Israeli
Forces Arrest Young Man from Selwan

Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians
and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

 

 

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and
wounded 6 others in Jenin refugee camp in the north of the West Bank.

 

A Palestinian civilian died of previous wounds in
Bethlehem.

 

Israeli forces have continued to open fire at the
border areas in the Gaza Strip.

3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were
wounded in the northern and southern Gaza Strip.

 

Israeli forces have continued to use excessive force
against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.

 

Many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.

 

 

Israeli forces conducted 21 incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank.

 

At
least 12 Palestinians were arrested.

 

Israel has continued to impose a total closure on the
oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.

Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in
the West Bank.

At least 3 Palestinian civilians were arrested at
checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

Israeli navy forces have continued targeting
Palestinian fishermen in the sea.

Israeli naval forces opened fire twice at Palestinian
fishing boats, but no casualties were reported.

 

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

Israeli forces confiscated 10 dunums[1] of land in Qasra village near Nablus and denied
farmers access to other 500-dunum lands.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and
international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period
(12 – 18 December 2013).

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a
Palestinian civilian and wounded 6 others in Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin
in the northern West Bank. Moreover, medical sources pronounced a Palestinian
civilian from al-Dheisha refugee camp, southwest of Bethlehem, dead due to
wounds he had sustained during the al-Aqsa Intifada. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli
forces wounded 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, while Israeli naval
forces continued opening fire at the Palestinian fishing boats.

 

In the West Bank, on Wednesday evening, 18 December
2013, in an excessive use of lethal force, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian
civilian and wounded 6 others in Jenin refugee camp in Jenin.

 

In the same context, Medical sources at al-Maqased
Charitable Hospital in East Jerusalem pronounced Mo’een Mohammed al-Atrash (28),
from al-Dheisha refugee camp southwest of Bethlehem, dead of wounds he had sustained
in 2004.

 

Moreover, Israeli forces continued the systematic use
of excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian, Israeli
and international activists against the construction of the annexation wall and
settlement activities in the West. As a result, many protestors
suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten
up by Israeli soldiers.

 

In the Gaza Strip, 3 Palestinian civilians, including
a child and 2 farmers, were wounded. On 14 December 2013, a Palestinian
civilian was wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence
opened fire at him while he was about 200 meters to the east of al-Najjar
neighbourhood in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis.

 

On the same day, Israeli forces stationed on the
northern borders between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired a number of artillery
shells at open area, north of Um al-Nasser Bedouin village, and northwest of
al-Nada housing project, but no casualties were reported.

 

On 15 December 2013, a farmer from Ezbet Beit Hanoun
was wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, northeast of
Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of framers who
were 500 meters away from the said fence.

 

On 16 December 2013, another farmer, from Jabalia, was
wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Jabalia,
in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of farmers who were about
600 meters away from the said fence.

 

On 17 and 18 December 2013, Israeli forces stationed
in watchtowers, east of Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at
a number of farmers, shepherds and bird hunters in the east of Beit Hanoun. As
a result, they all fled away fearing of being wounded.

 

In the context of targeting fishermen in the sea, on
16 and 17 December 2013, Israeli forces stationed off al-Waha resort, northwest
of Beit Lahia, opened sporadic fire at Palestinian fishing boats that were
sailing about 3 nautical miles off the shore. However, neither casualties nor
material damage were reported.

 

 

Incursions:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted
at least 21 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During
these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 12 Palestinians, including Ali
al-Sa’di (25) from Jenin refugee camp, in the northern West Bank, who had been
wounded.

 

PCHR points that its fieldworkers in the West Bank,
especially in Hebron, Bethlehem and Nablus, could not move due to the blizzard
that hit Palestine last week.

 

Restrictions on movement:

 

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

 

The illegal 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 Israeli authorities impose measures to
undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip
population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 7
consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate
the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other
countries around the world. This resulted in a grave violation of the economic,
social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7
million people.  The Israeli authorities
has established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports
and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy that
has been aggravating for years due to the shortage of imports.  They also aim at imposing a complete ban on
the Gaza Strip’s exports. 

 

Israeli forces 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.

 

As part of using military checkpoints and border
crossings as traps to arrest Palestinian civilians under the pretext they are
wanted, Israeli forces arrested at least 3 civilians in the West Bank.

Settlement activities

 

Israel has
continued its settlement activities in the oPt, a direct violation of
international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack
Palestinian civilians and property.

 

On
17 December 2013, Israeli forces issued a decision to confiscate 10 dunums of land
in Qasrah village, southeast of Nablus. 
These confiscated lands are in “al-Wa’ar” area, which has always been
attacked by settlers from “Yish Kodish” settlement established on the
aforementioned village’s lands.

 

 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period
(12 – 18 December 2013)

 

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

Thursday, 12 December 2013

 

At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into
Beita village, south of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses
from which they arrested Shadi Khaled ‘Edeili (18); Khobab Jehad Hamayel (18)
and Hamada Emad Hamayel (19).   

 

At approximately 18:00, Israeli forces moved into Azzoun
village, east of Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

Saturday, 14 December 2013

 

At approximately 19:30, Israeli forces stationed along
the border fence, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire
at Naji Rajab al-Qassas (22), from Khan Yunis, while he was about 200 meters
away from the above-mentioned fence. As a result, al-Qassas was wounded by 3
bullets to the right leg. He crawled about 200 meters under fire, and when a
civilian saw him, he took him by his motorbike to al-Najjar neighbourhood in
Khuza’a village. An ambulance arrived and took him to the European Gaza Hospital,
where doctors found that he was wounded by a bullet to the right knee and 2
bullet shrapnel to the same leg.

 

At
approximately 23:00, Israeli forces stationed along the northern border fence
fired a number of artillery shells at open areas in the north of Um al-Nasser
Bedouin village and around al-Nada housing project, west of Beit Hanoun. Neither
casualties nor material damage were reported.    

 

Sunday, 15 December
2013

 

At approximately 08:30, Israeli forces
stationed along the border fence, northeast of Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza
Strip, opened fire at a group of farmers in a farmland belonging to Nafez Abu
Shammas that is about 500 meters away from the border fence, northeast of Beit
Lahia. As a result, Mohammed Rafiq al-Shenbari (17), from Ezbet Beit Hanoun,
was wounded by a bullet (entered and exited) to his left leg. The other farmers
carried him about 70 meters away from the scene and put him on a tractor that
drove him to an ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society. The ambulance
took him then to Kamal Odwan Hospital, where doctors found fractures in his
left leg.

 

Farmer Ali Khaled Abu Ouda, Mohammed’s
brother-in-law, said that he has worked in harvesting and collecting vegetables
for a week, while Mohammed has worked on this field for over a month. On
Sunday, they headed to Abu Shammas land, northeast of Boret Abu Samra. They
started work at 07:00 and the area was calm. Suddenly, they heard gunfire by
Israeli soldiers stationed behind the border fence. A few moments later,
Mohammed al-Shenbari was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, so he fell onto
the ground and screamed out of severe pain. Some farmers ran towards him and
found blood on his leg. They carried him and ran about 70 meters away. They
then put him on a tractor belonging to a farmer and drove him to an ambulance
of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The ambulance took the wounded
person to Kamal Odwan Hospital to receive the necessary medical treatment.    

 

At approximately 10:25, Israeli forces
moved into Jinsafout village, east of Qalqilia. They raided a house belonging
to the family of Mahmoud Yusef al-Hajj Ali (22) and handed him a summons to
refer to the Israeli intelligence service. Israeli forces withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.   

 

At approximately 13:00, Israeli forces
moved into Baqet al-Hatab village, north of Qalqilia. They patrolled the
streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 15:30, Israeli forces
moved into Zabouba village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled the streets for
some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:35, Israeli forces
moved into Azzoun village, east of Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for
some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

 

Monday, 16 December 2013

In the early
morning, Israeli forces moved into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin. They raided
and searched a house belonging to the family of Ibrahim As’ad Badad (37), and
another house belonging to the family of Morad Walid Malaysha (23), and
arrested both of them.

 

At
approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Jayous village, northeast of
Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into Qalqilia. They patrolled the
streets and raided a number of houses from which they arrested Jamal Abdul
Fattah Yassin (33) and his uncle, Bassam Ibrahim Yassin (43).

 

At
approximately 04:00, Israeli forces moved into Hejja village, east of Qalqilia.
They patrolled the streets and raided and searched a house belonging to the
family of Mohammed Aref Ahmed (22). They arrested the aforementioned person and
took him to an unknown destination. It should be noted that Mohammed is a
student at Palestine Technical University (al-Khadouri) in Tulkarm.

 

At
approximately 09:00, Israeli undercover units sneaked into the southern
neighbourhood of Tulkarm by a minibus with a Palestinian registration plate.
They kidnapped Mo’tasem Hatem Khaled al-Iraqi (24), a former prisoner who was
released in the Gilad Shalit prisoners’ swap deal. Al-Iraqi was in his
apartment in the said neighbourhood when he was kidnapped. Security sources
said to a PCHR fieldworker that undercover units entered the building and
headed to the apartment. When al-Iraqi’s mother opened the door for them, they
asked about her son and she pointed to his bedroom thinking that they were a
delegation from the Ministry of Social Affairs. The soldiers attacked al-Iraqi
in his bed and searched his room in a few minutes. They kidnapped him and
nobody in the streets noticed that.

 

At
approximately 14:10, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha resort, northwest
of Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened sporadic fire at Palestinian
fishing boats that were sailing about 3 nautical miles offshore. The fishermen
were frightened and fled back fearing of being arrested or wounded. However,
neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

 

At
approximately 16:20, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of
al-Shuhada’ cemetery, east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire
at a group of farmers who were in a land belonging to Mohammed al-Herthani  that is about 600 meters away from the border
fence. As a result, Yehia Amjad al-Herthani (19), from Jabalia, was wounded by
a bullet (entered and exited) to his left leg. Other farmers carried him to a
cart that took him to al-Karama Street. They waited for an ambulance of the
PRCS that took him to Kamal Odwan Hospital. Doctors examined his wound and
found no fractures. His wound was minor, so he was discharged from hospital at
approximately 18:30 on the same day. It should be noted that al-Herthani works
in his grandfather’s land since he was a child.

 

Tuesday, 17 December 2013

 

At
approximately 01:20, Israeli forces moved into Deir Estia village, north of
Salfit. They raided and searched a number of houses from which they arrested
Abdul Qader Anwar Mansour (21). They also handed Nasser Amir Mansour (20) a
summons to refer to the Israeli intelligence service.

 

At
approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Yamoun village, northwest of
Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests
were reported.  

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into Kofur Qaddoum village, northeast of
Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Tubas. They patrolled the
streets and raided and searched a number of houses from which they arrested
Rami Fawaz Daraghma (22), a student at the Arab American University in Jenin.

 

At
approximately 03:10, Israeli forces moved into Qalqilia. They patrolled the
streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At
approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into Qabatia village, south of Jenin.
They patrolled the streets and raided a house belonging to the family of
Mohammed Ahmed Saba’na (30), a member of the Palestinian General Intelligence
service. They handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli intelligence service
in Salem detention facility, northwest of Jenin. They then raided a house
belonging to the family of his brother Mohammed (19) and handed him a similar
summons. Israeli forces withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 06:00, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha resort, northwest
of Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened sporadic fire at Palestinian
fishing boats that were sailing about 3 nautical miles off the shore. The
fishermen were frightened and fled back fearing of being wounded or arrested. Neither
casualties nor material damage were reported.

 

At
approximately 09:00, Israeli forces stationed in watchtowers, east of
Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a number of farmers,
shepherds and bird hunters who were in al-Douh valley, east of the city. As a
result, they fled fearing of being wounded. Neither casualties nor material
damage were reported.

 

At
approximately 10:30, Israeli forces moved into Zaita village, north of Tulkarm.
They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into Etil village, north of Tulkarm. They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 15:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Leed village, east of
Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Wednesday, 18 December 2013

 

At
approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Nablus, Askar refugee camp,
northeast of the city, and Ein Beit al-Ma’ refugee camp, west of the city. They
patrolled the streets and raided and searched a number of houses from which
they arrested 6 civilians:

 

1. Mohammed Saleh Hamdan (24), from Ein Beit al-Ma’
refugee camp;

2. Baker Abdul Latif Sharay’a (25), from Askar refugee
camp;

3. Yasser Manna’ (22), a university student from Nablus;

4. Anas Raddad (23), from Saida village in Tulkarm;

5. Saleh al-‘Amer (22), a university student from Kofur
Qalil village, south of Nablus; and

6. Sa’id Baker Sa’id Belal (49), from Nablus.

 

At approximately
02:00, Israeli forces stationed on watchtowers, east of Beit Hanoun, in the
northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a number of farmers, shepherds and bird
hunters who were in al-Douh valley, east of the city. As a result, they fled
fearing of being wounded. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

 

In an
excessive use of lethal force, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and
wounded 6 others in Jenin refugee camp in Jenin, in the northern West Bank.
Israeli undercover units carried out this crime.

 

According to
investigations conducted by PCHR and statements of eyewitnesses, at
approximately 20:30, Israeli undercover units sneaked into al-Saha area, in the
centre of Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin, using a minibus with a Palestinian
registration plate and the slogan of the “Palestine Telecommunications
Company” on it. The vehicle stopped in front of a house belonging to Jamal
Abdul Salam Abu al-Haija, a prisoner in an Israeli jail. Members in the “Palestine
Telecommunications Company” costume stepped out of the vehicle and opened
fire at a group of Palestinian young men, who were standing in front of a cafe
below the abovementioned house. As a result, Nafe’ Jamil Nafe’ al-Sa’di (23)
was shot dead, while 6 others were wounded, 2 of whom sustained serious wounds.
Moreover, Israeli forces arrested a wounded person whose wound has not been
identified yet. It should be noted that Israeli forces planned to target Abu
al-Haija’s son namely Hamza (21), a member of Hamas movement, but he escaped
the arrest or extra-judicial execution. Israeli forces then moved into Jenin
refugee camp and topped some houses overlooking al-Saha area. They secured the
withdrawal of the undercover units by firing sound bombs and tear gas
canisters. In addition, they took the corpse of the killed Nafe’ al-Sa’di and
arrested the wounded Ali al-Sa’di. The Palestinian military liaison office
received the corpse of al-Sa’di through al-Jalama crossing, north of Jenin,
while Ali al-Sa’di has been in custody so far.

 

The wounded were:

 

1. Mahmoud Hashem Mahmoud Abu Zaina (18) was wounded by 2
bullets to the thigh and abdomen. He underwent an operation in which he had
partial colectomy and autonephrectomy. Due to the seriousness of his wound, he
was transferred from Martyr Khalil Suleiman Hospital to the
Arab Union Hospital in Nablus;

2. Mahmoud Jaber Sa’id Shalabi (20) was wounded by a
bullet to the side (entered and exited). He underwent an urgent operation and
then transferred from Martyr Khalil Suleiman Hospital to al-Razi Hospital in
Jenin;

3. Mojahed Ahmed Salem Jamahna (23) was wounded by
shrapnel to the right shoulder;

4. Anad Fat’hi Raja Tawafsha (28) was wounded by shrapnel
to the left leg;

5. Mohammed Abdul Latif al-Shalabi (18) was wounded by
shrapnel to the head; and

6. Ali Qasem Ali al-Sa’di (25). His wound has not been
identified yet because he was arrested.

 

 

 

A
Palestinian Civilian Dies of Previous Wounds

 

At
approximately 07:00 on Thursday, 12 December 2013, medical sources at
al-Maqased Charitable Hospital in East Jerusalem pronounced Mo’een Mohammed
Hussein al-Atrash (28), from al-Dheisha refugee camp, southwest of Bethlehem,
dead of wounds that he sustained in 2004.

 

According to
investigations conducted by PCHR then, following the extra-judicial execution
of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas movement, by Israeli forces,
dozens of boys and young men gathered around Bilal Ben Rabah Mosque (Rachel
Tomb), north of Bethlehem. They threw stones at Israeli soldiers who were
positioned in the area. Israeli soldiers opened fire in response, wounding a
number of civilians, including al-Atrash. He sustained a wound to the neck
causing him serious haemorrhage. Al-Atrash’s family said that he suffered from hemiplegia
due to his wound and has used a wheelchair since then. On 03 November 2013,
al-Atrash was transferred to al-Maqased Hospital because he suffered from blisters
and blood poisoning. His health condition deteriorated, due to which he had
renal, liver and lung failures. He stayed at the hospital until he was
pronounced dead on the abovementioned date.  

 

2. Use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting
settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall

 

During the reporting period, Israeli soldiers used
excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian
civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the
construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank.
As a result, a number of Palestinian civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.

 

(PCHR keeps the names of the wounded).

 

Demonstrations against the construction of the
annexation wall and settlement activity

 

In spite of the bad weather, following the Friday
Prayer, 13 December 2013, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and
Israeli human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in, west
of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and
settlement activities, supporting the al-Aqsa mosque and the Islamic and
Christian religious sites. Demonstrators took the streets raising the
Palestinian flags and headed to the liberated territories near the annexation
wall. Israeli forces had closed all the entrances of the village since morning
to prevent the Palestinian and international activists and journalists from
participating in the demonstration. Demonstrators marched adjacent to the
cement wall and tried to cross the fence before Israeli forces that are
stationed behind the wall, in the western area, and a large number of soldiers
deployed along it fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel
bullets, sound bombs and skunk water at them and chased them in olive fields. As
a result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others
sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.

 

On the same day, dozens of Palestinian civilians
organised a peaceful demonstration in the middle of Ni’lin village, west of
Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement
activities. Demonstrators took the streets and headed to the annexation wall.
Israeli forces closed the gates of the wall with barbwires and prevented the
demonstrators from passing to the land behind it before they responded by
throwing stones. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and
bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.

 

At approximately 12:30 on the same day, Palestinian
civilians and international activists organised a peaceful demonstration in the
centre of Kufor Qaddoum village, northwest of Qalqilia, and headed towards the
eastern entrance of the village, in protest at the continued closure of the
entrance with an iron gate, since the beginning of the Aqsa Intifada. Clashes
erupted between the demonstrators and Israeli forces that fired sound bombs and
tear gas canisters to prevent them from reaching the aforementioned gate. As a
result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.

 

3. Continued closure of the oPt

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israeli
forces continuously tightens the closure of the Gaza Strip and closes all
commercial crossings , making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial
crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes
in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets.

 

Israeli
forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the
closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of
imports and exports.

 

The
total closure of al-Mentar (“Karni”) crossing since 02 March 2011 has
seriously affected the economy of the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all
economic and commercial establishments in the Gaza Commercial Zone were shut
off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the
Gaza Strip, in terms of its capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports.
The decision to close al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of
decisions resulting in the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the
Gaza Strip in the beginning of 2009, and the Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza
City, which was dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza
Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

 

Israeli
forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to
the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited
quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of
the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

 

The
cooking gas crisis has ranged between the ebb and flow for 9 months due to the
closure of Karm Abu Salem for security claims. 
According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli authorities only allow an average
of 98 tonnes of cooking gas into Gaza per day. 
This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, which is 200
tonnes per day, of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip during winter.  The crisis has unprecedentedly aggravated for
around six weeks due to cold weather and overconsumption in addition to the
power outage and using gas as an alternative in many uses of electricity.  The lack of diesel and benzene led to the
aggravation of the crisis as a result of using the gas cylinder for cars or as
an alternative for benzene to run generators. 
As a result, the demand on gas increased despite lack of it.

 

For
almost 6 consecutive years, Israeli forces have continued to prevent the
delivery of construction materials to the Gaza Strip. Two years ago, Israeli forces
approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a
number of international organizations in the Gaza Strip.  On 17 September 2013, they allowed the entry
of limited quantities of construction materials for the private sector.  However, on 13 October 2013, they re-banned
it claiming that these materials are used for constructing tunnels.  Last week, Israeli forces allowed the entry
of construction materials only for the UNRWA and UNDP projects.  As a result, construction works have completely
stopped leaving negative impact on manpower and all sectors that are directly
related with construction works leading to the increase of unemployment levels.

 

Israeli forces also continued to
impose almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and
industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers,
strawberries, and spices.

 

Israel has continued to close the
Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the
Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with
many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a
policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via
the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or
in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel denied permission to access
hospitals via the crossing for new categories of patients from the Gaza Strip.

 

 

The Egyptian authorities allow the
population of the Gaza Strip to travel via Rafah International crossing, which
connects the Gaza Strip with the outside world. 
Only limited and specified categories are allowed, including patients,
students, persons that hold residencies in Egypt or abroad, men over 40 years,
females in all ages, children under 18, persons who hold Arab and foreign
nationalities, and members of Arab and international humanitarian
delegations.  It should be mentioned that
the crossing opens seven days a week. 
Nowadays, the crossing is overcrowded due to the prolonged procedures
from the Egyptian side, particularly after closing it for several days over the
past weeks due to Egypt’s security conditions, which has affected the
travellers’ movement in both directions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing

10
– 16 December 2013

 

 

Exports:

 

On
Tuesday, 10 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 10.7
tonnes of strawberries.

On
Wednesday, 11 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 4.33
tonnes of strawberries.

On
Sunday, 15 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 101,860
flowers.

On
Monday, 16 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 12.3 tonnes
of strawberries and 31,000 flowers.

 

 

Other
Imports:

 

 

On
Tuesday, 10 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 70 tonnes of
construction aggregate and 273 tonnes of cement for the UNDP.  They also allowed the entry of 507 tonnes of
fodders and 468 tonnes of wheat.

On
Wednesday, 11 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 700 tonnes of
construction aggregate and 597 of cement for the UNRWA and 70 tonnes of
construction aggregate for the UNDP.

On
Thursday, 12 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 560 tonnes of
construction aggregate and 436 tonnes of cement for the UNRWA.

On
Sunday, 15 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 663 tonnes of
fodders and 312 tonnes of wheat.

On
Monday, 16 December 2013, Israeli forces allowed the entry of 1,540 tonnes of
construction aggregate and 600 tonnes of cement for the UNRWA and 51 tonnes of
cement for the Water Authority.  They
also allowed the entry of 1,014 tonnes of fodders and 780 tonnes of wheat.

 

Important
Note:

Israeli
forces opened Kerm Abu Salem Crossing on Friday, 13 December 2013, for the
entry of 4 pumps and 109,860 kilos of cooking gas.

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing

11
– 16 December 2013

 

 

Note: The crossing was closed on Friday,
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, 13, 14, 15 and 16 December 2013 due to the severe
damage caused by the blizzard that lately hit that Gaza Strip. As a result, the
security path between the Israeli side and the Palestinian side was partially
destroyed as well as 4 cars, which are supported by the Israeli side and used
for transferring passengers through the crossing.  The estimated cost of each car is $10,000.  In addition, the tin boards that roofs the
path and the crossing waiting room.

 

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

 

· Jenin: Israeli forces have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 08:30 on Monday, 16 December
2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the intersection of ‘Enzeh
village, southwest of Jenin.  The
checkpoint was later removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 00:30 on Tuesday, 17 December Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the entrance of al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin.  The checkpoint was later removed, and no
arrests were reported.

 

· Qalqilya: 
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 08:30 on Thursday, 12 December 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqilya.  At approximately 18:00, another checkpoint
was established at ‘Ezet al-Tabib village, east of the city.  The two checkpoints were later removed, and
no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 11:50 on Sunday, 15 December 2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the
southern entrance of Kafr Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqilya.  At approximately 22:00, the checkpoint was
removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 17:50 on Monday, 16 December 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the intersection of Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya.  At approximately 18:00, another checkpoint
was established the entrance of ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqilya.  The two checkpoints were later reported, and
no arrests were reported.

 

· Salfit: 
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 16:50 on Saturday, 14 December 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint at the northern entrance of Salfit. 
They closed the iron gate established at the aforementioned entrance and
obstructed civilians’ movement under the pretext that there are settlers near
it.  The gate was later opened, and no
arrests were reported. 

 

At approximately 11:15 on Sunday, 15 December 2013, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint near the intersection of “Ariel” settlement, north of
Salfit.  The checkpoint was later
removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 12:15 on Monday, 16 December 2013, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the western entrance of Haris village, north of
Salfit.  At approximately 15:00, another
checkpoint was established between Salfit and Borqin village.  At approximately 19:50, another checkpoint
was established at the northern entrance of Salfit.  They closed the gate established at the aforementioned
entrance and obstructed the civilians’ movement.  They re-opened it at approximately 20:50 and
allowed them to pass.

 

• Tulkarm: Israeli forces have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 21:30 on Saturday, 14
December 2013, Israeli forces stationed at ‘Inab Checkpoint, which is
established on the main road between Tulkarm and Nablus, east of Tulkarm,
tightened its restrictions against Palestinian civilians and obstructed their
movement to the checkpoint.  The
tightening later ended, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 15:30 on Sundnay, 15 December 2013, Israeli forces stationed at
‘Inab checkpoint, which is established on the main road between Tulkarm and
Nablus, east of Tulkarm, tightened its restrictions against Palestinians and
obstructed their movement.  The
tightening later ended, and no arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 11:30 On Monday, 16 December 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint on the main road between Tulkarm and its northern villages knowed as
“al-Sha’arawiyah” near the intersection of Zeita village, north of
Tulkarm.  The checkpoint was later
removed, and no arrests were reported. 
At approximately 16:30, they established another checkpoint on the main
road between Tulkarm and Qalqilya near the eastern entrance of Jubarah
village.  The checkpoint was later
removed, and no arrests were reported. 
It is noteworthy that Jubarah village has been isolated from its
surroundings during al-Aqsa Intifada for ten years due to the annexation wall,
south of Tulakrm and a couple of weeks ago, the course of the wall was changed
to pass west of the village.  As a
result, it was re-integrated with the neighboring villages.

 

Arrests and Maltreatment at military
checkpoints

 

 At
approximately 14:00 on Sunday, 15 December 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint on the main road between Tulakrm, Nablus and Jenin near the
intersection of ‘Arrabah village, south of Jenin.  While ‘Abdel Rahman Jom’aah Najib Ba’ajawi
(46) was passing through the checkpoint, Israeli forces arrested him and took
him to an unknown destination.

 

On the same Sunday evening, Israeli forces
stationed at Za’atrah checkpoint, south of Nablus, arrested Nidal Nihad ‘Abbadi
(25), a student at Abu Dis University (Jerusalem) from Ya’bod, southwest of
Jenin.  Samer Abu Baker, Mayor of Ya’bod,
said that Israeli forces arrested ‘Abbadi when he was on his way back home from
the university and was passing through the checkpoint.

 

At approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 17 December
2013, Israeli forces, who established a checkpoint near ‘Ein Sinia
intersection, north of Ramallah, arrested ‘Ammar Zuheir As’ad (29), a student
at the faculty of Media and Press at the Modern University College from Beta
village, south of Nablus.  When he was on
his way from Nablus to Ramallah, As’ad was arrested and taken to an unknown
destination.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

• On 17 December 2013, Israeli forces issued a
decision to confiscate 10 dunums of Qasrah village lands, southeast of
Nablus.  These confiscated lands are in
“al-Wa’ar” area, which has always been attacked by settlers from “Yish Kodish”
settlement established on the aforementioned village lands.  Local sources in Qasrah village said that
‘Abdel ‘Azim Wadi, head of the village council, 
was surprised on the aforementioned day morning with a call from the
Israeli Liaison informing him about the decision.  Wadi then contacted the Palestinian Liaison
and Nablus as they confirmed receiving a copy of the decision.

Ghassan Daghlas, a researcher in settlement
affairs in the northern West Bank, said that the Israeli Liaison officially
informed the Palestinian side that they confiscated 10 dunums of farmlands in
the area between “Yish Kodish” outpost and the southern Qasrah lands.  He added that Israeli forces informed the
Palestinian side that Palestinians are denied access to the area and its
surroundings, an area of approximately 500 dunums of agricultural lands, i.e.
confiscating another 500 dunums later.

 

 

 

Recommendations to the International Community

 

 

PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position
that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is still
under the Israeli occupation, in spite of the Israeli military redeployment
outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli force have
continued to impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, which
have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which
Hamas won the majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR
stresses that there is an international recognition of Israel’s obligation to
respect international human rights instruments and the international
humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations concerning the
Laws and Customs of War on Land and the
Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply the international human rights law
and the law of war sometime reciprocally and other times in parallel in a way
that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for victims.

 

In light of continued arbitrary measures, land
confiscation and settlement activities in the West Bank, and the continued
aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially the latest offensive
that lasted for 8 days in November, PCHR calls upon the international
community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of their natural
obligation to respect and enforce the international law – to cooperate and act
according to the following recommendations:

 

1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the
United Nations to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to
enjoy their right to self-determination, through the establishment of the
Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast
majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end
the occupation of the State of Palestine;

2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide
international protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the
non-recurrence of aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the
Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;

4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human
rights instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to
comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the
human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the concerned
committees;

5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the
Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to
prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the
perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected
Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;

6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of
universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal
jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war
criminals;

7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in
order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through
imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;

8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer
the Goldstone Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the
International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome
Statute;

9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that
holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to
achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the
expense of human rights and victims;

10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human
Rights Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza
and the annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the
two issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel
it to remove them;

11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light
of its failure to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at
least fulfil its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of
hostilities launched by Israel which directed targeted the civilian
infrastructure;

12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European
Union to express a clear position towards the annexation wall following the international
recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the annexation
wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;

13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article
2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must
respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU
states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violation and crimes
against Palestinian civilians;

14. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and
accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva
Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the United
Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to international human
rights law and humanitarian law instruments.

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

Public Document

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email [email protected] or telephone +972 08 282 4776 – 282 5893.