A house
demolished by Israeli Occupation Forces in al-‘Aqaba village near Nablus

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

 

Two
Palestinians, included a child, died of previous wounds in the Gaza Strip.

 

IOF
continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

 

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

Two
Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded.

 

IOF
conducted 38 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and a
limited one into the Gaza Strip.  

IOF
arrested 18 Palestinians, including 7 children and 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.

IOF
arrested at least 4 Palestinian civilians at military checkpoints and border
crossings in the West Bank.

 

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

IOF uprooted
500 olive trees in Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit.

Israeli
settlers set fire to 170 olive trees in Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya.

Israeli
settlers burnt 3 cars in Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus.

Israeli
settlers attempted to moved into a number of Palestinian villages.  

 

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (15 – 21 September 2011):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, two
Palestinians, including a child, died of wounds they had sustained by IOF in
the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, 4
Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded by IOF and Israeli
settlers.

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 16 September 2011, Khaled Suleiman Saleem
Kaware’, 43, a member of Hamas from Khan Yunis, dies of a wound he had
sustained during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip (27 December 2008 – 18
January 2009). According to PCHR’s
documentation, at approximately 16:10 on Thursday, 08 January 2009, an Israeli
drone fired a missile at Kaware’ when he was at Khan Yunis –Rafah eastern
road. As a result, he and another 3
Palestinians were wounded. His wound was
described as serious and his legs were amputated. He entered in a comma one month later. He received medical treatment in a Saudi
hospital and in al-Wafaa’ Hospital in Gaza City. Recently, he was taken home living with
assisting medical sets until he died.

 

On 19 September 2011, Ibrahim ‘Adnan ‘Abed Rabbu al-Zaza, 14, from
al-Tuffah neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, died of a wound he had
sustained on 19 August 2011. According
to PCHR’s documentation, at approximately 17:30 on Friday, 19 August 2011, an
Israeli drone fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian
resistance near al-Wafaa’ Hospital in the east of Gaza City. As a result, two children were seriously
wounded: Ibrahim ‘Adnan ‘Abed Rabbu al-Zaza, 14; and Mohammed ‘Aatef ‘Abed
Rabbu al-Zaza, 15. Ibrahim had received
medical treatment in Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for one week before he was
transferred to an Israeli hospital, where he received medical treatment until
his death. 

 

During the reporting period, Israeli
gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. No fishermen were hurt, but Israeli naval
troops confiscated and damaged some fishing nets. 

 

In the West Bank, on 16 September
2011, armed Israelis settlers fired at Palestinian civilians in Qasra
village. As a result, a Palestinian
civilian was wounded.

 

On 20 September 2011, a Palestinian
child was wounded when IOF used force against Palestinian civilians who
attempted to stop attacks by Israeli settlers in Saouther ‘Assira village,
south of Nablus. 

 

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 in
the West Bank. As a result, two
Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded and dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from
tear gas inhalation.  

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 38 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 18Palestinian
civilians, including 7 children and a member of the Palestinian Legislative
Council.   

 

In
the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one incursion on 20 September 2011 into the
northern Gaza Strip.

 

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. 

 

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.

 

These statistics which were made available to
PCHR by the Border and Crossings Department indicate a continued drop in the
number of truckloads of Gaza imports and exports.

 

IOF have continued to impose total ban on the
delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Stri, 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.

 

IOF have continued to prolong the
implementation of their decision to allow 60 cars into Gaza weekly although
more than 11 months have passed since they announced this decision after three
years of ban imposed on the delivery of cars to Gaza. As a result, the prices of cars in Gaza have
been on the rise and local markets experience serious shortage in spare parts.

 

For approximately four 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 international
diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza
Strip.

 

For approximately 51 months, IOF have continued to deny approximately
700 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.

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 in the 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, confiscating more 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 permits issued by IOF. Such 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.

 

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 15 September 2011, a number of
Israeli settlers traveling in two civilian vehicles arrived at the western
entrance of Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus. They stepped down and set fire to two
Palestinian civilian cars belonging. The
three cars were totally burnt.

 

On the same day, a number of Israeli
settlers from “Gilad” settlement, east of Qalqilya, set fire to agricultural
areas in Jeet village. As a result,
large areas of agricultural land were burnt and at least 150 trees were
destroyed. 

 

On the same day, a number of Israeli
settlers from “Ariel” settlement, north of Salafit, damaged many olive trees
belonging to Bassel Mahmoud Abu ‘Eissa in Kufor Hares village to the north of
the aforementioned settlement.

 

Also on the same day, a number of
Israeli settlers moved into Seilat al-Zaher village near Jenin. They attempted to place a mobile home on the
land where the evacuated “Homesh” settlement used to stand, but IOF evacuated
them.

 

On 16 September 2011, Fat’hallah
Mahmoud Abu Raida and his sons arrived at their land located at Qasra-Jaloud
village near Qasra village, southeast of Nablus. Soon, they saw at least 10 Israeli settlers
in the area, 4 of whom were armed. One
of the settlers took his clothes off completely and washed in a pool. Abu Raida phoned the local council of the
village and some villagers, who came to expel the settlers. Immediately, the settlers fired into the air
to drive villagers away from them. As a
result, Abu Raida was wounded by shrapnel from bullets to the leg. Soon after, IOF arrived at the area and fired
tear gas canisters at the Palestinian villagers. 

 

On the same day, while IOF were
using force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian
civilians against Israeli settlement activities in the south of Beit Ummar
town, north of Hebron, a number of Israeli settlers from “Karmi Tsur”
settlement attempted to force journalists away from the area. They insulted the journalists, and one of
them attempted to attack Ma’moun Isma’il Wazwaz, 35, a cameraman of Reuters. When Wazwaz attempted to defend himself, an
Israeli officer intervened and threatened to arrest him. The officer then forced Wazwaz and other
journalists to leave the area.

 

On 17 September 2011, a number of
Israeli settlers from “Efrat” settlement, south of Bethlehem, attacked a car,
in which 4 Palestinian civilians were traveling. The car was damaged. 

 

On 18 September 2011, a number of
Israeli settlers from “Gilad” settlement, northeast of Qalqilya, set fire to
Palestinian agricultural areas in Jeet village. As a result, 20 olive trees were burnt. 

 

On 19 September 2011, a number of
Israeli settlers moved into Seilat al-Zaher village near Jenin. They set up tents on the land where the
evacuated “Homesh” settlement used to stand, but IOF evacuated them.

 

On the same day, IOF uprooted 500
olive trees belonging to the heirs of Dawod Yousef Zaidan in Wad Edris area in
Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit. The Israeli liaison informed the Palestinian side that on Wednesday, 14
September 2011, IOF cut 135 olive trees in Wd Abu Edris area in the west of
Deir Estia village, claiming that they were planted on “state land,” but the
rela number of the trees that were cut is 500.

 

On 20 September 2011, hundreds of
Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF and the Israeli police, moved into Kufol
Hares village, north of Salfit, allegedly to visit Jewish shrines. Before leaving the village, the settlers
threw stones at Palestinian houses. No
damage was reported.

On the same day, at least 50 Israeli
settlers gathered near “Mavo Dutan” checkpoint, southwest of Jenin. They attempted to move into the nearby Ya’bad
village, but IOF stopped them. IOF also
closed the checkpoint until night. 

 

Also on the same day, some Israeli
settlers from “Yits’har” settlement, south of Nablus, stormed Southern ‘Assira
village, south of Nablus. Dozens of
Palestinian civilian gathered to stop the settlers. IOF then moved into the village to protect
the settlers. They fired tear gas
canisters at Palestinian civilians. As a
result, a child, was hit by a tear gas canister to the back.

 

On 21 September 2011, at least 30
Israeli settlers from “Dutan” settlement, southwest of Jenin, attempted to
moved into ‘Arraba village, but IOF prevented them. 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (15 – 21 September 2011)

 

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

 

Thursday, 15 September 2011

 

At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1- ‘Emad Ahmed al-Tanbour, 24;

2- ‘Abdullah ‘Abdul Jabbar Swaikat,
20; and

3- Muneer Najeh al-Masri, 25.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into al-Jinan neighborhood in al-Bireh. They raided and searched a house belonging to Fadel Mohammed Hamdan,
Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council from the Change and Reform Bloc
affiliated to Hamas, and arrested him. 

 

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.

 

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

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved
into Kharabtha al-Misbah village, 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 Jenin. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 15:10, 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 16:20, IOF moved
into Bidya village, west of Salafit. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 19:00, IOF moved
into Zeita village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:00, IOF moved
into Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 22:40, 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.

 

Friday,
16 September 2011

 

At approximately 00:30, IOF moved
into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian
children, but released them on the following day:

 

1- Ma’awia ‘Abdul Latif Radwan, 16;

2- Mohammed Muneer Mash’al, 16; and

3- Mahdi Majdi Swaidan, 16.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Sirris village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Bilal Farid ‘Awad, 41, who
was not at home. They questioned the
family. When they learnt that he was
sleeping in his shop in the south of the village, they took his nephew, Yazan
Mohammed ‘Awad, 15, to guide them to the shop. When they arrived at the shop, they arrested ‘Awad.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into ‘Attil village, north of Tulkarm. An Israeli undercover unit then moved into the east of the village. Israeli soldiers raided a house belonging to
the family of Bilal Jalal Khalil, 26, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 02:20, IOF moved
into Jeet village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian
civilians:

 

1- Tha’er Salah al-Din Yamin, 17;

2- Ashraf Marwan Yamin, 17;

3- ‘Abdul Malek Marwan Yamin, 17; and

4- Tha’er Jamal Yamin, 17.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved
into al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and apartment building belonging to the al-Sharqawi family,
and summoned 4 members of the family for interrogation.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into ‘Ein ‘Arik village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

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

 

At approximately 21:15, IOF moved
into al-Jaroushiya village, north of Tulkarm. 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 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 22:30, IOF moved
into Artah suburb, southwest of Tulkarm. 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 Yassouf village, east of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 23:10, IOF moved
into Beit Liqya village, southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Saturday, 17 September 2011

 

At approximately 00:30, IOF moved
into Rantis village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 00:30, 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 09:30, IOF moved
into al-Naqoura village, northwest of Nablus. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Sunday, 18 September 2011

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved
into Jenin. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinians:

1- ‘Abdul Jabbar Mohammed Jarrar, 45, a leader of Hamas;

2- ‘Abdullah Fahmi Sha’ban, 22; and

3- Isma’il ‘Abdul Baqi Abu al-Wafa, 23.

 

At approximately 14:30, IOF moved
into Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Monday, 19 September 2011

 

At approximately 07:15, Israeli
gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats opposite to Beit Lahia beach
in the northern Gaza Strip. No
casualties were reported. Israeli bnavle
troop s then confiscated and damaged fishing nets belonging to a number of
fishermen, including Qussai Mohammed al-Sultan, Shareef Mohammed al-Sultan,
Mohammed Khader al-Sultan, Mahmoud Isma’il Zayed, Hussam Mohammed Zayed and
Ramadan Ghaleb al-Sultan.

 

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

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved
into Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved
into Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 15:30, Ibrahim
‘Adnan ‘Abed Rabbu al-Zaza, 14, from al-Tuffah neighborhood in the east of Gaza
City, died of a wound he had sustained on 19 August 2011. According to PCHR’s documentation, at
approximately 17:30 on Friday, 19 August 2011, an Israeli drone fired a missile
at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance near al-Wafaa’ Hospital
in the east of Gaza City. As a result,
two children were seriously wounded: Ibrahim ‘Adnan ‘Abed Rabbu al-Zaza, 14;
and Mohammed ‘Aatef ‘Abed Rabbu al-Zaza, 15. Ibrahim had received medical treatment in Shifa Hospital in Gaza City
for one week before he was transferred to an Israeli hospital, where he
received medical treatment until his death. 

 

At approximately 20:00, 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 21:00, 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.

 

Tuesday, 20 September 2011

 

At approximately 04:00, IOF moved
into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Faisal
Mahmoud Khalifa, 30, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 08:00, IOF moved
nearly 150 meters into Bourat Abu Samra area in the north of Beit Lahia town in
the northern Gaza Strip opening fire indiscriminately. No casualties were reported. They moved back to the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel at 13:00.

 

At approximately 18:00, IOF moved
into Shaqba village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 19:00, IOF moved
into Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:00, IOF moved
into Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. 

 

Wednesday, 21 September 2011

 

At approximately 14:00, 4 members of
an Israeli undercover unit, who were traveling in an Israeli civilian vehicle,
moved into ‘Assida quarter in the east of Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron,
supported by Israeli military vehicles. They raided a carpentry workshop and arrested Ibrahim Yousef Sabarna,
20, a worker.

 

A Palestinian Dies of Wounds Sustained during
Israeli Offensive on the Gaza Strip

 

At approximately 04:30 on Friday, 16 September 2011, Khaled Suleiman
Saleem Kaware’, 43, a member of Hamas from Khan Yunis, dies of a wound he had
sustained during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip (27 December 2008 – 18
January 2009).

 

According to PCHR’s documentation, at approximately 16:10 on
Thursday, 08 January 2009, an Israeli drone fired a missile at Kaware’ when he
was at Khan Yunis –Rafah eastern road. As a result, he and another 3 Palestinians were wounded. His wound was described as serious and his
legs were amputated. He entered in a
comma one month later. He received
medical treatment in a Saudi hospital and in al-Wafaa’ Hospital in Gaza
City. Recently, he was taken home living
with assisting medical sets until he died.

 

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, a Palestinian
civilian was wounded. Additionally, dozens
of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas
inhalation and others sustained bruises. 

   

Following the Friday Prayer on 16
September 2011, 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. They moved towards areas of Palestinian land,
which the Israeli High Court ordered to be returned to their Palestinian
owners. The demonstrators also used
megaphones to call on Israeli settlers living in “Mitityaho Mizrach” settlement
to leave it. Israeli soldiers 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.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 16
September 2011, 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 annexation wall. Israeli soldiers
fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at
demonstrators. As a result, a number of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 16
September 2011, 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, Bakr
Farah Tamimi, 25, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right shoulder, and a
number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.  IOF also arrested Ashraf Ibrahim Abu Rahma,
30, but released him at approximately 22:30.  

 

On Wednesday noon, 21 September
2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized demonstration at the entrance
of Qalandya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, in support to the Palestinian
leadership’s demand of recognition for the Palestinian statehood by the United
Nations. They moved towards Qalandya
checkpoint. They set fire to tires and
threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at the
demonstrators. As a result, ‘Aahed As’ad
Wahdan, 15, was hit by a tear gas canister to the left eye. Additionally, dozens of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

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.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

14 –
20 September 2011

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

14 –
20 September 2011

 

Imports:

 

 

Notes:

 

On Wednesday, 14 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 378 tons of cement, 2,310 tons of construction aggregate
and 141 tons of construction steel for UNRWA, and 40 tons of cement and 1,260
tons of construction aggregate for UNDP. They also allowed the entry of 1,131 tons of fodders.

On Thursday, 15 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 3,570 tons of construction aggregate for the German
Development Bank. They also allowed the
entry of 1,209 tons of wheat.

 

On Sunday, 18 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 200 tons of cement, 20 tons of tar and 154 tons of construction
steel for UNRWA, and 2,660 tons of construction aggregate for the Palestinian
Water Authority. They also allowed the
entry of 1,365 tons of fodders.

 

On Monday, 19 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 2,310 tons of construction aggregate for the Palestinian
Water Authority. They also allowed the
entry of 663 tons of wheat.

 

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

14 –
20 September 2011

 

 

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. At approximately 02:00 on Saturday, 17 September 2011, IOF placed 13 cement
blocks nearly 150 meters away from Qalandya checkpoint, north of Jerusalem,
closing one of the major routes leading to the checkpoint. They also closed the yard located near the
crossing route, and established a 100-meter long wall near the checkpoint,
limiting passage through the checkpoint to one route only. In the same context, IOF imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians through various
checkpoints around Jerusalem. 

 

Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of the Palestinian civilians in Ramallah. At approximately 11:00 on Sunday, 18 September 2011, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of al-Mazra’a village, northeast of Ramallah. At approximately 15:40 on the same day, they
re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. At approximately 20:30, they established a
checkpoint at ‘Oyoun al-Haramiya intersection on Ramallah – Nablus road. At
approximately 09:30 on Monday, 19 September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Kharabtha al-Misbah village, west of Ramallah. At approximately 16:00 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa intersection, southwest of
Ramallah.   

 

Bethlehem: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Saturday morning, 17 September 2011, IOF
imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians
through the Container checkpoint, northeast of Bethlehem. They conducted prolonged searches on
Palestinian civilian vehicles and forced them to wait for long periods. They also held dozens of young men for
several hours for interrogation. They
held two buses which were transporting dozens of Palestinian civilians who were
on their way to Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, to participate in a
peaceful demonstration there. Israeli
soldiers confiscated Palestinian flags. 

 

Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians. On Wednesday
morning, 21 September 2011, IOF established several checkpoints inside and
around Hebron. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles, and summoned a number of Palestinian civilians
for interrogation.

 

Qalqilya:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 09:00 on Friday, 16 September
2011, IOF established a checkpoint near al-Fundoq village, east of
Qalqilya. At approximately 22:40 on the
same day, they established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azzoun village,
east of Qalqilya. On Saturday, 17
September 2011, IOF established 5 checkpoints on Qalqilya Nablus road. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately 12:20 on Monday, 19 September 2011, IOF
established at the entrance of Kufor Laqif village, east of Qalqilya.     

 

Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians. At
approximately 19:00 on Thursday, 16 September 2011, IOF established a
checkpoint on Tulkarm-Qalqilya road, south of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. 

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 19:00 on Monday, 19 September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint
at Ta’nak intersection, north of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.

 

Jericho: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.   

 

Salfit: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Friday, 16 September 2011, IOF established
5 checkpoints around Salfit. On
Saturday, 17 September 2011, IOF established 6 checkpoints around the
town. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. On
Monday, 19 September 2011, IOF established 4 checkpoints around Salfit. 

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

On Thursday morning, 15 September 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned
at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, arrested Hamdi ‘Abdul Hakim Abu Zahra,
25, from Nablus.

 

At approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 17 September 2011, Israeli
soldiers positioned at a checkpoint on Jenin – Nablus road, south of Jenin, arrested
Murad Waleed Malaisha, 22, from Jaba’ village south of Jenin, and arrested him.

 

At approximately 13:00 on Sundat, 18 September 2011, Israeli
soldiers positioned at a checkpoint at the entrance of Barta’a village,
northwest of Jenin, arrested Saddam Fazwi Sharqawi, 25, from al-Zababda village
southeast of Jenin.

 

At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 19 September 2011, Israeli
soldiers positioned at a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of Qalqilya
arrested Mohammed Nihad al-Khdour, 19, from Biddu village northwest of
Jerusalem.

 

Harassment at Military Checkpoints

 

At approximately 18:00 on Friday, 18 September 2011, IOF fired a
tear gas canister at a bus that was transporting 20 Palestinian women, from
Deir Ballout village west of Salfit, who were on their way back to the village
from a wedding party in Shabtin village near Ramallah. When the bus was traveling near the entrance
of Shabtin village, Israeli soldiers fired a tear gas canister that hit the top
of the bus. The women suffered from tear
gas inhalation. 

 

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 02:30 on Thursday, 15 September 2011, a number of Israeli
settlers traveling in two civilian vehicles arrived at the western entrance of
Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus. They stepped down and set fire to two Palestinian civilian cars
belonging to Ashraf Ahmed Mlaitat, Hamdai ‘Aayesh Mlaitat and Bilal ‘Omar
Nasasra. The three cars were totally
burnt.

 

On
the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from “Gilad” settlement, east of
Qalqilya, set fire to agricultural areas in Jeet village. As a result, large areas of agricultural land
were burnt and at least 150 trees were destroyed. 

 

At
approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 15 September 2011, a number of Israeli
settlers from “Ariel” settlement, north of Salafit, damaged many olive trees
belonging to Bassel Mahmoud Abu ‘Eissa in Kufor Hares village to the north of
the aforementioned settlement.

 

At
approximately 20:00, a number of Israeli settlers moved into Seilat al-Zaher
village near Jenin. They attempted to
place a mobile home on the land where the evacuated “Homesh” settlement used to
stand, but IOF evacuated them.

 

At
approximately 08:00 on Friday, 16 September 2011, Fat’hallah Mahmoud Abu Raida
and his sons arrived at their land located at Qasra-Jaloud village near Qasra
village, southeast of Nablus. Soon, they
saw at least 10 Israeli settlers in the area, 4 of whom were armed. One of the settlers took his clothes off
completely and washed in a pool. Abu
Raida phoned the local council of the village and some villagers, who came to
expel the settlers. Immediately, the
settlers fired into the air to drive villagers away from them. As a result, Abu Raida was wounded by
shrapnel from bullets to the leg. Soon
after, IOF arrived at the area and fired tear gas canisters at the Palestinian
villagers. The then withdrew from the
area together with the settlers towards “Yish Kodesh” settlement, which stands
on the lands of Qasra village.

 

At
approximately 11:00 also on Friday, while IOF were using force to disperse a
peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians against Israeli
settlement activities in the south of Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, a
number of Israeli settlers from “Karmi Tsur” settlement attempted to force
journalists away from the area. They
insulted the journalists, and one of them attempted to attack Ma’moun Isma’il
Wazwaz, 35, a cameraman of Reuters. When
Wazwaz attempted to defend himself, an Israeli officer intervened and
threatened to arrest him. The officer then
forced Wazwaz and other journalists to leave the area.

 

On
Saturday morning, 17 September 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Efrat”
settlement, south of Bethlehem, attacked a car, in which 4 Palestinian
civilians were traveling. The car was
damaged. Bassam Khalil Jaber, 44, from
al-Khader village southwest of Bethlehem, stated to PCHR that he, his mother,
his wife and his child were traveling back home after cropping grapes from a
plot belonging to the family near Jourat al-Sham’a village, south of
Bethlehem. When they were traveling at
road # 60, a number of Israeli settlers attacked the car with stones. The car was damaged, but no one was
injured.  

 

On
Sunday, 18 September 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Gilad”
settlement, northeast of Qalqilya, set fire to Palestinian agricultural areas
in Jeet village. As a result, 20 olive
trees belonging to the heirs of Hassan Hamed Yamin were burnt. 

 

At
approximately 09:30 on Monday, 19 September 2011, a number of Israeli settlers
moved into Seilat al-Zaher village near Jenin. They set up tents on the land where the evacuated “Homesh” settlement
used to stand, but IOF evacuated them.

 

On
Monday morning, 19 September 2011, IOF uprooted 500 olive trees belonging to
the heirs of Dawod Yousef Zaidan in Wad Edris area in Deir Estia village,
northwest of Salfit. According to
investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 08:00, Harb Ma’rouf Zaidan,
55, from Qarawat Bani Hassan village northwest of Salfit, who farms an
agricultural plot belonging to the heirs of Dawod Yousef Zaidan, went to the
area. He found that 500 olive trees had
been cut. The Israeli liaison informed
the Palestinian side that on Wednesday, 14 September 2011, IOF cut 135 olive
trees in Wd Abu Edris area in the west of Deir Estia village, claiming that
they were planted on “state land,” but the rela number of the trees that were
cut is 500.

 

At
approximately 00:30 on Tuesday, 20 September 2011, hundreds of Israeli
settlers, escorted by IOF and the Israeli police, moved into Kufol Hares
village, north of Salfit, allegedly to visit Jewish shrines. Before leaving the village at approximately
03:00, the settlers threw stones at Palestinian houses. No damage was reported.

 

At
approximately 15:00 on the same day, at least 50 Israeli settlers gathered near
“Mavo Dutan” checkpoint, southwest of Jenin. They attempted to move into the nearby Ya’bad village, but IOF stopped
them. IOF also closed the checkpoint
until night. 

 

At
approximately 16:00, some Israeli settlers from “Yits’har” settlement, south of
Nablus, stormed Southern ‘Assira village, south of Nablus. Dozens of Palestinian civilian gathered to
stop the settlers. IOF then moved into
the village to protect the settlers. They fired tear gas canisters at Palestinian civilians. As a result, ‘Aaref Mohammed ‘Assaira, 14,
was hit by a tear gas canister to the back.

 

At
approximately 13:00 on Wednesday, 21 September 2011, at least 30 Israeli
settlers from “Dutan” settlement, southwest of Jenin, attempted to moved into
‘Arraba village, but IOF prevented them. 

 

………………………………………………………

 

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

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