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

· 16 Palestinians, including 6 children and a woman, were wounded
by IOF.  

· IOF conducted 31 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank and 2 ones into the Gaza Strip.

· IOF arrested 44 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

· IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and
a humanitarian crisis has emerged.

· IOF troops arrested a Palestinian civilian at a checkpoint
in the West Bank.

· IOF have continued settlement activities.

· IOF demolished 4 houses in Jerusalem.

Summary

Israeli violations of
international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting
period (30 August – 5 September 2007):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF wounded
16 Palestinians, including 6 children and a woman, in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, 13
Palestinians, including 6 children, a woman and a resistance activist, were
wounded by IOF.

On 31 August 2007, a
member of the Palestinian resistance was wounded during clashes with IOF in the
old town of Hebron. On the same day, a Palestinian woman was wounded when IOF
used force against a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders against the construction
of the Annexation Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah. On 1 September
2007, a child was wounded in al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, when IOF
opened fire at Palestinian civilians at the entrance of the camp. On 4
September 2007, 7 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded in
Nablus, when IOF moved into the city and besieged an apartment building to
arrested an allegedly wanted Palestinian. On the same day, 2 Palestinian
children were wounded when IOF opened fire at houses and shops in ‘Azzoun
village, east of Qalqilya. Also on the same day, a Palestinian civilian was
wounded when IOF opened fire at him in Sa’ir village, northeast of Hebron.

In
the Gaza Strip, 3 members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic
Jihad) were wounded, when IOF attempted to extra-judicially execute them in
Khan Yunis.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF
conducted at least 31 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the
West Bank. During those incursions, IOF arrested 44 Palestinian civilians,
including a child. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF in the West
Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 1,877. IOF also raided
al-Ihsan medical center in Bethlehem. They confiscated medical equipment,
electrical appliances, fax machines and documents.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF
conducted two incursions into the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. During
these incursions, IOF leveled areas of Palestinian land.

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 imposed a strict siege on the Gaza Strip. They have closed its border
crossings as a form of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians.

IOF have closed Rafah
International Crossing Point, even though they do not directly control it. They
have prevented European observers working at the crossing point form reaching
it. IOF had already closed Rafah International Crossing Point following an
armed attack against an IOF military post in Kerem Shalom area, southeast of
Rafah, on 25 June 2006. The crossing point had been partially reopened for
short, sporadic periods to allow few numbers of Palestinian to travel through
it. The crossing point has been completely closed since Hamas’ takeover of the
Gaza Strip and the withdrawal of Palestinian security forces from the crossing
point. There are approximately 6,000 Palestinians held at the Egyptian side of
the border awaiting to return to their homes in the Gaza Strip. Most of them
have run out of money and are living on assistance. In addition, 19 of them
have died in Egypt. The bodies were returned to Gaza through the Karm Abu Salem
(Kerem Shalom) crossing. In addition, thousands of travelers were allowed to
return to the Gaza Strip through al-Ojah crossing, 70 kilometers south of
Rafah. From there, they were transported to Erez Checkpoint to enter the Gaza
Strip.  IOF have also
closed commercial crossings, especially al-Mentar (Karni) crossing. IOF have
continued to close Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. Hundreds of thousands of
Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have been prevented from traveling through
this crossing. 

West Bank

IOF have tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian
communities in the West Bank. They have isolated Jerusalem from the rest
of the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. IOF also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and
intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF arrested a
Palestinian civilian at a checkpoint in the West Bank.

Settlement Activities: During the reporting period, IOF
demolished 4 houses in Jerusalem and its suburbs, claiming that they were built
without licenses. Palestinian civilians have to go through complicated
administrative procedures in order to obtain building licenses. IOF impose such
procedures in an attempt to vacate and Judaize the city.   

Israeli Violations Documented
during the Reporting Period (30 August – 5 September 2007)

The
full report is available PDF format.