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

 

 

Israeli forces continued to use force against peaceful
protests in the West Bank.

Dozens of Palestinian civilians and international
human rights activists fainted due to tear gas inhalation.

A child sustained a bullet wound as settlers fired at
him, south of Hebron.

A child and a youngster from Burin village, south of
Nablus, were wounded.

 

Israeli forces conducted 50 incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank.

82 Palestinian civilians, including 18 children and 2
women, were arrested in the West Bank.

27 of these civilians, including 11 children and 2 women,
were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

 

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

Israeli
forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.

A Palestinian civilian was arrested at military
checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

Israeli navy forces continued to target Palestinian
fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.

A Palestinian fishing boat sustained damage in the
north of the Gaza Strip.

 

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

Settlers damaged 232 trees, including 228 olive trees.

10 oak trees and
dozens of olive seedlings were planted, south of Bethlehem, to seize 20 dunums.

 

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and international
humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (07
– 14 January 2015).

 

Shooting:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 3
Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, in the West Bank. In the Gaza
Strip, Israeli navy forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the
Gaza Strip sea.     

 

In the West Bank, on 10 January 2015, Palestinian
child and youngster from Burin village, south of Nablus, were wounded when a
number of children and youngsters went to al-Sabe’ Mount, east of Burin
village, south of Nablus, to play with snow, but settlers protected by Israeli
soldiers attacked them.

 

On the abovementioned day, a Palestinian child from
al-Raihya village, south of Hebron, sustained a bullet wound as a settler fired
at him. The child went with his brothers and relatives to check on their olive
trees, north of the village, when the settler fired at them.  

 

In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting
Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip sea, on 11 January 2015, Israeli
gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 1.5 nautical
miles off al-Waha resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. As
a result, a fishing boat sustained damage, but no casualties were reported.    

  

Incursions:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted
at least 50 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During
these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 82 Palestinians, including 18
children and 2 women.  Twenty-six of
these Palestinians, including 11 children and 2 women, were arrested in Jerusalem.

 

Restrictions on movement:

 

Israel continued to impose a tight closure of the oPt,
imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has been steadily
tightened since June 2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and
economic situation in the Gaza Strip. 
The Israeli authorities impose measures to undermine the freedom of
trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip population and the
agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 8 consecutive years,
Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from
the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the
world. This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural
rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.8 million people.  The Israeli authorities have established Karm
Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order
to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy.  They also aim at imposing a complete ban on
the Gaza Strip’s exports. During the reporting period, Israeli forces arrested
a Palestinian patient who obtained a permit to travel to the West Bank for
medical treatment, while another civilian accompanying his father was arrested
while the father was denied travel for medical treatment. 

 

Settlement activities and attacks by
settlers against Palestinian civilians and property

 

On 10 January 2015, Israeli
settlers chopped the branches of 40 olive trees and 4 30-year-old almond trees
with saws, southeast of Yatta. Around the same time, a number of settlers form
“Sousia” settlement” uprooted and chopped 150 olive trees, southeast of Yatta.
Furthermore, settlers from “Sidi Buiz” settlement planted lands in al-Khader
village, south of Bethlehem, with olive and oak trees and expanded the water
network in them.

 

On 11 January 2015, the
residents of Yasouf village were informed that the settlers of “Tafuh”
settlement attacked the lands of al-Teen al-Shami area. It turned out that the
settlers chopped 38 olive trees with an electric saw.

 

 

 

 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period
(07 – 14 January 2015)

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

 

Thursday, 08 January 2015

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in
the following areas without reporting any arrests: the villages of ‘Aslah and
‘Ezbet al-Tabib, east of Qalqilya; and al-‘Arroub refugee camp and the villages
of al-Thaheriyah and al-Samou’a, south of Hebron.

 

Friday, 09 January 2015

 

· At approximately 14:00, Israeli forces stationed at
the entrance of Tal al-Ramidah neighbourhood in the centre of Hebron arrested
Sharif Taysir Abu ‘Eishah (27) after they raided his house claiming that he
threw stones at the Israeli soldiers.  He
was then taken to “Karyat Arba’a” settlement police station, east of
the city.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in
the following areas without reporting any arrests: Marj Na’jah village, north
of Jericho.

 

Saturday, 10
January 2015

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried
out incursions in the following areas without reporting any arrests: Hablah
village, east of Qalqilya, and ‘Alar village, northeast of Tulkarm.

 

Sunday, 11 January 2015

 

· At approximately 00:40, Israeli forces moved into
Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya. 
They raided and searched a number of houses, where they handed 7
civilians summonses to refer to the Israeli intelligence by 15 January 2014.  The summoned persons were identified as:
‘Alaa’ Mustafa Salim (19); Rasem Samir al-Sheikh (26); Mohammed Radi Abu Sa’dah
(20); Murad ‘Abdel Qader Khaled (36); Meshref ‘Abdel Latif al-Qaddoumi (38);
‘Emad Yaser Khreishah (26); and Ahmed ‘Ali Nofal (24). At approximately 01:40,
they withdrew, and no further incidents were reported.

 

· At approximately 01:15, Israeli forces moved into
Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah.  They
raided and searched two houses, where they handed Mo’az Mohammed Musatafa
‘Amirah (24); Mohammed Salah al-Khawaja (19) summonses to refer to the Israeli
Intelligence.  The Israeli forces
withdrew later.

 

· At approximately 11:30, Israeli forces moved into
Nazlet ‘Issa village, north of Tulkarm. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Issam Mohammed Tawfiq
Zeben (39) and detained the family inside one room while a number of Israeli
soldiers stationed on the house roof and turned it into a military
barrack.  Around half an hour later, the
Israeli soldiers withdrew from the house and the village, and no further
incidents were reported.

 

· At approximately 18:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Tibah village, west of Jenin.  They
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ahmed Khaled Ahmed
Ighbariyah (22).  They arrested him, his
brother, Mahmoud (17), and his friend, Hadi Basel Sharif Ghalyoun (26).  They withdrew later taking the aforementioned
persons to an unknown destination.

 

· At approximately 21:00, Israeli gunboats stationed off
al-Wahah shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily
opened fire in the vicinity of the Palestinian fishing boats, which were
sailing within 1.5 nautical miles, and chased them.  The shooting, which continued for around 30
minutes, damaged one of the fishing boats after hitting it with several
bullets.  As a result, fishermen were
terrified and were forced to flee.  No
injuries were reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried
out incursions in the following areas without reporting any arrests: al-Karmel
village, east of Yata, south of Hebron, al-Shyoukh village, east of Hebron, the
villages of al-Nwei’ameh and al-Zbeidat, north of Hebron, Jenin, Kafrit
village, southwest of the city, and ‘Azoun village, est of Qalqilya.

 

Monday, 12 January 2015

 

· At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into ‘Askar
al-Jadeed village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They raided and searched houses, from which Yasin Mohammed Faraj Ismail
Abu Lafah (32) was arrested.  They
withdrew later taking him to an unknown destination.

 

· At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into
Northern ‘Asirah village, north of Nablus. 
They raided and searched a number of houses, from which 5 civilian,
including 2 brothers, were arrested. 
Israeli forces withdrew later taking the aforementioned civilians to an
unknown destination.  The arrested
persons were identified as Usamah Hasan al-Sholi (22); Obay Jamal Yasin Abu
Lafah (22); Amir Nezam Hamadnah (22); his brother, Qosay (20); and MohMMED ‘Asi
al-Sholi (20).

 

· At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into a
number of neighbourhoods in Central Hebron. 
They stationed in Nemrah neighbourhood, northeast of the city and then
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ahmed Salim al-Herbawi
(26).  They arrested the aforementioned
civilian and withdrew later taking him to an unknown destination.

 

· At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into
al-Samou’a village, south of Hebron. 
They raided and searched a number of houses, from which 5 civilians were
arrested and taken to where the military vehicles were stationed.  The arrested persons were identified as Qosay
Ahmed al-Salamin (22); Mos’ab Ahmed al-Salamin (19); Sanad Sabri al-Badarin;
Zaher Ibrahim al-Mahariq (25); and Mohammed Fahed al-Salamin (26).  The Israeli soldiers also handed a number of
civilians summonses to refer to the Israeli intelligence in “Gosh
‘Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem. 
At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces withdrew from the village taking
them the arrested persons to an unknown destination.  At approximately 11:00, Israeli forces
arrested Ahmed Mousa al-Khalaylah and Ma’moun Mohammed al-Khalaylah; both from
al-Samou’a village when they were on their way to “Gosh ‘Etzion”
settlement to appear before the Israeli intelligence.  They were taken to the detention centre in
the aforementioned settlement.

 

· At approximately 02:45, Israeli forces moved into
Deirastiyah village, northwest of Salfit. 
They raided and searched two houses, from which Salam ‘Azzam Abu Hajlah
(20) and Wisam Dorgham Abu Hajlah (20) were arrested.  Israeli forces withdrew later taking them to
an unknown destination.

 

· At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into
Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed
‘Omer Hussein Hamed (21).  They handed
the aforementioned person a summons to refer to the Israeli intelligence.

 

· At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into
Bitounia village, west of Ramallah.  They
raided and searched two houses, from which Meqdad Mohammed Ibrahim Hendi (20)
and Taber Khamis Bader Dolah (22) were arrested.  Israeli forces withdrew later taking them to
an unknown destination.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried
out incursions in the following areas without reporting any arrests: Jayous
village, northeast of Qalqilya, al-Zbeidat and al-Jaftalak villages, north of
Jericho; Beit Ummar and Beit Oula villages in Hebron; ‘Azoun ‘Etmah village,
south of Qalqilya; Borqin village, west of Jenin; Beit Leed and Ramin villages,
east of Tulkarm.

 

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

 

· At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into a
number of neighbourhoods in the centre of Yatta, south of Hebron.  They raided and searched a number of houses,
from which 4 civilians were arrested and taken to an unknown destination.  The arrested persons were identified as
Ja’afar Mohammed Hussein al-Shawahin (28); his brother, Hussein (26); Khalil
Mohammed Mahmoud al-Shawahin (30) and his brother, ‘Issa (25).

 

· Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Jenin.  They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Mustafa Sa’adah al-Natour (21). 
They handed the aforementioned civilian a summons to refer to the
Israeli Intelligence in Salem Camp, northwest of the city.  Israeli forces them raided a house belonging
to the family of Mohammed Farhan Abu ‘Alia (23) and handed him a summons as
well.  They withdrew later, and neither
further incidents nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into
Hebron.  They stationed in al-Ramah and
then raided and searched a house belonging to the family of ‘Abdel Mo’ati Abu
‘Asab (27).  They arrested the
aforementioned civilian and withdrew later taking them to an unknown
destination.

 

· At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into
Hendazah village, south of Bethlehem. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Samih Salem
‘Abayat (28).  They arrested the
aforementioned civilian and withdrew later taking him to an unknown
destination.

 

· At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces moved into
Housan village, west of Bethlehem.  They
raided and searched a number of houses, from which they arrested 4 civilians,
including 2 children: Rayan Eyad Hamed (17); Salah ‘Ali ‘Amer al-Sabatin (17);
Hakim Fayez Shousha (26); and Feras Ibrahim Kamel al-Hamamrah (23)

 

· At approximately 05:30, Israeli forces moved into
Silet al-Haritheyah village, north of Jenin. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Wael
‘Abdullah Hussein Abu Muhyi al-Deen (44) and questioned him on the spot.  Israeli forces withdrew later, and nor
arrests were reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in
the following areas without reporting any arrests: the villages of Deir Qadis
village, west of Ramallah; Ezna village, west of Hebron; al-Yamoun village,
northwest of Jenin.

 

Wednesday, 15 January 2015

 

· At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces accompanied by
4 armoured personnel carriers, moved into Beit Ummar village, north of
Hebron.  They raided and searched a
number of houses after evacuating their residents and leaving them outside;
meanwhile, other Israeli soldiers closed the village entrance completely from
the eastern and western sides and imposed a tight security cordon.  The Israeli
soldiers stayed in the houses and neighbourhoods for around 4 hours, during
which they arrested 18 civilians, including 3 children:

1. Mohammed Yousif Nasri ‘Alqam (17);

2. ‘Ammar Ahmed Khalil Abu Hashem (24);

3. ‘Omer Ahmed ‘Ayayd ‘Awad (28);

4. Mohammed Ibrahim ‘Abdel Hamid Abu Mariah (19);

5. ‘Ayesh ‘Abdel Naser ‘Ayesh Ikhleil (19);

6. Hamzah Mohammed Hamzah Ikhleil (18);

7. Mohammed ‘Abdel Naser ‘Ayesh Ikhleil (18);

8. Amir Mohammed ‘Abdel Jawad Ikhleil (16);

9. Salah Saleh Kamel al-‘Alaami (25);

10. Mo’ayad Waleed Ibrahim Ikhleil (22);

11. Yehia Adam Salem Ikhleil (25);

12. Yousif Mahmoud Abu Mariah (28);

13. Mohammed Adam Salem Ikhleil (25);

14. Jehad Ra’ed Meqbel Meqbel (18);

15. Shadi Ibrahim Mohammed Bahar (24);

16. Mahmoud ‘Emad Khalil Ikhleil (21);

17. Malek Bassam Mahmoud al-Teet (16); and

18. Mahmoud Bader Mahmoud Ikhleil (22).

 

At approximately 05:30, Israeli forces withdrew from
the village, and a number of Palestinian boys gathered to throw stones and
empty bottles at the Israeli vehicles. 
The Israeli soldiers in response fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters
and rubber-coated metal bullets at the stone-throwers and houses.  As a result, a number of civilians suffered
tear gas inhalation.  The Israeli
soldiers distributed a statement signed by the Military Commander threatening
the residents of the village under the pretext that there are persons messing
up the public order and carrying out terrorist attacks aginst the
soldiers.”

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in
the following areas without reporting any arrests: the villages of Bani Na’im,
east of Hebron; Tulkarm and Far’one village, south of the city.

 

2. Use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations
protesting settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall

 

During the reporting period,
Israeli soldiers used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organized
by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in
protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in
the West Bank. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered tear gas
inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up.

 

(PCHR keeps the names of the wounded in
fear of being arrested by the Israeli forces within its policy to oppress the
peaceful protests and prevent Palestinian civilians from participating).

 

Demonstrations against the construction of the annexation wall and
settlement activity

 

· Following the Friday prayer, on 09 January 2015,
despite the cold weather, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and
Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in,
west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and
settlement activities. The demonstrators took the streets raising the
Palestinian flags and headed to the liberated territories near the annexation
wall. Early in the morning, Israeli forces closed all entrances to the city to
prevent Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights
defenders from participating in the protests. Protestors marched by the
annexation wall and tried to cross the fence. Israeli soldiers stationed behind
the wall, in the western area, and a large number of soldiers deployed along
it, fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound
bombs and wastewater at them and chased them into the olive fields. As a
result, As a result, a number of
demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they
were beaten up.

 

· Around the same time and despite the cold weather, dozens of Palestinian civilians organised a peaceful
demonstration in the centre of Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the
annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators took the streets and headed to the
annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the gates of the wall with barbwires and
prevented the demonstrators from crossing to the land behind it before they
responded by throwing stones. Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition,
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
civilians, and chased them into the village. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation
and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up.

 

· Also following the Friday
prayer, Palestinian civilians and international solidarity activists organized
a protest in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya,
heading to the eastern entrance of the village in protest against closing that
entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada with an iron gate. The
demonstrators threw stones at Israeli soldiers, who fired sound bombs and tear
gas canisters in response. As a result,

 

3. Continued
closure of the oPt

 

Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza Strip

 

Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip
and close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole
commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for
commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and distance from
markets.

Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed
to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control
over the flow of imports and exports.

 

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

 

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

 

The cooking gas crisis has fluctuated due to the closure of Karm
Abu Salem for security claims. According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli
authorities only allow an average of 98 tons of cooking gas into Gaza per
day.  This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, which is
200 tons per day of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip during winter. 
The crisis has unprecedentedly aggravated for around six weeks due to cold
weather and overconsumption in addition to the power outage and using gas as an
alternative in many instances of electricity.  The lack of diesel and
benzene led to the aggravation of the crisis as a result of using the gas
cylinder for cars or as an alternative for benzene to run generators.  As
a result, the demand for gas further increased.

 

For almost 7 consecutive years, Israeli forces have continued to
prevent the delivery of construction materials to the Gaza Strip. Two years
ago, Israeli forces approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction
materials for a number of international organizations in the Gaza Strip. 
On 17 September 2013, they allowed the entry of limited quantities of
construction materials for the private sector.  However, on 13 October
2013, they re-banned it claiming that these materials are used for constructing
tunnels.  Last week, Israeli forces allowed the entry of construction materials
only for UNRWA and UNDP projects.  As a result, construction works have
completely stopped impacting all sectors related to construction and an
increase in unemployment levels. During the 51-day Israeli offensive on the
Gaza Strip in July and August 2014, Israeli authorities did not allow the entry
of any construction materials. As a result, vital and infrastructure projects
have been obstructed so far.

 

Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the
Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for
light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices.

 

Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing
for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows
the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the
majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the
number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to
receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem. Israel denied permission to access hospitals via the crossing for
new categories of patients from the Gaza Strip.

 

Movement at Karm Abu Salem
(Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah

01 – 12 January 2015

 

 

Exports:

 

· On Thursday, 01 January 2015, Israeli forces allowed the exportation
of 14.6 tons of strawberries, 5 tons of sweet potatoes and 15 tons of
cherry tomatoes.

· On Sunday, 04 January 2015,
Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 17.5 tons of strawberries, 7 tons of
sweet potatoes, 15 tons of tomatoes and 3 tons of cucumber.

· On Monday, 05 January 2015, Israeli
forces allowed the exportation of 0.4 tons of garlic and 0.24 tons of mints.

· On Tuesday, 06 January 2015,
Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 5 tons of sweet potatoes, 11 tons of
tomatoes and 8 tons of cucumber.

 

Other imports:

 

· On Thursday, 01 January 2015,
Israeli forces allowed the entry of 35 tons of steel and 760 tons of aggregates
for Gaza reconstruction. They also allowed the entry of 385 tons of fodders and
315 tons of wheat.

· On Sunday, 04 January 2015,
Israeli forces allowed the entry of 420 tons of aggregates for the Water
Authority and 850 tons of aggregates for Gaza reconstruction. They also allowed
the entry of 524 tons of fodders and 245 tons of wheat.

· On Monday, 05 January 2015,
Israeli forces allowed the entry of 120 tons of cement for the Water Authority
and 1,387 tons of cement for Gaza reconstruction.  They also allowed the entry of 560 tons of fodders
and 210 tons of wheat.

· On Tuesday, 06 January 2015,
Israeli forces allowed the entry of 40 tons of cement for UNRWA; 1400 tons of
cement and 840 tons of aggregates for Gaza reconstruction. They also allowed
the entry of 770 tons of fodders and 105 tons of wheat.

· On Sunday, 11 January 2015,
Israeli forces allowed the entry of 120 tons of cement and 1215 tons of
aggregates for UNRWA; and 910 tons of aggregates and 80 tons of cement for the
Water Authority. They also allowed the entry of 445 tons of fodders and 70 tons
of wheat.

 

Plastic Containers returned by Israeli forces via Karm Abu Salem:

 

· On Thursday, 01 January 2015,
Israeli forces returned 9 truckloads of empty containers and 2 truckloads.

· On Sunday, 04 January 2015,
Israeli forces returned 6 truckloads of empty containers.

· On Monday, 05 January 2015,
Israeli forces returned 5 truckloads of empty containers and a truckload of
empty oxygen cylinders.

· On Tuesday, 06 January 2015, Israeli
forces returned 4 truckloads of empty containers.

· On Sunday, 11 January 2015,
Israeli forces returned 9 truckloads of empty containers and a truckload of
empty oxygen cylinders.

· On Monday, 12 January 2015,
Israeli forces returned 9 truckloads of empty containers.

 

West Bank

 

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

 

· Hebron:
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 14:00 on Wednesday, 07 January 2015,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Samet village,
southwest of Doura, south of Hebron. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 08:00 on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Sa’ir village, east of the city.
Around the same time, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Ezzna village, west of the city. The checkpoints were removed and no arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 07:00 on Tuesday, 13 January 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Koum village, west of Doura,
southwest of the Hebron. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 07:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, Israeli
forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Arroub refugee camp,
north of the city.  The checkpoint was
removed and no arrests were reported.

 

· Ramallah: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 16:30 on Sunday, 11 January 2015,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint near the intersection of Beit Ore
al-Foqa, southwest of Ramallah. At approximately 22:30, they established a
similar checkpoint under Ain Yabroud Bridge. All checkpoints were removed and
no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30 on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli forces
reestablished their existence at ‘Attarh checkpoint on the northern entrance of
Bir Zeit, north of the city. At approximately 11:00, they established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Nilin village, west of the city. The checkpoints
were removed and no arrests were reported.

 

· Jericho: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:30 on Sunday, 11 January 2015,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance Fasail village, north
of the city. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.

 

· Qalqilya: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:15 on Thursday, 08 January 2015,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint between Izbat Jaloud and Ras ‘Attyya
villages, east of the city. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:30 on Friday, 09 January 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of the city. At approximately,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the northern entrance of ‘Azzoun
village. The checkpoints were removed and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 20:50 on Saturday, 10 January 2015, Israeli
forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Jeet village. At
approximately 11:454, another checkpoint was established on the road between
Izbat Jaloud and Ras ‘Atyya villages. At approximately 16:30, another
checkpoint was established between Jius and Azzoun. All checkpoints were
removed and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 12:30 on Sunday, 11 January 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of the city. At approximately
18:00, a similar checkpoint was established at the entrance of Seer village
while another checkpoint was established under Jius Bridge on the road between
Qalqilia and Tulkarm at approximately 18:15. At approximately 19:30, a similar
checkpoint was established at the entrance of Azzoun village. At approximately
19:50, a similar checkpoint was established at the entrance of Izbat al-Tabib
village, east of the city. All checkpoints were removed and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 16:00 on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint between Izbat al-Tabib and Asala villages. They
detained Muhammad Khaled Tabib (17) and Thaer Byan Tabib, an officer at the
General Intelligence, then released them. At approximately 17:10, another
checkpoint was established t the entrance of Azzoun village.

 

· Tulkarm:
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 08 January 2015,
Israeli forces stationed ‘Annab military checkpoint which is established on the
road between Tulkarm and Nablus, east of the city, tightened their restriction
against civilians and obstructed their movement. Later that day, the tightening
ended and no arrests were reported. The tightening renewed on Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. 

 

· Jenin: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 22:30 on Friday, 09 January 2015,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the road between Jenin and Tulkarm
and Nablus, near the intersection of Arraba village. The checkpoint was removed
and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30 on Saturday, 10 January 2015, Israeli
forces stationed at the “Mofodatan” checkpoint which is established on the
bypass between Jenin and the northern towns of Tulkarm. Later the tightening
ended and no arrests were reported.

 

· Salfit:
At approximately 19:00, on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli forces established
a checkpoint between Hares and Kuful Hares villages, north of the city. The
checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.

 

Arrests and Maltreatment at Military Checkpoints

 

· At
approximately 09:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, Israeli forces arrested
Muhammad Abdel Jawwad Ekhlil (22) from Beit Amer village, north of Hebron,
after he was stopped at “Gosh Itsion” settlement, south of Bethlehem.

 

4. Efforts
to create Jewish demographic majority in occupied East Jerusalem

 

· At approximately 14:00 on
Thursday, 08 January 2015, Israeli forces moved into the neighborhoods of the
Old City in Jerusalem after they closed al-‘Amoud, al-Sahira, and al-Asbat
gates under the pretext of looking for a person who stabbed an Israeli settler
in the evening of the aforementioned day. They raided and searched a number of
houses and arrested 5 civilians, including two children: Muhammad Naser
Miswedeh (21); Muhammad Ali Hijazi (20); Khaled Ahmed al-Qawasmi (24); Muhammad
Akram Abu Rmeila (17|); and Wael Samir Kilghassi (17).

 

· At approximately 01:00 on
Friday, 09 January 2015, Israeli forces arrested Muhammad Hani Matuq (16) when
he was at al-‘Amoud gate in the Old City in Jerusalem. He was taken to an
unknown destination.

 

· At approximately 20:00 on the
aforementioned day, Israeli forces arrested two Palestinian children after
chasing them near al-‘Amoud gate area, east of the Old City in Jerusalem, when
they were playing with the snow. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces
arrested Abdel Rahim Musa Barbar (16); and Hussam Abdullah al-Khatib (17) after
chasing dozens of children who were playing with the snow near the Jewish
cemetery. Israeli forces claimed that the children were throwing snowballs at
Israeli settlers who were in the area.

 

· At approximately 17:00 on
Saturday, 10 January 2015, an Israeli settler opened fire at a number of
merchants in the Bazaar market in the Old City in Jerusalem after a wrangle and
a clash erupted between the settler and the merchants. According to an
eyewitness, an Israeli settler in the Bazaar market opened fire at the
civilians without wounding anyone. He added that the settler lives in one of
the settlements of the Old City. Furthermore, he is known for his constant
provocation attempts. The Bazaar merchants explained that Israeli police
arrived at the place and arrested Anwar Muna (24) and established checkpoints
at the gates of Old Jerusalem.

 

· At approximately 19:00 of the
aforementioned day, Israeli forces stormed the African neighborhood near
al-Majles gate in the Old City in Jerusalem. They raided and searched a number
of houses and arrested Nasri Bachir al-Firawi (13). 

 

· At approximately 20:00, Israeli
forces raided the Central neighborhood of Silwan village, south of the Old City
in Jerusalem, after a settler’s car caught on fire in the aforementioned area.
They deployed in the streets and established a checkpoint on al-Ain Street.
They arrested 8 civilians, including two children: Mahmoud Kamal Jaber (20);
Muhammad Mustafa Shiwyyat (20); Hamza Anwar Jaber (20); Hamdi Anwar Jaber (14);
Khaled Kastiro (20); Fares Abu Nab (19); Khalil al-Rashq (15); and Murad
Kasterro (21).

 

· At approximately 06:00 on
Monday, 12 January 2014, Israeli forces moved into al-Isawia village, north of
Jerusalem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 children:
Muhammad Yousif Abu al-Hims (13); Qusai Dari (14); and Nadim Zahra (14).

 

· At approximately 12:00, Israeli
forces arrested Misbah Abu Sbeih (45) and his son Sbeih (19) when they were
attending the trail of Izz al-Din, the son of the aforementioned person. They
were taken to al-Maskubyya investigation center.

 

· At approximately 13:30, Israeli
forces arrested two Palestinian women near Hatta gate, one of the gates of
al-Aqsa mosque, in the Old City of Jerusalem. They were taken to al-Maskubyya
investigation center. They were identified as: Sanaa Dweik (34) and ‘Ayda
al-Deesi (31).

 

· At approximately 05:00 on
Tuesday, 13 January 2014, Israeli forces moved into al-Khilla area in al-Tour
neighborhood, east of the Old City in Jerusalem. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 2 civilians: Abdullah Muhammad al-Hidra (19) and
Ayyoub Yousif Abu al-Hawa (21).

 

 

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

 

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

 

· On Saturday, 10 January 2015,
Israeli settlers cut off the branches of 40 olive trees and 4 30-year-old
almond trees with saws, southeast of Yatta, south of Hebron. The trees belong
to Jibreel Abu ‘Arram and Khaled Musa Abu ‘Arram. The land which was attacked
is located in ‘kherbat Abu Qwawis, southeast of Yatta, near bypass road (317),
between “Mitssibeh Yair” and “Sousia” settlements.

 

· Around the same time, Israeli
settlers from ‘Sousia” settlement, southeast of Yatta, uprooted 150 olive trees
belonging to Shatat family. The owners of the lands found out about the both
attacks after the weather improved. Israeli police investigated the incidents.

 

· At approximately 09:30 on
Saturday, Palestinian youths went to al-Saba’ mountain on the eastern sides of
Burin village, south of Nablus, to play with the snow. After they reached the
area, settlers from “Jifat Runim” backed by Israeli soldiers attacked the
children and youths and chased them towards the town. After the village
residents heard of the attack they headed to secure the comeback of their
children. They threw stones at the settlers and Israeli soldiers immediately
opened fire. As a result a child and a young man were wounded. They child (15)
sustained a bullet wound to his leg while the young man (18) sustained a bullet
wound to his right leg. They were both moved to Rafidia Hospital for treatment.
Their wounds were described as moderate.

 

· At approximately 11:00 on the same
day, Ibrahim Isa Suleiman Tubasi (14) from al-Reihya village, south of Hebron,
sustained a bullet wound to his left thigh. He was shot by a settler form “Beit
Hajjai”. The child was wounded when he was with his relatives trying to check
out their olive trees after the area had witnesses a polar low. The aforementioned
was taken to al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron and went under a surgery. His medical
condition was described as stable.

 

Suleiman al-Tubasi, brother of
the wounded child, told PCHR:

“Our family owns dozens of
acres of lands cultivated with olive trees in the northern areas of al-Rihya
village. After the area witnessed a polar low, I headed with my brother Ibrahim
and a number of our relatives to check our lands in 10 January 2014.at
approximately 11:00, we saw a white SUV near the military tower, which was
established on our lands. The vehicle left later on and minutes later a black
SUV arrived in the area and stopped by the military tower. A man wearing black
and holding a gun got off the car. He was approximately 500 meters away from
us. Minutes later, we heard two gun shots. We started running away when I heard
my cousin Isa al-Tubasi screaming and saying that Ibrahim was wounded. I ran
towards then and saw Ibrahim bleeding on the ground. I was very frightened. Isa
carried him and we headed towards the village. One of the men called the
ambulance and some of the village residents. After we took the shortest way
towards al-Fawwar refugee camp, we met one of our relatives who was driving a
jeep. He took us to al-Fawwar refugee camp and later I went home. I was
informed that Ibrahim was taken to al-Ahli hospital where it turned out that he
sustained a bullet wound to his left thigh. His medical condition is currently
stable.”

 

· On the aforementioned Saturday,
two settlers form “Sidi Buiz” settlement planted lands in al-Khader area, south
of Bethlehem, with olive and oak trees and extended the water network. Ahmed
Salah, the coordinator of the Settlement and Annexation Wall Committee, said
that Hassan Musa was surprised when he entered his land in Ain al-Qissis area,
west of the village, to see his land planted with 20-year-old oak trees and
dozens of olive trees. Moreover, he found out that the water network in his
land was extended. Salah mentioned that the attacked land has an area of 20
acres.  He added that such attacks aim to
serve as a strategy to facilitate the expansion of “Sidi Boiz” settlement and
connecting it with “Navi Danielle” settlement.

 

· At approximately 15:00 on
Sunday, 11 January 2014, the residents of Yasouf village, east of Salfit, were
informed of an attack carried out by the settlers of “Tfuh” settlement in
al-Teen al-Shami lands, north of the aforementioned village. Upon their arrival
to the area, they found out that the settlers chop 38 olive trees with an
electric saw. The owners of the lands received phone calls from other farmers
who went to check their lands after the snow stopped and found out that the
trees in plot no. 10 were chopped. It should be noted that the owners of the
aforementioned lands are not allowed to enter their properties without security
coordination. Moreover, no vehicles are not allowed to enter area because there
is no road for vehicles except that which is only used by the military and the
settlers. Car traces were found which means that the settlers are involved in
the attack. The aforementioned lands belong to: Muhammad Sail Hussein ‘Itani;
Mahmoud Mustafa al-Haj Hassan; Saed Salim Yasin; and Shaher Muhammed Deeb. 

Muhammad Sail Hussein ‘Itani
told PCHR,

“At approximately15:00 on
Sunday, 11 January 2014, I received a phone call from our neighbors in al-Teen
al-Shami area who went to their lands to check the damage that the polar low
might have caused. They noticed that 10 of my olive trees were chopped by
electric saws in addition to 28 trees from the lands of my neighbors Mahmoud
Mustafa al-Haj Hassan; Saed Salim Yasin; and Shaher Muhammad Deeb.  I must note that we are not allowed into the
area without the necessary security coordination. We are also not allowed to
enter our vehicles into the area since there is not even a road for vehicles
except that which is only for the military and settlers’ usage. We informed the
village counsel and the Israeli police arrived into the area and took our
affidavits and took pictures of the attack.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recommendations to the International Community

 

 

PCHR emphasizes the
international community’s position that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,
including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation, in spite of
Israeli military redeployment outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further
confirms that Israeli forces continued to impose collective punishment measures
on the Gaza Strip, which have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian
parliamentary elections, in which Hamas won the majority of seats of the
Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR stresses that there is international
recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights
instruments and the international humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations
concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land and the Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply
the international human rights law and the law of war sometime reciprocally and
other times in parallel in a way that achieves the best protection for
civilians and remedy for victims.

 

In light of continued
arbitrary measures, land confiscation and settlement activities in the West
Bank, and the continued aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip, PCHR
calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, the High
Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the
context of their natural obligation to respect and enforce the international
law – to cooperate and act according to the following recommendations:

 

1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the
United Nations to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to
enjoy their right to self-determination, through the establishment of the
Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast
majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end
the occupation of the State of Palestine;

2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide international
protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the non-recurrence of
aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the
Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;

4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human
rights instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to
comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the
human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the concerned
committees;

5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the
Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to
prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the
perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected
Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;

6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of
universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal
jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war
criminals;

7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in
order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through
imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;

8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer
the Goldstone Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the
International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome
Statute;

9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that
holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to
achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on
the expense of human rights;

10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights
Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the
annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the two
issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel it to
remove them;

11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light
of its failure to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at
least fulfil its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of
hostilities launched by Israel which directly targeted the civilian
infrastructure;

12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European
Union to express a clear position towards the annexation wall following the
international recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the
annexation wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;

13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article
2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must
respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states
and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violations and crimes against
Palestinian civilians;

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

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

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 08 282 4776 – 282 5893.