Olive
trees burnt by Israeli settlers in al-Jab’a village near Bethlehem

Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians
and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

      

 

 

A Palestinian boy was wounded in al-Bireh in the West
Bank during an Israeli incursion.

 

Israeli forces have continued to use excessive force
against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.

 

Sarit Michaeli, B’Tselem spokesperson, was wounded
during al-Nabi Saleh protest, northwest of Ramallah.

Dozens suffered tear gas inhalation and sustained
bruises due to Israeli soldiers’ attack.

 

 

Israeli forces conducted 50 incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the Gaza Strip.

 

At
least 25 Palestinian civilians, including 4
children, were arrested.

 

Israel has continued to impose a total closure on the
oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.

Israeli
forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.

10 Palestinian civilians were arrested by Israeli
forces at checkpoints in the West Bank.

A Palestinian civilian was arrested at Beit
Hanoun(Erez) crossing.

 

Israeli forces have continued efforts to create a Jewish
majority in occupied East Jerusalem.

An Israeli court gave Siyam family an extension until
01 August 2013 to evacuate their house in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in the
occupied city.

Licenses were issued to build 165 new settlement units
in “Nabi Ya’qoub” settlement.

 

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

More demolition notices were issued.

The settlers set fire to 400 fruitful olive trees,
south of Bethlehem.

The settlers continued their attacks on the
Palestinian farmers and shepherds, south of Hebron.

4 settlers tortured a Palestinian woman, northwest of
Ramallah, and put her life at risk.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and
international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period
18 – 24 July 2013.

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded an
18-year-old boy and an Israeli human rights defender, and dozens of civilians
suffered tear gas inhalation during peaceful protests against the construction
of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. Furthermore,
a number of civilians sustained bruises due to Israeli settlers’ attack on
them.

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces continued
the systematic use of excessive force against peaceful protests organised by
Palestinian, Israeli and international activists against the construction of
the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank.  As a result, Sarit Michaeli, B’Tselem’s
spokesperson, was wounded by a bullet to the left knee. Besides, dozens
suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to Israeli
soldiers’ attack on them.

 

On 27 July 2013, an 18-year-old boy was wounded during
an Israeli incursion in al-Bireh. The boy was shot by 2 bullets to the chest.

  

 

Incursions:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted
at least 50 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During
these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 25 Palestinians, including 4
children.

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 22 July 2013, Israeli forces
moved nearly 300 meters into the east of al-Bureij refugee camp, in the central
Gaza Strip. They levelled lands along the border fence while warplanes were
hovering overheads.     

 

Restrictions on movement:

 

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

 

The illegal 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 Israeli authorities impose measures to
undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip
population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 7
consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate
the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other
countries around the world. This resulted in a grave violation of the economic,
social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7
million people.  The Israeli authorities
has established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports
and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy that
has been aggravating for years due to the shortage of imports.  They also aim at imposing a complete ban on
the Gaza Strip’s exports. 

 

Israeli forces 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.

Efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East
Jerusalem

Israel has continued its efforts to create Jewish
majority in occupied Ease Jerusalem.

 

On Sunday, 21 July 2013, the Israeli district court in
occupied East Jerusalem issued a decision giving the Siyam family an extension
until 01 August 2013 to evacuate their house in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood
in the city. The house’s owner said that the court issued a decision to
evacuate his 65-square-metre house for the interest of settlement associations
under the law of “Custodian of Absentee Property.” He added that his
family have been staying in that house since the 1960s.

 

On 18 July 2013, the Israeli “Local Committee for
Planning and Building” issued construction permits for 165 new settlement units
to expand “Nabi Ya’qoub” settlement, north of the city. Ahmed Sab
Laban, a researcher in the settlement affairs, said the above-mentioned
committee had issued construction permits for 16 settlement buildings,
including 165 settlement units, in “Nabi Ya’qoub” settlement.   

Settlement activities:

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

 

Attacks carried out by Israeli forces

 

On 18 July 2013, Israeli forces handed Emad Issa
Shalaldah a notice to demolish a water well with a capacity of 380 meters under
the pretext of non-licensing the well. The well is located in al-Qanoub area,
northeast of Hebron.

 

On 22 July 2013, Israeli forces handed Salamah
Ka’abnah and Nayef Ka’abnah 2 notices to halt construction works in 2 barracks
in Zwaideen village, to the east of Yatta, south of Hebron.

 

On the same day, Israeli forces handed No’man Hamamdah
and Qasem Hammad 2 notices to halt construction work in 2 rooms and a tent
belonging to Hamamdah, and a barrack, a water well and a tent belonging to
Hammad.

 

On 24 July 2013, Israeli forces handed Ahmed al-Batran
a notice to halt construction work in an under-construction house under the
pretext of not obtaining a license, west of Ethna, west of Hebron.

 

Attacks carried out by settlers

 

On Thursday, 18 July 2013, 4 settlers from
“Talmon” settlement that is established on the Palestinian lands in
the southern Mazra’ah village, northwest of Ramallah, attacked a 50-year-old
woman while she was reaping sages in Ne’lan area, west of her village.

 

On Friday, 19 July 2013, a group of settlers from
“Kiryat Arba” settlement that is established on the Palestinian
lands, east of Hebron, threw stones at Palestinian houses in Jaber
neighbourhood in the centre of Hebron. The settlers attempted to raid the
houses under the pretext that a settler was hit by a stone in the face.

 

On 20 July 2013, settlers from “Bat Ayin”
settlement that is established on Palestinian lands of al-Jaba’ah village,
south of Bethlehem, set fire to a lands belonging to Hamdan family under the
protection of Israeli forces. As a result, about 400 olive trees (aged up to
100 years) were burnt.

 

On the same day, a group of settlers from “Mitzpe
Yair” settlement that is established on the Palestinian lands, east of
Yatta, south of Hebron, attacked Palestinian shepherds and farmers in the area.
As a result, the shepherds fled fearing for their life in view of the
successive attacks of the settlers.

 

 

 

 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period
18–24 July 2013

 

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

 

 

Thursday, 18 July 2013

 

At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into al-Jaroushiya
village, north of Tulkarm.  They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 01:40, Israeli forces moved into
Nablus. They patrolled the streets and raided a number of houses. They arrested
Jehad Salim Hasounah (18) from his family’s house in Rafidiya neighbourhood,
west of the city.

 

At approximately 01:45, Israeli forces moved into
Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 01:55, Israeli forces moved into
Taqou’ village, southeast of Bethlehem. They raided a house belonging to the
family of Deeb Mohammed al-‘Emour (45). They arrested the aforementioned person
and took him to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 02:10, Israeli forces moved into
Bethlehem. They patrolled the streets and raided a house belonging to the
family of Jehad Awad Ebayat (18). They arrested the aforementioned person and
took him to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Ummar, north of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew
later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Shyoukh village, northeast of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some
time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Anabta
village, east of Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew
later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:45, Israeli forces moved into
Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 15:30, Israeli forces moved into
Allar village, northeast of Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:40, Israeli forces moved into
Nablus. They positioned themselves on Asirah streets, northwest of the city,
and surrounded Salhab building. They raided and searched a number of flats in
the building from which they arrested Orabi Kamal al-Shakhshir (22) and
Mohammed Monir Abu Saleh (24).     

 

Friday, 19 July 2013

 

At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into
Allar village, northeast of Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into
Bruqin village, west of Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into
Termis’ya village, north of Ramallah and al-Bireh. They patrolled the streets
and raided 2 houses from which they arrested 2 children: Oday Ziad Jbarah (15)
and Ahmed Ali Sadouq (15).

 

At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces moved into
Kharbatha al-Mesbah village, southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later.

 

Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Jenin
refugee camp, adjacent to Jenin. They patrolled the streets and raided and
searched a house belonging to the family of Ous Tayseer Fayed (23). They
arrested Fayed. They also raided and searched a house belonging to the family
of Anas Ehsan Abu Tabikh (22) and arrested him. Meanwhile, dozens of boys
gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers, who in
response fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters. As a result, a number of
civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.

 

At approximately 20:30, Israeli forces moved into
Azzoun village, east of Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets and surprised a
group of persons on the main streets. Israeli soldiers arrested Samer Thabet
Abed (18) and took him to an unknown destination. They also submitted Mahmoud
Yusef Sabri (18) a notice to refer to the Israeli intelligence service.   

 

Saturday, 20 July 2013

 

At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into
Halhoul village, north of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and positioned
themselves in the centre of the village. They raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Mohammed Yusef al-Badawi (17). They arrested the
aforementioned person and took him to an unknown destination.

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into al-Namous village, to the west of Doura,
southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some time and deployed
between the houses. They raided a house belonging to the family of Monir
al-Hroub (35) and handed his wife a notice for him to refer to the Israeli
intelligence service in “Gosh Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem.

 

At
approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Aroub refugee camp, north of
Hebron.  They patrolled the streets and
positioned themselves in the centre of the camp. They also deployed between the
houses. Israeli forces withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At
approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Bruqin village, west of Jenin.
They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into the old town of Hebron. They patrolled the
streets and raided a house belonging to the family of Wadi’ Rasmi Jaber (25).
They arrested the aforementioned person and took him to an unknown destination.

 

At approximately
18:30, Israeli forces moved into al-Taiba village, west of Jenin. They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into Rumanah village, northwest of Jenin. They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported. 

 

Sunday, 21 July
2013

 

At
approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Allar village, northeast of
Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets and raided a house belonging to the family
of Mohammed Fateh Shadid (22). They arrested the aforementioned person and took
him to an unknown destination. 

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into Etil village, north of Tulkarm. They
patrolled the streets and raided a house belonging to the family of Yusef Abdul
Latif Shalabi (23). They arrested the aforementioned person and took him to an
unknown destination.    

 

At
approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Qalqilia. They patrolled the
streets and raided a house belonging to the family of Ibrahim Abdul Rahim Atiya
(30). They arrested the aforementioned person and took him to an unknown
destination.

 

At
approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into al-Mughair village, northeast of
Ramallah. They raided a house belonging to the family of Na’im Abu Alya and
arrested his son Mohammed (22).

 

At
approximately 05:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Luqia village, southwest of
Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 07:00, Israeli undercover units moved into the centre of Jenin.
They arrested Sa’ed Thabet Abu Ebeid (34), from Kufor Qa’oud village, west of
Jenin, while he was on Abu Baker Street in the centre of Jenin.

 

At
approximately 19:30, Israeli forces moved into Deir Jarir village, northeast of
Ramallah. They patrolled the streets and arrested 2 brothers: Mohammed Sa’id
Armi (17) and his brother Abdul Aziz (18). They were taken to “Benjamin”
police station, southeast of the city. However, they were set free on the
following day.

 

At
approximately 21:30, Israeli forces moved into Kherbatha al-Mesbah village,
southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew
later. No arrests were reported.

 

Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into Ein Ayoub, west of Ras Karkar village,
northwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew
later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.  

 

Monday 22 July 2013

 

At
approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Sourif
village, west of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew
later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 05:30, Israeli forces moved into Barqa village, east of Ramallah.
They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

At
approximately 07:00, Israeli forces moved nearly 300 meters into the east of
al-Bureij refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip. They levelled lands along
the border fence while warplanes were hovering overheads.

 

At
approximately 11:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Our al-Tahta village,
southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew
later. No arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 20:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummar village, north of
Hebron. They positioned themselves around the mosque in the centre of the
village. They arrested Lo’ai Ibrahim Adi (26) and took him to the military site
at “Gosh Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem.

 

At
approximately 20:30, Israeli forces moved into Beitin village, northeast of
Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 23 July 2013

 

At approximately 00:15, Israeli force moved into Bir
al-Basha village, south of Jenin.  They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 00:30, Israeli forces moved into
Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 00:30, Israeli forces moved into
Silet al-Harithiya village, north of Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some
time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into
Hadeb al-‘Alaqah village, to the south of Doura, southwest of Hebron. They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into
Jaba’ village, south of Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Zaita
village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 02:40, Israeli forces moved into
Nablus. They patrolled the streets and raided a number of houses from which
they arrested Ahmed and Mohammed Sabe’ Khalaf (22) and (18) respectively.

 

At approximately 02:40, Israeli forces moved into
Hares village, north of Salfit. They patrolled the streets and raided a house
belonging to the family of Suleiman Ahmed Shamlawi (58). They confiscated the
family members’ ID cards, arrested the aforementioned person and ordered the
family to pay a fine of NIS 2,000 in exchange for his release.

 

At approximately 04:20, Israeli forces moved into
Mas’ha village, west of Salfit. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

  

 

 

 

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

 

At approximately 01:50 Israeli forces moved into
al-Bireh. They patrolled the streets and positioned themselves near Ali Bin Abi
Taleb mosque. They deployed between the houses and raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Ibrahim Monther al-‘Ouri (23). They arrested the
aforementioned person and confiscated 2 laptops, a hard disk and official
papers. A number of boys gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at the
Israeli soldiers, who in response fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and
rubber-coated metal bullets. As a result, an 18-year-old boy was wounded by 2
bullets to the chest. In addition, a number of civilians suffered tear gas
inhalation. At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces withdrew and took the
arrested person to “Psagot” settlement, east of the city.

 

At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into
Arrabah village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into Taqou’
village, southeast of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Hamzah Salem Ta’amrah (22). They arrested the aforementioned
person and took him to an unknown destination.

 

2. Use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting
settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall

 

During the reporting period, Israeli soldiers used
excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian
civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the
construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West
Bank.  As a result, Sarit Michaeli (40),
BTselem spokesperson, was wounded by a bullet to the left knee. Furthermore, a
number of protestors suffered tear gas inhalation and other sustained bruises
due to the Israeli forces’ attacks.

 

Demonstrations against the construction of the
annexation wall and settlement activity

 

At approximately 13:10, following the Friday Prayer, 12
July 2013, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human
rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast
of Qalqilia, heading to the eastern entrance of the village in protest at
closing that entrance since al-Aqsa Intifada. 
The demonstrators gathered in front of the entrance.  Israeli forces fired live ammunition,
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
demonstrators.  As a result, dozens of
demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces raided 2 houses
belonging to the families of Abdul Razeq Mahmoud Amer and Mohammed Taha Amer, and
used them to observe the demonstrators and help catching them. An hour later,
the demonstration was over. Neither casualties nor arrests were reported.

 

Also, following the Friday Prayer, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organised a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, in
protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities.
The demonstrators made their way towards the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed
the wall gate with barbwire and, when the demonstrators attempted to access the
lands behind the barbwire, they were stopped by Israeli soldiers. The demonstrators
threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who responded with live ammunition,
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters, and chased
them across fields of olive trees as far as the outskirts of the village. As a
result, dozens of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others
sustained bruises.

 

Also, following the Friday Prayer, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organised a peaceful demonstration in Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in
protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities.
The demonstrators made their way towards the annexation wall. Israeli forces
closed the wall gate with barbed wire and, when the demonstrators attempted to
access the lands behind the barbed wire, they were stopped by Israeli soldiers.
The demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who responded with live
ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters,
and chased them across fields of olive trees as far as the outskirts of the
village. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and
others sustained bruises.

 

Around the same time on Friday, dozens of Palestinian
civilians, Israeli and international human rights activists gathered at
the Martyrs Square in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a
weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and
settlement activities. The protesters walked towards Palestinian lands that
Israeli settlers from the nearby “Halmish” settlement are trying to
seize.  From the morning, Israeli forces had
closed all entrances to the village to prevent Palestinians, international
activists, and journalists from joining the demonstration.  Upon their arrival in the area, Israeli
soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs, and tear
gas canisters, chased the demonstrators into the village and sprayed them and
civilian houses with waste water. As a result, Sarit Michaeli (40), BTselem spokesperson, was wounded
by a bullet to the left knee. Moreover, dozens of Palestinians suffered from
tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

 

Other demonstration:

 

At approximately 11:15 on Monday, 15 July 2013, dozens
of Palestinian civilians from Bethlehem and neighbouring villages,
representatives from popular committees against settlement activities and a number
of international human rights activists organized a peaceful demonstration in
protest at the Israeli decision to evacuate Negev. They started the
demonstration in Housan village, west of Bethlehem, heading to an intersection
around “Bitar Elit” settlement, which is established on Palestinian
lands, west of the city. They held a set-in at the intersection, where Israeli
soldiers attacked the demonstrations with tear gas canisters. Israeli soldiers
also used high resonance to disperse the demonstrations.   

 

 

 

3. Continued closure of the oPt

 

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

 

Gaza Strip

 

Israeli forces continuously tightens the
closure of the Gaza Strip and closes all commercial crossings , making the Karm
Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it
is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity
and distance from markets.

 

Israeli forces have continued to apply the
policy, which is aimed to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by
imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.

 

The total closure of al-Mentar
(“Karni”) crossing since 02 March 2011 has seriously affected the
economy of the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all economic and commercial
establishments in the 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 capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision to close
al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions resulting in
the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip in the
beginning of 2009, and the 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.

 

Israeli forces have continued to impose a
total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, 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 of the Gaza
Strip.

 

The cooking gas crisis, which erupted last
November, has continued to affect the Gaza Strip due to the closure of Karm Abu
Salem for long periods per month and also due to limited quantities recently
allowed by the Israeli authorities. 
According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli authorities only allow around 98
tonnes of cooking gas into Gaza per day. 
This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, which is 200
tonnes per day, of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip during the winter.

 

 

For almost 6
consecutive years, Israeli forces have continued to prevent the delivery of
construction materials to the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, Israeli
forces approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials
for a number of international organisations in the Gaza Strip.  Israeli forces also continued to impose almost
total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial
products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and
spices.

 

Israel has continued to
close the Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing for the majority of Palestinian
citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited
number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel
has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian
patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical
treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel
denied permission to access hospitals via the crossing for new categories of
patients from the Gaza Strip.

 

For around a year,
Israeli forces have allowed Palestinian detainees’ families to visit their sons
in the Israeli jails according to special and unfair conditions after more than
5 years of deprivation in violation of international humanitarian law.

 

The Egyptian
authorities allow the population of the Gaza Strip to travel via Rafah
International Crossing Point, which connects the Gaza Strip with the outside
world.  Only limited and specified
categories are allowed, including patients, students, persons that hold
residencies in Egypt or abroad, men over 40 years, females in all ages,
children under 18, persons who hold Arab and foreign nationalities, and members
of Arab and international humanitarian delegations.  It should be mentioned that the crossing
point opens seven days a week.  On
Friday, 05 July 2013, the Egyptian authorities closed the crossing point due
the current situation in Egypt.  

 

Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing, in the north
of the Gaza Strip, is dedicated for the movement of individuals, and links the
Gaza Strip with the West Bank.

 

Movement at Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing

17-22 July 2013

 

 

Israeli
authorities arrest a patient at Beit Hanoun Crossing (Erez)

 

At approximately 16:00
on Tuesday, 23 July 2013, Israeli authorities called from a private number the
family of Hussam Mohammed Jom’aa Khalil al-Za’anin (28), who lives in al-Sekah
Street in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, in order to inform them that
they were detaining him in Ashkelon prison. 
Hussam is a Palestinian patient suffering torn tendons in his right hand
as he was wounded by a bullet during the incidents took place between Fatah and
Hamas movements in 2007 in the Gaza Strip. 
At approximately 10:00 on the same day, he was arrested by the Israeli
Authorities at Beit Hanoun crossing (Erez) in the northern Gaza Strip while he
was on his way to a medical treatment trip to al-Maqased hospital in Jerusalem.

 

According to his brother, Raji, Hussam has
been suffering torn tendons in his right hand since 2007, and he carried out
the procedures needed to travel abroad for medical treatment.  He obtained an appointment from the External
Medical Treatment Department at al-Maqased Hospital in Jerusalem on 23 July
2013.  At approximately 10:00 on Tuesday,
23 July 2013, he went to Beit Hanoun Crossing, where his mother, Feryal
al-Za’anin (53) was waiting for him to accompany him in the treatment
trip.  Once they arrived at the crossing,
they delivered their personal papers relevant to his medical treatment to the
Israeli authorities.  His mother waited
for him for around 3 hours, and then the Israeli authorities told her that she
has to return to Gaza and that her son wwould be detained for hours and then
released.  She left and at approximately
16:00 on the same day, the family received a call from the Israeli authorities
“private number” informing them that Hussam was detained in Ashkelon prison
station and they have to hire a lawyer.

 

Movement at Rafah
International Crossing Point

 

The Egyptian Authorities re-opened Rafah
International Crossing Pont after closing it for 5 consecutive days to the
humanitarian cases, patients, holders of foreign passports and holders of
residency permits, and the crossing was open only for 4 hours daily.  It should be mentioned that the crossing was
closed in light of developments that Egypt witnessed and the intervention of
the Egyptian army to oust President Mohammed Morsi following protests in the
Egyptian cities at the end of June.

 

Movement at Rafah International Crossing Point

 17-23 July 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing

(16-22 July 2013)

 

 

Exports:

 

· On Thursday, 18
July 2013, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 160 kilos of basil, 180
kilos of mint, and 430 kilos of garlic leaves.

· On Sunday, 21
July 2013, Israeli forces allowed the exportation of 160 kilos of basil, 430
kilos of garlic leaves, and 180 kilos of mint.

 

Other
Imports:

 

 

On Tuesday, 16 July 2013, Israeli forces
allowed the entry of 980 tonnes of construction aggregates for the private
sector; 1,400 tonnes of construction aggregates and 280 tonnes of cement for
the Water Authority; 1,400 tonnes of construction aggregate for the UNDP; and
1,400 tonnes of construction aggregates and 160 tonnes of cement for the
Turkish Hospital.  They also allowed the
entry of 1,326 tonnes of fodders and 585 tonnes of wheat.

On Wednesday, 17 July 2013, Israeli forces
allowed the entry of 980 tonnes of construction aggregates for the private
sector; 1,540 tonnes of construction aggregate for the Water Authority; and
1,400 tonnes of construction aggregate for UNDP.  They also allowed the entry of 936 tonnes of
fodders and 780 tonnes of wheat.

 

On Thursday, 18 July 2013, Israeli forces
allowed the entry of 160 tonnes of cement and 30tonnes of construction steel
for UNRWA; 910 tonnes of construction aggregates for the private sector; 80
tonnes of cement for the Turkish Hospital; and 116 tonnes of white cement and
314 tonnes of cement for the Water Authority. 
They also allowed the entry of 975 tonnes of fodders and 624 tonnes of
wheat.

 

On Sunday, 21 July 2013, Israeli forces
allowed the entry of 980 tonnes of construction aggregates for the private
sector; and 1,260 tonnes of construction aggregate for the Water
Authority.  They also allowed the entry
of 702 tonnes of fodders and 624 tonnes of wheat.

 

On Monday, 22 July 2013, Israeli forces
allowed the entry of 1,400 tonnes of construction aggregates, 40 tonnes of
white cement and 236 tonnes of cement for UNRWA; 910 tonnes of construction
aggregates for the private sector; 210 tonnes of construction aggregate, 18
tonnes of construction steel, and 100 tonnes of cement for the GDB, and 1,190
tonnes of construction aggregates for the Water Authority.  They also allowed the entry of 897 tonnes of
fodders and 273 tonnes of wheat.

 

Empty Plastic
Containers Returned to Israel via Karm Abu Salem

 

 

On Tuesday, 16 July 2013, Israeli
forces allowed 4 truckloads of empty plastic containers to be returned via Karm
Abu Salem.

On Wednesday, 17 July 2013, Israeli
forces allowed 4 truckloads of empty plastic containers to be returned via Karm
Abu Salem.

On Thursday, 18 July 2013,
Israeli forces allowed 5 truckloads of empty plastic containers to be returned
via Karm Abu Salem.

On Sunday, 21 July 2013,
Israeli forces allowed 8 truckloads of empty plastic containers to be returned
via Karm Abu Salem.

On Monday, 22 July 2013,
Israeli forces allowed 5 truckloads of empty plastic containers to be returned
via Karm Abu Salem.

 

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

 

· Ramallah: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 09:30
on Friday, 19 July 2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the
entrance of al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, and detained a number
of civilians.  The checkpoint was later
removed, and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 21:00 on Saturday, 20 July 2013, Israeli
forces established a checkpoint at ‘Atarah
checkpoint at the northern entrance of Birzeit, north of Ramallah, and
prevented Palestinians from entering or leaving the aforementioned
checkpoint.  They later withdrew, and no
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:30 on
Sunday, 21 July 2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Beit Loqaya village, southwest of Ramallah. 
At approximately 20:30, another checkpoint
was established at the entrance of Senjel village, north of the city.  At approximately 10:00, they established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Kherbet Abu Falah village, northeast of
Ramallah.  At approximately 19:30, a
similar checkpoint was established at the entrance of Beit ‘Aor al-Tahta
village, southwest of the city.  All
checkpoints were later removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

· Hebron: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:00 on Monday, 22 July 2013, Israeli
forces established a checkpoint on ‘Ayoun Abu Seif Road, south of Dura,
southwest of Hebron.  The checkpoint was
later removed, and no arrests were reported. 
At approximately 18:30, most of villages surrounding Hebron, whose
entrances are connected with Bypass Road (60), witnessed intensive presence of
Israeli forces until the late hours of the night.

 

 At
approximately 17:00 on Tuesday, 23 July 2013, Israeli forces established a
checkpoint on ‘Ayoun Abu Seif Road, south of Dura, southwest of Hebron.  The checkpoint was later removed, and no
arrests were reported.  At approximately
18:00, they established another checkpoint at the entrance of al-Harayeq Road,
south of Hebron, as this entrance is connected with Bypass Road (60) between
Hebron and its southern villages and has been closed for 12 years.  The checkpoint was later removed, and no
arrests were reported.  It should be
mentioned that Israeli forces are always stationed on the road after it was
opened two days ago.

 

· Tulkarm: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians.  At approximately
11:00 on Thursday, 18 July 2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the
entrance of ‘Ezbet Shofah village, southeast of Tulkarm, in order to prevent
the entry of Israeli cars into the village. 
The checkpoint was later removed, and no arrests were reported.  At approximately 23:30, they established a
similar checkpoint at the intersection of the aforementioned village for the
same reason.

 

At approximately 21:30 on Friday, 19 July 2013,
Israeli forces stationed at ‘Inab checkpoint on the main road between Nablus
and Tulkarm, east of Tulkarm, tightened their restrictions against Palestinians
and obstructed their movement.

 

At approximately 21:30 on Saturday, 20 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the main road between Tulkarm and
Qalqilya near the entrance of Jubarah village, south of Tulkarm.  The checkpoint was later removed, and no
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 21:00 on Sunday, 22 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Qofein village,
north of Tulkarm.  The checkpoint was
later removed, and no arrests were reported. 
At approximately 21:30, Israeli forces stationed at ‘Inab checkpoint on
the main road between Tulkarm and Nablus, east of Tulkarm tightened restriction
against Palestinians and obstructed their movement through the checkpoint. 

At approximately 14:30 on Monday, 22 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ezbet Shofah village,
southeast of Tulkarm.  The checkpoint was
later removed, and no arrests were reported. 
At approximately 21:00, Israeli forces stationed at ‘Inab checkpoint on
the main road between Tulkarm and Nablus, east of Tulkarm, tightened their
restrictions against Palestinians and obstructed their movement.

 

At approximately 16:30 on Tuesday, 23 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ezbet Shofah
village, east of Tulkarm.  The checkpoint
was later removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

· Qalqilya: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians.  At approximately
23:10 on Saturday, 20 July 2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the
entrance of al-Tabib village, east of Qalqilya. 
The checkpoint was later removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:10 on Sunday, 21 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azoun village, east
of Qalqilya.  The checkpoint was later
removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

· Jenin: Israeli
forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians. At approximately 08:00 on Sunday, 21 July 2013, Israeli
forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Sanour village, south of
Jenin.  The checkpoint was later removed,
and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 08:00 on Monday, 22 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Sanour village,
south of Jenin.  The checkpoint was later
removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

· Salfit: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 18:15 on Saturday, 21 July
2013, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Haris village,
northeast of Salfit. At
approximately 19:10, the checkpoint was removed, and no arrests were
reported.  At approximately 23:10,
another checkpoint was established at the entrance of Deir Balout village, west
of the city.  At approximately 00:30, the
checkpoint was removed.

 

At approximately 18:50 on Sunday, 21 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the western entrance of Haris
village, north of Salfit.  The checkpoint
was later removed, and no arrests were reported.

 

 

 

Arrests at military
checkpoints

 

· At approximately 07:00 on Thursday, 18 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the road between the villages of
al-Borj and al-Thaheriyah, southwest of Hebron. 
They arrested Mahmoud Hussein al-Faqiyat (25) and took him to an unknown
destination.  The checkpoint was removed later.

 

· At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces arrested ‘Ayesh
‘Abdel Naser ‘Ayesh Ikhlayel (17) and ‘Anan Sedqi Mohammed Ikhlayel (18) while
passing through the checkpoint, which Israeli forces established at the
entrance of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, and took him to an unknown
destination.

 

· At approximately 16:30 on Friday, 19 July 2013,
Israeli forces arrested Moa’men ‘Afif “Mohammed Rashid” ‘Ateili (41) from
‘Ateil village, north of Tulkarm when they stopped him at a checkpoint
established on the main road (known as al-Sha’arawiyah) between Tulkarm and its
northern villages at an intersection near the entrance of al-Jaroushiyeh, north
of the city.

 

· At approximately 20:00 on the same Friday, Israeli
forces arrested 4 civilians, including 2 brothers from al-Mogheir village,
north of Ramallah.  The four civilians
were arrested when they were at the eastern intersection of the village near
“Alone” Street, which settlers use.  They
were taken to an unknown destination. 
The arrested were identified as: Montaser Musbah Abu ‘Alia (22); Muhtadi
Musbah Abu ‘Alia (21); Ghayth Khalid ‘Awad Abu Na’aim (19); and Basel Yousif
Na’asan (21).

 

· At approximately 22:20 on Saturday, 20 July 2013,
Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azoun village, east
of Qalqilya.  They arrested Yousif Zahran
Yousfi Sweidan (15) from the aforementioned village and took him to an unknown
destination.  The checkpoint was later
removed.

 

· At approximately on Tuesday, 23 July 2013, Israeli
forces stationed at al-Karamah Crossing between Palestine and Jordan, arrested
Anas ‘adel Jawarish (24) from Hendazah, east of Bethlehem, when he was on his
way back from his study in Ukraine.

 

4. Efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem

 

· On Sunday, 21 July 2013, the Israeli district court in occupied East
Jerusalem issued a decision giving Siyam family an extension until 01 August
2013 to evacuate its house in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in the city.

 

The house’s owner Karim Siyam said that Israeli court issued a decision
to evacuate the 65-square-meter house for the interest of settlement
associations through the law of “Custodian of Absentee Property”. He
added that his family had been living in that house since the 1960s. Siyam
said: “In 1992, a member of a settlement association came to my elderly
and illiterate mother and obliged her to stamp with her finger some papers
claiming they were routine papers related to the rent and payment of the house.
It was found out that she waived the protected lease deed that categorized the
family as a protected tenant. Since then, we had been fighting against such
associations in courts.”

 

· On 18 July 2013, the local committee for Planning and Building”
issued construction licenses to build 165 new settlement units in order to
expand “Nabi Ya’qoub” settlement that is established on lands, north
of occupied Jerusalem. Ahmed Sab Laban, researcher in the settlement affairs
said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the abovementioned committee issued licenses to
build 16 new settlement buildings in “Nabi Ya’qoub” settlement,
including 165 settlement activities.

Sab Laban pointed out that measure clearly reflected the policy of
freezing settlement activities in East Jerusalem is “not implemented in
reality, even if the Israeli planning and construction departments had been
committed to the external pressure through stopping the issuance of new schemes.
However, these departments work on these schemes to expand settlements in East
Jerusalem. He added such schemes are aimed to the accomplishment of the Israeli
goals by geographically separating Jerusalem from the West Bank.             

 

5. Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian
civilians and property

 

Attacks carried out by Israeli forces

 

At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 18 July 2013,
Israeli forces, accompanied by two military vehicles and a vehicle of the
Israeli Civil Administration, moved into al-Qanoub area, to the east of Sa’ir
village, northeast of Hebron.  The Civil
Administration officer handed Emad Issa Shalaldah a notice to demolish a water
well with a capacity of 380 meters under the pretext of non-licensing.

 

At approximately 10:00 on Monday, 22
July 2013, Israeli forces, accompanied by three military vehicles and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil
Administration, moved into Zweidin village, in Arab al-Ka’abnah area, to the east
of Yatta, south of Hebron. The Civil
Administration officer handed 2 notices to halt construction work in property
belonging to:

Salamah Ali Ka’abnah (50), who has a tin-made barrack with an area
of 30 square meters; and

Nayef Ali Ka’abnah (55), who has a roofless brick-made barrack with
an area of 25 square meters.

 

On the same day, Israeli forces,
accompanied by three military vehicles and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration,
moved into Kherbet al-Mafqarah, to the south of Yatta, south of Hebron. The Civil Administration officer handed 2 notices to halt construction work in property
belonging to:

1. N’oman Shehadah Hamamdah (44), who owns 2 brick-made rooms with an
area of 32 square meters and a 20-square-meter tent; and

2. Qasem Mohammed Hammad (40), who owns a tin-made barrack with an
area of 80 square meters, a water well with capacity of 70 cubic meters and a
20-square-meters tent.

 

At approximately 10:30 on the
Wednesday, 24 July 2013, Israeli forces, accompanied by three military vehicles and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration,
moved into Wad al-Naqi area, to the west of Ethna village, west of Hebron. The Civil Administration officer handed Ahmed Hashem
al-Batran (33) a notice to halt construction work in an under-construction
house with an area of 160 square meters under the pretext of not obtaining a
construction license.  

 

Attacks carried out by settlers

 

At approximately 09:30 on Thursday, 18 July 2013, four
armed settlers from “Talmon” settlement, which is established on the western
side of the lands of the southern Mazra’ah al- village, northwest of Ramallah,
attacked Khatemah al-‘Abed Mahmoud Shreiteh (50) when she was picking a sage field
in an agricultural area known as “Na’alan”, west of the village.

 

The aforementioned woman said to a PCHR fieldworker
that:

“I support a family of 4 boys and 1 girl.  My husband is ill and cannot work.  Two of my sons study at the university;
therefore, I pick wild plants and sell them to provide a living and some family
requirements.  At approximately 08:00 on
Thursday, 18 July 2013, I left my house with my son, Yousif (9) to Na’alan
agricultural area, which is around 1 kilometer away from “Telmoun” settlement,
west of al-Mazra’aah al-Qabaliya village, northwest of Ramallah.  When we arrived, I asked Yousif to sit under
an olive tree seeking shade in our farmland in the aforementioned area and I
then walked to the top of the mountain searching for the sage field.  At approximately 09:30, I was surprised by 4
armed settlers, one of whom was carrying a rifle and the other three were
carrying guns, approaching me.  They started
shouting in Hebrew and could not understand them.  When I tried to escape, one of them hit my
back with a big stone on.  After taking
two steps, I fell to the ground and they started beating me severely with hands
and legs and all over my body.  One of
them was beating me with the gun butts on my chest for 20 minutes and then
another one beat me on the back of my head with a gun butt.  I was bleeding and then lost
consciousness.  During the attack, I did
not shout because I was afraid that my son, Yousif, could come to my voice and
they would kill him.  I then woke up to
find myself lying on my chest and felt something heavy on my back.  I thought the settlers were stepping on me
and then I touched my back with difficulty to find a 50-kilogram rock. I
started moving my body and brought it down. 
I then started to crawl on my hands and knees between rockets and thorns
towards my son, Yousif, because I could not stand on my legs due to the severe
pain.  I felt blood flowing between my
thighs.  When I reached Yousif, He saw me
in this condition and started crying.  I
asked him to stop crying fear of being heard by settlers, who would come and
beat us.  I then asked him to go to a
nearby stone-pit to tell anyone about what happened.  I completed crawling 100 meters to the road
leading to the stone-pit, where the car would arrive.  A few minutes later, Yousif came with the
owner of the stone-pit in his car, and I was transferred to Palestine Medical
Complex in Ramallah.  I passed out on the
way and then woke up to find myself in the Complex.  After medical examinations, it was found out
that I sustained bruises all over my body and stayed in the complex till
Saturday, 20 July 2013.”

 

At approximately 08:00 on Friday, 19
July 2013, a group of settlers from “Kiryat Arba” settlement, which
is established on the Palestinian lands, east of Hebron, threw stones at Palestinian
houses in Jaber neighborhood in the centre of the old town of Hebron. They also
attempted to raid the houses under the pretext that a settler was hit by a
stone in the face.

 

According to investigations
conducted by PCHR, at approximately 08:00, on Friday, Ziad Sa’di Abu Rmeilah
was out with his wife when a number of settlers from “Kiryat Arba”
settlement threw stones at their house and attempted to raid it, where Abu
Rmeilah’s three children were inside and were terrified. Meanwhile, Islam (17)
tried to push his body against the door to prevent the settlers from getting
inside until his brother Iyad (24) found the key and locked the door. 20
minutes later, some Israeli soldiers arrived and raided the house. They found
the windows broken because of the settlers’ attack. The soldiers checked ID
cards of Abu Rmeilah’s children and took Iyad and Islam out to the yard. The
soldiers asked the wounded settler to recognize them. However, they were
released later.

 

Moreover, a house belonging to the
family of Tha’er Hussein Jaber in the same area was also stoned by 10 settlers,
who attempted to raid the house. As a result, some windows were broken. Israeli
forces intervened a few minutes later. They checked the occupants’ ID cards and
asked the settlers to recognize them.    

 

On Saturday morning, 20 July 2013, a
group of settlers from “Bat Ayin” settlement, which is established on
lands of al-Jaba’ah village, south of Bethlehem, set fire to a land belonging
to Hamdan family under the protection of Israeli forces. As a result, about 400
olive trees (aged up to 100 years) were burnt. Mohammed Hamdan, an activist in
the popular committee to defend lands, said to PCHR’s fieldworker, the settlers
denied the fire fighters access to the attacked land, because the only way to
approach that land is near the entrance of the settlement. Moreover, the
Israeli Civil Administration requested the villagers to go to “Gosh
Etzion” settlement to file a complaint against the settlers.

 

At approximately 11:00 on the same
day, a group of settlers from “Mitzpe Yair” settlement, which is
established on Palestinian lands in the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron,
attacked Palestinian farmers and shepherds while on their lands around Kherbet
Qweiwees and al-Deirat village, east of the city. The settlers forced them to
leave the area. As a result, the shepherds and farmers fled fearing for their
lives due to the successive settler attacks against them with no intervention
from the Israeli police or forces to stop them.

 

It should be noted that these lands’ area is estimated at 26 dunums
and it is used for agriculture and as natural grazing lands. An Israeli court
issued a decision to return these lands to the area inhabitants after settlers
seized part of the lands few years earlier. 
 

 

 

 

Recommendations to the International Community

 

 

PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position
that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is still
under the Israeli occupation, in spite of the Israeli military redeployment
outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli force have
continued to impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, which
have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which
Hamas won the majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR
stresses that there is an international recognition of Israel’s obligation to
respect international human rights instruments and the international
humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations concerning the
Laws and Customs of War on Land and the
Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply the international human rights law
and the law of war sometime reciprocally and other times in parallel in a way
that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for victims.

 

In light of continued arbitrary measures, land
confiscation and settlement activities in the West Bank, and the continued
aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially the latest offensive
that lasted for 8 days in November, PCHR calls upon the international
community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of their natural
obligation to respect and enforce the international law – to cooperate and act
according to the following recommendations:

 

1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the
United Nations to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to
enjoy their right to self-determination, through the establishment of the
Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast
majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end
the occupation of the State of Palestine;

2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide
international protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the
non-recurrence of aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the
Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;

4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human
rights instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to
comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the
human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the concerned
committees;

5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the
Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the
Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to
prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the
perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected
Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;

6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of
universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal
jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war
criminals;

7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in
order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through
imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;

8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer
the Goldstone Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the
International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome
Statute;

9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that
holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to
achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the
expense of human rights and victims;

10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human
Rights Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza
and the annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the
two issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel
it to remove them;

11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light
of its failure to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at
least fulfil its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of
hostilities launched by Israel which directed targeted the civilian
infrastructure;

12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European
Union to express a clear position towards the annexation wall following the international
recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the annexation
wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;

13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article
2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must
respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU
states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violation and crimes
against Palestinian civilians;

14. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and
accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva
Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the United
Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to international human
rights law and humanitarian law instruments.

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

Public Document

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email pchr@pchrgaza.org or telephone +972 08 282 4776 – 282 5893.