Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)
Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Continue to Impose a Total Blockade on
the Gaza Strip
· Three civilians in the West bank and the Gaza Strip
sustained bullet wounds when IOF fired at them.
· 12 civilians, including 2 cameramen, 8 women, sustained
injuries and bruises when IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations in the
West Bank.
· IOF conducted 15 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank, and a one into the Gaza Strip.
· IOF arrested 13 Palestinian civilians, including one child,
in the West Bank, and a wounded civilian from the Gaza Strip.
· Israeli naval troops continued to attack Palestinian
fishermen and boats in the Gaza Strip.
· IOF have increased measures aimed at creating a Jewish
majority in Jerusalem.
· IOF demolished 4 houses in Jerusalem and displaced 34
individuals.
· IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank
and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and
property.
· IOF razed 14 donums of agricultural land and destroyed 1,000
meters of retaining walls surrounding Palestinian lands and 300 meters of irrigation
networks in Hebron.
· IOF delivered new demolition notices to Palestinian houses
in Hebron.
· IOF have continued to impose a total blockade on the OPT and
have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
· IOF deported a Palestinian student from Bethlehem University
to the Gaza Strip.
· IOF troops positioned at military checkpoints and border
crossings in the West Bank arrested 2 Palestinian civilians at least.
· IOF have continued to maltreat Palestinian civilians at
military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Summary
Israeli violations of international
law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (29 October
– 4 November 2009):
Shooting: During the reporting period, three
Palestinian civilians suffered bullet wounds following IOF attacks. In
addition, 12 Palestinian civilians sustained injuries and bruises after IOF
attacks in the West Bank.
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF
conducted at least 15 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the
West Bank. IOF arrested 13 Palestinian
civilians, including one child.
In the Gaza Strip, on 31 October
2009, an IOF undercover unit moved into the northwest of the ex-settlement of
Doghit in the northwest of Beit Lahia to arrest a Palestinian civilian. The
civilian was wounded by an IOF attack prior to the arrest.
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have 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
IOF have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza
Strip for more than two years. The illegal IOF blockade 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.
· 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights,
including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living
conditions, work, health and education.
· The main concern of
1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of
food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
· IOF have continued to
prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more
than two years.
· IOF have not allowed
fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas,
since 10 December 2008.
· The Rafah
International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of
patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to the
Gaza Strip.
· IOF have 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.
· Poverty and
unemployment rates stand at approximately 80% and 60% respectively in the Gaza
Strip.
· IOF have continued to
prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and sewage systems. Losses
incurred to this sector are estimated at US$ 6 million.
· IOF have 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 are among the highest in the world.
· At least 900
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been denied family visitation rights
for more than three years.
· IOF have continued to
attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.
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 the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
· There are approximately permanent 630 roadblocks, and manned
and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition, there are some
60-80 ‘flying’ or temporary checkpoints erected across the West Bank by IOF
every week.
· 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 has 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 leads to 18 Palestinian
communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF (47 out of
72 roads).
· There are around 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
Majority in occupied East Jerusalem
During the reporting period, IOF demolished
four houses in Beit Hanina, al-Thawri neighborhood and Jabal al-Mukaber village
and displaced four families of 34 individuals:
On 1 November 2009, IOF bulldozed
the house of Mousa Mashahra, 53,
in al-Sala’a neighborhood in Jabal al-Mukaber village,
southeast of occupied Jerusalem. A family of six used to live in the house that
occupied an area of 50 m2
and was composed of two rooms.
On 2 November 2009, IOF bulldozed
the house of Majed al-Rajji, 50,
in al-‘Aqaba neighborhoos in Beit Hanina village, north
of occupied Jerusalem. A family of 15 used to live in the house that stood on
an area of 100 m2
and was composed of three rooms.
Also on 2 November 2009, IOF
bulldozed the house of Haroun al-Qawasmi, 61, and the house of Naser al-Shweiki
in al-Thawri neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem. The house of al-Qawasmi,
where a family of six used to live, was built 25 years ago. The house where the
seven-member al-Shwiki family used to live was owned by Mohammed al-Qawasmi and
was built on an area of 80 m2.
Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement
activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law and Israeli
settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 29 October 2009, IOF bulldozed 14 donums of agricultural
lands, including 11 donums that had been reclaimed recently in al-Buqa’a area,
east of Hebron. They also demolished 1,000 meters of retaining walls, destroyed
more than 300 meters
of irrigation networks and destroyed two water collection pools. It should be
noted that al-Buqa’a area is one of the most fertile agricultural areas in
Hebron. Settlement Road no. 60 passes through the area which is close to “Kiryat
Arba’a” and “Kharsina” settlements in the east of Hebron. IOF impose a ban on
construction works in al-Buqa’a area and obstruct the delivery of services to
the area as part of their plans to force Palestinians to leave their houses and
lands, IOF and Israeli settlers repeatedly conduct attacks on civilians in
al-Buqa’a area in order to take control of new areas of Palestinian lands by
force.
Also on 29 October 2009, IOF delivered notices to four
civilians in Kherbat al-Hejri, southwest of Hebron, notifying them of IOF
intent to demolish their houses in Kherbat al-Hejri under the pretext of the
lack of a building license.
On 30 October 2009, IOF prevented the installation of power
networks in al-Tawani village, opposite to “Ma’on” settlement south of Hebron.
IOF have banned the establishment of infrastructure in al-Tawani village,
including power; water and telephone networks. IOF have also prevented
Palestinians in the village from constructing houses. Civilians are forced to
live in caves or in shelters that had been established before 1967. Sometimes,
Palestinians in the village construct houses without getting building licenses,
but IOF later demolish them.
On 31 October 2009, eight settlers from “Brakha” settlement,
protected by IOF, raided Iraq Borin village, south of Nablus. Dozens of
Palestinian civilians gathered near the southern entrance of the village and
stoned the settlers in an attempt to prevent them from entering the village.
IOF responded by firing bullets at the Palestinians.
Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting
Period (29 October – 4 November 2009)
The full report is available PDF format.
