· Palestinian land continued to be leveled and house
and civilian facility continued to be demolished.
This
report covers Israeli human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories during the period of March 8-14,
2001. During this period, the Israeli
occupation forces killed four Palestinian civilians. In addition, dozens of others were wounded
with live and rubber-coated metal bullets and shrapnel during the shooting and
shelling.
Early on
Saturday, March 10, 2001, Israeli forces, positioned along the road between
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim,) junction, to the south of Gaza City, and Al-Mentar
(Karni) Outlet, fired an artillery shell at Ziad Sa’di Abdel-Hamid ‘Ayyad, 27, from Al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City, killing him with shrapnel throughout the body. According to PCHR’s investigation, Israeli
forces used a new kind of projectile. These are needle-like darts approximately 3cm long.
On Monday, March 12, 2001, the
Israeli occupation forces shot and killed Abdel-Qader Mohammed Ibrahim, 29, a
member of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service from Ramallah, with a
live bullet in the chest. According to
eyewitnesses, Ibrahim, was unarmed and in civilian attire. At the time, he was observing clashes between
Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces on the road between
Ramallah and Bir Zeit.
On Wednesday, March 14, 2001, at
approximately 11:00 local time, during clashes in East Gaza City, Israeli
forces shot and killed Ahmed Salem Shehadeh Bannar, 19, from Al-Shojaeya
neighborhood in Gaza City. Two live
bullets, which hit Bannar in his chest and abdomen, were fired from a silenced
gun from an approximately 30m distance.
In the afternoon on the same day,
Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians in Qalqilya, killing
Murtaja Abdel-Latif Mahmoud ‘Aamer, 17, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the head. ‘Aamer apparently collapsed
and died without being noticed; his body was found in the area of clashes in
the morning of Thursday, March 15, 2001.
During the same period, Na’eim
Abdel-Nabi Abu Jame’, 39, from Aqraba village near Nablus, and Amira Nasser Abu
Seif, 48, from Taqqou’a village near Jenin, died after Israeli forces at
military roadblocks obstructed their transfer to the hospital.
According to PCHR’s documentation,
during the second week of March 2001, the Israeli occupation forces razed large
areas of Palestinian agricultural land throughout the Gaza Strip, especially in
Rafah, the middle area, Gaza and the northern area. This involved hundreds of donums of
agricultural land, several houses and two concrete factories. A number of wells used for irrigation were
also destroyed.
This
escalation coincided with Israel’s continued strict internal and external
siege. The Israeli forces have
reinforced their presence at the entrance to several Palestinian cities isolating
them from one another despite Israeli claims that the siege has been
lifted. (For more information about the
siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and its disastrous consequences, see Closure
Update, a report by PCHR on the closure imposed by the Israeli occupation
forces on the Gaza Strip.)
1. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians
At approximately 14:30
local time, Israeli occupation soldiers positioned at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction south of Gaza City, opened fire on three journalists, including one
Palestinian and two international journalists. No injuries were reported in this incident. This attack is part of ongoing Israeli
efforts to prevent journalists from covering human rights abuses in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The three Rueters
journalists were:
1) Suhaib Jadallah Hassan Jadallah, 24, from Gaza City;
2) Christine Hider, 30, from the USA; and
3) Ahmed Bahdo, 33, from Belgium.
In his testimony to PCHR,
Jadallah said that he and his colleagues were interviewing Palestinian
civilians near Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction. At approximately 14:30 local time, they fixed their cameras on an
Israeli tank located approximately 50m
away. Then, Jadallah added, “a soldier
emerged from the top door of the tank and opened fire on us. We lay down. I heard Israeli soldiers shouting at us on a megaphone, asking us to
leave the area.”
After
the Friday prayer, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian
demonstrators in Salem village near Nablus, wounding two with rubber-coated
metal bullets. They were:
1) the 12-year-old child
Hussam Qassem Sawalha, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the jaw; and
2) Mohammed Jazi Jabbour, 21,
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh.
At
approximately 15:30 local time, ‘Emad Sharif Abu ‘Awwad, 37, from Bir Zeit
village near Ramallah, was wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen that
penetrated the chest, when Israeli occupation soldiers fired upon a Palestinian
civilian car in which he was traveling with his brothers. Additionally, his brother ‘Awwad, 39, was
wounded with shrapnel in the back. The
three bothers were traveling from Bir Zeit to Ramallah on a bypass road near
Beit Eil settlement, to the north of Al-Bireh. An Israeli forces vehicle pursued them, forced them to stop, and then
opened fire on them from behind at a distance of only 3m.
Saturday,
March 10, 2001
At approximately 3:30 local time,
the corpse of Ziad Sa’di Abdel-Hamid ‘Ayyad, 27, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in
Gaza City was brought to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City once the Israeli side
transferred it to the Palestinian side. According to medical sources at Shifa’ hospital, dart-like projectiles
were found on ‘Ayyad’s body. According
to PCHR confirming research, these new dart-like projectiles are manufactured
in a needle-like and tapered-headed shape, approximately 3cm long. Mustafa El-Ramalawi, 42, from Al-Boreij
refugee camp, was also killed with these projectiles on Friday, March 2, 2001,
at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction.
Early in the morning, Israeli
occupation soldiers, positioned at the road between Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction, south of Gaza City, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet opened fire on
‘Ayyad, killing him. Circumstances of
this incident are not clear. According
to PCHR’s investigation, ‘Ayyad was a farmer and it is likely that he was
crossing the road when Israeli occupation soldiers fired a shell on him that
exploded, embedding the dart-like shrapnel throughout his body.
Israeli forces neither denied nor
confirmed the use of the projectiles. The March 12, 2001 English version of Israeli Ha’arretz published
a statement by an Israeli military spokesman to Reuters, in which he stated
that the Israeli army “uses means best suited to overall security conditions
and specific threats in the area.”
According to PCHR investigation,
Israeli forces immediately and without hesitation opened fire on any
Palestinian who crosses the aforementioned road. One of the most significant instances was the
incident in which the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Saber Fureij Abu
Zhaher, 38, from Johor El-Dik area near the said road, on January 31, 2001,
killing him with more than ten live bullets throughout the body.
At approximately 8:15 local time,
Israeli occupation forces fired on Riadh Rashid Khalil El-Qadhi, 32, from
Rafah, wounding him with a live bullet in the head. El-Qadhi was on his land in ‘Oraybeh area,
opposite to Morag settlement, to the north of Rafah, when he was fired
upon. He was evacuated to Al-Joneina
hospital in Rafah, where medical sources stated that he was in stable
condition.
In his testimony to PCHR, his
brother, Ziad El-Qadhi, 29, said: “On Saturday, March 10, 2001, at
approximately 8:00 local time, I was with my brother Raiadh on our land in
‘Oraybeh area. We head a sound of a
heavy explosion. Approximately 15
minutes later, my brother went to see the farmer named Barakat Duheir, who has
land next to ours. When my brother was
approximately 15m from me, Israeli occupation forces fired approximately 10
live bullets. I head my brother crying
and falling on the ground. I rushed
toward him and he was bleeding from his head. Duheir and I evacuated him to hospital.”
Sunday, March 11, 2001
At approximately 6:00 local
time, Israeli forces positioned near Salah El-Din Gate on the Rafah-Egypt
border fired at Sa’eid Kamel Abu Jazar, 17, wounding him with a live bullet in
the right foot. When shot, Abu Jazar was
on the street, approximately 40m away from the Israeli military site located
next to a Palestinian residential neighborhood.
Monday, March 12, 2001
At approximately 10:00
local time, clashes erupted between the Israeli forces and dozens of
Palestinian youths who were attempting to reopen the road between Ramallah and
Bir Zeit. They were using a bulldozer to
cover the hole that had been dug by the Israeli forces near a junction leading
to Beit Eil settlement as part of new measures to tighten the siege on Ramallah
and isolate it from dozens of nearby towns and villages. Israeli reinforcements, including tank and
bulldozer reinforcements came to the area. Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters, live bullets, and rubber-coated
metal bullets, wounding a number of Palestinian demonstrators.
At approximately 13:00
local time, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on a number of Palestinian
youths standing on a nearby hill, and killed Abdel-Qader Mohammed Ibrahim, 29,
with a live bullet in the chest. Ibrahim
was a member of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service. However, according to eyewitnesses, when he
was shot he was unarmed and in civilian attire.
In the afternoon, the
Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators at the
entrance of Deir Nezham village, to the west of Ramallah, wounding:
1) Abdullah Tayseer Ya’cob A’araj, 16, with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
2) Ziad Yousef Dhiab Soufi, 16, with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head;
3) Bilal Mohammed Abdel-Hadi Mos’ad, 17, with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right shoulder; and
4) ‘Alla’ Ibrahim Hussein Dhiab, 18, with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right side.
At approximately 11:00 local time, Israeli forces fired on Ahmed Salem
Shehadeh Bannar, 19, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, killing him
with two live bullets in the chest and the abdomen. According to eyewitnesses, clashes erupted between
Palestinian youth and the Israeli occupation forces, positioned at a bypass
road to the south of Al-Menatar (Karni) Outlet, east of Gaza City. Bannar moved toward Israeli soldiers who shot
him from a silenced gun at a distance of approximately 30m before attempting to
employ less lethal means. Bannar was
evacuated by an ambulance to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City, where he died
shortly following arrival.
In the afternoon, clashes
erupted between Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces at the northern
entrance of Deir Nezham village, west of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian
civilians, wounding five, including the 12-year-old child Lu’ai Mohammed
Hussein El-Tamimi, who was critically wounded with a live bullet in the head at
approximately 15:45 local time. According to investigation by the Palestinian Society for the Protection
of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), an Israeli occupation soldier in a
jeep shot the child from a distance of approximately 200m. The Israeli forces obstructed the evacuation
of the child to hospital for an hour. The child was put into the intensive care unit at Ramallah
hospital. The other wounded were:
1) Yousef Mustafa El-Khatib, 25, wounded with a live
bullet in the right thigh;
2) Wassef Yousef El-Tamimi, 17, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
3) Mohammed Mustafa El-Khatib, 20, wounded with two
rubber-coated metal bullets in the right thigh; and
4) Ziad Yousef El-Tamimi, 16, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh.
At approximately 14:00
local time, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli
forces at the southern entrance of Qalqilya, lasting until 18:00 local
time. The Israeli forces opened fire on
Palestinian civilians and killed Murtaja Abdel-Latif Mahmoud ‘Aamer, 17, with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head, according to medical sources at
Qalqilya hospital. It is evident from
the investigation that ‘Aamer was killed from a short distance. After collapsing without being noticed and
his body was found in the clash area the morning of Thursday, March 15,
2001. Furthermore, 13 Palestinian
civilians, mostly children, were wounded as follows:
1) Tahe’r Ziad Ahmed Taha, 14, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;
2) Thoraya Ahmed Hassanein Abtali, 15, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh;
3) Bilal Fuad Ahmed Shereim, 17, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left foot;
4) Mohammed Hafezh Ahmed Hammad, 15, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right eye;
5) Mohammed Ali Ibrahim Daoud, 12, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the abdomen;
6) Beha’ Abdullah Khalil ‘Ennabi, 13, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the right foot;
7) ‘Alla’ Ahmed Mohammed Daoud, 15, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left foot;
8) Eyad Abdel-Fattah Abtali, 21, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
9) Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed Daoud, 14, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
10) ‘Aamer Ismail ‘Awad Abu Hamed, 21, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh;
11) Abdel-Hafizh Mazen Hotari, 18, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the chest;
12) Mohammed Rashis Jebara, 18, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the back; and
13) Walid Ibrahim Mohammed Mahmoud, 19, wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the abdomen.
2. Shelling of Residential
Neighborhoods
Thursday,
March 8, 2001
In the evening, the Israeli
occupation forces fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium
caliber bullets at Palestinian residential neighborhoods in Nablus. The shelling targeted the neighborhoods of
Ras El-‘Ein, Set El-Suleimia, and Amman Street. As a result, Mohammed Wajih ‘Affouneh was wounded with a live bullet in
the left shoulder while he was inside his house in Ras El-‘Ein neighborhood;
Ahmed El-‘Odeili was wounded with shrapnel in the right thigh.
Friday,
March 9, 2001
At approximately 19:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the Egyptian border in
Rafah, fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets
at Palestinian houses, some approximately 500m from the border. As a result, seven Palestinian civilians were
wounded. The wounded included a mother
and her four daughters, who were wounded as follows:
1) the child Hiba Jamal El-‘Arian, 7, seriously wounded
with shrapnel in the head and was transferred to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City;
2) the child Suzan Jamal El-‘Arian, 8, wounded with
shrapnel in the feet;
3) the child Asama’ Jamal El-‘Arian, 12, wounded with
shrapnel in the feet;
4) the child Amani Jamal El-‘Arian, 15, wounded with
shrapnel in the left foot; and
5) Hanan Mohammed El-‘Arian, 40, wounded with shrapnel
in the face.
In her testimony to PCHR,
Hanan El-‘Arian said that she was sitting with her four daughters in a room of
their asbestos-roofed house in Block “N,” approximately 500m away from the
border. At approximately 19:30 local
time, she said, she heard a heavy explosion inside the house. “After the explosion, I felt pain and heat in
my face, and I saw black smoke rising in the room, so we cried for help,” she
added.
Aslo as a result of the
shelling, Tamer Mohammed Mahmoud Daoud, 17, was wounded with a live bullet in
the right leg fired from a distance of approximately 30m. He was shot when he
was passing on a road adjacent to the border. Furthermore, ‘Aaida Mahmoud Abdel-Rahman Douhan, 25, was wounded with
shrapnel in the right leg, while she was inside her house in Block “O,”
adjacent to the border.
In her testimony to PCHR,
Douhan, an eight-month pregnant mother of two, said that she was with her
husband and children inside their house. At approximately 20:00 local time, “I heard a sound of a heavy
explosion. Then I felt with pain in my
right leg and saw it bleeding.” She was
immediately evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah.
At approximately 21:00
local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy and
medium caliber bullets at Palestinian residential neighborhoods in Nablus.
Three civilians, including two children, were wounded as follows:
1) the child Jamal Mohammed Qandil, 16, wounded with
shrapnel in the head;
2) the child ‘Essam Abdel-Jawad Hassan Ali, 16, wounded
with shrapnel in the head; and
3) Ahmed Nasser ‘Eissa, 53, wounded with shrapnel in the
right thigh.
Saturday, March 10, 2001
At approximately 16:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in military sites on Johar
Mount and the settlement center known as “Avraham Avino” in Hebron, fired heavy
and medium caliber bullets at Qaitoun and Abu Sneineh neighborhoods in Hebron. This lasted for more than one hour, during
which Yasser Mohammed Mahmoud Eshtayeh, 15, was wounded with shrapnel in the
mouth. A number of houses were also
severely damaged.
At approximately 20:00
local time, Israeli forces fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at the neighborhoods
of Al-Dhahia, the North Mountain, the Old Town and Kellet El-‘Amoud, and Nablus
center. Sa’ed Abdel-Rahim Abu Sweilem, 20, from the North Mountain, was wounded
with two live bullets in the shoulder and the leg. Also, a number of houses
were severely damaged.
At approximately 22:30
local time, Israeli forces positioned at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing and on the
border to the northeast of Beit Hanoun, fired heavy caliber bullets at nearby
Palestinian farms and houses. This
lasted for approximately 45 minutes; at approximately 2:00 local time on the
following day, it resumed for another 30 minutes. PCHR’s area field officer reported that the
shelling caused severe damage to Palestinian houses, approximately 350m away
from the border. The owners left
approximately 50 days ago. The houses
were as follows:
1) a 150-square-meter, two-story house, in which eight
people used to live, owned by Jamal Mohammed Hussein Sweilem;
2) a 140-square-meter, two-story house, in which nine
people used to live, owned by Ahmed Mohammed Hussein Sweilem;
3) a 150-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11
people used to live, owned by Kamal Mohammed Hussein Sweilem;
4) a 160-square-meter, two-story house, in which six
people used to live, owned by Yousef Mohammed Hussein Sweilem;
5) a 140-square-meter, two-story house, in which eight
people used to live, owned by Mohammed Mohammed Hussein Sweilem; and
6) a 150-square-meter, two-story house, in which eight
people used to live, owned by ‘Atta Hassan Sweilem.
Sunday, March 11, 2001
At approximately 23:00
local time, Israeli forces, positioned west of Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan
Yunis, fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at the neighborhood market and
nearby houses. This damaged the market and
the façades of a number of houses. The
shelling coincided with other shelling from Israeli positions near Gani Tal
settlement that targeted housing units owned by Al-Farra Company. These have been shelled frequently in the past months.
At
approximately 10:00 local time, Israeli forces positioned on the Egyptian
border in Rafah, fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, medium caliber
bullets, and tear gas canisters at Palestinian houses in Rafah refugee
camp. This lasted for 1.5 hours. At approximately 12:30, shelling resumed
until 14:00 local time. As a result,
Yasser Yousef Salah Abu Shammaleh, 30, from Block “O” in Rafah refugee camp,
was wounded with shrapnel in the right hand. Additionally, another three Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas
inhalation. Furthermore, a number of
houses and a barbershop were severely damaged as follows:
1) A 16-square-meter
barbershop in Block “O,” approximately 200m to the north of the border, owned
by Younis Mohammed Abdullah ‘Aashour, was hit with an artillery shell that
completely destroyed its context and burnt it.
2) A 150-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which six people live, in Yebna area in Rafah refugee
camp, approximately 100m away from the border, and owned by Samir Joma’a
Hussein Abu Jazar, was hit with an artillery shell that destroyed the contents
of its front room.
3) A 250-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which 13 people live, in Block “O” in Rafah refugee
camp, approximately 200m away from the border, and owned by Mohammed Ahmed
Mahmoud El-Shae’r, was hit with three artillery shells that severely damaged
one of its bedrooms.
4) An apartment in which four
people live, owned by Hani Fakhry El-Jazzar, in a 150-square-meter, four-story
building, was hit with an artillery shell that severely damaged its southern
façade and the living room. All the
apartments in the building are empty, since their owners left due to frequent
shelling.
PCHR’s
area field officer added that dozens of houses were also damaged by live
bullets.
Tuesday,
March 13, 2001
At
approximately 22:30 local time, Israeli forces positioned near Gani Tal
settlement west of Al-Sattar Al-Gharbi area in Khan Yunis, fired heavy and
medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and farms in thea Al-Sattar
Al-Gharbi area. PCHR’s area field
officer reported that bullets hit the façades of many Palestinian houses, but
no injuries were reported.
3. Two Palestinian Civilians
Die Under the Siege
On
Tuesday, March 13, 2001, Na’eim Abdel-Nabi Abu Jame’, 39, from Aqraba village
near Nablus, died after the Israeli forces at a military roadblock prevented
the passage of a civilian car that tried to transport him to hospital
throu. His family left at approximately
4:50 local time after he suffered from chest pains and breathing
difficulties. On the way to a hospital
in Nablus, Israeli soldiers at the Hawara junction roadblock, stopped the car, checked it and denied its
passage. Israeli soldiers were warned of
Abu Jame’’s critical condition. His
family was forced to transport him through a dirt road, but he died before
arriving at hospital.
On
Wednesday, March 14, 2001, at approximately 8:15 local time, Amira Nasser Abu
Seif, a 48 mother of five children from Taqqou’a village near Jenin, died after
Israeli forces prevented her transfer to hospital. Abu Seif was a diabetic and was suffering
from hyperglycemia when her son transported her by a private car at
approximately 4:30 local time towards Jenin hospital. Israeli occupation soldiers at Al-Jalama
roadblock north of Jenin obstructed the passage of the car for more than 3.5
hours. At 8:10 local time, after calling a military physician to confirm her
critical health condition, Israeli soldiers allowed her son to carry her 50m to
reach the other side of the roadblock. From there, a Palestinian ambulance transported her to Jenin hospital,
but she died upon arrival at hospital.
4. Attacks and Shooting on
Palestinian Civilians by Settlers
At
approximately 9:30 local time, a Jewish settler from the new Suissa settlement
east of Yatta village near Hebron, opened fire on Khaled Mousa Al-Najjar, 45,
from Yatta village, wounding him with two live bullets in the abdomen and the
right hand. Al-Najjar was grazing his
animals when he was fired at by the settler from a distance of approximately
500m.
At
approximately 22:00 local time, a settler from Suissa settlement also fired at
Nabil Mohammed Ismail Abu Ali, 35, from Yatta village, wounding him with a live
bullet in the left knee. Abu Ali was
traveling by his car on a bypass road leading to Suissa settlement towards his
house, when he was shot.
Saturday,
March 10, 2001
A
number of Jewish settlers residing in settlement centers in the middle of
Hebron under the full protection by the Israeli occupation forces, attacked
Palestinian civilians in Tal Al-Romeida and Al-Sahleh neighborhoods as well as
Al-Rahma Mount and Al-Shallala Street. As a result, Radhi Dhib Houso, 15, from Tal Al-Romeida neighborhood,
suffered from injuries and bruises. Additionally, settlers attacked journalist Mazen Da’na, a 37-year-old
Rueters cameraman, from Hebron; Hussam ‘Allan, a 42-year-old Agence France
Presse Cameraman from Al-Zhahereya village near Hebron, also received injuries
and bruises.
5. Razing of Agricultural
Land
Thursday, March 8, 2001
At
approximately 14:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land, adjacent to the border between the Gaza Strip and
Israel, to the east of Rafah (Tal Jarghoun area near Sofa Crossing). PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
it was the first time since the outbreak of the Al Aqsa intifada that the
Israeli occupation forces razed lands in this area. This lasted for approximately six hours and
involved a 100-donum strip of agricultural land, approximately 1,000m long and
70-300m wide, as follows:
1) A 14.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with almonds, figs, plums and wheat, owned by ‘Aatef El-Zanneh
Hussein Abu Louli.
2) A 14.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with almonds, figs, plums and wheat, owned by Mahmoud El-Zanneh
Hussein Abu Louli.
3) A 14.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with almonds, figs, plums and wheat, owned by Ahmed El-Zanneh
Hussein Abu Louli.
4) A one-donum area of agricultural
land planted with almonds and olives, owned by Fuad Suleiman Hussein Abu Louli.
5) A 1.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and plums, owned by Jamal Suleiman Hussein Abu Louli.
6) A 14-donum area of agricultural
land planted with wheat, owned by Suleiman Hussein Abu Louli.
7) A three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, figs and plums, owned by Ismail Suleiman
Hussein Abu Louli.
8) A four-donum area of agricultural
land planted with almonds, figs and wheat, owned by Amin Suleiman Hussein Abu
Louli.
9) A 2.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and figs, owned by Mustafa Shehdeh Abu Louli.
10) A 500-square-meter area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Yahia Suleiman Abu Louli.
11) A four-donum area of agricultural
land planted with almonds and wheat, owned by Ahmed Ismail Abdullah Jarghoun.
12) A two-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and figs, owned by Fawzi Ismail Abdullah Jarghoun.
13) A 12-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and wheat, owned by Abdullah Ismail abdullah
Jarghoun. In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.
14) A 12-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and figs, owned by Ali Abdullah Ibrahim Jarghoun. In addition, an irrigation network was
destroyed.
15) A 14.5-donum area of agricultural
land planted with almonds, figs, plums and wheat, owned by Mohammed El-Zanneh
Hussein Abu Louli.
Friday, March 9, 2001
At
approximately 12:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land to the northeast of Kfar Darom settlement in Deir El-Balah. This lasted until 18:00 local time and
included:
1) Razing a 2.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, citrus and fruits, and destroying its
irrigation network, owned by Samir Mohammed El-‘Azzayza;
2) Razing a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, palms and legumes, owned by Mohammed
‘Araef Baraka;
3) Razing a one-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Ahmed Suleiman El-Ma’ni; and
4) Razing a 1.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and palms, owned by Ghanem Suleiman
El-Ma’ni.
Saturday,
March 10, 2001
At
approximately 8:00 local time, Israeli bulldozers burst into the border east of
Al-Boriej refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, and demolished a site
of the Palestinian National Security Forces. This was located 100m to the west of the border, inside areas under the
control of the Palestinian National Authority. The area of the site is approximately 300 square meters and Israeli
forces are still positioned there, preventing the access of Palestinian farmers
to their nearby farms.
Sunday,
March 11, 2001
At
approximately 12:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, including military
vehicles and bulldozers, demolished two Palestinian concrete factories located
approximately 700m north of a settlement road to the south of Al-Mentar (Karni)
Outlet, leading to the Green Line. The two factories, along with their machines
and raw materials, were completely destroyed.
One
factory is owned by Haj Fadhel’s Son’s Company. In his testimony to PCHR, Nasser El-Din Fadhel Hussein, one of the
factory’s owners, said that three Israeli forces jeeps moved approached the
factory at approximately 12:00 (local time). Israeli soldiers opened fire, forcing Hussein and his colleagues to
flee, observing the events from a distance. Hussein added that two
Israeli forces tanks and two bulldozers came to the 24-donum factory and
started to demolish it. Hussein
estimated losses at approximately US$ 1 million. The Israeli occupation forces demolished and
destroyed the following:
1) a 250-square meter
building used as offices for the company;
2) two trucks for
transporting manufactured concrete and two concrete containers;
3) six concrete containers
without trucks;
4) a car maintenance workshop
with its equipment;
5) a 1988-made tractor,
6) a car equalizer;
7) an equipment container;
8) a 120-cubic-meter pool
that provided the factory with water;
9) an electricity generator
and the electricity and telephone networks; and
10) cement saving tanks.
The
other factory is owned by Abu ‘Oudeh El-‘Amawi Company. It was on a two-donum area of land. The factory, along with its machines, was
completely destroyed. Its owner estimated
losses at approximately US$ 55,000.
Monday,
March 12, 2001
At
approximately 12:00 local time, Israeli forces started to raze more areas of
agricultural land south of Gaza City. These forces razed a four-donum area of agricultural land planted with
citrus, owned the Al-Weheidi family, located to the northeast of Netzarim
settlement. PCHR’s field officer in the
area reported that the Israeli forces also demolished a 500-square-meter bird
farm, a 16-square-meter room, a well, and a water pump.
At
approximately 14:00 local time, after having shelling Palestinian houses in
Rafah, the Israeli occupation forces razed a four-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives. The land,
owned by Mohammed Ahmed Mahmoud El-Shae’r, is near the border with Egypt (in
El-Sahae’r neighborhood). They also
demolished an asbestos shelter on the land.
Tuesday,
March 13, 2001
At
approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli forces started to raze more areas of
agricultural land to the south of Gaza City. They razed agricultural land and demolished houses west and north of
Netzarim settlement. This lasted until
3:00 local time on the following day and included:
1) Razing a four-donum area
of agricultural land planted with grapes and figs, owned by Husni Abu Hamad.
2) Razing a two-donum area of
agricultural land, including a bird farm located on one of the dunums,
demolishing a 160-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which five people
used to live, and destroying a well, a water pump and an electricity generator,
owned by Mohammed Mustafa El-Qattawi.
3) Razing a 13-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes, figs, olives and vegetables, demolishing
a 250-square-meter house, in which ten people used to live, owned by Ibrahim
Mohammed Mohammed Dalloul.
4) Razing a seven-donum area
of agricultural land, on which a one-donum bird farm and a 20-square-meter
building that contained a well stood, with the remainder planted with grapes
and figs, owned by Mahmoud Mohammed Mohammed Dalloul.
5) Razing a seven-donum area
of agricultural land planted with grapes, figs, olives and vegetables,
destroying a building that contained a well and a water pump and demolishing a
one-donum bird farm that stood on the same land, owned by Mousa Mohammed
Mohammed Dalloul.
6) Razing a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, demolishing a
200-square-meter house, in which ten people used to live, and destroying a well
and a water pump, owned by Kamela Mohammed Mohammed Dalloul.
7) Razing a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by the heirs of Mansour Rashad
El-Shawa.
8) Razing a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes and demolishing a 100-square-meter,
three-story house on the same land, owned by Jaber Na’eim El-Khozendar.
9) Razing a one-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes and demolishing a 60-square-meter,
two-room house, owned by Nabil Rushdi El-Shawa.
10) Razing a 700-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes and figs, and demolishing a
50-square-meter, two-room house, owned by Sa’id Rashad Dalloul.
11) Razing a 30-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by Maher Ismail Shamallakh.
Also
in the evening, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas of
agricultural land, adjacent to the borderline, to the east of Gaza City – to
the north of Nhal Ouz Crossing east of Al-Shojaeya neighborhood. This lasted until the morning of Wednesday,
March 14, 2001, and included:
1) Razing a 25-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables, and destroying an
irrigation network, owned by Ahmed El-‘Abed El-Khiesi.
2) Razing an 8.5-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, pomegranates and citrus, owned by
Na’im Moqbe El-Khiesi.
3) Razing a four-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Hammad El-‘Abed El-Khiesi.
4) Razing a three-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Darwish Abu Serreya.
5) Razing an eight-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Salameh Qoutta and
borothers.
6) Razing a 14-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and figs, and destroying an agricultural
pool, owned by Sa’id Faraj Shamali.
7) Destroying an
80-square-meter building that contained a well, owned by Suleiman Shamali.
8) Razing a 16-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Salameh El-‘Aaidi Helles and
brothers.
9) Razing a five-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by El-‘Abed Ibrahim Samara.
10) Razing a 4.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Hmadan Mohammed El-Khiesi and
bothers.
11) Razing a 4.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Saleh Moqbel El-Khiesi and
bothers.
12) Razing an eight-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by El-‘Abed and Ibrahim Rezeq
Sukkar.
13) Razing an eight-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Abdel-Qader El-Sheikh Khalil.
14) Razing a three-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Nasser Hamza Sukkar.
15) Razing a seven-donum area
of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Fayez Hassan Hassanein and
bothers.
At
approximately 6:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land adjacent to the borderline to the east of Deir
El-Balah. They razed:
1) a ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with legumes, owned by Abdullah Mohammed Abu
Meghassib; and
2) a five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Meghassib.
In
the area adjacent to the borderline, south of Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the
east of Gaza City, at approximately 6:00 local time, the Israeli occupation
forces started to raze areas of agricultural land. These forces razed:
1) a six-donum area of
agricultural land, on which greenhouses planted with vegetables stood, owned by
Nahedh Hassan Rabah Abu ‘Ajwa; and
2) a four-donum area of
agricultural land, on which greenhouses planted with vegetables stood, owned by
Ziad Motlaq Abu El-Qumboz.
To
the south of Nissanit settlement in the north of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli
occupation forces started to raze areas of wooded land, adjacent to the settlement. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area
reported that the razing is still continuing and includes an area approximately 2km long and 200m wide. He added that the Israeli forces continued
work on a road between Elli Sinai settlement and an Israeli military site in
the Erez area, in the north of the Gaza Strip.
****
PCHR
reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to
stop the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation
forces against Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls in particular for:
1. Establishing without delay
an independent commission of inquiry, in accordance with UN Security Council
resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation
into the abuses and killings perpetrated by the Israeli forces against
Palestinian civilians.
2. Convening a conference of
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure
Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.
3. Immediately providing
international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian
territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the
Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the
protection of these forces.
4. Use by the EU of effective
political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel
Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights.
5. Providing humanitarian and
medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are
increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the
Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories.
