who wanted to walk towards the
affected lands.  Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets,
sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters.  A result, dozens of
civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 06 January 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a
peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against
the construction of the annexation wall. 
They clashed with Israeli troops positioned near the annexation wall.  Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators.  As a result, a number of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation.  

 

On Saturday noon, 07 January 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration
in the center of Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, in protest to planned
expansion of “Karmi Tsur” settlement. 
They moved towards agricultural land close to the settlement.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them.  As a result, a number of demonstrators
sustained bruises or suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

At approximately 11:00 on Tuesday, 19 January 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
gathered in the center of Jericho to organize a peaceful car march calling for
ensuring the right to freedom of movement. 
The car march moved towards Ramallah through a road designed for the use
of Israeli settlers only.  IOF closed the
southern entrance of the town to prevent the march from moving forward.  They also arrested 5 participants, including
a woman: Anwar Mousa, 19; Mahmoud Zawahra, 39; ‘Azmi Shyoukhi, 62; Khaled  ‘Atallah al-Tamimi, 30; and ‘Omar Saleh
al-Tamimi, 21.

  

3. Continued Closure of the OPT

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all
border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal
Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since
June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation
in the Gaza Strip. The illegal closure has caused not only a humanitarian
crisis but a crisis of human rights and human dignity for the population of the
Gaza Strip. Measures declared recently to ease the blockade are vague,
purely cosmetic and fail to deal with the root causes of the crisis, which can
only be addressed by an immediate and complete lifting of the closure,
including lifting the travel ban into and out of the Gaza Strip and the ban on
exports. PCHR is concerned that the new Israeli policy is simply shifting Gaza
to another form of illegal blockade, one that may become internationally
accepted and institutionalized. Palestinians in Gaza may no longer suffer from
the same shortage of goods, but they will remain economically dependent and unable
to care for themselves, and socially, culturally and academically isolated from
the rest of the world.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

04 –
10 January 2012

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

03 –
10 January 2012

 

Imports:

 

 

 

 

 

Exports:

 

On Tuesday, 03 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 7.2
tons of tomatoes, 7.7 tons of strawberries and 71,000 flowers.

On Wednesday, 04 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 4
tons of sweet peppers, and 22.2 tons of strawberries.

On Thursday, 05 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 19.4
tons of strawberries and 38,500 flowers.

On Sunday, 08 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 10 tons
of strawberries and 85,000 roses.

On Monday, 10 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 14.4
tons of strawberries.

On Tuesday, 10 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 6.4
tons of strawberries and 82,000 flowers.

 

Notes:

 

On Tuesday, 03 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 276 tons of
cement, 5,600 tons of construction aggregate and 36 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 819 tons of wheat.

 

On Wednesday, 04 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 308 tons of
cement, 5,460 tons of construction aggregate and 34 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 1,170 tons of fodders.

 

On Thursday, 05 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 398 tons of
cement, 5,600 tons of construction aggregate and 82 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 1,365 tons of wheat.

 

On Sunday, 08 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 819 tons of fodders.

 

On Monday, 09 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 396 tons of
cement, 1,750 tons of construction aggregate and 72 tons of construction steel for
UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry of 663
tons of fodders.

 

On Tuesday, 10 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 457 tons of
cement, 2,800 tons of construction aggregate and 54 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 897 tons of fodders. 

 

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

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

04 –
10 January 2012

 

 

The West Bank

 

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

 

Jerusalem: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians to and from the city. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. IOF have
established many checkpoints around and inside the city.  Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian
civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim Palestinians from
praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.  On Monday, 09
January 2012, IOF closed the road leading to the Bedouin communities of Arab al-Jahalin
near al-‘Eizariya and Abu Dis towns, east of occupied Jerusalem, with cement
blocks and iron barriers.  Palestinian
civilians living in this area will be forced to use an alternative dirt road.  The closure would affect approximately 270
families living in the area, which is under full Israeli control.  

 

Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 11:00 on Thursday, 05 January 2012, IOF re-established their
presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah.  At approximately 11:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah.  At approximately 16:00 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint under ‘Ein Yabroud Bridge, northeast of Ramallah.  At approximately 20:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at ‘Oyoun al-Haramiya intersection on Ramallah – Nablus road.  At approximately 08:00 on Friday, 06 January
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest
of Ramallah.  At approximately 09:30 on
the same day, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha al-Misbah Bridge,
southwest of Ramallah.  At the same time,
they established a checkpoint at the entrance of Burdos village, west of
Ramallah.  At approximately 16:00 on the
same day, IOF established a checkpoint at Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa village, southwest
of Ramallah.  At approximately 10:00 on
Saturday, 07 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Qebya
village, west of Ramallah.  At the same
time, IOF established a checkpoint on Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta – Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa
road, west of Ramallah.  At approximately
08:30 on Sunday, 08 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha
al-Misbah Bridge, west of Ramallah.  At
approximately 10:40 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah.  At approximately 16:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Khirbat Abu Falah village, northeast of Ramallah.    

 

Qalqilya:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Thursday, 05 January 2012, IOF established 5
checkpoints around Qalqilya.  On
Saturday, 07 January 2012, IOF established 3 checkpoints around Qalqilya.  At approximately 06:00 on Sunday, 08 January
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at Jeet intersection, northeast of Qalqilya.
 On Monday, 09 January 2012, IOF
established 7 checkpoints around Qalqilya. 
                              

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 09:30 on Thursday, 05 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
the entrance of Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin.  At approximately 14:00 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint on the bypass road to the east of Jenin.  At approximately 07:00 on Friday, 06 January
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ya’bad village, southwest
of Jenin.  At approximately 13:00 on the
same day, IOF established a checkpoint on Qabatya – al-Zababda road, south of
Jenin.  At approximately 07:30 on
Saturday, 07 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of
Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin.  At
approximately 15:00 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. 
At approximately 06:30 on Sunday, 08 January 2012, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin.  At approximately 07:30 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ya’bad village, southwest of
Jenin.  At approximately 09:00 on Monday,
09 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ya’bad
village, southwest of Jenin.  At
approximately 07:30 on Tuesday, 10 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin, and another one at the
entrance of Ya’bad village, southwest of the town.  At approximately 06:00 on Wednesday, 11
January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Zabbouba village,
northwest of Jenin.  At approximately
08:00 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ya’bad
village, southwest of Jenin.

 

Tulkarm:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 17:30 on Thursday, 05
January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Leed
village, east of Tulkarm.  

 

Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 08:30 on Thursday, 05 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk village, west of Jericho.  At approximately 10:15 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho.  At approximately 09:30 on Saturday, 07
January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Zbaidat
village, north of Jericho.  At
approximately 15:00 on the same day, they established a checkpoint at the
entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk village, north of Jericho.  At approximately 16:30 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Fassayel village, north of
Jericho. 

 

Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately
09:50 on Friday, 06 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit. 
At approximately 16:30 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at
the entrance of Yassouf village, east of Salfit.  at approximately 20:20 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Estia village, northwest of
Salfit.  At approximately 19:55 on
Sunday, 08 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint on Brouqin – Kufor al-Dik
road, west of Salfit.  At approximately
08:30 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the western intersection
of Hares village, north of Salfit.     

 

Bethlehem:  IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.  On Tuesday evening, 10
January 2012, IOF closed an entrance to al-Deir village, southeast of
Bethlehem, with sand barriers.   

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

At approximately 14:00 on Sunday, 08 January 2012, IOF stationed at
Salem checkpoint, west of Jenin, arrested 4 Palestinians, from Balata refugee
camp east of Nablus, claiming that they were carrying home-made hand grenades:

 

1. Sameer Yasser Qaur’an, 18;

2. Raja Ghazi Hashash, 18;

3. Waheed Saleh, 18; and

4. Hassan ‘Abdul Rahim Abu Saleem, 18.

 

At approximately 11:00 on Monday, 09 January 2012, Israeli soldiers
patrolled near the annexation wall in Zeita village, north of Tulkarm, arrested
Mahmoud Ma’rouf No’man, 15, and his cousin, Kamal Jamal No’man, 19.  The two detainees were released at
approximately 15:00 on the following day.   

 

4. Efforts to Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem

 

Israeli
occupation authorities have continued to make persistent efforts to create a
Jewish majority in East Jerusalem and expel Palestinian civilians in the city.

 

On
Thursday morning, 05 January 2012, IOF moved into al-‘Eizariya village, east of
occupied Jerusalem.  They demolished a
100-square-meter workshop of stone cutting belonging to Sameer Mohammed
Taqatqa.  They destroyed stones whose
value is 30,000 ILS, and confiscated stones whose value is 95,000 ILS.  IOF demolished also a 30-square-meter
workshop of stone cutting belonging to Mohammed ‘Ayad.  They destroyed stones whose value is 15,000
ILS.  Additionally, IOF demolished a
200-square-meter shop of junks belonging to Majed Abu Ghalia, a 30-square-meter
fence and parking yard belonging to Ibrahim Abu Dhaim.

 

On
Tuesday morning, 10 January 2012, IOF razed large areas of Palestinian land in
the southeastern part of al-‘Eissawiya village in occupied East Jerusalem, to
establish a biblical garden.  According
to local sources, IOF confiscated hundreds of dunums of land in al-‘Eissawiya
and al-Tour villages to establish a biblical garden.  By the establishment of the garden,
al-‘Eissawiya village would be completely isolated by Israeli settlements. 

 

5. Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against
Palestinian Civilians and Property

 

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

 

At
approximately 09:30 on Thursday, 05 January 2012, IOF moved into al-Qassab area
in the south of al-Dyouk village, northwest of Jericho.  They closed the area.  At approximately 10:40, they demolished 3
winter houses belonging to Palestinians from Jerusalem claiming that they were
built without licenses:

 

1. A
150-square-meter house belonging to ‘Eissa Maher Hawamda;

2. A
120-square-meter house belonging to Mo’tassem al-Silwadi; and

3. A
135-square-meter house belonging to Jamal Mohammed Abu Sarhan.

 

IOF
also handed notices of demolition of houses to a number of Palestinian
civilians.  They also informed of their
intention to destroy a number of electricity towers and an electric
transmitter.

 

At
approximately 01:00 on Wednesday, 11 January 2012, a number of Israeli settlers
burnt 3 cars in Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit.  The cars belong to Palestinian civilians
living in the village.  The settlers also
wrote hostile words on the walls of Imam Ali Mosque near the burnt mosques,
such as “paying the price, lion group and Joseph’s sons.” A number of
eyewitnesses reported that saw a car with an Israeli registration plate leaving
the village after the attack. 

 

 

………………………………………………………

 

Recommendations to the International
Community

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

Public Document

For further information please visit
our website (www.pchrgaza.org) or contact
PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8
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