The
building in which Israeli Occupation Forces killed two Palestinian activists in
Hebron on Friday, 08 October 2010

 

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

 

· Two members of
the Palestinian resistance were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.  

 

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

– A Palestinian civilian
was wounded.

– IOF arrested 5
demonstrators, including two Israeli human rights defenders.  

 

· IOF continued
to fire at Palestinian workers an farmers in border areas in the Gaza Strip.

– Two Palestinian civilians, including a child,
were wounded.

 

· IOF conducted 34
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and 5 limited ones
into the Gaza Strip.  

– IOF arrested 7
Palestinian civilians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative
Council.

 

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

– Israeli troops
stationed at military checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank
arrested at least one Palestinian civilian.

 

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

– IOF attempted
to dismantle a sit-in tent in Silwan village.

– IOF arrested a
Palestinian child who was run down by an Israeli settler in Silwan village.

 

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

– IOF confiscated areas of Palestinian land in
Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya, to establish a settler road.

– Israeli settler launched an arson attack
against a school near Nablus.

– Israeli settlers confiscated a bulldozer and a
truck in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.

– Israeli settlers set fire to 100 donums[1]
of agricultural land near Nablus, and burnt at least 600 trees near Bethlehem.

– IOF and Israeli settlers imposed restrictions
on the movement of Palestinian civilians near Israeli settlements and the
annexation wall.

– Israeli began to build 350 housing units in a
number of settlements in the West Bank.

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (14 – 20 October 2010):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF killed two members of the
Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip, and wounded 3 civilians, including a
child, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 17 October 2010, two member of the
Palestinian resistance were killed by a missile fired by an Israeli warplane in
the northern Gaza Strip.  

 

During the reporting period, a Palestinian child was wounded when
Israeli soldiers stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel
fired at them while collecting raw construction materials. 

 

On 20 October 2010, a Palestinian farmer was wounded by Israeli
gunfire in Khan Yunis during an Israeli incursion.

 

During the reporting period, IOF used excessive force to disperse
peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities
and the construction of the annexation wall. As a result, a Palestinian civilian was wounded, and dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from
tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises. IOF also arrested 5 demonstrators, including two Israeli human rights defenders.
 

 

Incursions:

 

During the reporting period, IOF conducted at
least 34 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank,
during which they arrested 7 Palestinian civilians, including a members of the
Palestinian Legislative Council.  

 

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 5 limited
incursions into Palestinian communities, during which they 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.

 

Gaza
Strip

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip. 

 

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

 

· Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on international
diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza
Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international
humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

West
Bank

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic
Majority in Jerusalem: 

 

IOF have continued to take measures at creating a Jewish majority
in Jerusalem. During the reporting
period, IOF attempted 3 times to dismantle a sit-in tent set up by Palestinian
civilians in al-Bustan quarter in Silwan village to the south of the old town
of Jerusalem. 

 

On 17 October 2010, IOF arrested a Palestinian child who was run
down by an Israeli settler in Silwan village. An Israeli court placed the child under house arrest and imposed a fine
on his family.

 

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. 

 

During the reporting period, IOF ordered the confiscation of 11,245
square meters of Palestinian land in Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya,
to establish a settler road. In the same
context, Israeli settlers seized large areas of Palestinian land in Mas’ha
village near Salfit. 

 

On 15 October 2010, Israeli settlers set fire to at least 100
donums of agricultural land in Til village near Nablus. 

 

On 17 October 2010, Israeli settlers pumped waste water on large
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Beit Ummar village near Hebron.

 

On 20 October 2010, Israeli settlers burnt a store in a school near
Nablus. 

 

During the reporting period, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian
farmers while cropping olives in various areas in the West Bank.  

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (14 – 20 October 2010)

 

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

 

Thursday, 14 October 2010

 

· At approximately 01:25, IOF moved into Seilat
al-Harthiya village, northwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mahmoud Mas’oud Jaradat,
48, and arrested him.

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Tammoun
village, south of Tubas. They raided and
searched a number of houses and arrested Jawad Matar Bani ‘Ouda, 40.

 

· At approximately 01:45, IOF moved into
al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Qaher
Fraihat, 21.

 

· At approximately 08:00, Israeli soldiers
stations on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern
Gaza Strip fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw
construction materials from Erez industrial zone. As a result, Yahia Mahmoud al-Za’anin, 16,
from Beit Hanoun, was wounded by a bullet to the right leg, when he was 400
meters away from the crossing. 

 

· At approximately 18:30, IOF moved into al-‘Ouja
village, north of Jericho. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into ‘Arraba
village, southwest of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 21:00, IOF moved into
Ertah suburb, southwest of Tulkarm. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Beit
Liqya village, west of Ramallah. A
number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at IOF. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the
children. As a result, a number of
Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Friday, 15 October  2010

 

· At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into
al-Swaitat neighborhood in the southeast of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

· At approximately 12:00, IOF moved into Kfairet
village, west of Jenin. They patrolled
in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 12:00, IOF moved into the
area located between Jaba’ and Sanour villages, south of Jenin. They patrolled in the area for some time and
withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

· At noon, IOF moved into al-Bustan quarter to
the south of the old town of Jerusalem. At
approximately 13:30, following the Friday Prayer performed by Palestinian
civilians in a sit-in tent, IOF fired many tear gas canisters and rubber-coated
metal bullets at them. They also used
colored water hoses against them. By the
evening, 10 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, suffered from tear gas
inhalation. Three of these civilians
were evacuated to hospitals, while the other 7 ones were treated on the spot.

 

Sunday, 17 October 2010

 

· At approximately 04:00, an Israeli warplane
fired two missiles at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance
affiliated to al-Quads Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in
al-Sudaniya area in the northern Gaza Strip. As a result, Mahmoud Jaber Ibrahim Wishah, 21, was killed by shrapnel
throughout the body. Another activist,
Mohammed Hisham Zaqqout, 24, was seriously wounded by shrapnel to the back, and
he died at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City a few hours later. Additionally, offices
of a ceramics company in the area were damaged.

 

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Kufor
Ra’ei village, southwest of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 11:20, IOF moved into ‘Arraba
village, southwest of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 11:50, IOF moved into ‘Anza
village, south of Jenin. They patrolled
in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 21:00, IOF moved nearly 350
meters into al-Snati area in ‘Abassan village, east of the southern Gaza Strip
town of Khan Yunis. They leveled areas
of Palestinian land and opened fire indiscriminately. They withdrew from the area 3 hours later and
no casualties were reported.

 

Monday, 18 October 2010

 

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into
al-Harayiq neighborhood in the southwest of Hebron. They besieged a 3-storey apartment building
belonging to the family of Hatem Rabah Qaffisha, 50. They raided Qaffisha’s flat and arrested
him. It is worth noting that had been
detained by IOF several time. The last
time, he was released from Israeli jails in November 2009.

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into
Tulkarm. They raided a house belonging
to Ahmed al-Hamshari, and from it, they threw stones at a neighboring house
belonging to Sufian Ahmed Staiti, 38. When Staiti got out of his house to check what was going on, IOF
arrested him.

 

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm
again. They raided a house belonging to
Na’im Salim al-Karmi, 70, the father of Nash’at al-Karmi who was killed by IOF
in Hebron last week. They ordered
al-Karmi and his wife to refer to the Israeli police at 10:00, and they
did. An Israeli police officer took
samples of slobbers from the al-Karmi and his wife, claiming that the Israeli
police wanted to verify that the man who was killed last week is their
son. 

 

· Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into
al-Far’a refugee camp, south of Tubas. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed ‘Ali
‘Abbas, 24, a university student.

 

· At approximately 08:00, IOF moved nearly 300
meters into ‘Abassan village, east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan
Yunis. They leveled areas of Palestinian
land and withdrew 3 hours later. 

 

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Zeita
village, north of Tulkarm. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 11:00, IOF moved into
‘Attil village, north of Tulkarm. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 12:25, IOF moved into Beit
Leed village, east of Tulkarm. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 22:15, IOF moved into
Maithaloun village, southeast of jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 22:15, IOF moved into
Sanour village, southeast of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 19
October 2010

 

· At approximately 0:30, IOF moved into Bal’a
village, east of Tulkarm. They patrolled
in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 00:30, IOF moved into
Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of ‘Aayed
Mohammed Braighaith, 20, and arrested him.

 

· At approximately 14:30, IOF moved nearly 30
meters into the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya. They leveled areas of Palestinian land, which
they had already razed.

 

· At approximately 16:30, IOF moved into Beit
Liqya village, west of Ramallah. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Jeet
village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled
in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 20:00, IOF moved nearly 350
meters into al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis. They leveled areas of Palestinian land, which
they had already razed. Armed clashed
erupted between IOF and members of the Palestinian resistance, but no
casualties were reported.

 

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

 

Wednesday,
20 October 2010

 

· At approximately 0:30, IOF moved into Ethna
village, northwest of Hebron. They
raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Abdul ‘Azim al-Qaissi, but no arrests
were reported.

 

· At approximately 07:00, IOF moved nearly 300
meters into al-Fukhari area in the southeast of Khan Yunis. They leveled areas of Palestinian land, which
they had already razed, and opened fire indiscriminately. As a result of the Israeli gunfire, Hussein
Salman Abu Raida, 65, was wounded by a
bullet to the neck, while he was cropping olives, nearly 1,000 meters away from
the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

 

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Eastern
Barta’a village, which has been isolated by the annexation wall, west of
Jenin. They stormed a coal plant
belonging to Yasser ‘Othman Qabaha and Jamal Sharif ‘Amarna. They confiscated at least 40 tons of wood and
ordered the closure of the plant, claiming that it bothers Israeli settlers.

 

· At approximately 16:00, an Israeli infantry
unit moved into Eastern Barta’a village, west of Jenin. Israeli soldiers patrolled in the market and
raided a number of shops. An Israeli
intelligence officer, who accompanied the soldiers, interrogated a number of
Palestinian civilians.  

 

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, and against the establishment of a buffer zone along the border in
the Gaza Strip. As a result, a
Palestinian civilians was wounded. Dozens
of civilians and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation
and others sustained bruises. Additionally, IOF arrested two Israeli human rights defenders, who were
released later, and 3 Palestinian civilians.    

 

· Following the Friday Prayer on 15 October 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 Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah. They
moved towards the annexation wall. Israeli troops stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets,
sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered
from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten by
Israeli troops.  

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 15 October 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in
Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the
Annexation Wall. They clashed with
Israeli troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear
gas canisters at demonstrators. As a
result, several demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and others
sustained bruises.  

 

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 15 October 2010, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between
the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by
Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement, Israeli troops fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, ‘Omar Saleh al-Tamimi, 21, was
hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot. A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli undercover units that were deployed
among the demonstrators arrested two Israeli human rights defenders, but
released them later. They also arrested
3 Palestinian civilians: Mohammed ‘Atallah Tamimi, 21; Mahdi ‘Abdul Wahab
Tamimi, 19; and Malek Talal Tamimi, 21. 

 

· At noon on Saturday, 16 October 2010, dozens of Palestinian
civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They moved towards areas of Palestinian land,
which are threatened of confiscation by IOF, near “Karmi Tsur”
settlement, south of the village. IOF
attacked and fired at the demonstrators. As a result, Jiff, 65, an American human rights defender, sustained
bruises throughout the body.  

 

3. Continued
Closure of the OPT

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip. 

 

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

 

· Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on international
diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza
Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international
humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

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

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

13 –
19 October 2010

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

13 –
19 October 2010

 

 

Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: During the
reporting period, IOF partially opened the crossing on Wednesday, 13 October
2010, and allowed the entry of 1,050 tons of construction aggregate. They opened it again on Monday, 18 October
2010, an allowed the entry of 2,184 tons of wheat, and 2,106 tons of fodders.  

 

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

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

13– 19 October 2010

 

 

The West Bank

 

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

 

· Jerusalem: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city.
Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have
been denied access to the city. IOF have established many checkpoints around and
inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often
escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa
Mosque.  On Friday morning, 01 October
2010, IOF imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. They reinforced their
presence throughout the city. They
stopped and checked Palestinian civilians.   

 

· Hebron: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Saturday morning, 16 October 2010, IOF
declared Tal al-Rumaida neighborhood in the center of Hebron a closed military
zone. They prevented dozens of
university students from entering the area to assist Palestinian farmers in cropping
olives.  In the afternoon, IOF closed the
square of the old town in the center of Hebron, to prevent dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders from
demonstrating in protest to the closure of al-Shuhada Street.

 

· Bethlehem: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. They have maintained their
presence at 41 checkpoints around the town. The town has been also impacted by the construction of the annexation
wall to the north and west, and large areas of Palestinian land have been
isolated by the wall. During the
reporting period, Israeli troops stationed at the 300 checkpoint (Rachel Toms),
north of Bethlehem, continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to Jerusalem.  Palestinian civilians are forced to wait in
queues on two routes outside the checkpoint. They are then checked by Israeli soldiers using electronic checking
machines. Such checking is often
prolonged and humiliating. During the
reporting period, only Palestinians who have permits were allowed to travel to
Jerusalem.    

 

· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians. They have
continued to establish checkpoints on the roads leading to the city and to stop
and search Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 10:15 on Thursday, 14 October 2010, IOF established a
checkpoint on Nablus-Tulkarm road, west of Nablus. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.

 

· Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of the Palestinian civilians in Ramallah. IOF troops positioned at the Jaba’ and Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast
of Ramallah, have imposed additional restrictions on movement and conducted
prolonged checks of Palestinian civilians. During the reporting period, IOF erected a number of temporary
checkpoints, and stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 08:00 on Friday, 15 October
2010, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of
Ramallah. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 20:30 on Saturday, 16 October 2010, IOF established a checkpoint
under Kharabtha al-Misbah Brifge, west of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
09:30 on Monday, 18 October 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance
of ‘Ein Yabroud village, northeast of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 14:30 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Silwad village, northeast of
Ramallah. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 08:30 on Tuesday, 19 October 2010, IOF re-established their
presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.     

 

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to close the agricultural
road located to the east of ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya, since 2009. The village is also separated from road #55,
which links between Nablus and Qalqilya, with a barbwire fence. The fence cuts off the village from
agricultural land belonging to it in the north. During the reporting period, IOF continued to erect temporary
checkpoints on the main roads leading to Qalqilya. At approximately 06:00 on Saturday, 16
October 2010, IOF closed the gates of Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya,
and denied access of Palestinian farmers to their lands to crop olives.  At approximately 12:00 on Tuesday, 19 October
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kufor Laqef village, east
of Qalqilya. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles.

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 11:00 on Sunday, 17 October
2010, IOF established a checkpoint near the northern entrance of Beit Leed
village on Tulkarm-Nablus road. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.    

 

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday
evening, 14 October 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at a checkpoint on the road
linking Jenin with the northern villages of Tulkarm imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They stopped and searched dozens of civilian
vehicles. At approximately 13:00 on
Friday, 15 October 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ejja
village, south of Jenin. They stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 11:00 on Sundat, 17 October 2010, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Fahma village, southwest of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.  

 

· Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to close the northern
entrance of Salfit with cement blocks and sand barriers since 2000. They have also continued to close two roads
linking Marda village with agricultural land belonging to it.  At approximately 18:00 on Tuesday, 19 October
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Hares village, northwest
of Salfit. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles.  

 

· Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 07:30 on Thursday, 14
October 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk
village, north of Jericho. They stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.       

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

· At approximately 08:00 on Thursday, 14 October
2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at a checkpoint near the western intersection
of Yatta village, south of Hebron, arrested ‘Aadel ‘Abdul Fattah ‘Amru, 29,
from Dura village southwest of Hebron.

 

4. Measures
Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem

 

Israel
has recently escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East
Jerusalem in order to force them to leave the city. PCHR has devoted this section in the Weekly
Report to highlighting violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against
Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem.

 

· On Thursday morning, 14 October 2010, IOF
summoned Na’im Ahmed al-Rwaidi, 36, from Silwan village to the south of the old
town of Jerusalem, to a detention center. They questioned him about allowing Palestinian civilians from al-Bustan
neighborhood to set up a sit-in tent atop of his house. They ordered him to dismantle the tent by
Sunday morning, 17 October 2010, otherwise he will be punished.

 

At
approximately 13:00 on Sunday, 17 October 2010, IOF attempted to dismantle the
tent, but Palestinian civilians were able to stop them. IOF carried out another failed attempt in the
evening, and a third one on Monday, 18 October 2010.

 

· At approximately 05:00 on Sunday, 17 October
2010, IOF moved into Wad Hilwa area in Silwan village to the south of the old
town of Jerusalem. They raided a house
belonging to the family of ‘Omran Mufeed Mansour, 12, who was run down by an
Israeli settler on 08 October 2010, and arrested him. IOF interrogated the child and detained him
until 13:30, when an Israeli court ordered his release, but placed him under
house arrest and ordered his family to pay a fine of 2,000 NIS (approximately US$
550). According to the child’s parents,
the child has been suffering from extreme fear a tension since the time he was
run down by the Israeli settler. He have
been suffering from psychological problems, including isolation and forced
urination. 

 

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

 

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

 

· During the reporting period, IOF handed a
military order to the local council of Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya,
confiscating 11,245 square meters of land to established “a security
road” near “Qidoumim” settlement, northeast of the village. Local sources expressed concerns that more
areas of agricultural land would be confiscated on both sides of the planned
road to be annexed to the settlement. These areas of land belong to:

 

1. Sa’ed
‘Abdullah Barham (30 donums);

2. Salem
‘Abdul Karim Shtaiwi (50 donums);

3. ‘Abdul
Latif Hassan Yassin (30 donums); and

4. Yasser
Ahmed Qassem (20 donums).

 

· During the reporting period, Israeli settlers
from “Alkanah” settlement seized large areas of Palestinian
agricultural land in Mas’ha village, northwest of Salfit. They razed at least 100 donums of
agricultural land. These areas of land
have been isolated by the annexation wall. In his testimony to PCHR, a Palestinian farmer stated:

 

“At approximately 07:00 on Thursday, 14 October 2010, I went
to my agricultural land through the northern gate of the village as I have a
valid permit. A guard of the settlement,
who knows me, attempted to prevent me. I
told him that I was going to a tract of land other than mine, so he allowed me
to pass. When I arrived at my land, I
found that it was completely changed. I
saw bulldozers uprooting olive trees. I
moved to other tracts of land, and I saw the scenes.”

  

· At approximately 10:00 on Friday, 15 October
2010, a number of armed Israeli settlers from “Allon Moreh”
settlement, northeast of Nablus, attacked Palestinian farmers who were cropping
olives in the west of ‘Azmoun village. They
chased and fired at the farmers to force them away from the area. 

 

· At approximately 12:30 on Friday, 15 October
2010, a number of Israeli settlers from “Zuhar” settlement, east of
Qalqilya, set fire to olive fields in ‘Amayer al-Mansour area to the west of
Til village, south of Nablus. Palestinian fire engines were not allowed to attend the affected area
for more than an hour. The attack
resulted in burning at least 100 donums of land planted with olives. 

 

· At approximately 14:00 on Saturday, 16 October
2010, at least 15 Israeli settlers from “Brakha” settlement, south of
Nablus, attacked Palestinian farmers who were cropping olives in Karm
al-Rasheed area in the north of Bourin village. Soon after, IOF arrived at the area and forced the farmers to leave
their lands.

 

· On Monday morning, Israeli settlers from
“Etzion” settlement to the north of Beit Ummar village, north of
Hebron, pumped waste water on Palestinian agricultural land in the village, and
confiscated a bulldozer and a truck belonging to a Palestinian civilian. 

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on Saturday morning,
16 October 2010, ‘Omar Musleh ‘Awadh, 38, went to agricultural field near
“Etzion” settlement to work on a tract of land belonging to the
Sabarna family. At the end of the day,
he parked his bulldozer in the area to continue his work on the following
day. On Sunday morning, 17 October 2010,
Israeli settlers pumped waste water onto the area. Large areas of agricultural land and the
bulldozers were damaged. ‘Awadh called
his brother who assisted him to pull the bulldozer on a heavy truck, and
brought another bulldozer to the area. On Monday morning, 18 October 2010, the settlers pumped more waste water
onto the land. At approximately 15:30,
‘Awadh went to the area to take his bulldozer, but he saw Israeli settlers,
escorted by IOF, taking it. He traveled
in his truck and intercepted them. Immediately, Israeli settlers and soldiers pointed their guns at
him. They also took his identity card
and confiscated his mobile phone. They
also took him and his truck to the settlement. They released him later, but kept the bulldozers and the truck. According to Mohammed ‘;Ayad ‘Awadh, at least
50 donums of agricultural land were damaged. 

 

· At approximately 09:00 on Tuesday, 19 October
2010, a number of Israeli settlers from “Bitar Elite” settlement, west of
Bethlehem, set fire to areas of Palestinian agricultural land near the
settlement. Fire broke out in at least
30 donums of land belonging to Palestinian farmers from Housan village. IOF delayed access of fire engines to the
area, which doubled the losses. According to sources of the local council of Housan village, at least
600 trees were burnt.

 

· At approximately 17:00 on Tuesday, 19 October
2010, dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, gathered in Abu Martin area
near Tulkarm-Nablus road. They moved to
a monument established for an Israeli settler who was killed in December
2009. They remained in the area for
several hours. 

 

· On Wednesday morning, 20 October 2010, Israeli
settlers from “Elli” settlement, south of Nablus, set fire to a store
of sport equipments in a Palestinian secondary school, and wrote Hebrew words
on the walls of the school. The store
was completely burnt. According to the
school principal, Maysoun Sawalha, the settlers broke the locks of the door of
the store and burnt the equipment. She
added that Israeli settlers repeated attack the school, and IOF did not act to
stop such attacks.

 

· At approximately 10:00 on Wednesday, 20 October
2010, armed Israeli settlers from “Allon Moreh” settlement, northeast
of Nablus, attacked Palestinian farmers who were cropping olives in ‘Azmout
village. The chased the farmers and
fired at them.

 

· At approximately 12:45 on Wednesday, 20 October
2010, a number of Israeli settlers from “Qidoumim” settlement, east
of Qalqilya, threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles traveling on
Nablus-Qalqilya road. No injuries were
reported. 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

 

Recommendations to the International
Community

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Public Document

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