A number
of Palestinian evacuate Ramadan al-Daghma who was wounded by Israeli force
during a peaceful demonstration in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis,
20 May 2011

 

 

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

 

 

· A Palestinian
civilian was killed by IOF near the border in the central Gaza Strip.

–A
Palestinian civilian was wounded in the east of Khan Yunis in the south of the
Gaza Strip.

 

· Two Palestinian
boys sustained severe burns as a smoke bomb, left by IOF in Hebron, exploded.

 

· IOF continued
to target Palestinian farmers in border areas in the northern Gaza Strip.

–IOF
fired at Palestinian farmers in two separate incidents, but no casualties were
reported.

 

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

– Two demonstrators,
including an international human rights defender, were wounded. 

– IOF arrested 11
demonstrators, including 10 Israeli solidarity activists and an international one.

 

· IOF conducted 38
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 

– IOF arrested 15
Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.

– The arrested civilians
include the mother of Sheikh Saleh al-Arouri, who was deported to Syria.

 

· IOF continued
settlement activities and Israeli settlers continued their attacks in the West
Bank.

– Israeli settlers
caused severe damages to a Palestinian house, southwest of Bethlehem.

– Seventy olive
trees in the vicinity of “Qidoumim” settlement, northeast of
Qalqilya, were uprooted.

– Three women
activists were attacked at Zaatara checkpoint, south of Nablus.

 

· Israel has
continued to impose a total siege on the Gaza Strip and tightened the siege on
the West Bank.

– IOF arrested at
least 3 Palestinians at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

 

 

 Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (19 – 25 May 2011):

 

Shooting:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian in the Gaza Strip,
while 2 Palestinian civilians and an international human rights defender were
wounded; 2 of them were wounded in the West Bank and the third was wounded in
the Gaza Strip. Two Palestinian children
sustained burns due to the explosion of a “smoke” bomb from the
Israeli military remnants, southeast of Hebron.

 

In
the Gaza Strip, on 21 May 2011, IOF stationed at the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza
Strip, killed a Palestinian by 2 artillery shells and opening heavy fire at
him. An ambulance officer, who
participated in recovering the body, said that they found the body
approximately one meter far from the border fence. One of the area’s residents said that he
heard the sound of 2 artillery shells and after 10 minutes, he heard heavy gunfire.

 

 On
20 May 2011, IOF stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel,
east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire near Palestinians
participating in a peaceful demonstration heading to the said border fence,
east of Abasan village to the east of Khan Yunis. As a result, a Palestinian was wounded by
shrapnel of a bullet in the legs.

 

In the
context of targeting the Palestinian farmers in border areas in the Gaza Strip,
IOF opened fire twice at the farmers during the reporting period. On 24 May 2011, IOF stationed at border
fence, north of Shurrab lands in the northeast of Beit Hanoun town in the
northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian farmers who were on their
lands, which are approximately 650 meters far from the said border fence. On 25 May 2011, IOF stationed on watchtowers
at the border fence to the east of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip
opened fire at the farmers on their lands, east of al-Qurman Street, al-Naayma Street
and al-Masreyen Street in the east of Beit Hanoun. As a result, the Palestinian farmers were forced
to leave their lands and escape fearing for their lives. However, no injuries or damages in their
property were reported.

 

In the West Bank, 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
demonstrators, including a Palestinian civilian and an international solidarity
activist, were wounded. In addition,
dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders
participating in peaceful protests in the West Bank suffered from tear gas
inhalation, and bruises as they were beaten by IOF.

 

IOF
has continued to leave military remnants in residential and agricultural areas
and in their vicinity. As a result, 2
Palestinian children sustained severe burns on Friday morning, 20 May 2011,
when a smoke bomb left by IOF in the southeast of Hebron exploded.

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 38 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 15
Palestinian civilians, including 4 children. The arrested persons included
Aysha Saleh Yousef Dar Suleiman, 70, from Aroura village, north of Ramallah,
who was arrested at approximately 01:30 on Sunday, 22 May 2011, and driven to
“al-Maskoubeya” interrogation center in Jerusalem. Dar Suleiman who
was released at approximately 20:00 on the same day is the mother of Sheikh
Saleh al-Arouri, a member of Hamas Political Bureau, who spent 18 years in
Israeli jails and was then deported to Syria.

 

IOF
have continued to attempt to stop peaceful protests and to prevent
international human rights defenders from participating in peaceful assemblies
against settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall. As part of these attempts, IOF arrested 11
protesters, including 10 Israeli solidarity activists and an international one.

 

Israeli
Settlers’ Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property:

 

Israeli
settlers living in the OPT in violation of the international humanitarian law have
continued to commit systematic crimes against Palestinian civilians and their property
with protection provided by IOF that ignore conducting investigations into
complaints submitted by Palestinian civilians against settlers.

 

In
the context of the settlers’ attacks against the Palestinian civilians and
their lands located in the vicinity of “Gush Etzion” and
“Efrat” settlement complex, southwest of Bethlehem, an old house
belonging to Mohammed Saleh Abu Sawi from Artas village, south of Bethlehem,
was deliberately attacked and damaged by a group of settlers living near the
family’s land on 22 May 2011. The attack
resulted in destroying the roof of the house, which was built in the fifties of
the last century. The house consists of
4 rooms built of stones and ceiled by wood and iron. Besides, there is a water well near the
house.

 

On
the same day, some settlers from “Tafouh” settlement, south of
Nablus, attacked 3 Palestinian women from Iskaka Women’s Charitable
Association, from Iskaka village, east of Salfit.

 

Additionally,
some settlers from “Qidoumim” settlement, northeast of Qalqilya,
uprooted 70 olive trees belonging to Mohammed Abdul Latif Hamid Ishtiwi, from
Kafr Qaddoum village. Ishtiwi did not
know when the incident took place, as he cannot reach his land without a permit
from IOF.

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

Israel
has continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and has 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 been steadily tightened
since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic
situation 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.

 

It should be noted that the Israeli occupation
authorities have worked over the past three years to make Karm Abu Salem
crossing, which is not appropriate for commercial purposes, as Gaza’s major and
sole crossing. 

 

In the beginning of 2010, the Israeli
occupation authorities closed Nahal Oz crossing which was dedicated for the
supplies of fuel and cooking gas to Gaza, and shifted fuel supplies to Karm Abu
Salem crossing. these authorities
totally closed Sofa crossing, southeast of Khan Younis, and shifted
humanitarian aid and food items which used to be delivered via Sofa crossing to
Karm Abu Salem crossing. Lately, they
exceptionally open Sofa crossing from time to time to allow the delivery of
construction aggregate for UNRWA.

 

· 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. Facts on the ground refute IOF’s allegation
that they daily allow the export of 10 truckloads of agricultural products.

· Recently, IOF allowed the exportation of very
limited quantities of Gaza’s agricultural products, including flowers and
tomatoes, to European markers.

· 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 46 months, IOF have
continued to deny approximately 710 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.

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (19 – 25 May 2011)

 

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

 

Thursday, 19 May 2011

 

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Arroub refugee camp,
north of Hebron.  They raided and
searched the house of Nawwaf Abdul Latif Jawabra. Before withdrawing, they arrested Jawabra’s
16-year-old child, Mohammed, who is a student in the tenth grade. They drove Mohammed to “Kfar
Etzion” detention center, southwest of Bethlehem. Mohammed was placed under interrogation for
allegedly stoning IOF vehicles travelling on the main street near al-Arroub
refugee camp. Ula Khalil, Mohammed’s lawyer, said that her client Mohammed was
beaten by gun butts on his legs directly after he had been arrested and during
the few first hours of his detention in “Kfar Etzion” detention
center.

 

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Kafl Hares village,
north of Salfit. They patrolled in the
streets and raided and searched a house belonging to Abdullah Ibrahim Bouzeyeh,
42. Before withdrawing, they arrested Bouzeyeh
who is a mathematics teacher in the nearby village of Qira.

 

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets for some time. They withdrew in the afternoon and neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Jefna village, north of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Aroura village, north
of Ramallah. They patrolled in the
streets. They withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Kafr Naama, west of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the
streets. They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

· At approximately 17:00, an IOF vehicle moved into the northern
neighborhood of al-Khadr village, southwest of Bethlehem. The vehicle chased a
number of boys and arrested Mohammed Rezeq Ahmed Arafa, 20, from al-Duhaisha refugee
camp, for allegedly stoning IOF vehicles positioning and travelling in the
north and the west of al-Khadr village. Arafa was taken to “Kfar
Etzion” detention center, southwest of Bethlehem.

 

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Yabad village, southwest of
Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for
some time. They withdrew later and
neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 21:45, IOF moved into Jericho. They patrolled in the streets. They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

· At approximately 21:50, IOF moved into Beit Leqia, west of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the
streets. They withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.

 

Friday,
20 May 2011

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Bir Zeit village, north of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the
streets. They withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Azzoun village, east of
Qaqilya. They patrolled in the streets
and raided and searched many houses amid firing sound bombs. Before withdrawing, they arrested 4
Palestinians, including 2 children:

 

1. Sameh Mahmoud
Hussein, 17;

2. Ahmed Ali
Rashed Radwan, 17;

3. Mohammed Imad
Mohammed Radwan, 19; and

4. Amr Mohammed
Abu Haneyeh, 18.

 

In addition, IOF confiscated 2 hunting rifles from 2 houses belonging
to Udai Samir Hassan Salim and Mohammed Imad Radwan.

 

The mother of Mohammed Radwan, who was arrested by IOF, told a PCHR
fieldworker the following:

 

“At approximately 03:03 on Friday, 20 May 2011, a large number
of Israeli occupation soldiers raided the nearby house of my
brother-in-law. They were screaming in megaphones
and they fired sound bombs at the house’s door. They forced the residents to get out of the house. They were looking for my son Mohammed whose
name is the same as his cousin’s. The
soldiers found that my brother-in-law’s son whose name is Mohammed is not the
person who is wanted. They then left my
brother-in-law’s house and immediately came to our house. They fired sound bombs and called on us through
megaphones to leave the house within two minutes. I left the house with my son and my little
daughter. They entered the house and nearly 15 minutes later, an Israeli intelligence
officer called me to enter the house. I
saw that the house was damaged. The
officer asked me ‘where is your son Mohammed?’ I replied ‘I do not know.’ He
said ‘call him immediately and tell him to come home.’ I called Mohammed, but
he did not answer. The officer then said ‘if he does not arrive, we will kill
him and bring him dead to you.’ They had
dogs and my little daughter was frightened and was crying all the time. They left the house and headed to my other
brother-in-law’s house where my son was sleeping. They went upstairs. They destroyed the house and arrested
Mohammed. His uncle told me that they
held him from his neck, stuck him against the wall and stroke his head against
the wall. When they left the house with
my son, I heard him saying ‘I want to say bye to my mum’ and the officer said
‘you have just knew that you have a mum?’ We then brought him a jacket and
saluted him. I went to check my house
which was heavily damaged. They
destroyed the closets, beds, windows, doors, sinks, the seats in the salon, the
kitchen and everything in the house. They also confiscated a hunting rifle which was used by my son
Mohammed.”

 

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Baqa al-Sharqiya village,
north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the
streets for some time. They withdrew
later and neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 11:30, IOF positioning at the border to the east
of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip opened fire at points close to
dozens of Palestinians participating in a peaceful demonstration. They demonstrators were walking towards the
border in the east of Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. Ramadan Mohammed
Khalil al-Daghma, 47, who was participating in the demonstration sustained
shrapnel wounds in the legs as a result. Al-Daghma was transferred to the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis
for medical treatment.

 

· At approximately 12:35, IOF moved into Bedia village, northwest of
Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
for some time. They withdrew later and
neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 22:30, IOF moved into Bitonia town, west of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time. They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

· At approximately 22:30, IOF moved into Beit Leqia village, west of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time. They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

Saturday, 21 May 2011

 

· At approximately 03:00, IOF positioned at the border to the east of
al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip fired two artillery shells and
bullets at Ibrahim Mohammed Ali Faraj Allah, 19, from al-Nussairat refugee
camp. Faraj Allah was killed as a result.

 

Following coordination done by the International committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC), a medical crew from the Palestine Red Crescent Society
managed to evacuate the body of Faraj Allah.

 

Awni Khattab, 48, a paramedic who participated in evacuation of the
body, reported that the body was only one meter from the border fence and that
dogs ate parts of the abdomen and thigh as Faraj Allah was killed at dawn and
his body was evacuated at approximately 16:00 on the same day. He said that it took them nearly three hours
to find the body and that the body was dissolute.

 

A resident from the area reported that in on Saturday morning, 21
May 2011, he heard two artillery shells. Ten minutes later, he heard intensive
firing of bullets. The father of the
dead person said that he called his son at approximately 01:30 on Saturday, 21
May, and that his brother Adel called him. Ibrahim told them that he was near
the border fence. They tried to call him
later, but he did not answer so they reported it to the police.

 

· At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Beit Qad village, east of Jenin.
They patrolled in the streets for some time. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 15:30, IOF moved into Kafr al-Labd village, east
of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the
streets for some time. They withdrew
later and neither arrests nor further events were reported.

 

· At approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some
time. They withdrew later and neither
arrests nor further events were reported.

 

Sunday, 22 May 2011

 

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Deir al-Soudan village,
north of Ramallah. They raided a house
belonging to Murad Rezeq Allah Duha (Murad al-Soudani), 37. They delivered a notice to Duha to appear
before the Israeli intelligence service, and they then withdrew. It should be noted that Duha is a poet and he
is the Secretary General of the General Union of Palestinian Writers, and the
President of the Palestinian House of Poetry.

 

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Kafr Ra’i village,
south of Jenin. They patrolled in the
streets and then took position in the northern neighborhood. They raided two houses belonging to Tareq
Zaki Nazzal “Melhem”, 26, and Mohammed Fouad Mohammed Diab, 20. They arrested Nazzal and Diab and drove them
to “Dotan” settlement, southwest of Jenin. Diab told a PCHR fieldworker that he and
Nazzal were handcuffed and blindfolded and that they were detained in a room in
“Dotan” settlement for nearly 4 hours. They  were then driven to the Israeli District
Coordination Office where the “Military Courts Compound” is in Salem
village, northwest of Jenin. They were
presented before the court to testify, as attesting witnesses, in a session
held to try a Palestinian prisoner, based on a request by the Israeli military
public prosecutor. After the session,
Diab and Nazzal were released.

 

· At approximately 09:40, IOF moved into Beit Or al-Tahta village,
west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the
streets for some time. They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into al-Jarousheyeh village,
north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the
streets for some time. Then they
stationed near the entrance of the village and erected a military
checkpoint. IOF soldiers stepped down
from their vehicles and stopped travelling vehicles and checked the ID cards of
passengers. They removed the checkpoint
later and withdrew. At approximately
22:30, they retuned and positioned near the entrance of the village and erected
a military checkpoint. No arrests were
reported.

 

· At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into al-Ouja village, north of
Jericho. They patrolled in the streets
for some time. They withdrew later and
no arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 23 May 2011

 

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into al-Arroub refugee camp,
north of Hebron. They raided and
searched many houses. Before withdrawing, they arrested 3 civilians and drove
them to “Kfar Etzion” detention center, southwest of Bethlehem:

1. Hassan Nayef
Hassan al-Ra’i, 19;

2. Umar Zuhdi
Mahfouz, 19; and

3. Asaad Diab
al-Badawi, 20.

 

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tarqoumia village, northwest
of Hebron. They raided and searched many
houses. Before withdrawing, they arrested 2 civilians, including a child, and
drove them to “Kfar Etzion” detention center, southwest of Bethlehem:

1. Muath
   Abdul Munim Shalalfa, 17; and
2. Udul
   Munim Shaker Abdul Munim Shalalfa, 18.

 

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Deir al-Ghosoun
village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled
in the streets for some time. They
withdrew later and neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Aroura village, north of
Ramallah.  They raided and searched the
house of Sheikh Saleh al-Arouri. Before
withdrawing at approximately 02:00, they arrested Aysha Saleh Yousef Dar
Suleiman, 70, who is Sheikh al-Arouri’s mother, and drove her to
“al-Maskoubeya” interrogation center in Jerusalem. Dar Suleiman was released at approximately
20:00 on the same day. It should be
noted that Sheikh al-Arouri is a member of Hamas Political Bureau. He spent 18 years in Israeli jails and then
was deported to Syria.

 

· Also at approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Um al-Tout village, northeast
of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the
streets for some time. Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Faroun village, south
of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the
streets for some time. Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Silat al-Daher village,
south of Jenin. They raided the offices
of “Silat al-Daher Commercial Compound Company.” They held the staff members and checked their
ID cards. They also checked the
surveillance cameras installed in the offices. On 16 May 2011, IOF chased a lorry of the Company while travelling on
the main road between Nablus and Tulkarm, west of Nablus, on its way to
distribute goods in Hebron. IOF stopped
the lorry and arrested the two persons who were in it, claiming that they found
a suspicious object in the lorry. IOF
withdrew later from the village and no arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 20:25, IOF moved into al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest
of Ramallah. They provocatively
patrolled in the streets and claxoned now and then to bother Palestinians in
the village. A number of boys gathered
and stoned IOF that immediately responded by firing bullets, rubber-coated
metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters. Many civilians suffered from gas inhalation
as a result. IOF withdrew later and no
arrests were reported.  

 

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

 

· At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Rummana village, northwest
of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

· At approximately 13:35, IOF positioned at the border to the north
of Shurrab farm, northeast of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip,
opened fire at Palestinian farmers who were in their farms, nearly 650 meters
from the border. Farmers were forced to
flee in fear for their lives. Neither
casualties nor damages to property were reported.

 

Wednesday, 25 May 2011

 

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Deir al-Ghosoun village,
north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the
streets for some time. They withdrew
later and neither house raids nor arrests were reported.  

 

·  At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Atil village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time. They withdrew later and neither house raids
nor arrests were reported. 

 

· At approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Ein Beit al-Maa refugee
camp, west of Nablus. They surrounded the house of Mohammed Hassan Ali
al-Khatib, 26. They destroyed the handle
of the external door. They then
destroyed the door of the second floor. The residents of the house were surprised when they saw nearly 16
soldiers veiled in black in the salon on the second floor of the 3-storye house. IOF checked the ID cards of the men and
arrested Mohammed.

 

Abdul Jalil, who is Mohammed’s brother, told a PCHR fieldworker
that his brother Mohammed spent 3 months in Juneid prison. At the end of 2010, Mohammed was granted
amnesty after he signed a pledge, under Palestinian National Authority
management, not to leave Nablus city. He
was released from Juneid prison after signing the pledge.

 

· Also at approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Wad al-Tuffah area,
west of Nablus. They raided and searched
many houses. Before withdrawing at
approximately 04:10, they arrested Fares Mahmoud al-Natour, 23.

 

· At approximately 11:20, IOF positioned on observation towers along
the border in the east of Beit Hanoun tonw in the north of the Gaza Strip
opened fire at Palestinian farmers in their farms in the east of al-Qurman Street,
al-Naayma Street and al-Masreyen Street in the east of Beit Hanoun. Farmers were forced to flee in fear for their
lives. Neither casualties nor damages to
property were reported.

 

Crimes Caused By Israeli Military Remnants 

 

IOF have
continued to leave military remnants in residential and agricultural areas and
in their vicinity. As a result, 2
Palestinian children sustained severe burns on Friday morning, 20 May 2011,
when a smoke bomb left by IOF in the southeast of Hebron exploded.

 

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 08:00 on Friday, 20 May
2011, Eid Mohammed Daajneh, 15, and Mohammed Yousef Hassan Daajneh, 15, were
herding their sheep in “Wad al-Bad” area, nearly 800 meters to the
east of (al-Bweib) village, in the far northeast of Yatta village, south of
Hebron. Eid found a strange object which
is a small cylindrical tin-coated metal tube with a black cover on one of its
edges. The boy removed the tin and intense
fast-spreading white smoke immediately rose. The boy dropped the tube and tried to flee the area with his
friend. The two boys were totally in
panic. However, the rising smoke had touched
their bodies and caused burns throughout their bodies. Parts of their clothes and shoes were burned
as well. Although they fled the area and
went away for dozens of meters calling for help from their relatives, burns
continued to spread in their bodies and their skins continued to melt.

 

According
to a PCHR fieldworker’s documentation and observation and according to medical
examination underwent on the two boys, the boys sustained first-degree and
second-degree burns as follows:

 

1. Eid Mohammed
Daajneh sustained first-degree and second-degree burns under the right eye, in
the front, the right temple, the right hand and fingers, the right arm, the
left knee, the right ankle and first-degree burns in the fingers of the left
hand.

2. Mohammed Yousef
Hassan Daajneh sustained first-degree and second-degree burns in the fingers of
the left hand and signs of black carbon around the burns in the fingers of the
left hand, the left ankle and second-degree burns in the right ankle.

 

Jihad
Khalil Hassan Daajneh, 35, a shepherd, said that he saw the two boys running to
him while crying because of pain and panic. He was nearly 60 meters from them. He tried to provide first aid by pouring water on the fire set in their
limps. He made a phone call asking for a
car to transfer the boys to “Abu al-Hassan al-Qasem” Hospital in
Yatta where they were provided with first medical aid. Because of their serious
conditions and inability to know the nature of the burns they sustained,
coordination was made via the Palestinian Liaison Office with the Palestinian
police to get an Israeli military medical crew. The Israeli medical crew arrived, with an Israeli force, at the
crossroads of “Zif” village, east of Yatta. They diagnosed the wounds and provided
primary treatment for the two boys.

 

Israeli
explosives experts questioned the two boys about their wounds and the shape and
nature of the object that caused their wounds. They showed the two boys samples of the ammunitions used by IOF and the
boys could recognize the object that caused their burns. The medical crew provided primary medical
treatment to the boys, but they refused to transfer the boys to a specialized
Israeli hospital for treatment in an attempt to avoid assuming responsibility
for this crime. The two boys were
transferred in ambulances of the Palestine Red Crescent Society to Hebron Public
Hospital for treatment.

 

Israeli
Channel 10 affirmed IOF’s responsibility for the object that caused wounds to
the boys. The channel reported: “The Daajnehs sustained wounds when they
were playing near the village and an object from the ammunitions used by the Israel
Defense Forces (IDF) and left in the scene during a raid implemented by the IDF
in the area.”

 

According
to eyewitnesses and field observation, members of the Daajneh family found a
similar object on Sunday afternoon, 22 May 2011, while herding sheep in the same
area. The Israeli police was informed
about the object and arrived at the scene. They closed the area and exploded the object which caused a loud
noise. White smoke rose from the object
for nearly 40 meters.

 

It should
be noted that landmines and military remnants left by IOF cause severe
suffering for Palestinians and shepherds in rural, nomad and remote areas where
there are settlement activities or which are close to sites used for military
training by IOF especially in Yatta and Bani Na’im in the south and southeast
of Hebron, al-Khan al-Ahmar in the east of Jerusalem, and south and north of
the Jordanian Valley in Jericho. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed or wounded as a result of
these military remnants.

 

3. 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 and an international human rights defender were wounded, and dozens of
demonstrators  suffered from tear gas
inhalation and sustained bruises. Besides, 10 Israeli activists and an international one were arrested by
IOF. They were transported to an unknown
destination.  

   

· Following the
Friday Prayer on 20 May 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. The demonstrators then
walked to the annexation wall. IOF made
a barrier of barbed wire approximately 100 meters far from the wall. Before demonstrators’ arrival to the barrier,
IOF closed the barrier and fired bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound
bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. IOF also sprinkled wastewater at the demonstrators and chased them in
olive field. As a result, Ibrahim Abdul
Fattah Birnat, 29, was hit by a tear gas canister in the back, while dozens of
demonstrators, including Mohammed Suleiman Yassin, 20, suffered from tear gas
inhalation.

 

· Also following the
Friday Prayer on 20 May 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international
and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin
village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the annexation
wall. They then walked to the wall. IOF closed the gate established on the wall
with barbed wire. When the demonstrators
tried to cross the wall to the land located behind it, IOF prevented them. The demonstrators responded by stoning IOF that
responded by firing bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear
gas canisters at demonstrators. IOF also
chased demonstrators in olive field. Many demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation as a result. 

 

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on the same day, 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 the
wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators walked in the streets of the
village and chanted national slogans, expressing their refusal to the
occupation and its arbitrary actions. They held Palestinian flags. Then
they walked to the lands that settlers from “Halmish” settlement try
to seize. IOF closed off the southern
entrance of the village to prevent Palestinian and international demonstrators
from having access to the mentioned lands. As the demonstrators attempted to access the land, IOF prevented them. IOF fired bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets,
sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. IOF also sprayed wastewater at the
demonstrators and chased them. As a
result, an unknown international activist was hit by a tear gas canister in the
right hand. Besides, many demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation and sustained bruises. Additionally, IOF arrested 11 unknown
activists, including 10 Israeli solidarity activists and an international one,
and transported them to an unknown destination.

 

· At
approximately 16:00 on Saturday, 21 May 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Iraq Burin village and neighboring villages, south of
Nablus. They walked to the lands that
settlers try to seize in the southern side of the village, west of
“Bracha” settlement. Before
the demonstrators reach the said lands, IOF fired sound bombs and tear gas
canisters at them. As a result, 7
demonstrators, including Amir ‘Aref Qadous, 15, Adham Kamal Faleh Qadous, 20, and
two international activists, suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

4. 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.

 

· Facts on the
ground refute Israeli claims with respect to the easing of the closure imposed
on the Gaza Strip and the reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of
goods.

 

· Israeli
declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes
an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the
minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have
continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip. 

 

· IOF have
imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip.

 

· Israel had
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.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

18-24
May 2011

 

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

18-24
May 2011

 

 

Notes:

 

· On Tuesday, 17 May 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 419 tons of
cement, 108 tons of iron and 1,610 tons of aggregate for UNRWA, in addition to
346 tons of cement for Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU). They also allowed the entry of 1,872 tons of
fodders.

· On Wednesday, 18 May 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 2,520 tons of
aggregate for UNRWA and 225 tons of cement for UNDP. Besides, they allowed the entry of 1,794 tons
of fodders.

· On Thursday, 19 May 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 1,820 tons of
aggregate for UNRWA. They also allowed
the entry of 160 tons of cement and 15 tons of iron for UNDP, 164 tons of
cement for ANERA and 400 tons of cement for CMWU. 1,794 tons of fodders were
allowed into the Gaza Strip.

· On Sunday, 22 May 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 252 tons of
cement, 36 tons of iron and 1,820 tons of aggregate for UNRWA. 160 tons of cement were allowed for ANERA and
400 tons of cement for CMWU. In
addition, 1,326 tons of wheat and 195 tons of fodders were allowed into the
Gaza Strip.

· On Monday, 23 May 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 460 tons of
cement, 18 tons of iron and 1,750 tons of aggregate for UNRWA. They also allowed the entry of 400 tons of
cement for CMWU. In addition, 1,053 tons
of wheat were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

· On Tuesday, 24 May 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 280 tons of
cement, 26 tons of iron and 2,310 tons of aggregate for UNRWA. Besides, 398 tons of cement and 15 tons of
iron were allowed into the Gaza Strip for CMWU, in addition to 1,521 tons of
fodders.

  

Exports  

· No exports this week.

 

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

18-24
May 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.

 

· Ramallah: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. On Thursday, 19 May 2011, IOF
established 6 checkpoints around the town. At approximately 11:20, IOF established a checkpoint on Nabi Saleh –
Kafr Ein road, northwest of Ramallah. At
approximately 20:40, IOF re-established their presence at Attarah checkpoint at
the northern entrance of Birzeit village, north of Ramallah. At approximately 22:00, IOF established a
checkpoint near ‘Eyoun al-Haramiyah intersection, north of Ramallah.

At
approximately 08:00 on Friday, 20 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near
the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. At approximately 18:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Kafr Ne’ma village, west of Ramallah. At approximately 19:00, IOF re-established
their presence at Attarah checkpoint at the northern entrance of Birzeit
village, north of Ramallah. They stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

At
approximately 19:10 on Saturday, 21 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near
the entrance of Beit Liqia village, west of Ramallah.

At
approximately 20:30 on Sunday, 22 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near
the entrance of Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah. At approximately 22:00, IOF established a
similar checkpoint near the entrance of Yabroud village, northeast of Ramallah.
 They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles, however, no arrests were reported.

 

· Qalqilya: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.  On Thursday, 19 May 2011, IOF
established 3 checkpoints around the town. On Friday, 20 May 2011, IOF established 3 checkpoints around the
town. At approximately 22:15, IOF established
a checkpoint at the entrance of Hajja village and a checkpoint at the
intersection of Jinsafout village, east of Qalqilya.

On
Monday, 23 May 2011, IOF established 4 checkpoints around the town. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. 

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 11:30 on Thursday, 19 May
2011, IOF stationed at ‘Ennab checkpoint on Tulkarm – Nablus road, east of
Tulkarm, imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

At
approximately 14:00, IOF established a checkpoint on ‘Etil – Deir al-Ghsoun
road, north of Tulkarm. At approximately
22:30, IOF established a similar checkpoint at the intersection of al-Jaroushiya
village, north of Tulkarm.

At
approximately 01:00 on Friday, 20 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on
Tulkarm – Qalqilya road near the entrance of Far’oun village, south of
Tulkarm. 

At
approximately 12:00, IOF established a checkpoint at the northern entrance of
Beit Leed village, east of Tulkarm, while at approximately 12:15, they
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Deir al-Ghsoun village, north of
Tulkarm. At approximately 12:30, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nazlet Isa village, north of
Tulkarm. At approximately 22:30, IOF
established a checkpoint at the intersection of al-Jaroushiya village, north of
Tulkarm.

At
approximately 11:00 on Saturday, 21 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at
the northern entrance of Beit Leed village, north of Tulkarm.

At
approximately 19:30, IOF stationed at ‘Ennab checkpoint on Tulkarm – Nablus
road, east of Tulkarm, imposed severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinians and their vehicles.

At
approximately 09:00 on Sunday, 22 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on
Tulkarm – Qalqilya road in al-Kafriyat area, south of Tulkarm. At approximately 21:00, IOF established a
checkpoint on Kafr al-Labad – al-Hfasi road, east of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched the civilian
vehicles, however, no arrests were reported.

At
approximately 13:30 on Monday, 23 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on
Tulkarm – Qalqilya road near the entrance of Far’oun village, south of
Tulkarm. They detained Maher Mohammed
‘Atiyah Thalathin, 37, from Ezbet Shoufa village, south of Tulkarm for an hour,
while he was passing in his car via the checkpoint. Thalathin said to PCHR field worker that IOF
searched his car before he was released.

At
approximately 14:00 IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of
al-Jaroushiya village, north of Tulkarm. At approximately 23:30, IOF re-established the checkpoint at the same
area.

 

· Jenin:
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. At approximately 11:20 on
Saturday, 21 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Jalboun
village, east of Jenin.

 

· Jericho: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. At approximately 17:30 on
Thursday, 19 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance of
Fasayel, north of Jericho. They stopped
and searched civilian vehicles, however, no arrests were reported.

At
approximately 19:30 on Saturday, 21 May 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near
the entrance of al-‘Ouja, north of Jericho.

 

Arrests at Checkpoints

 

· At
approximately 16:30 on Thursday, 19 May 2011, IOF stationed at the intersection
on “Asyoun – Beit Fajjar” main road between Hebron and Bethlehem
arrested Fo’ad Khalil Mohammed al-Shamisti, 33, from Yatta, south of
Hebron. He was transported to “Kfar
Etzion” detention center.

 

· At
approximately 20:30 on Saturday, 21 May 2011, IOF re-established their presence
at Attarah checkpoint at the northern entrance of Birzeit village, north of
Ramallah. They stopped and searched the
Palestinian civilians and their vehicles. Before they retreat, IOF arrested Hassan Hussein Hassan Kan’an, 42, and
transported him to an unknown destination.

 

· At
approximately 17:30 on Tuesday, 24 May 2011, IOF stationed at al-Karama International
Crossing Point, at the borders between Jericho and Jordan, arrested Riad Abdul
Razeq Rajab Shqouqani, 23, from ‘Askar refugee camp, northeast of Nablus. Shqouqani was coming from Sharjah to the OPT
via al-Karamah International Crossing Point.

 

 

5. 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.

 

• In
  the context of the settlers’ attacks against the Palestinian civilians and
  their property located in the vicinity of “Gush Etzion” and “Efrat”
  settlement complex, southwest of Bethlehem, an old house belonging to
  Mohammed Saleh Abu Sawi from Artas village, south of Bethlehem, was
  deliberately attacked and damaged by a group of settlers living near the
  family’s land.

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR,
on Sunday morning, 22 May 2011, members of Abu Sawi family headed to their land
and old house in “Khelet Ikhleil” area, east of the said settlement
complex and the head office of the so-called Israeli Civil Administration, to
work in their land as usual. The family
members were shocked that the house’s roof was completely destroyed; an attack
that can only be done by the Israeli settlers, as the land’s location does not
allow the entry of any Palestinian, excluding the land’s owners, who can pass
after being searched and their IDs being checked. The house is only 200 meters far from the
settlements’ fence and “Civil Administration” head office, which is a
military zone surrounded by watchtowers and surveillance cameras.

 

Abu Sawi family said that the attack included
destroying the roof of the house, which was built in the fifties of the last
century. The house consists of 4 rooms
built of stones and ceiled by wood and iron. Besides, there is a well near the house. The family stated: “This is not the first time that their property
had been attacked by settlers and IOF, in addition, the Israeli settlers used
to throw dead dogs inside the well.” They pointed that: IOF closed the entrance leading to the land through
the “Civil Administration” three years ago, due to which, they were
obliged to stop their car away from the house and go to the land on foot. Their car was attacked by the Israeli
soldiers under the pretext that it is close to the military position.

 

• At
  approximately 09:00 on Sunday, 22 May 2011, a group of Israeli settlers
  from “Taffouh” settlement, south of Nablus, attacked 3
  Palestinian women from Iskaka Women’s Charitable Association, from Iskaka
  village, east of Salfit.

 

In her testimony to PCHR field worker, Ms.
Ahlam Adnan Harb said:

 

“On Sunday morning, 22 May
2011, 2 members of the Association and I headed to Za’tarah intersection, as we
intended to go to Ramallah. Once we
arrived at the intersection, we found approximately 15 settlers standing there,
some of whom were armed. They approached
and started stoning us; however, we escaped the stones and were not harmed. IOF were supporting the settlers in their
attack and did not prevent them, in addition, they pointed their guns at
us. We wanted to stop a car to leave the
area, but they were chasing us and prevented us from leaving. We tried to defend ourselves. In the
meanwhile, a Palestinian civilian standing at the intersection saw us and ran
towards us. As a result, we retreated
immediately for fear of the eruption of clashes between the Palestinian
civilians and Israeli soldiers. This
attack against Palestinians and their property has repeatedly taken place at this
intersection because of the presence of the Israeli settlers there and the
soldiers’ support to them.”

 

• Some
  settlers from “Qidoumim” settlement, northeast of Qalqilya,
  uprooted 70 olive trees belonging to Mohammed Abdul Latif Hamid Ishtiwi,
  from Kafr Qaddoum village. Ishtiwi
  did not know when the incident took place, as he can’t reach his land
  unless by a permit from IOF.

 

In his testimony to PCHR field worker, Ishtiwi
said:

 

“At approximately 08:30 on
Sunday, 22 May 2011, I went to plough my land named “Barous Valley”,
southeast of Kafr Qaddoum, plot 27. I
went with the ploughman, as I had a permit to enter the land. Once we arrived, we were shocked that 70
olive trees, which were planted 7 years ago, had been uprooted. The land’s area is 15 dunums and is located
near Qidoumim settlement, i.e. approximately 150 meters far from the
settlement. It is also located near an
outpost at Odlah Mountain, which is part of Qidoumim settlement. The settlers carried out the attack, as they
are close to the land. Besides,
Palestinians are not allowed to enter the land except by a permit from the
Israeli side. After I saw my land, I phoned
the Village Council and the Red Cross, who came to the site and photographed
it. However, the Israeli soldiers came,
dismissed them and prevented them from photographing. We spent half an hour before we were
dismissed by IOF. Later, I filed a
complaint to the Red Cross and Ariel Police.”

 

 

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

For further information please visit
our website (www.pchrgaza.org) or contact
PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email ([email protected]) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).