This report covers human rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli
occupation forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories during the period of February 1 – 7, 2001. During this period, the Israeli occupation
forces shot and killed three Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. At least two were killed wilfully and without
provocation. Although no information was
available about the circumstances of the third death, it is also likely that
this killing was also wilful and without provocation.
In the first week of February, dozens of Palestinian civilians,
including children, as well as a number of journalists were wounded by both
live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets fired by the Israeli occupation
forces, both during clashes and in their absence.
During the same period, the Israeli occupation forces continued to fire
artillery shells and both heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian houses,
wounding a number of Palestinian civilians, including a woman from Hebron and
her 3-year-old-child. The attacks also
resulted in severe property damage, especially in Khan Yunis, Rafah, Hebron and
Deir El-Balah.
Furthermore, the Israeli occupation forces razed more Palestinian
agricultural and wooded land as well as demolished more Palestinian houses and
civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip, especially in Khan Yunis and Gaza City.
Finally, the Israeli occupation forces continued to reinforce their
presence throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, impose a total siege
on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and apply collective punishment. During the past week, Israeli occupation
forces, having received armoured vehicle reinforcements, continued to position
at the entrances of Palestinian cities and on the main roads. This has imposed a siege on these cities and
isolated areas under the control of the Palestinian National Authority both
form one another and from the rest of the occupied Palestinian
territories. This siege has had disastrous
consequences for the social and economic rights of Palestinian civilians. On February 5, 2001, Khadra Rajab Eshteiwi,
from the village of Kufor Qaddoum, near Qalqilya, died after the Israeli
occupation forces prevented her transfer to a hospital. This was the fourth incident of its kind in
the past two weeks. (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 17:45 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers positioned near
Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, shot and killed Ahmed Muheisen
Mohammed Shehadeh, 20 years old, from Jabalya.
He was hit with seven medium caliber bullets to the chest, abdomen, and
legs. According to eyewitnesses,
Shehadeh was 600m to the north of the Israeli occupation forces’ position,
watching the clashes between Palestinian young men and the soldiers. Then, an Israeli tank opened fire on
Shehadeh, killing him.
Friday,
February 2, 2001
In the afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian boys and the
Israeli occupation forces in the center of Hebron. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire,
wounding:
1) the child Ibrahim Mazen
El-Ja’bari, 12 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right leg;
and
2) the child Mohammed Aqel
El-Razem, 16 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh.
Also in the afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and
the Israeli occupation forces at the southern entrance of Qalqilya. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire,
wounding:
1) the child Mohammed Suleiman
Sweilem, 12 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back; and
2) Kamal Abdel-Jawad Khudheir,
18 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
In addition, Israeli occupation forces violently beat Mohammed Naji Abu
A’amer, 18 years old, bruising him throughout his body.
At approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers opened
fire on Palestinian young men and children who were demonstrating at the
southern entrance of the village of Silwad near Ramallah. As a result, three Palestinians were wounded. They were:
1) Mohammed Munir Semha, 16
years old, wounded with a live bullet in the left leg;
2) Beha’ Hammad Semha, 18 years
old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left shoulder; and
3) Ayman Hammad Semha, 15 years
old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh.
In the morning, Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Karsh,
21 years old, from Al-Remal neighbourhood in Gaza City, was pronounced dead at
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City from a head wound caused by a live bullet fired by
the Israeli occupation forces on January 29, 2001. On that day, clashes erupted between
Palestinian young men and the Israeli occupation forces in Al-Mentar area to
the east of Gaza City, during which Abu Karsh was critically wounded in the head. According to eyewitnesses, a number of
Palestinian young men threw stones from behind a muddy shelter located
approximately 30m away from a tank and a military jeep of the Israeli
occupation forces. The tank moved
forward toward Palestinian young men and the muddy shelter. Although the young men escaped, the tank
removed the muddy shelter. It then moved
approximately 30m back. Eyewitnesses
added that when Abdullah Abu Karch attempted to re-establish the muddy shelter,
Israeli occupation forces fired two live bullets at him, one of which hit him
in the head. Abu Karsh was evacuated to
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City where he arrived in critical condition.
At approximately 5:00 local time, Israeli
occupation soldiers opened fire on a Mercedes carrying three Palestinian
labourers from the village of Tarqomia to the village of Al-Zhahereya, near
Hebron. The three Palestinian labourers
were wounded, but the driver was not harmed.
The driver stated that Israeli occupation soldiers positioned on the
land adjacent to Beit A’owa junction opened fire on his car from a distance of
about 40m although there were no clashes in the area. As a result, the three labourers were
wounded. They were:
1) Mohammed
Yousef El-A’waysa, 17 years old, critically wounded from a live bullet in the
head and evacuated to Al-Maqased hospital in Jerusalem;
2) Mote’b
Ismail El-Jbarin, 23 years old, wounded from a live bullet in the left foot and
shrapnel from a live bullet in the head; and
3) Rae’d
Ismail El-Jabarin, 17 years old, wounded from shrapnel in the right foot.
Also, at approximately 9:00 local time,
Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on Mazen Saleh El-Rifi, a-35-year-old
fruit hawker from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, wounding him with two
live bullets in the right thigh. In his
testimony to PCHR, El-Rifi said that he was riding a cart from Gaza City on his
way the middle area of the Gaza Strip when he crossed Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction to the south of Gaza City. At
that point, Israeli occupation soldiers positioned in a military site adjacent
to the junction, opened fire on El-Rifi from a distance of 200m. He was evacuated by a Palestinian civilian
car to a clinic in the middle area of the Gaza strip and then transferred to
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. There were
no clashes in the area.
At approximately 13:00 local time, Israeli
occupation soldiers fired at the child E’issa Suleiman Abed-Rabbo El-E’mour, 14
years old, from Deir El-Balah, wounding him with a live bullet in the right
side. In his testimony to PCHR, the
child said that he was coming back from his school on Salah El-Din Street (the
main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip) in the middle area,
headed toward his house in Abu Houli area in the south of Deir El-Blah. Due to
the closing of Salah El-Din Street by Israeli occupation forces, he, like other
school children, was forced to resort to a bypass road 3km longer than the main
road. The bypass road is also in the
vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement. The
child added that he was passing 150m away from an observation tower of the
Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement when he
heard shooting and realised that he was wounded. He asserted that he was shot by a silenced
gun. The child was evacuated to Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City.
Also at approximately 13:30 local time,
Israeli occupation soldiers positioned near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet to the
east of Gaza City, fired at a number of Palestinian young men who were
demonstrating 15m away from tanks of the Israeli occupation forces. As a result, the child Nahed Saqer Ramadan
El-Harazin, 15 years old, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, was
wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh.
He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
Sunday, February4, 2001
At approximately 7:00 local time, Israeli
occupation soldiers positioned at the entrance of Erez industrial zone in the
north of the Gaza Strip, fired at Ashraf Hamed El-Essi, 21 years old, from Gaza
City, wounding him in the head with a rubber-coated metal bullet. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area
reported that Palestinian labourers in Erez industrial zone had demonstrated to
protest the provocative measures taken by the Israeli occupation forces at the
entrance. Israeli occupation soldiers opened
fire on Palestinian labourers and closed off the industrial zone, prohibiting
the entry of Palestinian labourers.
Also at approximately 10:00 local time,
Israeli occupation soldiers shot and killed Shadi Abdel-Rahim El-Kahlout, 23
years old, from Sheikh Radwan. He was
shot in the abdomen and legs by more than ten live bullets. This incident took place at the borderline
near Kissufim Crossing to the east of Khan Yunis. The Israeli occupation forces claimed that
the martyr El-Kahlout was attempting to sneak into Israel.
Tuesday,
February 6, 2001
In the
afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli
occupation forces in various cities and villages in the West Bank. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire,
wounding a number of Palestinian civilians and six journalists. In addition, dozens of Palestinian civilians
suffered from suffocation due to inhalation of tear gas used by the Israeli
occupation forces. Furthermore, three
Palestinian civilians were injured when vehicles of the Israeli occupation
forces wilfully ran over them.
At the
northern entrance of Al-Bireh, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on
Palestinian demonstrators, wounding six with live ammunition and rubber-coated
metal bullets. According to eyewitnesses,
two military jeeps of the Israeli occupation forces moved 300m inside areas
under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and ran over three
Palestinian demonstrators. They were:
1) Muhammad Abdel-Latif Hammad,
21 years old, form Al-Ama’ri refugee camp, suffered from breaks and injuries to
the back and the shoulder;
2) Mohammed E’issa Yousef, 28
years old, from the village of Deir Qeddis, suffered from breaks in the legs
and bruises throughout the body; and
3) Fuad Mohammed Samara, 15
years old, from the village of Bale’in, suffered from bruises throughout the
body.
Furthermore,
six journalists were wounded while they were covering these events. Among them were:
1) Heiden Helmet, a 32–year-old
Norwegian journalist working for a Norwegian daily newspaper, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
2) Ossama El-Selwadi, a
26-year-old correspondent for Al-Ayyam daily local newspaper in Ramallah,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand;
3) Nae’l Mohammed Awadh, a 23-year-old
cameraman for Watan television channel in Ramallah, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the chest; and
4) Rashid Hilal, a 40-year-old
correspondent for a Palestine television channel in Ramallah, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand.
At the
northern entrance of the village of Deir Nezham, Israeli occupation soldiers
opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators, wounding four. Among the wounded were:
1) the child Ra’fat Hassan
El-Tamimi, 15 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the left hand and a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the neck; and
2) the child Abdullah Faraj
El-Tamimi, 13 years old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the
spinal column.
In the
center of Hebron, clashes erupted between Palestinian young men and children
and the Israeli occupation forces. These
forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators, wounding six. Among the wounded was the child Jehad Radwan
El-Jamal, 13 years old who was critically wounded in the head by a
rubber-coated metal bullet fired at him from a short distance.
Clashes also
erupted between Palestinian young men and children and the Israeli occupation
forces at the southern entrance of Qalqilya.
These forces fired at Palestinian demonstrators, moderately wounding the
child Mujahed Malek Shahin, 12 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the head.
Wednesday,
February 7, 2001
At noon,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the middle of Hebron, opened fire on a
number of Palestinian children who threw stones at the soldiers on their way
home from school. As a result, three
children were wounded. They were:
1) Murad Omar, 13 years old,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
2) Jehad Omar, 12 years old,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg; and
3) Mustafa Bayoumi, 12 years
old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right leg.
At
approximately 14:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at Beit
Hanoun (Erez) Checkpoint, opened fire on Palestinian taxis. In his testimony to PCHR, a taxi driver said
that he suddenly heard shooting sounds coming from the Israeli occupation
forces. He then moved away and took
shelter behind a nearby concrete block.
He added that the shooting lasted for 20 minutes and caused severe
damage to three taxis.
2. A Palestinian citizen dies as a result of the siege
imposed by the Israeli occupation forces
On Monday, February 5, 2001, at approximately 15:00 local time, Khadra
Rajab Eshteiwi, 65 years old, from the village of Kufor Qaddoum near Qalqilya,
died after the Israeli occupation forces prevented her transfer to a
hospital. The family of the deceased
transported her in a private car at 14:00 local time. The family was forced to resort to a number
of muddy roads in order to avoid military roadblocks of the Israeli occupation
forces preventing them from transferring her to the hospital in Qalqilya. She died before arriving at hospital after a
1.5-hour delay.
It is worth mentioning that this incident was the fourth of its kind in
the past two weeks. Three other
Palestinian citizens have died in similar circumstances.[1]
3. Shelling of Residential Neighbourhoods
At
approximately 10:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the
borderline in Rafah fired heavy and medium bullets at the adjacent Palestinian
National Security Forces’ site in Al-Brazil neighborhood. This lasted until 15:00 local time and,
although no injuries were reported, the bullets caused severe damage to the
site.
At
approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, at a military site
to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood, fired artillery shells and heavy and
medium bullets at the market of Khan Yunis Municipality as well as neighborhood
homes. As a result, asbestos layers of
the market were destroyed and a number of houses were damaged.
Friday
February 2, 2001
At
approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, at a military site
to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood, fired heavy and medium bullets at the
market of Khan Yunis Municipality and neighborhood homes. Sporadic shooting lasted until midnight. Two Palestinian civilian passers-by, located
approximately 250m away from the Israeli
occupation forces site, were wounded by the bullets. The wounded were:
1) Nadi A’adel El-Faqa’awi, 16
years old, wounded with a live bullet that cut an artery in the left foot and
evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City; and
2) Ahmed Abdel-Qader El-A’wadhi,
14 years old, wounded with shrapnel of a live bullet in the buttocks and evacuated
to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.
Furthermore,
a number of Palestinian houses and civilian facilities were damaged as follows:
1) Bullets made holes 2cm in
diameter in the roof of a fuel station owned by E’issa Abdel-Rahman
Abdel-Hadi. A calculator of fuel supply
was also damaged.
2) Bullets broke windows and
made holes in the walls of a 250-square-meter three-story house, in which 18
people live, owned by Sae’id
Abdel-Rahamn Abu Shammaleh.
At
approximately 21:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in
military sites in the center of Hebron fired heavy and medium bullets at
Al-Karantina and Abu Sneineh neighborhoods in the city. As a result, a Palestinian woman and her
child were wounded by bullet shrapnel in their home. In addition, three houses were damaged. The wounded were:
1) E’ttaf Abdel-Jabbar Shabaneh,
35 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the left shoulder, and
2) Heba Samir Shabaneh, 3 years
old, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot and suffered from a nervous shock.
At
approximately 18:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired heavy and
medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the village of Al-Zababdeh near
Jenin, causing severe damage to a number of Palestinian houses. The targeted houses are located approximately
200m from the military site of the Israeli occupation forces which is known as
“Bezek.”
At
midnight, the Israeli occupation forces positioned at the eastern border of the
Gaza strip, opened machine gunfire on Palestinian houses in the Northeast of
the village of Abasan near Khan Yunis.
It is worth mentioning that this action has been the first of its kind
since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada at the end of last September. The machine gun fire lasted until 4:00 local
time on the following day. PCHR’s field
officer in the area reported that a number of Palestinian houses were damaged
as follows:
1) Bullets made holes in the
walls and damaged the windows and furniture of a 180-square-meter house, in
which five people live, owned by Barakat Abed Rabbo Abu Daqqa.
2) Bullets made holes in the
façade of a 170-square-meter, two-story house, in which ten people live, owned
by Lutfi Mohammed Abu Daqqa.
3) Bullets made holes in the
facade of a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in which 12 people live, owned
by Adnan Abed-Rabbo Abu Daqqa.
4) Bullets made holes in the
façade of a 180-square-meter house, in which ten people live, owned by Mohammed
Salman Qudeih.
5) Bullets made holes in the
façade of a 180-square-meter house, in which six people live, owned by Bassam
Hussein Abu Daqqa.
6) Bullets made holes in the
façade of a 180-square-meter house, in which ten people live, owned by Ali
Awadh Abu Daqqa.
7) Bullets made holes in the
façade of a 180-square-meter, three-story house, in which 18 people live, owned
by Oleyan Awadh Abu Daqqa.
8) Bullets made holes in the
façade of a 160-square-meter house, in which six people live, owned by
Abdel-Karim Abdel-Rahman Abu Daqqa.
9) Bullets made holes in the
façade of a 150-square-meter house, in which five people live, owned by Munir
Qudeih.
Saturday,
February 3, 2001
At
approximately 17:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired heavy and
medium bullets at Abu Sneineh, Al-Karantina, and Qaytoun neighborhoods in
Hebron. These bullets destroyed the
windows of two civilian cars, a service network, and a number of water saving
tanks located on houses.
Sunday,
February 4, 2001
At
approximately 22:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in a
military site to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis shelled
Palestinian houses and the neighborhood market from a distance of approximately
250m. The firing of artillery shells and
heavy and medium bullets lasted until 1:00 local time on the following
day. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis
reported that the shelling resulted in the following damage:
1) Bullets and shells destroyed
asbestos layers of the market and made holes in its walls.
2) Bullets and shells made holes
in the walls and partially destroyed the roof of a fuel station, owned by
E’issa Abdel-Rahim Abdel-Hadi.
3) The shelling destroyed
windows and made holes in walls of a 125-square-meter, two-story house, in
which ten people live, owned by Mohammed Fawzi Hellow.
4) The shelling destroyed
windows and made holes in walls of a 100-square-meter, two-story house, in
which 18 people live, owned by Mohammed and Adnan El-Alami.
5) Bullets penetrated the façade
of a commercial store, owned by Salim Khader El-Alami, damaging foodstuffs.
6) Bullets penetrated the door
and walls as well as damaged the electricity network of an electronics
maintenance store, owned by Hisham Khalil Bedier.
Monday,
February 5, 2001
At
approximately 10:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired heavy and
medium bullets at a market and a number of houses in Al-Amal neighborhood in
Khan Yunis. As a result, Fatheya Ibrahim
Oudeh, 40 years old, was wounded in the right foot by the shrapnel of a live bullet while she was shopping. People in the market were terrified.
Due
to the frequency of the attacks on the Al-Amal neighborhood market, Khan Yunis
Municipality established an alternative wall in Khan Yunis refugee camp to
which sellers were transferred. This
caused a traffic jam in the refugee camp.
Also
in the morning, Israeli occupation forces positioned in a military site in the
vicinity of Gani Tal settlement to the north of Al-Amal neighborhood, opened
fire on Palestinian houses. Rami Samir
Abu Ghali, 18 years old, was wounded in the left hand by a live bullet while
passing 500m from the Israeli occupation forces’ position.
At
approximately 16:00 local time, after a military confrontation between a number
of armed Palestinians and the Israeli occupation forces at the borderline in
Rafah, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on Palestinian houses
approximately 120m to the north of Salah El-Din Gate. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
those soldiers also fired artillery shells. This lasted for 1.5 hours and
resulted in wounding:
1) the child Manar Mohammed
Ghannam, 9 years old, with shrapnel in the head, while she was in front of her
family’s house in Rafah refugee camp located approximately 100m to the north of
Salah El-Din Gate on the borderline; and
2) Fatema Mohammed Mustafa
A’waja, 52 years old, with shrapnel below the right eye, while she was in her
house in the above-mentioned area located approximately 120m to the north of
Salah El-Din Gate.
Furthermore,
a number of Palestinian houses were damaged as follows:
1) More than 15 artillery shells
hit a 155-square-meter house, in which 18 people live, owned by a member of the Qweidha family
who asked not to be identified by his full name in this report. Parts of the house and its furniture were
completely destroyed. No injuries among
its residents were reported since the residents left the house when the
shelling began.
2) Bullets and shrapnel of artillery
shells hit a 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 11 people live,
owned by Abdel-Qader Mohammed Hassan A’waja, penetrating its roof and
destroying the water saving tanks.
Also,
at approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in
military sites on Jouhar Mount to the south of Hebron, and in a settlement
center known as “Avraham Avino” in the middle of Hebron, fired artillery shells
and heavy and medium bullets at Qobbat Janeb, Qaytoun and Tallat El-Takrouri in
Hebron. This caused severe damage to a
number of Palestinian houses.
At
approximately 20:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired at Haneya
Saleh A’abed Abu A’azem, 29 years old, from Deir El-Balah, wounding her with a
live bullet in the thighs. At the time,
she was in front of her house on Salah El-Din Street approximately 150m to the
south of Kfar Darom settlement. She was
evacuated by an ambulance to a clinic in Deir El-Balah, and then transferred to
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
Israeli
occupation forces positioned in the aforementioned settlement opened fire on
Palestinian houses in the area, wounding the aforementioned citizen as well as
causing damage to a number of houses as follows:
1) The firing destroyed the
asbestos layers and damaged the water saving tanks of a 150-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which seven people live, owned by Salman Saleh Abu
A’azem.
2) Bullets penetrated walls of a
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 11 people live, owned by
Mare’e Saleh Abu A’azem.
3) Bullets penetrated walls of a
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two people live, owned by
Abed Saleh Abu A’azem.
4) Bullets penetrated walls of a
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which four people live, owned by
Maso’uda Abu A’azem.
Tuesday,
February 6, 2001
At
approximately 16:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in the
middle of Hebron and in a settlement center known as “Ramat Yeshai,” fired
heavy and medium bullets at El-Sheikh and Ban El-Zawia neighborhoods in Hebron,
causing severe damage to three Palestinian houses and a car. Furthermore, four Palestinian civilians were
wounded with shrapnel from live bullets.
Wednesday,
February 7, 2001
At
approximately 16:15 local time, the Israeli occupation forces shelled Qubbat
Janeb, Tallat El-Takrouri and Abu Sneineh neighborhoods in Hebron, causing
damage to a number of Palestinian houses and two civilian cars.
At
approximately 23:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in the
vicinity of Psagot settlement shelled residential neighborhoods in
Al-Bireh. PCHR learned that bullets
penetrated the windows of the home of the editor of Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda a daily
local newspaper, causing damage to its furniture.
4. Attacks by
Settlers
Thursday,
February 1, 2001
In
the afternoon, a Jewish settler ran his car over Khaldia Ahmed Mohammed Saqer,
50 years old, from Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in Khan Yunis. As a result, she suffered from bruises and
injuries throughout her body. In agony, she was transferred to Nasser
hospital in Khan Yunis. According to
eyewitnesses, the settler was driving his car at high speed on the coastal road
in the Al-Mawasi area, when he ran over the woman. He fled the area without offering her help.
Friday,
February 2, 2001
In
the afternoon, approximately ten Jewish settlers of Neve Dekalim settlement in
the Southwest of Khan Yunis destroyed two vegetable greenhouses in Tal Jenan
area in Al-Mawasi of Khan Yunis, owned by Samir Abdel-A’al Al-Najjar and Joma’a
Abdel-Karim Al-Najjar.
Also,
at approximately 15:00 local time, a number of Jewish settlers from a
settlement center known as “Avraham Avino” in the middle of Hebron, violently
beat a number of Palestinian citizens.
As a result:
1) Hazem Abdel-Sami’e
El-Qasrawi, 29 years old, suffered from injuries and bruises throughout the
body; and
2) Majed Mustafa El-Jamal, 47
years old, suffered from injuries in the head and bruises in the back.
5. Razing of Agricultural Land and Demolition of
Houses
At approximately
6:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas of
agricultural land in Gizan Al-Najjar area, in the south of Khan Yunis and to
the west of Morag settlement. They razed
a seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus and owned by lawyer
Ibrahim El-Saqqa.
At
approximately 10:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces demolished the
fence of a gas station. The station is
in Al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah, near the border with Egypt. In addition, a 50-square-meter asbestos
shelter was also demolished.
At
approximately 22:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land and demolish houses to the east of the road between
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of Gaza City and Al-Mentar
(Karni) Outlet, and to the east of Gaza City.
This particular action, which lasted until 6:00 local time on the
following day, included the levelling and demolition of:
1) A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which three people lived, owned by
Taleb Hammad Nemer Thabet.
2) Another
house also owned by Taleb Hammad Nemer Thabet, in which his second wife and
their children lived.
3) A
100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which seven people lived, owned by
Wahid Hammad Nemer Thabet.
4) A
100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which eight people lived, owned by
Jehad Hammad Nemer Thabet.
5) A
seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Zuhair
A’ashour.
6) A
five-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Talal
A’ashour.
7) A
five-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Hammad
A’ashour.
8) A
four -donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Salem Abu
E’id.
At
approximately 23:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land as well as demolish houses and civilian facilities
on the eastern side of Salah El-Din Street.
This location is approximately 850m north of Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction in areas under Palestinian National Authority control to the south of
Gaza City. This particular action, which
lasted until 3:00 local time on the following day, included the demolishing and
razing of:
1) A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 15 people lived, owned by
Fadhel Rashed Taleb Haraz. In addition,
three 150-square-meter tin stores were destroyed. House furniture and agricultural machines in
stores were destroyed. Domesticated
birds were also killed.
2) A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 14 people lived, owned by
Atta Salem Abu Zhaher.
3) Part
of a brick factory, owned by Ossama Hassan El-Khodhari. The Israeli occupation forces destroyed:
a) An
electricity generator and an electricity network.
b) Raw
materials.
c) Industrialised,
ready-for-sale products.
d) The
fence of the factory.
e) A
number of machines.
f) Portions
of asbestos roofs.
4) Part
of an electrical tool factory, owned by Wasim Othman Al-Khozendar. The Israeli occupation forces destroyed:
a) A
guardroom.
b) The
eastern and southern facades and their windows.
PCHR’s field officer in the area reported
that the Israeli occupation forces transferred a large gas tank from previously
demolished Sabra gas station, approximately 300m from the factory, to the
affected factory.
5) A
five-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by the heirs of
Ma’rouf Shurrab. In addition, 100 bee
cells, owned by Maher Ibrahim Abu Leila, were destroyed.
6) A
120-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Taleb Abdullah
Haraz. In addition, three vegetable
greenhouses spanning three donums of land, a well, a store of agricultural
tools, water pumps, an agricultural pool, and an irrigation network were also
all destroyed.
The
Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas of agricultural land 1000m to
the north of Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, in areas under the control of the
Palestinian National Authority. The
affected areas are between Salah El-Din Street and the road between Al-Shuhada’
(Netzarim) junction and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet. The razing started at 11:00 local time and
ended at 17:00 only to be resumed on the following day. The Israeli occupation forces razed:
1) A
four-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned by Hashem
El-Hato.
2) A
four-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Hassan
Yassin.
3) A
four-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and figs, owned by
Hassan El-A’marin, part of a previously-razed 20-donum area, also owned by him.
****
PCHR reiterates its call for the
international community to immediately intervene to stop the killings and
criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces 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 the abuses and killings perpetrated by the
Israeli occupation forces 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.
3. Immediately
providing international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied
Palestinian territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts
perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who
move under the protection of these forces.
4. 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.
5. Providing
humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living
conditions are increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege
imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian
territories.
For more information on the Al-Aqsa Intifada,
see:
