A
Palestinian woman and her children are taken to a hospital after Israeli
bombardment in the central Gaza Strip, 13 July 2010

 

 

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

 

– A
Palestinian was killed and three civilians, including two women, were wounded by
IOF in the Gaza Strip.

 

– IOF
continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip.

– Four
civilians, including a child, were injured West Bank.

– Dozens
of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation in the West.

– IOF
arrested a Palestinian civilian and three human rights defenders.

 

– IOF
continued to fire at Palestinian farmers and workers in border areas of the
Gaza Strip.

– Six
Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded.

 

– IOF
conducted twenty-one incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank
and three limited incursions into the Gaza Strip.

– IOF
arrested nine Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

 

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

– Israeli
troops stationed at military checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank
arrested six Palestinian civilians, including a child.

 

– Israel
has continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority
in Jerusalem.

– IOF
demolished six houses in Jerusalem, rendering fifty-two individuals homeless.

 

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

– IOF
ordered the demolition of a number of houses.

– IOF
destroyed an agricultural well in Hebron.

– Israeli
settlers attacked an old Palestinian man in Hebron.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and
humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (07 – 14 July
2010):

 

Shooting: During the
reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian woman and wounded thirteen civilians,
including two women and three children, in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip.  

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 13 July 2010, a Palestinian woman was killed and three
of her relatives, including two women, were wounded when IOF fired three
artillery shells at their home in the Gaza Valley village in the central Gaza
Strip.

 

During the reporting period, six Palestinian civilians, including two
children, were wounded when Israeli troops positioned at the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel fired at Palestinian workers who were collecting raw
construction materials near the border. 

 

In the West Bank, IOF used excessive force to disperse peaceful
demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians in protest to the
construction of the Annexation Wall and settlement activities. As a result, four civilians, including a
child, were injured. IOF also violently
beat a number of demonstrators.  

 

Incursions: During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least twenty-one military incursions
into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested nine Palestinian
civilians. IOF also arrested a
Palestinian civilian and three Israeli human rights defenders during the
dispersion of peaceful protests. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted three limited
incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they searched these area.

 

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 siege of Gaza, which has
steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the
humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.  

 

· On
Friday, 01 January 2010, Israeli forces decided to close Nahal Ouz crossing permanently
and to divert the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom)
crossing, southeast of Rafah, citing security reasons. 

 

· 1.5
million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of
movement and the right to appropriate living conditions, work, health and
education.

 

· The
principle concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain basic
necessities: food, medicine, water and electricity supplies.

 

· Israel
has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two and a half years.

 

· Israel
has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip since 10 December 2008,
excluding limited amounts of cooking gas and energy fuel for Gaza Power Plant.

 

· The
Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened on only a few days for a
number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return
home to the Gaza Strip.

 

· Israel
had continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians
wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or
social visits.

 

· Israel
has imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to the Gaza Strip. Israel has prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated
as levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

 

· At
least 800 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza in Israeli jails have been deprived
of family visitation for more than two and a half years. 

 

· Israeli
forces have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the coast of the
Gaza Strip.

 

West Bank

 

Israel has 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.

 

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

 

· There are approximately 630 permanent
roadblocks, manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition,
there are some 60 – 80 ‘flying’ or temporary checkpoints erected across the
West Bank by Israeli forces every week.

 

· 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, further confiscating Palestinian land.

 

· At least 65% of the main roads that
lead to eighteen Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully
controlled by Israeli forces (47 out of 72 roads).

 

· There are around 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 a permit issued by Israeli forces; these permits are
extremely difficult to obtain.

· Israeli forces continue to harass and
assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of
the Annexation Wall.

 

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

 

Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem: IOF have
continued to take measures at creating a Jewish majority in Jerusalem. During the reporting period, IOF demolished
six houses in Jerusalem, claiming that they were built without licenses.

 

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 11 July 2010, IOF moved
into Fasayel village, north of Jericho, where they distributed notices to three
Palestinian civilians ordering demolition of their houses, claiming that they
were built without licenses. 

 

On 12 July 2010, dozens of
Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, broke into ‘Awarta village, southeast of
Nablus, and conducted Jewish rituals. They left the village at approximately a few hours later.

 

On the same day, Jadallah
Mahmoud al-Ja’bari, 65, from Hebron, was injured when he was beaten by a number
of Israeli settlers. The settlers hit him
with stones, and he sustained injuries to the head and bruises to the
body. It should be noted that Mr. al-Ja’bari
suffers from a physical disability in his left leg when he was wounded by an
explosive bullet fired at him by Israeli troops in the old city of Hebron in
the early months of most recent Palestinian Intifada.

 

On 14 July 2010, IOF moved
into al-Baq’a area, east of Hebron, near bypass road #60. They destroyed an agricultural well belonging
to ‘Abdul Hadi Tawfiq Jaber and confiscated irrigation equipment. The aforementioned area is close to the
Israeli settlements of “Kiryat Arba” and “Kharsina.”

 

 

 

Israeli Violations Documented during
the Reporting Period (07 – 14 July 2010)

 

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

 

Thursday, 08 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 06:30, Israeli gunboats stationed off the coast of Beit Lahia in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian fishing
boats. Soon afterwards two gunboats
besieged a small fishing boat; on board were ‘Ammar As’ad al-Sultan, 17, and
Tamer Mohammed Zayed, 27. Israeli troops
ordered the two fishermen to sail towards a moorage known as “al-Rafsouda,”
nearly 1,500 meters to the northwest. When the two fishermen arrived at the moorage, Israeli troops ordered
them to tie the boat to it, take their clothes off and jump into the water,
which they did. The two fishermen were
then taken into custody by the Israeli forces and transported to the Israeli
port of Ashdod, where they were detained and interrogated. The two fishermen were released at
approximately 17:00 at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.

 

· At
approximately 09:00, Israeli troops positioned at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel opened fire at Palestinian workers who were collecting
construction aggregates from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of
“Elli Sinai” once stood. As a
result, Nidal Sha’ban al-Hsoumi, 25, from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet
to the left foot and shrapnel to the right foot; he was approximately 500
meters away from the border when he was injured.

 

Friday, 09 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm, where
they patrolled the streets. They
withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

· Also
at approximately 18:00, IOF moved into al-Jarousah village, north of Tulkarm,
where they patrolled the streets. They
withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 18:30, IOF moved into Beit Leed village, east of Tulkarm, where
they patrolled the streets. They
withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 10 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Deir al-Ghossoun village, north of Tulkarm,
where they patrolled the streets. They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 06:30, Israeli troops positioned on observation towers at the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire at Palestinian workers who
were collecting raw construction materials from the Erez industrial zone. As a result, ‘Arafat ‘Abdul Karim Sha’ban,
16, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the left ankle. 

 

· Also
at approximately 06:30, Israeli troops stationed at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were
collecting construction aggregates from a site where the evacuated Israeli
settlement of “Elli Sinai” once stood. As a result, two workers, including a child,
were wounded:

 

1. No’man Hassan al-Sous, 14, from Beit
Lahia, wounded by a bullet to the right foot; and

2. Maher Fayez Ghanem, 20, wounded by a
bullet to the right thigh.

 

Sunday, 11 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Beit ‘Awa village, southwest of Hebron
where they raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Yasser
Masalma, 28.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Sa’ir village, northeast of Hebron where
they raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Muhannad ‘Abdul
Hamid al-Froukh, 24, and arrested Mr. al-Froukh. 

 

· At
approximately 09:00, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into the east of al-Qarara
village, northeast of Khan Yunis. There
they leveled areas of Palestinian land which they had previously been
razed. They pulled back towards the
border four hours later.

 

· At
approximately 11:15, IOF moved into Habla village, south of Qalqilya, where
they patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 19:00, IOF moved into Fasayel village, north of Jericho, where
they patrolled the streets. They
withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 20:30, IOF moved into Beit ‘Our al-Tahta village, west of
Ramallah, where they patrolled the streets. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:15, IOF moved into Habla village, south of Qalqilya, where they
patrolled the streets and later withdrew. No arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 19:00, IOF moved into Fasayel village, north of Jericho, where they
patrolled the streets. They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 20:30, IOF moved into Beit ‘Our al-Tahta village, west of
Ramallah, where they patrolled the streets. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 12 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin, where
they raided and searched a number of houses and arrested three Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. Fadi Riad Zakarna, 18;

2. Mustafa Ahmed Nazzal, 20; and

3. Mahmoud Khaled Abu Sanjar, 20.

 

· At
approximately 07:50, Mohammed ‘Othman al-Kafarna, 23, from Beit Hanoun in the northern
Gaza Strip, was admitted into Kamal ‘Edwan Hospital in Beit Lahia after he was
wounded by a bullet to the left foot. Al-Kafarna was wounded when Israeli troops stationed on observation
towers at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing opened fire at Palestinian workers who
were collecting raw construction materials in the Erez industrial zone. 

·

·At approximately 10:00, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into
al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis, where they opened fire and leveled
areas of land. As a result, ‘Ammar
‘Abdul Mon’em ‘Ammar, 26, was wounded by a bullet to the left foot when he was
farming his land nearly 700
meters away from the border. 

·

·At approximately 14:00, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into the Bourat
Abu Samara areas in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia. There they searched the area and opened
fire. In the evening, IOF pulled back
towards the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. No casualties were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 14:20, IOF moved into Bidya village, northwest of Salafit, where
they patrolled the streets and raided a number of shops. They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported. 

 

· At
approximately 17:30, IOF moved into Hijja village, east of Qalqilya, where they
raided and photographed a number of deserted houses. They withdrew from the village at
approximately 19:00.

 

· At
approximately 19:30, IOF moved into Shaqba village, west of Ramallah, where they
patrolled the streets and withdrew later. No arrests were reported. 

 

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into ‘Anabta village, east of Tulkarm, where they
patrolled the streets and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Soon
after, IOF moved into the nearby Bal’a village, where they patrolled the
streets for and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:40, IOF moved into Brouqin village, west of Salfit, where they
patrolled the streets and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Reema village, northwest of Ramallah,
where they raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Jamal Sameeh
Yassin, 19, and arrested Mr. Yassin.

 

· Also
at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Qalqilya. There they raided a three-storey house
belonging to ‘Abdul Latif Yousef Jua’idi. IOF blew up the door of the house and the doors of two nearby houses
belonging to ‘Adnan Mohammed Ju’aidi and Fayez Mohammed Noufal. IOF withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 19:10, Israeli gunboats stationed off the coast of Beit Lahia in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. The Palestinian fishermen were forced to sail
back to the beach and no casualties were reported.

 

· In
the evening, IOF killed a Palestinian woman and wounded another three civilians
(an elderly man and two women) of the same family, when their house was
bombarded by artillery shells. 

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR and statements given by a
member of the victims’ family, at approximately 20:45 on Tuesday, 13 July 2010, a number of women
from the Abu Sa’id family from Gaza Valley village, in the central Gaza Strip,
were sitting near their home, which is approximately 400 meters away from the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. At this time, Israeli troops stationed at the border fired two artillery
shells at the house; the attack was unprovoked and the witness could think of
no reason for the attack. As a result,
Amira Jaber Abu Sa’id, 30, was wounded by shrapnel to the shoulder and her
sister-in-law, Sana’a Ahmed Abu Sa’id, 26, was wounded by shrapnel to the
feet. Members of the Abu Sa’id family
phoned the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to send ambulances to the
area. Ambulances arrived at the area
fifteen minutes later, but were not able to reach the targeted house because
IOF continued to fire on the area. The
ambulances were forced to drive back to Deir al-Balah. Meanwhile, Ne’ma Yousef Abu Sa’id, 33,
remembered that her three-year-old child was still outside the house. She went to find her child, and IOF fired a
third shell at her. She was instantly
killed by shrapnel to the head and the abdomen. Her father-in-law, Jaber Abu Sa’id, 65, was also wounded by shrapnel
wounds to the right thigh. The family
continued to call the PRCS. Approximately one and a half hours later a PRCS ambulance arrived at the
scene after coordination with the Israeli authorities through the Palestinian
Liaison Office. The ambulance
transferred the victims to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al- Balah. Medical sources at the hospital affirmed that
Ne’ma Abu Sa’id died of shrapnel wounds from an artillery shell. The wounds of the other persons were
described as moderate.  

 

Wednesday, 14 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin, where
they raided and searched a number of houses and arrested three Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. Ahmed Nafe’ Abu al-Rub, 23;

2. Mohammed Ahmed Kmayel, 27; and

3. Ayman ‘Abdul Rahman Abu al-Rub, 22.

 

· Also
at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Marda village, southeast of Salfit,
where they raided and searched a house belonging to Jad ‘Abdul Mon’em
al-Khuffash and Firas Bassem al-Khuffash and summonsed them for interrogation.

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin,
where they patrolled the streets and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 08:00, Israeli troops stationed on observation towers at Bei
Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian
workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the debris of
destroyed buildings in Erez industrial zone. As a result, 14-year-old Hmaid Ahmed ‘Obaid, from Beit Hanoun, was
wounded by a bullet to the left elbow.

 

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 Annexation Wall and settlement activities. Four Palestinian civilians, including a
child, were injured,  and others suffered
from tear gas inhalation.  

 

· Following the Friday Prayer on 09 July
2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human
rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest against the
construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah. Upon marching towards the annexation wall, Israeli troops stationed in the area fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
demonstrators. As a result, two
demonstrators were injured:

 

1. Tha’er Mohammed Bernat, 25, hit by a
tear gas canister to the left hand; and

2. Mohammed Zaher, 20, hit by a tear gas
canister to the right leg.

 

Dozens of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 09
July 2010, 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 IOF troops positioned near
the Wall. IOF troops fired rubber-coated
metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered
from tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises. 

 

· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 09 July 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest against
land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi Saleh
and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators
attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near
“Halmish” settlement, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. IOF also arrested Naji Mohammed al-Tamimi, 51,
but released him four hours later. They
also arrested two Israeli human rights defenders: Ayal, 22; and Ben, 23.   

 

· On
Saturday afternoon, 10 July 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in the center of
Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They moved towards Zaher al-Brahish area, where IOF plan to confiscate
areas of Palestinian land to the north of the Israeli settlement of “Karmi
Tsur.” Israeli troops attacked the demonstrators and fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at them. As a
result, two demonstrators were injured:

 

1. Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Maria, 19, injured
by shrapnel to the back; and

2. Mohammed Jawad ‘Awadh, 9, injured by
shrapnel to the limbs.

 

Nasser Hussein Shyoukhi, 43,
a cameraman of Associated Press, also suffered from tear
gas inhalation.

 

3. Continued Siege on the OPT

 

Israel has 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 more than three years. The illegal Israeli-imposed siege of Gaza, which has
steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the
humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.  

 

· On
Friday, 01 January 2010, Israeli forces decided to close Nahal Ouz crossing
permanently and to divert the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem
Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, citing security reasons. 

 

· 1.5
million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of
movement and the right to appropriate living conditions, work, health and
education.

 

· The
principle concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain basic
necessities: food, medicine, water and electricity supplies.

 

· Israel
has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two and a half years.

 

· Israel
has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip since 10 December 2008,
excluding limited amounts of cooking gas and energy fuel for Gaza Power Plant.

 

· The
Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened on only a few days for a
number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return
home to the Gaza Strip.

 

· Israel
had continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians
wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or
social visits.

 

· Israel
has imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to the Gaza Strip. Israel has prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated
as levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

 

· At
least 800 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza in Israeli jails have been deprived
of family visitation for more than two and a half years. 

 

· Israeli
forces have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the coast of the
Gaza Strip.

 

Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting
Period:

 

At approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the
Egyptian authorities declared that Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian
border would be open indefinitely for travelers from both directions. The Egyptian decision came following the
Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla in international water. On the following morning, the Rafah Crossing
Point was exceptionally opened and Palestinian civilians were allowed to travel
through it.

 

 

Movement at Rafah International
Crossing Point

30 June – 13 July 2010

 

 

According to sources of the
Palestinian Crossings and Borders Commission, between 02 and 15 June 2010,
5,910 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 3,536 Palestinians were
allowed into the Gaza Strip. The number
of people who were denied traveling via the crossing during this period was
1,759.

 

Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem
Shalom) Crossing

30 June – 13 July 2010

 

 

Al-Mentar
(Karni) Crossing: IOF partially
opened the crossing on Wednesday, 30 June 2001, and allowed the entry of 1,911
of wheat and 2,613 tons of fodders. IOF
also opened the crossing on Tuesday, 6 July 2010, and allowed the entry of 1,950
tons of wheat and 2,652 tons of fodders. They opened it again on Thursday, 08 July 2010, and allowed the entry of
3,180 tons of base course, and on Monday, 12 July 2010, to allow the entry of
1,443 tons of wheat and 2,262 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 medical conditions to pass through the
crossing. IOF have continued to prevent Palestinian civilians from visiting
their relatives who are detained in Israeli jails. The small number of persons
permitted to pass through the crossing is only able to do so under severe
restrictions that include prolonged security checks.

 

Movement at Beit Hanoun (Erez)
Crossing

30 June – 13 July 2010

 

 

The West
Bank

 

Israel has
imposed a tightened siege 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 Jerusalem. 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.  

 

· Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of the Palestinian civilians in Ramallah. IOF troops positioned at the Jaba’ and
Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have imposed additional
restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged security checks of Palestinian
civilians. During the reporting period,
IOF erected a number of temporary checkpoints, and stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles.  At
approximately 10:00 on Friday, 09 July 2010, IOF established a checkpoint near
‘Attara village, north of Ramallah. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 18:30 on Saturday, 10 July
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Luqia village, west
of Ramallah, where they stopped and searched Palestinian civilian
vehicles.  

 

· Nablus: IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians in Nablus. On Sunday and
Wednesday, 27 and 30 June 2010, Israeli troops stationed at Hawara checkpoint,
south of Nablus, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.        

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians in Tulkarm. On Friday evening,
09 July 2010, IOF established a checkpoint on al-Kafriyat road, south of
Tulkarm, where they stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Qalqilya:  IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians in Qalqilya. On Friday
morning, 09 July 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azzoun
village, east of Qalqilya, where they stopped and searched Palestinian civilian
vehicles. On the evening of 09 July
2010, IOF established a checkpoint on Qalqilya-Nablus road, near
“Qidoumim” settlement, where they stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.  At approximately
06:00 on Saturday, 10 July 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at Jeet
intersection on Qalqilya-Nablus road where they stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 13:00, IOF removed the checkpoint. At approximately 08:00 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Hijja village, east of Qalqilya,
where they stopped and searched Palestinian vehicles. The checkpoint was removed four hours
later. At approximately 15:00 on the
same day, IOF established a checkpoint between Nabi Elias and ‘Izbat al-Tabib
villages, east of Qalqilya. At approximately 19:15, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Jainsafout village, east of Qalqilya. at approximately 09:00 on Monday, 12 July
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qaqlilya. They also established a
checkpoint on Qalqilya-Nablus road, and another one at Nabli Elias
intersection.       

 

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians in Jenin. On Thursday at 12:00, 08 July
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at ‘Arraba intersection, southwest of Jenin,
where they stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

 

· Jericho:  IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians in Jericho. At approximately
11:30 on Saturday, 10 July 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance
of al-Zbaidat village, north of Jericho, where they stopped and searched
Palestinian civilians vehicles. At
approximately 19:00 on the same day, IOF cut off Jericho from the rest of the
West Bank through establishing a number of checkpoints at it entrances. 

 

 

 

 

 

Arrests at Military
Checkpoints

 

· At
approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 10 July 2010, IOF moved into agricultural
areas in the southwest of Rafat village, west of Salfit. There they arrested Majd ‘Ouda Abu Zraiq, 16,
while he was watching over his animals, claiming that he was not in possession
of an ID card. They took him to
“Ariel” settlement where he was released an hour later.

 

· At
approximately 12:00 on Sunday, 11 July 2010, Israeli troops positioned at a
checkpoint at the entrance of Hebron arrested Tayseer Hassan Jaber, 47, and his
nephew Qutaiba Ibrahim Jaber, 19, both from Jenin refugee camp. According to Fatema ‘Abdullah Jaber, the sister-in-law
of the former and the mother of the latter, IOF confiscated 5,000 NIS from the
two detainees. Tayseer has suffered from a heart clot recently and he lost one
of his kidneys during the first Palestinian Intifada when he was hit by a
bullet.

 

4. Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem

 

Israel has recently escalated arbitrary
measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem in order to force them
to leave the city. PCHR has devoted this
section in the Weekly Report to highlighting violations of human rights
perpetrated by IOF against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem.

 

Tuesday,
13 July 2010

 

· At
approximately 08:30 IOF and officials of the Israeli Municiplaity of Jerusalem
moved into al-‘Eissawiya village, northeast of Jerusalem. There they demolished a 40-square-meter house
belonging to Khalil ‘Abdullah Dari, in which ten individuals used to live. The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem ordered
the demolition of the house on 28 December 2009, claiming that it was built
without a license.

 

· Also
around 8:30 on the same d, IOF demolished a 100-square-meter house belonging to
Bassem Mahmoud al-‘Eissawi, in which eight individuals used to live, claiming
that it was built without a license. 

 

· Soon
after 8:30, IOF demolished a 140-square-meter house belonging to Yaqout Mohammed
Abu Ermaila, in which eight individuals used to live. 

 

· At
approximately 12:00 IOF moved into al-‘Aqaba area in Beit Hanina village. There
they demolished a house belonging to Dalal Ibrahim al-Rajabi, in which six individuals
used to live. None of the family members were at home at the time of the
demolition. It is worth noting that IOF
had demolished a house belonging to Mr. al-Rajabi in 2008.

 

· IOF
also demolished a 48-square-meter house belonging to Mousa Suleiman Mashahra,
in which six individuals used to live, in Jabal al-Mukabber village, southeast
of Jerusalem. An Israeli court ordered
the demolition of the house on 01 March 2009. 

 

· At
approximately 16:00 IOF demolished a 120-square-meter house belonging to ‘Aamer
Mohammed al-Tawil, in which fourteen individuals once lived. The family had received a demolition order
issued by the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem on 18 June 2010.  

 

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 Sunday, 11 July 2010, IOF moved into Fasayel village,
north of Jericho. There they handed
notices to three Palestinian civilians ordering demolition of their houses,
claiming that they were built without licenses. The following are details of these houses:

 

1. An 80-square-meter house belonging to Ibrahim
Salem ‘Ebayat, in which six individuals live;

2. A 30-square-meter house belonging to ‘Issam
Ibrahim ‘Ebayat, in which two individuals live; and

3. A house belonging to Mousa Judai’
Rashaida currently under construction.

 

· At
approximately 02:00 on Monday, 12 July 2010, dozens of Israeli settlers,
escorted by IOF, broke into ‘Awarta village, southeast of Nablus, and conducted
Jewish rituals. They left the village at
approximately 04:30.

 

· At
approximately 11:00 also on Monday, Jadallah Mahmoud al-Ja’bari, 65, from
Hebron, was injured when he was beaten by a number of Israeli settlers. According to investigations conducted by
PCHR, Mr. al-Ja’bari, who lives in al-Ras area near the “Kiryat Arba”
settlement, southeast of Hebron, was walking near the Islamic cemetery near his
house, when a number of Israeli settlers intercepted him, striking him with
stones. He sustained injuries to the
head and bruises to the body. It should
be noted that Mr. al-Ja’bari suffers from a physical disability in his left leg
when he was wounded by an explosive bullet fired at him by Israeli troops in
the old city of Hebron in the early months of most recent Palestinian Intifada.

 

· On
Wednesday morning, 14 July 2010, IOF moved into al-Baq’a area, east of Hebron,
near bypass road #60. There they
destroyed an agricultural well belonging to ‘Abdul Hadi Tawfiq Jaber and
confiscated irrigation equipment. The
aforementioned area is close to the Israeli settlements of “Kiryat
Arba” and “Kharsina.”

 

…………………………………………………………

 

 

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 its 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 international civil society organizations, including human rights
organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of
exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and to urge their
governments to bring these people 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 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 agreement or process 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 ([email protected])
or telephone (+972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893).