Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate
Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory (OPT)

· 8
Palestinians, including 3 children and a pregnant woman, were killed by IOF.

· 7
of the victims, including 5 civilian bystanders, were killed in 3 extra-judicial
execution attempts by IOF. 

· 45
Palestinian civilians, including 24 children, were wounded by IOF gunfire.

· IOF
conducted 50 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

· 57
Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and 2 women, were arrested by IOF.

· 4
houses were transformed by IOF into military sites.

· IOF
have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have continued to close
border crossings of the Gaza Strip; Rafah International Crossing Point on the
Egyptian Border has been closed; the north of the West Bank has been separated
from the south; and IOF arrested 15 Palestinians, including 4 children, at
checkpoints in the West Bank.

· IOF
have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank; IOF razed more
areas of agricultural land near “Shavi Shomron” and “Ariel” settlements in the
north of the West Bank; and IOF demolished a house in Deir al-Ghosoun village
near Tulkarm.

· Israeli
settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the OPT;
a Palestinian civilian was injured; 5 houses were damaged; and IOF demolished
two houses in East Jerusalem and Silwad village.

Summary

Israeli
violations of international law continued in the OPT during the reported period
(15–21 June 2006):

Killing: During
the reported period, IOF killed 8 Palestinians, including 3 children and a
pregnant woman. 7 of the victims,
including 5 civilian bystanders, were killed in 3 extra-judicial executions in
the Gaza Strip, and the eighth victim was killed during an exchange of fire
with IOF in ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’ refugee camp, west of Nablus. 

During the reported period, IOF committed 3
extra-judicial executions in the Gaza Strip. In the firs operation, 2 members of the Islamic Jihad were killed, and
in the second and third, the targeted persons survived the attack, while 3
children, a pregnant woman and a man were killed and 30 other Palestinians,
including 13 children and 3 women, were wounded. IOF admitted responsibility for these
attacks.  The attacks follow a series of
decisions taken by the Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz to escalate
extra-judicial executions against Palestinian militants, in an effort to stop
the launching of locally made rockets at Israeli towns.

In the West Bank,
17 Palestinian civilians were wounded by IOF gunfire.

Incursions:
During the reported period. IOF also conducted at least 50 military
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and
arrested 57 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and 2 women. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by
IOF since the beginning of 2006 has increased to 1780. IOF also transformed 4 houses into military
sites.  In these incursions, IOF employed
undercover units and trained dogs. 

Restrictions on
Movement: IOF have continued to
impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians. 

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the
Gaza Strip, transforming it into a large prison.  IOF have continued to
monitor the movement of Palestinian civilians through Rafah International
Crossing Point on the Egyptian border.  On 21 June 2006, the international
observation team suspended work at the crossing point.  Although IOF allowed the transportation of
food aid from Egypt into the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom commercial
crossing, southeast of Rafah, in April 2006, the crossing has not yet been
officially opened.  IOF have also continued to prevent Palestinian workers
from the Gaza Strip from reaching their work places in Israel through Beit
Hanoun (Erez) crossing.  They have continued to prevent hundreds of
thousands of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip from traveling to the West
Bank.  IOF have partially operated al-Mentar (Karni)
commercial crossing, east of Gaza City.  As a result of the repeated
closures of the crossing, the economic conditions in the Gaza Strip have
deteriorated.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on
Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  IOF positioned at various
checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians.  IOF have continued to separate the
north and south of the West Bank. For
this purpose, they have closed Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and
re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah.  They have also erected two new checkpoints
near Ramallah.  During the reported period, IOF positioned at various
checkpoints around Nablus imposed severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians.  IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West
Bank abused a number of Palestinian civilians.  During the reported period,
IOF at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 15 Palestinians, including 4 children.

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall
inside the West Bank.  During the reported period, IOF razed areas of
Palestinian land near “Shavi Shomron” and “Ariel” settlements in the north of
the West Bank to construct a section of the Wall in the area. IOF also demolished a house in Deir
al-Ghosoun village, north of Tulkarm. On
16 June 2006, IOF used forced to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in
protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah
Wall.  IOF fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound
bombs at the demonstrators.  As a result, 3 Palestinians civilians,
including a child, were wounded.  

Illegal Settler
Activities: Israeli settlers in
breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have
launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property,
especially in Hebron. During the reported
period, a Palestinian civilian was injured and 5 houses were damaged in attacks
by settlers, and IOF demolished two houses in East Jerusalem and Silwad
village, northeast of Ramallah. 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (15–21 June 2006)

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report here.