PCHR
apologizes for the delayed distribution of the report. The report was not issued on March 8, 2001
due to the Muslim holiday of ‘Eid al-Kabir.
This
report covers Israeli human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) during the week of March 1-7,
2001. During this period, there has been
a significant escalation in Israeli human rights violations. Israeli occupation forces killed seven
Palestinian civilians; a Jewish settler killed an eighth Palestinian civilian.
Friday,
March 2, 2001
At
approximately 1:00 local time, an Israeli tank positioned at Al-Shuhada’
(Netzarim,) junction, south of Gaza City, fired an artillery shell at Mustafa Hmadan Abdel-Qader
El-Ramlawi, 42, from Al-Boreij refugee camp.
The shell hit El Remlawi in the head and instantly killed him.
At approximately 14:30 local time, a
nine-year-old child from Al-Bireh, Obai Mohammed Darraj, was killed by an
explosive live bullet. The bullet
entered his left shoulder and exited his chest.
The child was inside his family’s house when the Israeli occupation
forces shelled Palestinian residential neighborhoods in Al-Bireh.
At approximately 16:30, Abdel-Karim
‘Eissa Abu ‘Asba, 23, from Qalandya refugee camp, south of Ramallah, was killed
by live bullet fired by Israeli forces.
The bullet entered his back and exited his chest. The forces fired indiscriminately on
Palestinians, killing Abu ‘Asba even though was not participating in
clashes.
In the evening, a thirteen-year-old from
Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, Mohammed Mahmoud Helles, was pronounced
dead at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. He
died from a head wound he received from the Israeli occupation forces on
February 27, 2001.
Saturday, March 3, 2001
At approximately 19:30 local time,
‘Aaida Daoud Fatiha, 43, was killed when the Israeli occupation forces shelled
Palestinian houses in Al-Bireh. He was
hit by a live bullet that entered his right armpit and exited his chest.
At approximately 20:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators
in Hawara village near Nablus, killing Baher Shafiq Mahmoud Oudeh, 20, with
three live bullets in the back, the right side, and the foot.
At
approximately the same time, near Shilo settlement, a Jewish
settler shot and killed Ahmed Hassan ‘Allan, 25, from Qariout village near
Nablus, with a live bullet in the head.
‘Allan was on his way back home when he was shot.
Sunday,
March 4, 2001
At approximately 23:00, Israeli
occupation forces opened fire on a number of Palestinian youth in Sahel
El-Jalama area in Jenin, killing Ossama Ibrahim ‘Eid, 22, from Jenin refugee
camp, with several live bullets in the head.
Monday,
March 5, 2001
At approximately 1:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned west of Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan
Yunis, fired upon ‘Alla’ ‘Ali Hneideq, 20.
Hneideq was seriously wounded by two live bullets in the right shoulder
and the pelvis.
PCHR
expresses its profound concern regarding this recent and significant escalation
in Israeli forces’ and settlers’ use of lethal force against Palestinian
civilians–during clashes and in their absence.
This escalation has coincided with
Israel’s continued strict internal and external siege of the Occupied
Palestinian Territories. (For more information about the siege imposed on the
Gaza Strip and its disastrous consequences, see Closure Update, a report
by PCHR on the closure imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza
Strip.)
1. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians
At approximately 1:00 local time, a tank of the Israeli
occupation forces, positioned at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south
of Gaza City, fired an artillery shell at Mustafa Hmadan Abdel-Qader
El-Ramlawi, 42, from Al-Boreij refugee camp, hitting him in the head and
instantly killing him. According to
official medical reports, El-Ramlawi was mentally handicapped and could not
work. According to his family,
El-Ramlawi would go out and return on the following day. (For more information about this incident,
see PCHR’s press release on March 4, 2001.)
At approximately 16:30 local time, Abdel-Karim ‘Eissa Abu
‘Asba, 23, from Qalandya refugee camp, south of Ramallah, was killed when
Israeli forces fired a live bullet that entered his back and exited his
chest. According to eyewitnesses, Abu
‘Asba was returning home from a nearby grocery on the main road adjacent to his
refugee camp, Ramallah-Jerusalem road.
At the time, the Israeli occupation forces were firing indiscriminately
on a number of Palestinian demonstrators on the road. Abu ‘Asba was shot from a
distance of 100m. He was not
participating in the clashes.
After the Friday prayer, clashes erupted between Palestinian
civilians and Israeli forces at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh. Israeli forces fired live and rubber-coated
metal bullets at Palestinian civilians, wounding a number of them. They also fired canisters of a highly
effective black gas similar to the one used in Khan Yunis three weeks ago. Among the wounded were four medical personnel
of the Palestinian Medical Relief Committees.
They are:
1)Nasser
Jamjoum, 32, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the mouth that broke
his front teeth;
2)Arafat Zayed,
18, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left foot;
3)Riham Abu
Joma’a, 18, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left shoulder; and
4)Rami Abu
Dayeh, 20, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
In Deir Nezham village, near Ramallah, similar clashes
erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces
following Friday prayer. These forces
opened fire, wounding six Palestinian civilians, including four children, with
rubber-coated metal bullets. They are:
1) Mohammed Abdel-Qader Mosad, 14, wounded with two
rubber-coated metal bullets in the right thigh and the right hand;
2) Ahmed Tayseer Yaqoub, 10, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh;
3) Mohammed Faraj Mohammed, 8, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the mouth;
4) ‘Anan Kahldoun Abdullah, 10, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the pelvis;
5) ‘Emad Mohammed El-Tamimi, 44, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right leg; and
6) Zeid Fraj Mohammed, 25, wounded with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the left hand.
On Friday evening, the child Mohammed Mahmoud Helles, 13,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, was pronounced dead at Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City, from a wound in the head he received from the Israeli
occupation forces on February 27, 2001.
The child was put into the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in
Gaza City. According to the PCHR
investigation and eyewitness testimony published in PCHR’s Weekly Report,
the incident occurred on Tuesday, February 27, 2001, near Al-Mentar (Karni)
Outlet, east of Gaza City. For more
information see PCHR’s 8th weekly report, covering the period 21-28
February 2001.
At approximately 20:30 local
time, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in
Hawara village near Nablus. Baher Shafiq
Mahmoud Oudeh, 20, was killed by three live bullets in the back, the right
side, and the foot. Furthermore, another
three Palestinian civilians were wounded with live bullets.
Also at approximately 20:30 local
time, near Shilo settlement, a Jewish settler shot and killed Ahmed Hassan
‘Allan, 25, from Qariout village near Nablus, with a live bullet in the
head. ‘Allan was on his way back home
when he was shot.
Sunday,
March 4, 2001
At approximately 6:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned at Rafah border, shot Sweilem Rajab
Mohammed El-Qadhi, a 60-year-old mentally handicapped man from Rafah. El-Qadhi was wounded with three live bullets
in the neck, the left arm, and the right thigh.
According to PCHR’s investigation, El-Qadhi entered the border area near
Qeshta neighborhood, unaware of the danger he might face as a consequence.
Israeli forces opened fire on this
mentally handicapped and defenseless elderly man from a distance of
approximately 300m. He collapsed and
bled, during which time the Israeli soldiers did not offer assistance until
negotiations between the Palestinian and Israelis sides occurred. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were
allowed to enter the border area and evacuate the wounded man to hospital. El-Qadhi is still at Al-Joneina hospital in
Rafah in stable condition.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli
occupation forces opened fire on a number of Palestinian youth in Sahel
El-Jalama area in Jenin, killing Ossama Ibrahim ‘Eid, a 22-year-old from Jenin
refugee camp, with several live bullets in the head.
Monday, March 5, 2001
At
approximately 1:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned west of
Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis, fired at ‘Alla’ ‘Ali Hneideq, 20, wounding
him with two live bullets in the right shoulder and the pelvis. Hneideq was evacuated to the Palestine Red
Crescent Society hospital in Khan Yunis and then to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza
City due to his serious condition.
According to PCHR’s investigation, Hneideq was on his way back home when
he was fired upon from a distance of approximately 200m. There were no clashes
in the area.
2. Shelling of Residential
Neighborhoods
Friday,
March 2, 2001
At approximately 14:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned
in Psagot settlement east of Al-Bireh, fired indiscriminately on Palestinian
houses in the Wadi Al-Jenan neighborhood of Al-Bireh. As a result, the nine-year-old child, Obai
Mohammed Darraj, was killed by an explosive live bullet that entered his left
shoulder and exited his chest. The child died during his evacuation to Ramallah
hospital. When he was shot, the child
was inside his family’s house, located approximately 500m from the settlement.
According to eyewitnesses, there were no clashes in the area when the Israeli
occupation forces opened fire indiscriminately and unjustifiably.
At
approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the
Rafah border shelled Palestinian houses in Brazil Refugee camp. The forces fired artillery shells, heavy
caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets, wounding:
1) the six-year-old child Mohammed
Fathi Qeshta, with shrapnel in the head, the right leg and the right arm;
2) the eleven-year-old child Mukhtar
Tawfiq Barbakh, with shrapnel in the right hand.
Saturday,
March 3, 2001
At
approximately 19:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Psagot
settlement shelled Palestinian houses in the Friends Street in Al-Bireh, which
are located approximately 1,500m west of the settlement. As a result, ‘Aaida
Daoud Fatiha, 43, was killed by a live bullet that penetrated her right armpit
and exited her chest, severing her aorta.
Furthermore, her twelve-year-old child Nadil Fatiha, was wounded with
shrapnel in the left hand. Wafa’ Ahmed Qar’an, 42, was also wounded with
shrapnel in the left hand.
Monday,
March 5 – Wednesday, March 7, 2001
Throughout
these three days, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Al-Zabadeh military
site, known as “Bezeq,” in Jenin, fired artillery shells, heavy caliber
bullets, and medium caliber bullets at the nearby Al-Zababdeh campus of the
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees Agriculture College, causing severe
damage.
On
Wednesday, March 7, 2000, at approximately 21:30 local time, Israeli forces
positioned west of Al-Amal neighborhood, fired artillery shells, heavy caliber
bullets, and medium caliber bullets at the neighborhood market and nearby houses. As a result, a 200-square-meter one-story
house was hit with an artillery shell that destroyed one of its rooms; bullets
also hit the walls of the house. Seven
people live in the house which is owned by Nabil B’ara. PCHR’s field officer in
Khan Yunis reported that the house was empty at the time. Like most in the area, its residents had
evacuated over the past months due to frequent Israeli shelling.
3. Razing of Agricultural
Land
On
Monday, March 5, 2001, at approximately 6:00 local time, the Israeli occupation
forces started to raze areas of agricultural land adjacent to the border east
of Al-Mghazi refugee camp. PCHR’s area
field officer reported that this razing continued over the course of three days
and included the following:
1) A 15-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and grapes, owned by Abdel-Rahaman and Abdel-Raziq
Nabhan Abu Mandil;
2) A 40-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and grapes, owned by Abdel-Karim Suleiman El-Telbani;
3) A six-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and grapes, owned by Mohammed Salameh El-Telbani;
4) An eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and grapes, owned by Mahmoud ‘Atteya
El-Telbani;
5) An eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mo’ein Suleiman Abu Mansi;
6) A seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Nayef ‘Awwad Abu Shehadeh;
7) A seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Yahia Abu Mansi;
8) A three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and grapes, owned by Ali El-Musaddar;
9) A four-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives, owned by Hassan El-Telbani; and
10) A one and a half donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Yahia Suleiman El-Telbani.
4. Arrests and Other Attacks
On
Thursday, March 1, 2001, at approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli forces
positioned at the Al-Matahen junction leading to Gush Qatif settlement block in
Khan Yunis arrested three Palestinian civilians. They are:
1) ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Mahmoud
Mohammed El-Deirawi, a 36-year-old teacher from Nusseirat refugee camp;
2) ‘Adnan Ibrahim Ali
El-Deirawi, a 35-year-old driver from Al-Zawaideh village; and
3) Mohammed Ibrahim Ali
El-Deirawi, a 23-year-old university student from Al-Zawaideh village.
The
three were travelling by taxi (driven by ‘Adnan El-Deiraw) to Khan Yunis when
Israeli soldiers stopped the taxi. The
soldiers arrested the three and released the other civilians who were traveling
in the same taxi. According to the
testimony of one of the arrested men’s father, who was also traveling in the
same taxi, the soldiers bound the men’s hands and took them to a nearby
military site. Then, an Israeli forces’ truck transferred them to an unknown
destination.
On
Sunday, March 4, 2001, Israeli occupation forces at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing
arrested ‘Azzam Fathi Suleiman Abu Koush, a 21-year-old policemen from
Rafah. Abu Koush was on his way back to
Rafah from Bethlehem.
On
the same day, Israeli policemen attacked Bassem Saleh Hammoud Asfar, 33, from
‘Aqraba village near Nablus, when he was in the Israeli city of Natanya. Asfar was evacuated to Natanya hospital
because of injuries, including broken bones, incurred as a result of being
beaten with batons and iron bars.
Israeli police arrested him for not having a permit to enter Israel.
On
Wednesday, at approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
savagely beat the seven-year-old child, ‘Odai Amin Mahmoud from ‘Aanin village
in Jenin. As a result, the child
suffered from bruises throughout the body.
At the time, the child and his father were on their way home when they
encountered an Israeli patrol. The
Israeli soldiers beat the child without provocation before his father’s
eyes. In his testimony, the child’s
father said that an Israeli soldier justified themselves by saying that the
child was beaten in order to terrify and deter him from throwing stones at
Israeli soldiers in the future.
****
PCHR
reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to
stop the Israeli killings and criminal acts against Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls in particular for:
1. Establishing without delay
an independent commission of inquiry, in accordance with UN Security Council
resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation
into Israeli abuses and killings against Palestinian civilians.
2. Convening a conference of
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure
Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.
Immediately providing international protection for Palestinian civilians
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories against the killings and criminal acts
perpetrated by Israeli forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under
their protection.
3. Use by the EU of effective
political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel
Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights.
4. Providing humanitarian and
medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions have
deteriorated due to Israel’s continued total siege imposed on the entire
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
