IOF
Continue to Construct Settlements on Abu Ghonaim Mountain, Southern Jerusalem

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

 

 

– Two
Palestinians were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

 

– Two Palestinian
children were killed by the explosion of an object left by IOF in the Gaza
Strip.

 

– Two activists
of the Palestinian resistance were wounded by flechette shells fired by IOF in
the Gaza Strip.

 

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

– 12 Palestinian workers and one farmer were
wounded.

 

– A Palestinian
civilian was wounded by Israeli gunfire in al-‘Eissawiya village near
Jerusalem.

 

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

– Two Palestinian
civilians were wounded.

– IOF arrested 3
international human rights defenders. 

 

– IOF conducted 25
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  

– IOF arrested 15 Palestinian civilians, including two children.

 

– Israeli
warplanes attacked a number of civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. 

– A
house and a water well were damaged in al-Mughraqa village in the central Gaza
Strip.

– A
paramilitary site was destroyed and two schools were heavily damaged in Gaza
City.

 

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

– Israeli soldiers at military checkpoints in the
West Bank arrested 6 Palestinian civilians, including former Palestinian
Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs.

 

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

– IOF demolished
two houses in Jerusalem.

 

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

– IOF destroyed 6 water wells south of Hebron.

– Israeli settlers poured waste water onto a
school in ‘Azzoun-‘Atma village.

 

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (09 – 15 December 2010):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF
killed two Palestinians, while two children were killed by the explosion of a
projectile left by IOF in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, 15 Palestinians, including 3 children, were wounded by IOF
in the Gaza Strip, and another two ones were wounded in the West Bank.

 

On 11 December 2010, IOF killed two
Palestinians near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of
al-Boreij refugee camp. Palestinian
medical crews were not allow to evacuate the bodies for two days.

 

On 10 December 2010, two Palestinian
children were killed in al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in Gaza City by the explosion
of a projectile left by IOF.

 

On 13 December 2010, two activists
of the Palestinian resistance were wounded by shrapnel from flechette shells
fired by IOF in the northern Gaza Strip. 

 

During the reporting period, IOF
fired at Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction
materials. As a result, 12 workers, including
two children, were wounded by Israeli gunfire. 

 

On 10 December 2010, a Palestinian
farmer was wounded by Israeli gunfire in the southern Gaza Strip. 

 

During the reporting period, Israeli
warplanes attacked a number of targets in the Gaza Strip. As a result, a paramilitary site was
destroyed and two schools were heavily damaged in Gaza City, and a house and a
water well were damaged in al-Mughraqa village in the central Gaza Strip.

 

 

During the reporting period, IOF
used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest
to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation
wall. As a result, two Palestinian
civilians were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international
human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises.   IOF
also arrested 3 international human rights defenders.

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 35 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 15 Palestinian
civilians, including two children.

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

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

 

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

 

· Expanding the list of items allowed into Gaza
does not change the illegality of this policy, which is inconsistent with
Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying Power and under international
human rights treaties to which it is party, such as the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the
ground refute Israeli claims with
respect to the easing of the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and the
reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of goods.

 

· Israeli
declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes
an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the
minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have
continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip. 

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from 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 access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

West
Bank

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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, Israeli
occupation authorities demolished two under-construction houses in East
Jerusalem, claiming that they were being 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 09 December
2010, a number of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, broke into Kufol Hares village,
north of Salfit, allegedly to perform religious rituals. When they were on their way from Joshua Tomb
to Zulkifl Tomb, they attacked a Palestinian civilian vehicle.

 

On 09 December
2010, waste water flowed from “Sha’ari Tikva” settlement to the east
of ‘Azzoun ‘Atma village, southeast of Qalqilya, onto the yards and playgrounds
of ‘Azzoun-Beit Amin Secondary School. 

 

On 13 December
2010, at least 15 Israeli settlers from “Sousa” settlement, south of
Hebron, including a number of armed ones, attacked residences of 4 Palestinian
families counting at least 70 individuals. They used stones and sticks to attack Palestinian civilians. As a result, a Palestinian civilian was
injured.

 

On 14 December
2010, IOF destroyed 6 water wells in Um al-Daraj village, southeast of Hebron,
claiming that they were established without licenses. These wells used to provide drinking water
for sheep. They belonging to the
families of Sarai’a and Hathalin. The
destruction of these wells came in the context of efforts to force Palestinian
civilians living in the area to leave it.

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (09 – 15 December 2010)

 

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

 

Thursday, 09 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Kufol Hares village, northwest of
Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
and arrested Jalal Mahmoud Abu Ya’qoub, 35.

 

· At
approximately 02:40, Israeli warplanes fired 4 missiles, 3 of which hit an
under-construction house, a water well and a site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam
Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), in al-Mughraqa village in the central Gaza
Strip. The fourth missile landed at the
entrance of the village, nearly 50 meters away from a police station. The house and the well, which belong to ‘Abed
Rabbu ‘Awad ‘Obaid, and the site were damaged. Electricity was also cut from large parts of the central Gaza
Strip. No casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 02:50, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at Tunisia site of the
‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in al-Dabba area in
al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. The site was destroyed and a number of nearby
schools were heavily damaged. No casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 05:30, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm.
They raided two houses belonging to the families of Ahmed Yousef ‘Assas, 37,
and Tayseer Mahmoud Jaber, 39, and arrested the two persons. It is worth noting that IOF arrested the two
persons on 17 September 2010 and released them a few days before their latest
detention.

 

· At
approximately 07:30, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
north of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip fired at a number of
Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials from a
site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli Sinai” used to
stand. As a result, two workers were
wounded:

 

1. Sultan
   Sa’d Izma’il, 29, wounded by a bullet to the right leg; and
2. Ahmed
   Sa’d Ghaben, 20, wounded by a bullet to the right thigh.

 

· At
approximately 10:15, IOF moved into Jayous village, north of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Hijja village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 22:20, IOF moved into Salfit. They patrolled in the streets from some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Kufor Laqef village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

Friday,
10 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

· In the early
morning, IOF moved into town, southwest of Hebron. They raided, searched and damaged a number of
houses and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. ‘Abdullah
   Mohammed al-‘Amaira, 22;
2. Ra’fat
   Mohammed Rajoub, 20;
3. ‘Omar
   Mahmoud Rajoub, 20;
4. Majdi
   Jaber Rajoub, 27; and
5. ‘Imad
   Ahmed Jadallah, 27. 

 

During the house raids, IOF forced Jadallah’s wife, who had given
birth in a caesarian operation 3 days earlier, and her baby to stay out in cold
weather for nearly an hour.

 

· At
approximately 07:55, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
north of the Bedouin village in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number
of Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials
from Erez industrial zone. As a result,
Hussam Tawfiq Abu Hashish, 19, was wounded by a bullet to the right thigh, when
he was nearly 200 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and
Israel. 

 

· At
approximately 08:20, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
north of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of
Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials from a
site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli Sinai” used to
stand. As a result, Rasmi Ibrahim
Ghaben, 16, from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the right leg, when he
was nearly 150 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and
Israel. 

 

· At
approximately 09:00, Israeli soldiers stationed at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel to the east of the southern Gaza Strip of Khan Yunis opened
fire at Palestinian agricultural areas in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. As a result, Nidal Hassan al-Najjar, 16, was wounded by a bullet to the
right foot, when he was nearly 800 meters away from the border. 

 

· At
approximately 09:00, Mo’men Nahidh Hilles, 16, and Muntasser ‘Omar al-Batniji,
16, from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, were killed. According to investigations conducted by
PCHR, the two children were on a tract of land belonging to ‘Omar Hamed al-Batniji,
nearly 2,000 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and
Israel. Ayman al-Batniji, spokesman of
the Palestinian police, stated to PCHR that the two children were killed when
they played with a projectile of the remainders of IOF, which was covered by
sand. The projectile exploded and killed
the two children.

 

· At
approximately 11:00, IOF moved into al-Naqoura village, northwest of
Nablus. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported. 

 

· At
approximately 11:55, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number
of Palestinian workers who were collecting woods and scraps of construction
materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli
Sinai” used to stand. As a result,
Suhaib Sami Ma’rouf, 16, was wounded by a bullet to the leg, when he was nearly
200 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

 

· At
approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 20:20, IOF moved into Hijja village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 20:55, IOF moved into Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 11 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Magharet al-Dab’a village, south of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 00:10, IOF moved into Ras Teera village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Naqoura village, northwest of
Nablus. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 07:15, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
north of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of
Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials from a
site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli Sinai” used to
stand. No casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 09:00, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and
Israel to the east of al-Boreij refugee camp fired a number of artillery shells
at two Palestinians who got close to the border killing them. Soon, an Israeli military spokesman claimed
that IOF killed two Palestinians who attempted to clash with them. Medical crews of Palestine Red Crescent
Society went to the area to remove the bodies following coordination through
the ICRC, but IOF prevented them from attending the bodies. Two days later, at approximately 15:00, IOF
allowed medical crews to evacuate the bodies from the area. The two victims were identified as:

 

1. Ussama
   Kamal Ghazi al-Nabahin, 20, from Nussairat refugee camp, a student in the
   police college in Gaza; and
2. Jihad
   ‘Izzat Ahmed al-Hour, a worker from Nussairat refugee camp.

 

· At
approximately 10:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number
of Palestinian workers who were collecting woods and scraps of construction
materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli
Sinai” used to stand. As a result,
Mohammed Sa’id al-Debes, 26, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the
left leg, when he was nearly 250 meters away from the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel.

 

· At
approximately 11:20, Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel to the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun
opened fire at Palestinian farmers who were on their lands. The framers fled from the area and no
casualties were reported.

 

Sunday, 12 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tayaseer village, east of Tubas. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported. 

 

· At
approximately 08:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number
of Palestinian workers who were collecting woods and scraps of construction
materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli
Sinai” used to stand. As a result,
‘Aziz ‘Aayesh al-Sous, 34, from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the left
thigh, when he was nearly 200 meters away from the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel.

 

· At
approximately 10:40, IOF moved into Baqat al-Hatab village, east of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 10:55, IOF moved into the area located between ‘Azzoun and
‘Assala villages, east of Qalqilya. They
raided and searched an animal farm. They
withdrew from the area later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately
11:45, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 13 December 2010

 

· At approximately 13:50, IOF positioned at the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel to the northwest of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit
Lahia fired a flechette shell at a number of activists of the ‘Izziddin
al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), who were in a mission near
al-Wahah tourist resort to the northwest of Beit Lahia town. As a result, two activists were wounded by
shrapnel. The flechette shell is an
illegal anti-personnel weapon that is generally fired from a tank. The shell
explodes in the air and releases thousands of metal darts 37.5 mm in length,
which disperse in a conical arch three hundred meters long and about ninety
meters wide. Since the beginning of the
al-Aqsa intifada, IOF has used flechettes against Palestinians in the Gaza
Strip. A number of Palestinians were
killed by such shells. 

 

· At
approximately 23:55, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians – two children and the father of one of
them:

 

1. Ahmed
   Nidal Eslim, 17;
2. As’ad
   Muhanna Mash’al, 16; and
3. Muhanna
   Mash’al, 38.

 

Tuesday, 14 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Yatta village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Kamal Ahmed Abu Zahra, 23, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Bitounia town, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Khaled Mohammed Abu al-Baha, 37, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 08:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number
of Palestinian workers who were collecting woods and scraps of construction
materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli
Sinai” used to stand. As a result,
Mohammed Motei’ Shkhaidem, 23, from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the
feet and shrapnel to the left hand, when he was nearly 90 meters away from the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

 

· At
approximately 10:50, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
north of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of
Palestinian workers who were collecting woods and scraps of construction
materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli
Sinai” used to stand. As a result,
Nasser Jom’a Abu Warda, 29, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the
left leg, when he was nearly150 meters away from the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel. Two hours later,
Israeli soldiers fired at workers in the same area again. As a result, Fadi Fareed Abu Hwaished, 18,
from the Bedouin Village, was wounded by
a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 100 meters away from the border.

 

· At
approximately 20:30, IOF moved into al-‘Ouja village, northeast of
Jericho. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Tammoun village, south of Tubas. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of ‘Abdul Sattar Khaled Bani ‘Ouda, 22, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Ektaba suburb, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to
Salah Mahmoud ‘Alariya, 45, and arrested him

 

· At
approximately 09:50, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers to the
north of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of
Palestinian workers who were collecting woods and scraps of construction
materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of “Elli Sinai”
used to stand. As a result, Waleed
Nasser Ma’rouf, 21, from Beit Lahia town, was wounded by a bullet to the left
leg, when he was nearly150 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip
and Israel. 

 

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

 

During
the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized
by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the
West Bank. As a result, two Palestinian
civilians were wounded. Dozens of Palestinian
civilians and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation and
others sustained bruises. 

   

· Following the
Friday Prayer on 10 December 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders, including Dr. Mustafa
al-Barghouthi, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative; Moheeb
‘Awad, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council; Hisham Abu Raya, member
of the political bureau of Palestine Liberation Front; and Jamal Jom’a,
Coordinator of the Public Committee against the Wall and Settlement in the West
Bank, organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah,
on the 23^rd anniversary of the first Palestinian Intifada,
International Human Rights Day and the first anniversary of the detention of
‘Abdullah Abu Rahma, an activist against the construction of the annexation
wall. They moved towards the annexation
wall. Israeli soldiers stationed in the
area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at
the demonstrators. As a result, Mohammed
Shawkat al-Khatib, 19, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot. A number of demonstrators also suffered from
tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli
soldiers. Additionally, IOF arrested a
German human rights defender, who has not been identified.

  

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 10 December 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
Israeli troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli 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 10 December 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in commemoration of
the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, and 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. As a result,
a number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others . IOF also arrested an Israeli human rights
defender. They further turned the roof
of a house belonging to ‘Abdul Hafiz al-Tamimi into a military site until
approximately 16:30.

 

· At
approximately 12:00 on Friday, 10 December 2010, on the 43^rd
anniversary of the establishment of the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine and the 23^rd anniversary of the first Palestinian
Intifada, dozens of Palestinian civilians and a number of international human
rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara
village, south of Bethlehem. The
demonstrator moved towards areas of Palestinian agricultural land closed or
threatened to be confiscated by IOF. When the demonstrators arrived at the western entrance of the village,
dozens of Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at
them. As a result, 8 demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

·  At approximately 11:30, dozens of Palestinian
civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, in protest to Israeli
settlement activities and the establishment of a fence at the main road near
the village. The demonstrators moved
towards the eastern entrance of the village, where an Israeli military
checkpoint and an observation tower stand. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs
at the demonstrators. As a result, Saqer
Sadiq Abu Maria, 38, was wounded by shrapnel from a sound bombs to the left
hand, and a number of other demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli soldiers also beat a number of
demonstrators. Those demonstrators
sustained bruises, including an American Human rights defender was later
arrested by Israeli soldiers.

 

3. Continued
Closure of the OPT

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

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

 

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

 

· Expanding the
list of items allowed into Gaza does not change the illegality of this policy,
which is inconsistent with Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying
Power and under international human rights treaties to which it is party, such
as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the
ground refute Israeli claims with respect to the easing of the closure imposed
on the Gaza Strip and the reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of
goods.

 

· Israeli
declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes
an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the
minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have
continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip. 

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from 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 access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

At
approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the Egyptian authorities decided
to open Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border in both
directions without specifying a date for its closure. The Egyptian decisions came following the
Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla in international water. On the following morning, the crossing point
was effectively opened and restricted categories of Palestinian civilians were
allowed to travel through it.

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

08 –
14 December 2010

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

08 –
14 December 2010

 

 

Exports through Karm Abu Salem Crossing:

 

On Wednesday, 08 December 2010, IOF allowed the export of 36,000
flowers and 4.8 tons of strawberries. 

 

On Thursday, 09 December 2010, IOF allowed the export of 15,000
flowers and 9 tons of strawberries. 

 

On Monday, 13 December 2010, IOF allowed the export of 72,000
flowers and 19.7 tons of strawberries. 

 

On Tuesday, 14 December 2010, IOF allowed the export of 130,000
flowers.

 

Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: During the
reporting period, IOF partially opened the crossing on Wednesday, 08 December
2010, and allowed the entry of 2,496 tons of wheat and 2,886 tons of fodders. They opened it again on Tuesday, 14 December
2010, and allowed the entry of 7,140 tons of construction aggregate.  

 

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

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

08 –
14 December 2010

 

 

The West Bank

 

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

 

· Jerusalem: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians to and from the city. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. IOF have
established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the
movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim
Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.      

 

· Hebron:  IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Sunday noon, 12 December 2010, IOF
established 3 checkpoint in various areas in Hebron. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. On Monday morning, 13
December 2010, IOF established a number of checkpoints to the south and
southwest of Hebron. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· 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 checks of
Palestinian civilians. During the
reporting period, IOF established a number of temporary checkpoints, and
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 21:00 on Thursday, 09
December 2010, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint at the
northern entrance of Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
21:00 on Saturday, 11 December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha
al-Misbah Bridge, west of Ramallah. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:40 on Thursday, 09
December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of
Qalqilya. On Friday, 10 December 2010,
IOF established 4 checkpoints around the town. Israeli soldiers positioned at these checkpoints stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Saturday,
11 December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint around Qalqilya. On Sunday, 12 December 2010, IOF established
a checkpoint at the entrance of Ematin village, east of Qalqilya, and another
one at Jeet intersection, east of the town. On Monday, 13 December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the
entrance of Qalqilya, and another one at Kufor Laqef intersection, east of the
town. Israeli soldiers stationed at
these checkpoints stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 14
December 2010, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance of Beit Leed
village on Tulkarm-Nablus road. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 16:00 on Wednesday, 15
December 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm,
imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

 

· Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to close the northern
entrance of Salfit with cement blocks and sand barriers since 2000. They have also continued to close two roads
linking Marda village with agricultural land belonging to it.  At approximately 12:00 on Monday, 13 December
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kufor al-Dik village,
west of Salfit. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.  

 

· Jericho: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:00 on Friday, 10 December
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk village,
north of Jericho. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

· On Friday
morning, 10 December 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at Barta’a checkpoints,
southwest of Jenin, arrested Wasfi ‘Izzat Qabaha, 51, former Palestinian
Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs. 

 

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 09:00 on Friday, Qabaha,
his wife and their two daughters arrived at Barta’a checkpoint. They handed their identity cards to Israeli
soldiers in order to be allowed to cross towards Eastern Barta’a village, which
has been isolated by the annexation wall. Israeli soldiers allowed the wife and the two daughter to cross the
checkpoint, but asked Qabaha to wait. Soon after, an Israeli soldier gave him a mobile phone in order to talk
with an Israeli officer. Another soldier
ordered Qabaha’s wife and daughters to travel to Barta’a village, and informed
them that a vehicle would come to transport Qabaha to Salem military post for
an interview with an Israeli intelligence officer. Nearly 5 hours later, the family learnt that
an ambulance transported Qabaha to an Israeli hospital as he suffers from
diabetes. Qabaha’s sister, who holds an
Israeli identity card went to the hospital. She learnt that her brother had received medical treatment for two hours
and then left the hospital.  It is worth
noting that IOF raided Qabaha’s house on Thursday morning, 28 October 2010, and
informed him that he would be banned from entering his village, Eastern
Barata’a, but they later allowed him to enter the village for 40 days following
the death of his mother. 

 

· At
approximately 16:00 on Friday, 10 December 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at
al-Hamra checkpoint, southwest of Tubas, stopped a car in a wedding
convoy. They forced Mahmoud Suleiman
Qa’is, 25, from al-Mansoura village southwest of Jenin, to step down from the
car. Following a debate between him and
an Israeli soldier, he was detained. His
brother, Hassan, 26, went to inquire about the reason of detaining his brother,
but Israeli soldiers detained him too. The two brothers were then taken to an Israeli police station in
“Ariel” settlement, where they were interrogated. They were released at approximately 02:00 on
the following day.

 

· At
approximately 08:00 on Saturday, 11 December 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed
at Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus, arrested Ahmed Mahmoud Daraghma, 22,
from Tubas.

 

· At
approximately 12:00 on Saturday, 11 December 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed
at Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, arrested Ahmed ‘Abdul Rahman Bani
‘Ouda, 26, from Tammoun village south of Tubas.

 

· At
approximately 18:00 on Tuesday, 14 December 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at
Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, arrested Mohammed Jamal ‘Abdul Hadi, 26.

 

Harassment at Military Checkpoints

 

· At approximately
14:30 on Sunday, 12 December 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at a checkpoint
in Janba area to the south of Yatta village, south of Hebron, stopped Badi’
‘Abdullah al-Haddar, 49, when he was on his way back home from his work inside
Israel. They handcuffed and detained him
for two hours. They then violently beat
him. When they released him, he was
evacuated to a hospital.

 

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.

 

· On Tuesday morning, 14 December 2010, IOF,
accompanied by officials and bulldozers of the Israeli municipality of
Jerusalem, moved into Ras al-‘Aamoud neighborhood in Silwan village south of
the old town of Jerusalem. They
demolished an 80-square-meter, under-construction house belonging to ‘Abed
Bahjat Dwaik. The family had started to
build the house in the beginning of 2010. Two months ago, the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem handed a notice of
demolition of the house, claiming that it was being built without a
license. The family attempted through a
lawyer to obtain a license, but the municipality was faster than legal
procedures and demolished the house. Dwaik was not in the area when the house was being demolished. When he arrived the area, officials of the
municipality informed him that he would be forced to pay the expenses of
demolition – more than 30,000 NIS.

 

· Also on Tuesday morning, IOF, accompanied by
bulldozers of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem, moved into Jabal
al-Za’qouq area in Sour Baher village. They demolished a 160-square-meter, under-construction house belonging
to Samer Ibrahim ‘Amira, claiming that it was being built without a
license. The family did not receive any
demolition notice.

 

· IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege
on al-‘Eissawiya village in East Jerusalem. They have continued to stop and check Palestinian civilians at the
entrances of the village.  On Wednesday morning, 15 December 2010,
Israeli soldiers stopped a bus that was transporting Palestinian civilians,
including students, from al-‘Eissawiya village to the center of Jerusalem. Three soldiers get into the bust and verified
the identity cards of passenger. They asked
a 14-year-old child for his identity card and he told them that he is a minor. They asked him for his birth certificate, and
he told them that it was at home that he was going to school. They attempted to pull him out of the bus to
detain him. When he resisted, they
attacked him and other children and sprayed hot gas on them. A number of children suffered from
difficulties in breathing.

 

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 00:10 on Thursday, 09 December
2010, a number of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, broke into Kufol Hares
village, north of Salfit, allegedly to perform religious rituals. When they were on their way from Joshua Tomb
to Zulkifl Tomb, they attacked a Palestinian civilian vehicle belonging to
Ahmed ‘Awadh Bouziya. In his testimony
to PCHR, Bouziya said:

 

“At
approximately 00:30 on Thursday, 29 December 2010, I parked my car near my
house as usual and entered the house. We
learnt that the settlers came to the village to perform religious rituals, but
I did not expect anything. At
approximately 07:00, I got out of the house to find that my car was heavily
damaged by the settlers when they were on their way from Joshua Tomb to Zulkifl
Tomb. I paid 500 NIS to repair my
car.”

 

· On Thursday morning, 09 December 2010, waste
water flowed from “Sha’ari Tikva” settlement to the east of ‘Azzoun
‘Atma village, southeast of Qalqilya, onto the yards and playgrounds of
‘Azzoun-Beit Amin Secondary School. The
head of the local council of the village stated that waste water covered the
yards and playgrounds of the school, stressing that this problem recurs almost
every month, which caused health problems. He added that he informed the Palestinian liaison department and the
ICRC in order to intervene to solve this problem, but it has not be solved.

 

· On Monday afternoon, 13 December 2010, at least
15 Israeli settlers from “Sousa” settlement, south of Hebron,
including a number of armed ones, attacked residences of 4 Palestinian families
counting at least 70 individuals. They
used stones and sticks to attack Palestinian civilians. As a result, Ibrahim Isma’il al-Nawaj’a, 48,
was injured in the neck, and sustained bruises throughout the body.

 

· On Tuesday morning, 14 December 2010, IOF
destroyed 6 water wells in Um al-Daraj village, southeast of Hebron, claiming
that they were established without licenses. Two of these wells were established in the 1950s, whereas the others
were established 4 years ago. These
wells used to provide drinking water for sheep. They belonging to the families of Sarai’a and Hathalin. The destruction of these wells came in the
context of efforts to force Palestinian civilians living in the area to leave
it.

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Recommendations to the International
Community

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Public Document

For further information please visit
our website (www.pchrgaza.org) or contact
PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email ([email protected]) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).