March 18, 2010
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (11-17 March 2010)
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (11-17 March 2010)

Israeli
troops detain an international peace activist during a protest over land
confiscation in Beit Ummar village near Hebron

  

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

 

 

· IOF
used excessive forced against Palestinian peaceful demonstrations in the West
Bank.

 

· 31
Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and 5 women, were wounded by Israeli
gunfire.

 

· IOF
inaugurated a Jewish synagogue 300 meters away from the al-Aqsa Mosque in East
Jerusalem. 

 

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

 

· IOF
conducted 13 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and a
limited one into the Gaza Strip.

 

· IOF
arrested 27 Palestinian civilians, including two children and a journalist.  

 

· IOF
have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and have isolated the Gaza
Strip from the outside world.

 

· Israeli
troops stationed at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 3
Palestinian civilians.

 

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

 

 

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of
international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting
period (11 – 17 March 2010):

 

Shooting: During
the reporting period, 31 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and 5
women, were wounded when IOF used excessive force against peaceful
demonstrations organized in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall
and settlement activities in the West Bank.

 

During the reporting period, IOF issued a military
order declaring the area of the Annexation Wall in Bal’ein and Ne’lin villages,
west of Ramallah, a closed military zone on Fridays, banning access of
Palestinian civilians to the area.  According
to the order, such ban will remain effective until 17 August 2010. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, IOF fired at Palestinian workers
and fishing boats.  They also fire at a
peaceful protest against the security zone IOF plan to establish along the
border. 

 

On 12 March 2010, Israeli warplanes bombarded and
destroyed a factory of plastics in Khan Yunis.

 

Incursions: During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 13 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  IOF arrested 27 Palestinian civilians, including
two children and a journalist.  

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 12 March 2010, IOF moved into
the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip.  They leveled areas of land which they had
already razed.

 

Restrictions
on Movement:
IOF have 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

 

IOF have continued to close all border crossings to
the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli siege of Gaza, which has
steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the
humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.   

 

· On
Friday, 01 January 2010, IOF decided to close the crossing permanently, and to
allow the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing,
southeast of Rafah, for security claims.     

 

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

 

· The
main concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs
of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.

 

· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two years.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

· IOF
have imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to 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 sharply mounted.

 

· At
least 800 Gazan prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived for family
visitation for more than two years. 

 

· IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.

 

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 the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

 

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

 

· When
complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around
the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the
Wall has 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 leads to 18 Palestinian communities in the
West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF (47 out of 72 roads).

 

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

 

Efforts to Create a Jewish Majority in Jerusalem: On Thursday, 11 March
2010, IOF started imposing increased restrictions on the movement of
Palestinians in the old city.  According to eyewitnesses, hundreds of
Border Police officers established military checkpoints at the entrances of the
old city, on all of the streets inside the walls of the old city, as well as on
streets in the immediate vicinity.  They
prevented all those who were not residents of the old city from entering
it. In addition, Palestinians under 50 years of age were not permitted to
enter al-Aqsa Mosque, all gates to the al-Aqsa compound, with the exception of
al-Majles, Hattah and al-Selselah gates, were closed.  On Saturday, 13
March 2010, IOF closed al-Aqsa Secondary School for Girls, the
Shari’a
Secondary School and the Islamic Kindergarten of al-Aqsa, all of which are
located inside al-Aqsa compound.  These measures, which are still ongoing,
came on the eve of the inauguration of a synagogue in al-Shorfah neighborhood.  The synagogue is located 300 meters to the
west of al-Aqsa Mosque and was inaugurated yesterday, on Monday, 15 March 2010.

 

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli
settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

 

On Thursday morning, 11 March, the Israeli daily
Ha’aretz reported that the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem set out plans to
build thousands of housing units in Jerusalem, especially in the east and south
of the city.  The plans are supported by
the Israeli government.  The distribution
of the new unit is like this:  3,000
units in “Gilo” settlement; 1,500 one in “Har Homa”
settlement; 1,500 ones in “Pisgat Ze’ev” settlement; 3,000 one in
“Giv’at Matosim” settlement; 1,200 ones in “Ramot”
settlement; 600 ones in “Armona Netseev” settlement; 450 in
“Neve Yacov” settlement; and 144 ones in “Olive Mount”
settlement.  A new settlement
neighborhood of 13,000 housing unit will also be established near al-Walaja
village, northwest of Bethlehem.

 

On Friday morning, 12 March 2010, dozens of Israeli
settlers from “Elli” settlement attacked Battisha area in the
northwest of Qaryout village, southeast of Nablus.  They uprooted 40 olive trees.

 

 

 

Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (11 – 17 March 2010)

 

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

 

Thursday,
11 March 2010

 

· At
approximately 23:45, Israeli war planes dropped a bomb on al-Shouka village
near the Egyptian border, southeast of Rafah, allegedly to destroy
tunnels.  No casualties or damage were
reported.

 

Friday, 12 March 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Ramallah. 
A number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at Israeli
military vehicles.  Immediately, Israeli
troops fired at the boys.  They withdrew
from the town later, and no casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp.  They raided and searched a number of houses,
but no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 09:40, IOF moved nearly 200 meters into the east of Jabalya town
in the northern Gaza Strip.  They leveled
areas of land, which they had already razed. 
At approximately 11:10, IOF moved south towards the east of al-Tuffah
neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.  IOF
redeployed outside these areas in the evening. 
No casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:20, Israeli troops stationed on observation towers at Beit
Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of
Palestinian workers who were collecting bricks and iron bars from the debris of
destroyed buildings.  The workers fled
and no casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 22:10, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahia beach in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats.  Palestinian fishermen were forced to sail
back to the beach, and no casualties or damage were reported.

 

· At
approximately 23:30, Israeli warplanes dropped two bombs on a factory of
plastics in al-Satar al-Gharbi area in Khan Yunis.  The 1,600-square-meter factor, which belongs
to Msallam Mohammed al-Haddad, was destroyed almost completely.  A nearby factory was also damaged. 

 

Sunday, 14 March 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Duhaisha refugee camp, south of
Bethlehem.  They raided and searched a
house belonging to the family of Hamed Mohammed Hammad, 35, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-Shurfa neighborhood in al-Bireh.  They raided and searched a house belonging to
Maher ‘Abdullah Jom’a, and arrested his wife, Amani Jom’a, 37.

 

 

 

Monday, 15 March 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Sourif village, north of Hebron.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 7 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Ahmed Jamal Abu Fara, 18;

2. Adham Hamdi Abu Fara, 18;

3. Ahmed Shaker al-Heeh, 19;

4. Bahaa’ Mazen Ehmaidat, 18;

5. Mahmoud Mousa al-Masri, 18;

6. ‘Alaa’ Ibrahim Barath’iya, 18; and

7. Mahmoud Mousa Ehmaidat, 18.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Kharbtha Bani Hareth village, west of
Ramallah.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and summoned Mohammed Bilal al-Sheikh, 21, and Khaled Nemer
al-‘Abed, 26.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Salem village, east of Nablus.  They besieged a 5-storey apartment building,
in which 5 families counting 30 people live. 
They ordered resident of the building to get out.  Israeli troops verified their identity cards
and held them in one room on the third floor, excluding Ibrahim Jameel
Eshtayeh, 26, who was held on the second floor. 
Soon after, Israeli troops searched the building using dogs.  At approximately 03:30, Israeli troop
withdrew from the area detaining Eshtayeh. 

 

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Reema village, north of Ramallah.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Ghassan ‘Abbas al-Reemawi, 19;

2. Saddam Tayseer al-Asmar, 19; and

3. ‘Orabi Hussein al-Reemawi, 35.

 

· At
approximately 11:00, the Israeli police stormed the African quarter in the old
town of Jerusalem.  They raided and
searched houses and fired tear gas canisters in alleys.  A number of old people suffered from tear gas
inhalation.  The Israeli police arrested
5 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a journalist:

 

1. Haitham Jadda;

2. Tha’er Seder;

3. Shadi Seder;

4. ‘Abdul Qader al-Qadhi; and

5. Mousa Qous, a journalist.

 

· At
approximately 12:05, Israeli troops stationed at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel to the northwest of Beit Lahia town fired into the air to
force Palestinian demonstrators who organized a peaceful protest over an
Israeli decision to create a 300-meter-wide buffer zone along the border.  No casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 20:30, IOF moved into Madama village, southeast of Nablus.  They patrolled in the streets and detonated 3
sound bombs.  They also arrested 3
Palestinian civilians in the streets:

1. Ahmed Jebril Ziada, 25;

2. Ahmed ‘Abdul Ghani Ziada, 19; and

3. Wissam Rezeq Ziada, 19.

 

Wednesday, 17 March 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Ameer Ibrahim Sabarna, 20;

2. Ibrahim Sa’id ‘Awadh, 17; and

3. Eyad ‘Omar Sabarna, 20.

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Housan village, west of Bethlehem.  They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Shadi Mohammed Za’oul, 17, and arrested him.

 

· At
noon, Israeli troops chased a number of Palestinian children into Beit Ummar
village, north of Hebron, claiming that they threw stones at a checkpoint
established at the entrance of the village. 
Israeli troop fired rubber-coated metal bullet at the children.  As a result, Khaled Ahmed al-‘Allami, 14, was
wounded in the head.

 

2. Use of Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrations

 

IOF have continued to
construct the Annexation Wall and inside West Bank territory.  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.  At least 20 Palestinian civilians, including
two children, were wounded, and other sustained bruises or suffered from tear
gas inhalation. 

 

· During
the reporting period, IOF issued a military order declaring the area of the
Annexation Wall in Bal’ein and Ne’lin villages, west of Ramallah, a closed
military zone on Fridays, banning access of Palestinian civilians to the
area.  According to the order, such ban
will remain effective until 17 August 2010.

  

· Following
the Friday Prayer on 12 March 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bal’ein
village, west of Ramallah.  The
demonstrators moved towards the Wall and attempted to cross it towards annexed
lands. Immediately, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound
bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators.  Two Palestinian civilians, including a child,
were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets:

 

1. Mohammed Ahmed Hamad, 18, wounded in
the right leg; and

2. Mohammed Adeeb Abu Rahma, 15, wounded
in the back.

 

Additionally, dozens of demonstrators suffered from
tear gas inhalation, and some of them sustained bruises.

 

· Also
on Friday noon, 12 March 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in
Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the
Annexation Wall.  They clashed with IOF
troops positioned near the Wall.  IOF
troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at
demonstrators.  Dozens of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation, and other sustained bruises.  Israeli troops also arrested Salah Mustafa
‘Amira, 37, a farmer, and Sarita Haim, an Israeli human rights defender.

 

· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 12 March 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in protest to land confiscation in Wad al-Raya area between Nabi
Saleh and Deir Nizam villages, northwest of Ramallah.  When the demonstrators attempted to reach
areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement,
Israeli troop fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas
canisters at them.  As a result, 18
Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded by rubber-coated
metal bullets:

 

1. ‘Omar Salah Tamimi, 25, wounded in the back;

2. Shadi ‘Ali Tamimi, 29, wounded in the
head;

3. Majd Daifallah Tamimi, 16, wounded in
the back;

4. Shokri Mahmoud Tamimi, 29, wounded in
the left leg;

5. Ziad ‘Abdul Raziq Tamimi, wounded in
the left leg;

6. Rami Hussein Tamimi, 28, wounded in the
back;

7. Nasser Hassan Tamimi, 27, wounded in
the left leg;

8. Ref’at Wajeeh Tamimi, 23, wounded in
the back;

9. Mohammed Jalal Tamimi, 25, wounded in
the right hand;

10. Ra’fat Wajeeh Tamimi, 24, wounded in
the back;

11. Ra’fat Tal’at Tamimi, 22, wounded in
the right hand;

12. ‘Aatef Mohammed Tamimi, 22, wounded in
the back;

13. Mo’taz Jalal Tamimi, 16, wounded in the
left leg;

14. Ahmed Mohammed Reemawi, 23, wounded in
the back;

15. ‘Abdul Hakim Mohammed Tamimi, 24,
wounded in the right leg;

16. Murad Saif Tamimi, 23, wounded in the
back;

17. Bahaa’ Jalal Tamimi, 23, wounded in the
right leg; and

18. Amjad ‘Abdul Hafiz Tamimi, 23, wounded
in the left leg.

 

Dozens of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas
inhalation, and other sustained bruises.

 

· Also
on Friday noon, 12 March 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international human rights defenders and peace activists organized a peaceful
demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem.  They moved towards the Annexation Walla in
the north and west of the village.  Immediately,
Israeli troops fired sound bombs and beat a number of demonstrators.  As a result, ‘Ali ‘Alaa’ al-Din, 25, and
Mahmoud Mousa, 26, sustained bruises.

 

· On
Saturday morning, 13 March 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and about 30
international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, in protest to the
construction of the Annexation Wall and settlement activities.  The demonstrators moved from the east of the
village towards bypass road #60.  Israeli
troops stationed in the area fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters and
chased the demonstrators.  They beat a
number of civilians, including two journalists while photographing the
demonstration:  Yusri Mahmoud al-Jamal,
35, a cameraman of Reuters; and Yousef ‘Eissa Shaheen, 22, a cameraman of
Palmedia Group.  They also arrested two
Israeli human rights defenders, two journalists (Nasser Hussin Shyoukhi, 45,
and Fadi Eyad Hamad, 25, cameramen of Associated Press), and Yousef ‘Abdul
Hamid Abu Maria, 37.  They released all detainees,
excluding the latter, a few hours later.  Additionally, dozens of civilians suffered
from tear gas inhalation. 

 

· Also
on Saturday, 13 March 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and women’s rights
activists organized a peaceful demonstration in celebration of International
Women’s Day, near Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah.  Israeli troops closed the checkpoint.  When the demonstrators attempted to cross the
checkpoint towards Jerusalem, Israeli troops prevented them.  In response, the demonstrators threw stones
at Israeli troops.  Immediately, Israeli
troops fired at the demonstrators.  As a
result, 5 women were wounded:

 

1. An’am Mahmoud Khader, 55, hit by a
sound bomb to the right leg;

2. Majeda Mohammed ‘Alawna, 43, wounded by
a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left leg;

3. Nada ‘Ersan Twair, 48, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet to the left hand;

4. Sa’eda al-Haj ‘Ali, 55, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet to the back; and

5. Alaa’ Ibrahim al-Khatib, 17, wounded by
a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg.

 

· At
approximately 13:00 on Monday, 15 March 2010, dozens of students of Bir Zeit
University, north of Ramallah, organized a peaceful demonstration in protest to
Israeli measures in Jerusalem.  They
moved towards ‘Attara checkpoint at the entrance of Bir Zeit village, and threw
stones at Israeli troops in the area. 
Immediately, Israeli troops fired at the students.  As a result, 3 students were wounded:

 

1. Ahmed Fawzi Yousef, 22, wounded by
shrapnel from a gunshot to the abdomen;

2. Mlabbas Hassan ‘Abdullah, 20, wounded
by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the jaw; and

3. Basheer Yousef Mahmoud, 21, wounded by
shrapnel from a gunshot to the right thigh.

 

3. Continued Siege on the OPT

 

IOF have 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

 

IOF have continued to close all border crossings to
the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli siege of Gaza, which has steadily
tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and
economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

 

· On
Friday, 01 January 2010, IOF decided to close the crossing permanently, and to
allow the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing,
southeast of Rafah, for security claims.     

 

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

 

· The
main concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs
of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.

 

· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two years.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

· IOF
have imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to 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 sharply mounted.

 

· At
least 800 Gazan prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived for family
visitation for more than two years. 

 

· IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.

 

Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting
Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

10 –
16 March 2010

 

Date

Details

10 March 2010

8 Palestinians were allowed to travel
to Egypt and 118 others and the body of a dead one were allowed into the Gaza
Strip.

11 March 2010

24 Palestinians were allowed to travel
to Egypt and 197 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

12 March 2010

One Palestinian was allowed into the
Gaza Strip.

13 March 2010

Closed.

14 March 2010

3 Palestinians were allowed into the
Gaza Strip.

15 March 2010

3 Palestinians were allowed into the
Gaza Strip.

16 March 2010

Two Palestinians were allowed to travel
to Egypt and 3 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

10 –
16 March 2010

 

Date

Details

10 March 2010

88 containers of food aid for
international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders, 171
tons of cooking gas and 225,000 liters of energy were allowed into the Gaza
Strip.   

11 March 2010

138 containers of food aid for
international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders, 172.290
tons of cooking gas and 223,395 liters of energy were allowed into the Gaza
Strip.   

12 March 2010

Closed.

13 March 2010

Closed.

14 March 2010

95 containers of food aid for
international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders, 209.788
tons of cooking gas and 209,788 liters of energy were allowed into the Gaza
Strip, and 130,980 flowers were exported. 
 

15 March 2010

90 containers of food aid for
international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders, 191.670
tons of cooking gas and 169,338 liters of energy were allowed into the Gaza
Strip.   

16 March 2010

109 containers of food aid for
international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders, 108.950
tons of cooking gas and 223,387 liters of energy were allowed into the Gaza
Strip.   

 

Al-Mentar
(Karni) Crossing:
IOF partially
opened the crossing on Wednesday, 10 March 2010, and allowed the entry of 1,287
tons of wheat and 1,326 tons of fodders. 
They opened it again on Tuesday, 16 March 2010, and allowed the entry of
546 tons of wheat and 351 tons of fodders. 

 

Beit
Hanoun (Erez) Crossing:
IOF have continued
to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the movement of Palestinian civilians.
They have allowed only diplomats, a number of international journalists,
workers at international agencies and a few 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.  As mentioned above, IOF have
allowed a few number of patients to pass through the crossing, but under severe
restrictions that include prolonged checking.

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

10 –
16 March 2010

 

Date

Patients

Companions

Arabs from Israel

Ambassadors

International Journalists

International Workers

Travelers abroad

Traders

10 March 2010

30

26

2

12

2

42

Nil

2

11 March 2010

24

31

7

20

14

64

Nil

Nil

12 March 2010

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

13

Nil

Nil

13 March 2010

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

14 March 2010

49

48

6

Nil

2

14

Nil

5

15 March 2010

39

41

7

Nil

3

12

2

3

16 March 2010

51

49

17

3

3

22

3

2

 

The
West Bank

 

IOF have
imposed a tightened siege on the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF
imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

 

· Jerusalem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from 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 to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. On Thursday, 11
March 2010, IOF started imposing increased restrictions on the movement of
Palestinians in the old city. According to eyewitnesses, hundreds of
Border Police officers established military checkpoints at the entrances of the
old city, on all of the streets inside the walls of the old city, as well as on
streets in the immediate vicinity. They prevented all those who were not
residents of the old city from entering it. In addition, Palestinians
under 50 years of age were not permitted to enter al-Aqsa Mosque, all gates to
the al-Aqsa compound, with the exception of al-Majles, Hattah and al-Selselah
gates, were closed. On Saturday, 13 March 2010, IOF closed al-Aqsa
Secondary School for Girls, the
Shari’a Secondary School and the Islamic
Kindergarten of al-Aqsa, all of which are located inside al-Aqsa compound. 

 

· Ramallah:  IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian
civilians in Ramallah.  IOF troops
positioned at Jaba’-Qalandya checkpoint, southeast of Ramallah, have imposed
additional restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged checking on
Palestinian civilians.  During the
reporting period, IOF erected a number of temporary checkpoints, and stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 
At approximately 11:30 on Saturday, 13 March 2010, IOF established a
checkpoint near ‘Attara village, north of Ramallah.  They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.             

 

· Nablus:  IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.  On Friday morning, 05 March 2010,
Israeli troops stationed at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, imposed
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

 

· Hebron:  IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.  On Wednesday noon, 17 March
2010, IOF closed all entrance and roads leading to Hebron.  They also established checkpoints on roads
leading to neighboring villages and refugee camps.  They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.  They also closed a
branch road leading to the market in the northeast of Beit Ummar village, north
of Hebron, with cement blocks.   

 

Arrests
at Military Checkpoints

 

· On
Friday morning, 12 March 2010, Israeli troops stationed in the vicinity of the
Ibrahimi Mosque and the old town in Hebron arrested ‘Aliaa’ ‘Abdul Majid
al-Natsha, 30, claiming that she was carrying a knife. 

 

· At
approximately 16:00 on the same day, Israeli troops patrolling near the
Annexation Wall near “Maccavim” settlement to the west of Beit Sierra
village, west of Ramallah, arrested Jaber Sameer al-Khattab, 17, while he was
grazing animals.  They claimed that he
broke a gate on the Wall.  He was
released on bail at night. 

 

· On
Monday evening, 15 March 2010, Israeli troops stationed at the Container
checkpoint, northeast of Bethlehem, arrested ‘Omar ‘Alaa’ al-Din, 25, from
al-Ma’sara village south of Bethlehem.

 

Harassment
at Military Checkpoints

 

· At
approximately 15:30 on Friday, 12 March 2010, Israeli troops stationed at a
gate on the Annexation Wall stopped 4 Palestinian farmers from “Deir
al-Ghossoun” village, north of Tulkarm, while they were on their way back
homes.  They forced the farmers at
gunpoint to take their clothes off.  The
farmers are: Mohammed Nihad ‘Atwa, 23; Saleh Radi Daqqa, 28; Zaher Safwat
‘Ouda, 28; and Wa’el Subhi Khalil, 25.

 

 

 

4. Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian
Civilians and Property

 

IOF have continued
settlement activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian
law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

 

· On
Thursday morning, 11 March, the Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported that the
Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem set out plans to build thousands of housing
units in Jerusalem, especially in the east and south of the city.  The plans are supported by the Israeli
government.  The distribution of the new
unit is like this:  3,000 units in
“Gilo” settlement; 1,500 one in “Har Homa” settlement;
1,500 ones in “Pisgat Ze’ev” settlement; 3,000 one in “Giv’at
Matosim” settlement; 1,200 ones in “Ramot” settlement; 600 ones
in “Armona Netseev” settlement; 450 in “Neve Yacov”
settlement; and 144 ones in “Olive Mount” settlement.  A new settlement neighborhood of 13,000
housing unit will also be established near al-Walaja village, northwest of
Bethlehem.

 

· On
Friday morning, 12 March 2010, dozens of Israeli settlers from “Elli”
settlement attacked Battisha area in the northwest of Qaryout village,
southeast of Nablus.  They uprooted 40
olive trees belonging to Mohammed Jaber Mahmoud, Yasser Hassan Mansour, ‘Abdullah
Dib and Yousef Raja. 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

 

Recommendations to the International Community

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Public Document

For further information please visit our website (http://www.pchrgaza.org) or contact PCHR’s
office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email (
[email protected])
or telephone (+972 (0)8 2824776 – 2825893).