Sheikh Sa’ad checkpoint in occupied Jerusalem

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

      

 

IOF opened
fire at areas in the Gaza Strip.

Two members of the Palestinian resistance were killed and two
others were wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.

 

IOF use
force to disperse peaceful protest organized by Palestinian civilians in the
West Bank.

3 Palestinian
civilians were wounded.

IOF
arrested 7 international and Israeli human rights defenders, including a
journalist.  

 

IOF
conducted 54 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and two
limited ones into the Gaza Strip.   

IOF
arrested 23 Palestinians, including a child, a member of the Palestinian
Legislative Council and the former Mayor of al-Bireh.

 

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

IOF arrested a Palestinian patient at Beit
Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.

IOF arrested two Palestinian civilians at
checkpoints in the West Bank.

IOF allowed 40 members of families of Gazan
prisoners in Israeli jails to visit these prisoners for the first time since
2006.

 

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

IOF
ordered the demolition of two houses in ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.

IOF
demolished 3 agricultural rooms and a well in Hebron.

Israeli
settlers attacked a Palestinian shepherd north of Ramallah.

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (12 – 18 July 2012):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF
killed two members of the Palestinian resistance and wounded two others in the
Gaza Strip.  They also wounded 3
Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 12 July 2012,
IOF killed a member of the Palestinian resistance and wounded two others during
an incursion into the east of Gaza City. 

 

On 13 July 2012, IOF killed a member
of the Palestinian resistance near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel
to the northwest of Beit Lahia.  

 

During the reporting period, IOF
used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to the
construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West
Bank.  As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded and dozens of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.  IOF also arrested 7 Israeli and international
human rights defenders, including a journalist who was released later. 

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 54 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 
During these incursions, IOF arrested 14 Palestinian, including a member
of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the former Mayor of al-Bireh.  

 

In
the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted two limited incursions into Palestinian areas in
the east of Gaza City and in the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya.  During these incursions, IOF leveled areas of
Palestinian land which they had already razed. 
  

 

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.

 

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. 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.

 

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.

 

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
14 July 2012, Israeli settlers from “Edi Aad” settlement, north of Ramallah,
attacked a Palestinian shepherd in Beer al-Hour area in the east of Turmos’iya
village, nearly one kilometer away from the settlement.  The shepherd was able to flee.  The settlers slaughtered a sheep belonging to
hiom and attacked other sheep using sharp tools and stones. 

 

On
17 July 2012, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.  They handed notices to two Palestinian
civilians ordering the demolition of two under-construction houses belonging to
them.

 

On
18 July 2012, hundreds of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, stormed Joseph
Tomb in Balata village, east of Nablus. 
They conducted religious rituals in the area for some and then
left. 

 

Also
on 18 July 2012, IOF, accompanied by a bulldozer, moved into Farsh al-Hawa area
in the west of Hebron.  They demolished 3
agricultural rooms and a well.    

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (12 – 18 July 2012)

 

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

 

Thursday, 12 July 2012

 

At approximately 00:30, IOF moved
into Hebron.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Firas Ahmed Mujahed, 48; and

2. Nadeem Abu Khalaf, 40.

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Beit Kahel village, west of Hebron. 
They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 5 Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. Hammam Mahmoud ‘Assafra, 22;

2. Safwat Ibrahim ‘Assafra, 27;

3. Islam ‘Eissa ‘Assafra, 24;

4. Ussama Fadel ‘Assafra, 24; and

5. ‘Omar Khalil ‘Assafra, 23.

 

Also at approximately 01:00, IOF
moved into Beit Nouba village, west of Hebron. 
They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Shadi Ibrahim
Abu al-Hayat, 20.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Tubas.  They raided and searched a
house belonging to the family of Jamal Rakez Maslamani, 18, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into Kufor al-Labad village, east of Tulkarm. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 02:00, IOF
moved into ‘Anabta village, east of Tulkarm. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved
into al-Dyouk village, northwest of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 05:40, IOF moved
into ‘Azzoun ‘Atma village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 05:50, IOF moved
nearly 300 meters into the east of al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in the east of
Gaza City.  They leveled areas of
Palestinian land along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel amidst
sporadic shooting.  At approximately
06:40, Israeli tanks stationed in the area fired 4 shells, 3 of which landed
near a number of members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of
Hamas).  As a result, 3 members were
wounded, including one who was in a serious condition.  The fourth shell hit a van, from which those
members had just stepped down.  The van
was completely destroyed.  The three
wounded persons were evacuated to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.  One of them, Mahmoud Ismail al-Haiqi, 27,
from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, underwent an immediate surgery and
was then taken into the intensive care unit. 
He was pronounced dead at approximately 09:40.  In the meantime, IOF had moved back to the
border between the Gaza Strip at approximately 09:20.  

 

At approximately 05:50, IOF moved
into Kufor Laqef village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 08:00, IOF moved
nearly 400 meters into the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of
Jabalya.  They leveled areas of
Palestinian land which they had already razed. 
Palestinian farmers and workers in the area were forced to leave it due
to the Israeli gunfire at the area.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved
into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into
Qibya village, west of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved
into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta village, southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 17:00, IOF moved
into al-Jiftlek village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 20:30, IOF moved
into Dura al-Qare’ village, northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:00, IOF moved
into Kufol Hares village, north of Salfit. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Friday,
13 July 2012

 

At approximately 00:50, IOF moved
into Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved
into Um al-Sharayet neighborhood in al-Bireh. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to Sheikh Jamal Mohammed
Tawil, 49, a leader of Hamas and the former Mayor of al-Bireh, and arrested
him.  They also delivered a notice to his
wife summoning her for questioning by the Israeli intelligence. 

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta, southwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved
into al-‘Ouja village, northeast of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 12:20, IOF
positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northwest of
the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia opened fire from machine guns and
fired an artillery shell at a gunman who got close to the border.  He was instantly killed.  He has not been identified.  Medical crews were able to evacuate his body
from the area approximately 11:00 on the following day following coordination
through the ICRC.  According to medical
sources, the man was hit by shrapnel to the abdomen and he sustained burns
throughout the body.  He has not been
identified so far. 

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved
into al-‘Ouja village, northeast of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 16:00, IOF moved
into Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 20:00, IOF moved
into Jericho.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:00, IOF moved
into Brouqin village, west of Salfit.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 23:00, IOF
moved into Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 14 July 2012  

 

At approximately 20:35, IOF moved
into Snirya village, southeast of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 21:30, IOF moved
into Deir al-Ghossoun village, north of Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:35, IOF moved
into Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit. 
They raided a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Hassan
al-Mansour, 25, and summoned him for interrogation.

 

At approximately 23:55, IOF moved
into Kufol Hares village, north of Salfit. 
They raided a house belonging to the family of Ussama Zaid Saleh, 19,
and summoned him for interrogation.

 

Sunday, 15 July 2012

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Beit Reema village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed
Mubtassem al-Ruhaimi, 39, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved
into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Lu’ai Ziad
Zakarna, 22, and arrested him.  They then
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Waleed Zakarna,
30, and arrested him.  Soon after, they
raided another two houses belonging to the Zakarna family, but no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 03:30, IOF moved
into Bitounia town.  They raided and
searched a house belonging to Ahmed ‘Abdul ‘Azizi Mubarak, 49, Member of the
Palestinian Legislative Council from the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to
Hamas, and arrested him.  According to
Mubarak’s son, IOF confiscated 3 mobile phones belonging to his father and
mother.  He added that his father suffer
from diabetes, hypertension and the heat disease. 

 

At approximately 04:00, IOF moved
into Bourqin village, west of Jenin. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of ‘Abada ‘Ali
‘Atiq, 27, and arrested him.

 

Also at approximately 04:00, IOF
moved into Jenin.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 07:00, IOF moved
into Fassayel village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 21:30, IOF moved
into Koubar village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 22:30, IOF moved
into Deir Jarir village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 16 July 2012

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Jenin.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.  This was the second incursion into the town
within 24 hours at a time Palestinian security forces began a campaign to put
an end to the state of lawlessness and proliferation of weapons in the town.  

 

Also at approximately 01:30, IOF
moved into Bourqin village, west of Jenin. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 01:30, IOF
moved into Taqqou’ village, east of Bethlehem. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mahmoud
Mohammed al-Badan, 17, and arrested him. 
According to the child’s father, Israeli soldiers took him out of the
house and violently beat him.  The father
saw spots of blood on the ground after Israeli soldiers had left the area. 

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into Tallouza village, northeast of Nablus. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Zakria Ahmed
Salahat, 18, and arrested him.

 

Also at approximately 02:00, IOF
moved into al-‘Ouja village, northwest of Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved
into Ethna village, west of Hebron.  They
raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Islam Mohammed ‘Awad,
19, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 04:30, IOF moved
into al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. 
They raided a bird farm belonging to Ussama Ahmed Mar’ei, 25, and
arrested him.

 

At approximately 19:15, IOF moved
into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets and raided a number of houses.  They then detained Tariq Hamed Ekhlaif, 17,
near Qalqilya-Nablus road after handcuffing and blindfolding him.  The child was released at approximately 21:30.   

 

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village,
northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 04:40, IOF moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of
Jenin.  They raided and searched a number
of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Namiq Tariq Abu
Bakr, 19;

2. Haidar Yousef
‘Amarna, 22; and

3. Majdi Hassan
‘Amarna, 20.

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Beit Siera village,
southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

 At approximately 17:00, IOF
moved into ‘Allar village, north of Tulkarm. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Saida village,
northeast of Tulkarm.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:30, IOF moved into Burqa village, northeast of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Jalboun village, east of
Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

Wednesday, 18 July 2012

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Sourif village, northwest of
Hebron.  They raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Mohammed Abu Fara, 37, and arrested him. 

 

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, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded and dozens of demonstrators suffered
from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.  IOF also arrested 7 Israeli and international
human rights defenders, including a journalist. 
    

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 13 July 2012, dozens of Palestinian
civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a
peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the
construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities.  They raised the Palestinian flag and called
for ending political division. They then moved towards areas of annexation
wall.  They called through megaphones on
Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land.  Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
demonstrators.  As a result, Haitham
Mohammed al-Khatib, 35, the photographer of the Public Committee against the
Wall and Settlement, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right hand.  Additionally, a number of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 13 July 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in
protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement
activities.  The demonstrators moved
towards areas of the annexation wall.  
Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated
metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators.  As a result, some demonstrators suffered from
tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 13 July 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders
gathered in the center of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to start
the weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and
settlement activities.  The protesters walked towards the gate erected by
IOF near the entrance of the village and leading to Palestinian lands that
Israeli settlers from the nearby “Halmish” settlement are trying to
seize.  Israeli soldiers who had been extensively deployed in the area and
near all the entrances of the village since the morning, began to confront the
protesters who wanted to walk towards the affected lands.  Israeli
soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas
canisters at the protesters.  As a
result, some demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.  IOF also arrested 7 Israeli and international
human rights defenders, including Ben Ahrernerk, 29, a reporter of New York
Times, who was released 3 hours later.  

 

At approximately 13:15 also on Friday, 13 July 2012, Palestinian
civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest to
the continued closure of the eastern entrance of the village by IOF.  They moved towards the entrance.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at them.  As a
result, a demonstrator was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right
hand, and another one was hit by two tear gas canisters to the right foot. 

 

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 nearly 5 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.  

 

IOF
have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and practically made Karm Abu
Salem crossing as the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip although it is
not proper for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and operational
capacity.

 

IOF
have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the strangulation of
the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing total control
over the flow of imports and exports.

 

The
total closure of al-Mentar “Karni” crossing on 02 March 2011 has
created a bitter situation that has seriously affected the Gaza Strip.  Following this closure, all the economic and
commercial establishments in 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 operational capacity to
absorb the flow of imports and exports. 
The decision of al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of
decisions to totally close Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip, in the
beginning of 2009, and 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.

 

IOF
have continued to impose 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 in the Gaza Strip.

 

The
cooking gas crisis which has erupted last November has continued to affect the
Gaza Strip.  This crisis was created when
the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed, on 04 January 2010, Nahal Oz
crossing, which used to be dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas
supplies to Gaza, and shifted fuel and cooking gas supplies to Karm Abu Salem
crossing which is not technically equipped to receive Gaza’s needs of fuel.
 Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum absorptive capacity, can
receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day.

 

Approximately
80% of Gaza civilians have continued to depend on alimentary aid provided by
UNRWA and other relief agencies, rates of families who are living below poverty
line have continued to be on the rise and approximately 40% of Gaza’s manpower
has continued to suffer from permanent unemployment as a result of shutting
down the majority of Gaza’s economic establishments.

 

IOF
have continued to impose a total ban on the exportation of Gaza’s products, especially industrial
products, leading to undermining any real chances to rerun economic
establishments.  The situation has been
aggravated especially after making Karm Abu Salem crossing as Gaza sole
commercial crossing and the repeated closure of this crossing which negatively
affected the quantity of Gazan products which were allowed to be exported
during last April.

 

For approximately six consecutive years, IOF have continued to ban
the delivery of construction materials to Gaza. During the reporting period,
IOF approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a
number of international organizations.

 

Israel has
continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian civilians from
the Gaza Strip.  IOF only allow the
movement of limited groups amidst severe restrictions, including long hours of
waiting in the majority of cases.  IOF
have also continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of
Palestinian patients allowed to move via Beit Hanoun crossing to receive
medical treatment in hospitals in Israel
or in the West Bank and Jerusalem.  IOF denied new categories of Gazan patient
permission to have access to hospitals via the crossing.

 

Israel has
imposed additional access restrictions on traders, international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip.  On Wednesday evening, 14 March 2012, IOF
arrested Ahmed Subhi al-Kahlout, 40,
a trader from Gaza
City, when he was
traveling via Beit Hanoun crossing.

 

For approximately 60 months, IOF have continued to deny Palestinian
prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails their visitation rights without
providing any justification to this measure, which violates the rules of the
international humanitarian law.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

11 –
17 July 2012

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem
(Kerem Shalom) Crossing

10 –
16 July 2012

Imports:

 

 

Notes:

 

On Tuesday, 10 July 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 248 tons of
cement, 42 tons of construction steel and 2,800 tons of construction aggregates
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 819 tons of fodders and 117 tons of wheat.

 

On Wednesday, 11 July2012, IOF allowed the entry of 240 tons of
cement, 2,940 tons of construction aggregates and 38 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 585 tons of fodders and 195 tons of wheat.

 

On Thursday, 12 July 2012, IOF allowed the entry 120 tons of cement
and 1,470 tons of construction aggregates for UNRWA; and 2,030 tons of
construction aggregates for the Palestinian Water Authority.  They also allowed the entry of 429 tons of
fodders and 195 tons of wheat. 

 

On Sunday, 13 July 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 385
tons of cement, 2,800 tons of construction aggregates and 72 tons of
construction steel for UNRWA.  They also
allowed the entry of 468 tons of fodders and 195 tons of wheat.

 

On Monday, 14 July 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 200 tons of
cement and 2,660 tons of construction aggregates for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry of 390 tons of
fodders and 195 tons of wheat.

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

11 –
17 July 2012

 

 

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.

 

There are approximately hundreds of 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, confiscating more Palestinian land.

 

Many of the main roads that lead to Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF.

 

IOF have continued to restrict access of Palestinian civilians from
the West Bank to East Jerusalem, through a
strict system of permits and a network of checkpoints.

 

IOF have completed controlled access to the Jordan Valley
through 4 permanent checkpoints established at its entrances.  Palestinians living outside the area are not
allowed to enter it without permits.

 

Settlement activities and expansion of settlements impose
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. 

 

IOF have continued to restrict access to gunfire areas and natural
reserves, which constitute about 26% of the total area of the West
Bank.

 

Israeli military checkpoints restrict the movement of goods
throughout the West Bank.

 

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

 

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

 

Qalqilya:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Thursday, 12 July 2012, IOF established 5
checkpoints around Qalqilya.  At
approximately 21:50 on Friday, 13 July 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
the entrance of Ematin village, northeast of Qalqilya.  At approximately 20:00 on Saturday, 14 July
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Hijja village, east of
Qalqilya.  At approximately 22:15, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.  On Monday, 16 July 2012, IOF established 4
checkpoints around Qalqilya.                

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 08:30 on Saturday, 14 July 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
‘Arraba intersection, south of Jenin.    

 

Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 12:30 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 12, 13 and 14 July 2012,
Israeli soldiers positioned at Ennab intersection, east of Tulkarm, imposed
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.   

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints:

 

At approximately 06:00 on Thursday, 12 July 2012, IOF arrested two
Palestinians who were near the annexation wall to the west of Deir Ballout,
west of Salfit:

 

1. Mohammed Adeeb
Abu al-Khair, 19; and

2. Mohammed Marwan
‘Abdullah, 19.

 

At approximately 18:00 on Sunday, 15 July 2012, the family of Rawhi
Fu’ad Qazqaz, 43, from the northern Gaza Strip town of Jablya, was informed
that he had been arrested by IOF at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern
Gaza Strip.  According to investigations
conducted by PCHR, Qazqaz who suffers from unbalanced knee meniscus intended to
travel to al-Maqassed Hospital in Jerusalem for medical treatment on 04 July 2012.  He was summoned by the Israeli security
services for an interview on Sunday, 15 July 2012.  He went to the crossing on that date at
approximately 08:00, and IOF arrested him and transferred him to Ashkelon
Prison inside Israel.     

 

IOF Allows Family Visitation to a Limited Number of Gazan Prisoners
in Israeli Jails

 

At approximately 06:00 on Monday, 16 July 2012, IOF positioned at
Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip allowed 40 members of
families of 25 Gazan prisoners in Israel jails to enter Israel to visit these
prisoners.  This is the first time IOF
allow family visitation to Gazan Prisoners in Israeli jails since 2006.  The number of Gazan prisoners in Israeli
jails is currently estimated at 450. 

 

4. 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
17:40 on Saturday evening, 14 July 2012, at least 10 Israeli settlers from “Edi
Aad” settlement, north of Ramallah, attacked Haassan Mahmoud Abu ‘Alia, 49,
when he was grazing sheep in Beer al-Hour area in the east of Turmos’iya
village, nearly one kilometer away from the settlement.  Abu ‘Alia was able to flee.  The settlers slaughtered a sheep belonging to
Abu ‘Alia and attacked other sheep using sharp tools and stones.  Ten minutes later, a guard of “Shilo”
settlement arrived at the area, and the settlers immediately fled. The guard
contacted the Israeli police and IOF and they arrived at the area and
photographed the scene.  They also
requested Abu ‘Ali to refer to an Israeli police station near Ramallah to file
his compliant.

 

At
approximately 13:30 on Tuesday, 17 July 2012, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village,
east of Qalqilya.  They handed notices to
Hani ‘Abdul Fattah Abu Haniya and Salah Farouq Abu Haniya ordering the
demolition of two under-construction houses belonging to them.

 

On
Wednesday morning, 18 July 2012, hundreds of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF,
stormed Joseph Tomb in Balata village, east of Nablus.  They conducted religious rituals in the area
for some and then left. 

 

At
approximately 08:00 on Wednesday, 18 July 2012, IOF, accompanied by a
bulldozer, moved into Farsh al-Hawa area in the west of Hebron.  They demolished two agricultural rooms and a
well belonging to Robin al-Joulani.  They
then demolished another agricultural room belonging to ‘Aadel al-Haimouni.     

 

…………………………………………………

 

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 (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).