Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic
Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory (OPT)
· IOF
killed two Palestinians, including a civilian who was killed in cold blood in
Hebron.
· Five
civilians were wounded in the Gaza Strip, including 4 children.
· IOF
fired bullets and projectiles from the ground, air and sea at civilians and
civilian targets in the Gaza Strip.
· IOF
conducted 14 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
· IOF
arrested 44 Palestinian civilians, including 21 children, in the West Bank.
· IOF
arrested 10 civilians in the Gaza Strip, 8 of whom were released.
· Israeli
naval troops have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.
· IOF
have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and have isolated the Gaza
Strip from the outside world.
· IOF
troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested one
Palestinian civilian.
· IOF
have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
· IOF
destroyed a stockyard in “Wadi al-Hussain” area in the southeast of Hebron.
· 6
agricultural wells and 5 rooms were demolished in Ethna village near Hebron.
· IOF
issued demolition orders against 3 shops in Bab al-‘Amoud area in Jerusalem.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law
and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (11–17 February
2010):
Shooting: During
the reporting period, IOF killed two Palestinians; a member of the Palestinian
resistance who was killed in the Gaza Strip and a civilian who was killed in
cold blood in Hebron. IOF also wounded 5
Palestinians, including 4 children, of them 3 are sisters. The fifth wounded Palestinian is a member of
the Palestinian resistance.
In the Gaza Strip, on 11 February 2010, IOF killed a
member of the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, and wounded another one, when a warplane
fired one missile at them, near ‘Obeid fuel station in al-Shojaeya neighborhood
in the east of Gaza City.
Also on 11 February 2010, Israeli troops stationed
along the Gaza Strip border to the east of Juhor al-Dik village, east of Gaza
City, wounded 3 sisters from the al-Tarabin family. They fired artillery shells at the village. One of the shells landed on the house of
Isma’il Suleiman al-Tarabin, 42, and three of his daughters were wounded by shrapnel.
On 14 February 2010, a Palestinian minor
was wounded in Gaza Valley village in the central Gaza Strip when he was fired
at by Israeli soldiers who stepped out from a military jeep that was patrolling
along the border opposite to the village. The wounded minor who is a student in the secondary school told a PCHR
fieldworker that he was going on a picnic and as he became 300 meters to the west
of the border, the soldiers fired at him.
On 13 February 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation
towers at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Jabalya town in
the northern the Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian farmers who
were working on their farms located to the east of al-Karama Street (the
eastern street). The farmers were forced
to flee in fear for their lives and no casualties or damages were reported.
On 14 February 2010, Israeli gunboats fired at two
fishing boats that were sailing opposite to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit
Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. Four
Palestinian fishermen were on board of the fishing boats. Two gunboats surrounded the Palestinian
fishing boats and forced them to sail towards Israel. IOF confiscated the boats
and held the fishermen. At approximately
19:00 on the same day, IOF released two of the held fishermen through Beit Hanoun
(Erez) crossing in the north of the Gaza Strip, while the other fishermen have
remained in custody.
On 17 February 2010, Israeli troops stationed on
observation towers at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north
of al-Seyafa area, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened
fire at a group of Palestinian workers who were collecting bricks and aggregate
from destroyed buildings and roads. No casualties were reported.
In the West Bank, on 12 February 2010, IOF willfully killed
a Palestinian civilian in Hebron. IOF fired
at him from a close range without any warning while he was walking normally on
a branch road of al-Shallala Street in the Center of Hebron. IOF prevented medical personnel who arrived at
the scene from attending the victim. They
pulled him by force into an armored personnel carried and left.
IOF continued to systematically use excessive force
to disperse demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international
and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the
Annexation Wall, settlement activities and attacks of Israeli settlers. Many demonstrators sustained bruises as they
were beaten by IOF, while others suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Incursions: During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 14 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 44 Palestinian civilians, including
21 children. IOF stormed Palestinian houses, frightened Palestinians
and damaged contents of houses. In this
context, IOF maltreated a number of members of the Jaradat family in Sa’irr
village, northeast of Hebron.
During the reporting period, al-Jalazon refugee camp,
north of Ramallh, witnessed the largest incursion, during which IOF arrested 20
civilians, including 18 children.
IOF also harassed activists working against the
construction of the Annexation Wall and international human rights defenders.
IOF arrested two solidarity activists and a cameraman: Janita, 32, an Israeli
solidarity activist; Santa, 27, an
Israeli solidarity activist; and ‘Arafa Jamal ‘Amira.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 2 limited incursions.
On 11 February 2010, IOF moved approximately 400 meters into the east
of Juhor al-Dik village in the central Gaza Strip. They stationed in the
vicinity of the waste garbage dumping site in the area. Lorries that transfer garbage to the site were
not able to access the site for several hours.
Also on 11 February 2010, a special unit of IOF moved
approximately 250 meters
into the al-Ghoul family’s land, north west of the evacuated “Dogit” settlement to the
northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. They unit arrested 6 Palestinians who were
collecting and breaking rubble from destroyed houses to sell it to brick
factories.
Restrictions
on Movement: IOF have continued to
impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,
including occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
IOF have continued to close all border crossings to
the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli siege of Gaza, which has
steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the
humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
· 1.5
million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of
movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and
education.
· The
main concern of 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their
basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two years.
· IOF
have not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding few amounts of
cooking gas, since 10 December 2008.
· The
Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number
of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to
the Gaza Strip.
· IOF
have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the face of Palestinian
civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment,
trade or social visits.
· Poverty
and unemployment have sharply mounted in the Gaza Strip.
· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and sewage
systems. Losses incurred to this sector is estimated at US$ 6 million.
· IOF
have imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.
· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted.
· Palestinian
prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived for family visitation for more
than two years.
· IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.
West Bank
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including
occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank
and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.
· IOF
have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting
Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented from praying
at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
· There
are approximately permanent 630 roadblocks, manned and unmanned checkpoints
across the West Bank. In addition, there are some 60-80 ‘flying’ or temporary
checkpoints erected across the West Bank by IOF every week.
· When
complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers
around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of
the Wall has already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been
constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.
· At
least 65% of the main roads that leads to 18 Palestinian communities in the
West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF (47 out of 72 roads).
· There
are around 500
kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In
addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East
Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit issued by the IOF.
These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.
· IOF
continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests
against the construction of the Annexation Wall.
· Palestinian
civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West
Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by IOF.
Annexation Wall: On 11 February 2010, IOF
destroyed 6 agricultural wells and 5 neighboring rooms near the Annexation Wall
in Ethna village, northwest of Hebron. They also confiscated a number of power
generators and water pumps. These wells
and rooms which were destroyed under the pretext of being constructed near the
Annexation Wall without licenses belong to the families of al-Tumaizi,
al-Jeyyawi and al-‘Asoud.
On 17 February 2010, IOF delivered two demolition notifications to two
houses’ owners. The two houses are under
construction and located in al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. The two houses are built near the Annexation
Wall which is parallel to the bypass street no. 60.
IOF also imposed restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians on
both sides of the Annexation Wall in the north of the West Bank. On Monday
morning, 15 February 2010, IOF stationed near the gate erected on the
Annexation Wall, southeast of Qalqilia, prevented students from ‘Arab
al-Ramadin from going to the schools in Habla village, south of Qalqilia.
IOF also imposed restrictions on the movement at the gates of ‘Azzoun ‘Atma
village which is isolated by the Wall, southeast of Qalqilia. The gates are the only exit for the residents
of the village, especially after the eastern side of the village was closed with
the establishment of “Sheri Tekva” settlement, while the western side of the
village was closed after the establishment of “Oranit” settlement. The southern
and northern sides of the village are closed by the Annexation Whale in which
two electronic gates are erected to allow the movement of locals. By closing the two gates, the village became
completely closed.
Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Majority in
Jerusalem: During the reporting
period, the Israeli Supreme Court upheld a decision taken by the Israeli
Central Court to evacuate and demolish three shops in Bab al-‘Amoud area in
occupied East Jerusalem. IOF delivered
evacuation and demolition notices to the owners of the affected shops. This
decision is in line of the declared intent of the Israeli Municipality of
Jerusalem to close Bab al-‘Amoud area and the market from Bab al-‘Amoud to the
al-Buraq Wall for 2-4 years under the pretext of developing the infrastructure
of the old town of Jerusalem. The
application of this intent means paralyzing commercial and economic
transactions in the old city. This
decision is part of measures taken by IOF in order to create a Jewish majority
in Jerusalem.
Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli
settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 17 February 2010, IOF bulldozed a stockyard belonging to Jamal Jamil
Suleiman Abu Es’eifan in “Wadi al-Hussain” area in the southeast of Hebron. The stockyard was built on a 150-square-meter
area and was used to raise animals and birds. Abu Es’eifan stated that the
stockyard and the animals raised in it were granted to his family by the
International Committee of the Red Cross two years and a half ago.
Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (11-17 February 2010)
1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians
and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Thursday, 11 February 2010
· At
approximately 00:30, IOF moved into al-Jalazon refugee camp, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 20 Palestinian civilians, including 18 children:
1. Malek Rabah Ma’moun Nakhlah, 16;
2. Muhanna Mahmoud Fawzi Nakhlah, 16;
3. Saddam Husein Theeb Sharayka,15;
4. Khaled Marwan Dalaysheh, 16;
5. Mahmoud Ramadan Sharaya’, 16;
6. Muhanad Ramada ‘Eleyan, 16;
7. Mohammed Khaled Wasfi Sa’adat, 15;
8. Ahmed Mahmoud Khalil Nakhlah, 15;
9. Mohammed Mahmoud Abdul Aziz Zeid, 16;
10. Mo’ayad Mahmoud Fawzi Nakhlah, 16;
11. Husein Khaled al-‘Arish, 18;
12. Ahmed Mohammed Sha’ban Ghazawi, 17;
13. ‘Amr Zuheir ‘Awwad, 16;
14. Zeid Mahmoud Zeid, 15;
15. ‘Uthman ‘Umar ‘Urabi, 18;
16. Yasin Ahmed Nakhleh, 16;
17. ‘Udai Zeidan al-Hattab, 17;
18. Mohammed Rebhi Masarwah, 15;
19. Naser Jamal Sharayka, 16; and
20. Malek Sa’id Khalil Dar ‘Umar, 15.
· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Bethlehem city. They stationed in al-Fawaghra neighborhood in
the middle of Bethlehem city. The raided
and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including
a child:
1. Mahmoud Jamal Masalmeh, 24; and
2. Nashat ‘Umar Shalash, 16.
· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Sourif village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children:
1. Abdul Latif Isma’il Mohammed Ghuneimat,
17;
2. Jarrah Hassan Salem Abu Fara, 21;
3. Issa ‘Amr Barathe’iyeh, 21, a student in Hebron
University; and
4. Jarrah Mohammed Amin Ghneimat,17.
· At
approximately 06:30, IOF stationed along the Gaza Strip border to the east of
Juhor al-Dik village, east of Gaza City, opened fire indiscriminately at Palestinian
houses in the village. They then fired
several artillery shells at the village. One of the shells landed on the house of Isma’il Suleiman al-Tarabin,
42, and three of his daughters were lightly wounded as a result. The house of the
al-Tarabin family is located approximately one kilometer to the east of the
border. The wounded girls are:
1. ‘Afaf Isma’il al-Tarabin, 12, wounded
by shrapnel to the face and the head;
2. Ahlam Isma’il al-Tarabin, 11, wounded
by shrapnel to the head; and
3. Muna Isma’il al-Tarabin, 5, wounded by
shrapnel to the head and the neck.
After the
firing, an IOF ground force moved approximately 400 meters to the west
of the border strip. The force stationed
in the vicinity of the waste garbage dumping site in the area. Lorries that
transfer garbage to the site were not able to access the site for several hours
as a result.
· Also at approximately 06:00, a special unit of
IOF moved nearly 250
meters into the al-Ghoul family’s land, north west of
the evacuated “Dogit” settlement to the northwest of Beit Lahia,
northern the Gaza Strip. The unit arrested 6 Palestinian civilians who were
collecting and breaking rubble from destroyed houses to sell it to brick
factories. It should be noted that Israel has imposed a ban on the delivery of
construction materials into the Gaza Strip since its imposition of total
closure on the Strip in June 2007. Brick factories in Gaza use the rubble of
destroyed houses to make bricks. Rubble
collection has created job opportunities for many Palestinian workers, and is
one of the most dangerous jobs as the rubble is collected from areas near the border
of the Gaza Strip. Ghassan Rajab
Mohammed Ma’rouf, 34, is one of the workers who were arrested and released later.
He stated to PCHR that an IOF force
fired at them and surrounded them. The
force arrested 6 workers, including 2 of Ghassan’s brothers who are Khamis, 29,
and Jebril, 18; his nephew Rajab Mohammed Rajab Ma’arouf, 20; Hemmat ‘Aziz
‘Ayesh Tawfiq al-Sous, 34, and Na’el Mansour Tanbourah, 34. The force led the
arrested workers to Israel where they were questioned about the reason of their
presence in the area. They were released
at approximately 16:00 on the same day through Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing.
· At
approximately 10:15, an Israeli warplane fired one missile at two members of
the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad Movement, near ‘Obeid fuel
station in the east of al-Shejaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. One of the two men, Fares Akram Ahmed Jaber,
27, from al-Jalaa’ neighborhood in Gaza City, was killed and the other was
wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
Friday,
12 February 2010
· In
the afternoon hours, IOF willfully killed a Palestinian civilian in Hebron a
short distance without any warning while he was walking normally on a branch
road of al-Shallala street in the center of Hebron city.
According to
PCHR’s investigations and eyewitnesses’ testimonies, including Mazen Sa’di
Jebril al-Joulani, 47, and ‘Eid Mesbah Abdul Mu’ti Abu Meshar, 39, a paramedic of the
Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), at approximately 16:10 on 12 February, 6
Israeli soldiers were passing through Ali Bakka road, a branch road of al-Shallala
Street in the center of Hebron. In the
meanwhile, Fayez Ahmed Sa’id Faraj, 41, from Hebron, was coming from the other
direction. As he became 8 meters far from the
soldiers, the soldiers pointed their guns at him and ordered him to stop. Faraj continued walking, but one of the
soldiers opened fired directly at him without warning. He was wounded by a bullet to the thigh. He fell onto the ground and the soldiers
ordered him to get out what was in his pockets. It seems that he thought it was over and got
up and he walked approximately 2
meters with difficulty. He seemingly wanted to repose against the wall
of the side street or to sit down on the sidewalk. But the soldiers, also without any warning and
without any justifications, fired directly at him from a distance of 10 meters. He was wounded by several bullets to the
abdomen, pelvis and thigh. He fell onto
the ground again. While bleeding on the
ground, Faraj raised his left hand, apparently as a sign to ask the soldiers to
stop firing. One of the soldiers fired directly at his left hand. The soldiers did not allow PRCS medical personnel
who arrived at the scene to attend Faraj. They pulled him into an armored
personnel carrier. Later, the Israeli
liaison office informed PRCS that Faraj died and asked for an ambulance to
transfer his body to al-Ahli Hospital. According
to medical sources, Faraj was hit by 6 explosive bullets; including two bullets
o the abdomen, two bullets to the higher part of the right thigh, one bullet to
the right side of the pelvis and one bullet to the left hand.
‘Eid Abu
Menshar, a PRCS paramedic, stated to the PCHR fieldworker that:
“We
were informed via the phone on Friday afternoon, 12 February 2010, that there
was a wounded person on Ali Bakka road, a branch road of al-Shallala Street in
the center of Hebron. We drove to the
reported scene at approximately 16:25. As
we arrived, we saw the wounded person. We
knew later that he was Fayez Faraj. He
was on the ground and he was bleeding from different parts of his body. We found out later that he was wounded in the
abdomen, pelvis, thigh and left hand. We
intervened and tried to provide first medical aid. He was still alive. We tried to stop the bleeding in his right
thigh. We carried him on a stretcher to
the ambulance. The Israeli soldiers were
surrounding the ambulance and pointing their guns at us. We asked them to make
space because we wanted to transfer the wounded person to the hospital and told
them that his condition was serious. They
refused to allow us pass. We repeated
our request and we warned of the consequences. We continued to provide first aid to the
wounded person inside the ambulance. In
the meanwhile, an Israeli officer came and told us that he was a military
doctor. He got into the ambulance and we
explained the conditions of the wounded person to him. He checked the wounded person and assessed his
condition. He did not provide any help
and left the ambulance. Before leaving,
he told us that we were allowed to drive to the hospital immediately. We had already controlled approximately 6% of
the external bleeding. As the ambulance
moved only one meter, Israeli soldiers shouted at us. They stopped us pointing
their guns at us. They surrounded the
ambulance and opened its door. They got
inside while pointing their guns at us. They
pulled the wounded person by force. They carried him on a stretcher to an
armored personnel carrier. The carrier
was not holding any medical signs. The
wounded person waived his hand protesting against this action and trying to
resist. A number of the soldiers even
clashed with him with hands. They put
him by force into the carrier and they drove away at approximately 16:40. We
tried to follow the carrier, but the soldiers prevented us. At approximately 17:45, the PRCS emergency
center received a phone call from the Israeli military liaison office
requesting an ambulance to transfer the body of the victim. They required the ambulance to be drove to the
northern entrance of Hebron, near Zaid fuel station. The same medical personnel drove to the
mentioned location. As we arrived, we
saw three Israeli military vehicles and a personnel carrier. An ambulance of the Magen David Adom (MDA)
arrived at the location. The MDA
delivered the body in a black bag with a death certificate to us. We then transferred the body to al-Ahli
Hospital.”
Saturday,
13 February 2010
· At
approximately 16:45, Israeli troops stationed on observation towers along the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Jabalya town in the northern
the Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian farmers who were working
in their farms located to the east of al-Karama street (the eastern street). The farmers were forced to flee in fear for
their lives and no casualties or damages were reported.
Sunday, 14 February 2010
· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Sourif village, northwest of Hebron. They
raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. ‘Aziz Ibrahim al-Hor, 22; and
2. ‘Imad Talab al-Haddoush, 24.
· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They
raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Yasin Abdul Rahman
Kmeil, 29.
· At
approximately 06:45, Israeli gunboats fired at 2 fishing boats that were
sailing opposite to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern
Gaza Strip. Four Palestinians were on board of the fishing boats. Two gunboats
surrounded the Palestinian fishing boats and forced them to sail towards
Israel. IOF confiscated the boats and arrested the fishermen who are: Sharif
Mohammed al-Abed al-Sultan, 37, Samih Rajab al-Abed al-Sultan, 23, ‘Awad Ghaleb
al-Sultan, 21, and Fadal Jamal al-Sultan, who are all from Beit Lahia town. At
approximately 19:00 on the same day, IOF released Sharif al-Sultan and Samih
al-Sultan through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the north of the Gaza Strip,
while the other fishermen are still detained.
· At
approximately 15:00, Israeli soldiers stepped down from a military jeep that
was traveling behind the border strip opposite to Gaza Valley village in the central
Gaza Strip, and fired at Yousef Mohammed Ahmed al-Atrash, 17, wounding him with
a bullet to the left thigh. Al-Atrash who is a student in the secondary school
told the PCHR fieldworker that he was going on a picnic and as he became 300 meters to the west
of the border, the soldiers opened fire at him.
Monday, 15 February 2010
· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Bethlehem. They stationed in Wadi Shahin
neighborhood in the center of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging
to the family of Samer Mousa al-Douri, 19. They delivered a summon to al-Douri to appear
before the Israeli intelligence service in “Etsion” settlement in the south of
Bethlehem.
· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-‘Ebaiat village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Ali Mohammed Sweis, 19. They delivered a summon to Sweis to
appear before the Israeli intelligence service in “Etsion” settlement in the
south of Bethlehem.
· Also
at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Ethna village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Sa’di Zeyad Husein al-Jayawi, 23, and arrested him.
· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nablus. They stationed in Tel street in the
south of Nablus and in al-Makhfeya neighborhood in the southwest of Nablus.
They raided and searched 3 houses and arrested 5 civilians in Tel street and a
house in al-Makhfeya neighborhood and arrested two brothers. The Palestinians
whose houses were raided stated to a PCHR fieldworker that IOF destroyed doors
locks using huge iron hammers and sharp tools if the dwellers were late to open
the doors. They also used trained dogs to search houses. The arrested
Palestinians are:
1. Mahdi Rasem Mahmoud Abdul Aziz Slim,
24;
2. Raji Rasem Mahmoud Abdul Aziz Slim, 21;
3. Mjahed Mohammed Darwish Sa’id al-Qutb,
23;
4. Thaer Farid Abdul Latif Najem, 18;
5. Mjahed Farid Abdul Latif Najem, 18;
6. Imad Walid Abdul Latif Najem, 20; and
7. Mohammed Zeyad Tayseer Muna, 20.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Shyoukh, northeast of Hebron. They
raided and searched a he house belonging to the family of Mohammed Nasim
al-Warasna, 23, and arrested him.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tammoun village, southeast of Toubas. They
raided and searched a number of houses. They arrested two civilians:
1. ‘Ali Mahmoud Rezeq Bani ‘Odeh, 60; and
2. Sa’ad ‘Ali Bani ‘Odeh, 26.
· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Sa’eer village, northeast of Hebron. They
surrounded 3 houses in “Ras al-‘Aroud” area, south of Sa’eer village, amidst
firing of sound bombs and throwing stones at the surrounded houses. They raided
and searched the houses. They maltreated the residents of the houses and beat a
child. They arrested three civilians, including two brothers:
1. Majdi Ya’aqoub Jaradat, 26;
2. Fou’ad Ya’aqoub Jaradat, 22; and
3. Sa’ad Shleish Shahin Jaradat, 26.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR and to
the testimony of Mohammed Shleish Jaradat, 40, who is one of the owners of the
raided houses, and who is the brother of Sa’ad who was arrested, an IOF force
surrounded two houses belonging to Shleish Shahin Jaradat, 70, who is the
father of Mohammed, and Yaqoub Hamed Jaradat. They were pointing their guns and
firing sound bombs in the vicinity and inside of the houses. They further threw
stones, some of them weighed one kg, at the doors and windows. The windows of
the houses were crushed and the residents and the neighbors were terrified.
Mohammed Jaradat affirmed that the soldiers fired a single bullet at a window
of the second floor of his father’s house. They then raided the house accompanied
by trained dogs. They searched the house and asked where his brothers were
because they wanted to question them. He said that the soldiers beat his brother
Mu’taz, 19. They held maltreated and questioned the rest of the family members.
They then headed to a house belonging to Mohammed Jaradat and his brother
‘Arafat, 27, and raided it the same way. ‘Arafat was injured in the abdomen as
he was hit by a stone. IOF arrested Sa’ad, Mohammed’s brother, who was working
in a nearby petrol station.
· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into “Haret al-Sheikh” neighborhood in the
center of Hebron. They raided and searched the house of Ya’aqoub Mohammed
al-Joulani, 29, and they arrested him.
· At
approximately 06:15, IOF stationed on observation towers along the border between
the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north of al-Seyafa area, northwest of Beit
Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of Palestinian workers
who were collecting bricks and aggregate from destroyed buildings and roads.
The workers were forced to flee the area and no casualties were reported.
2. Continued Siege on the OPT
IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the
OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
IOF have continued to close all border crossings to
the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli siege of Gaza, which has
steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the
humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
· 1.5
million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of
movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and
education.
· The
main concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs
of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two years.
· IOF
have not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding few amounts of
cooking gas, since 10 December 2008.
· The
Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number
of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to
the Gaza Strip.
· IOF
have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the face of Palestinian
civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment,
trade or social visits.
· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and
sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector is estimated at US$ 6 million.
· IOF
have imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.
· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted.
· Palestinian
prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived for family visitation for more
than two years.
· IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.
Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting
Period:
Movement at Rafah International
Crossing Point
10-16 February 2010
Date |
Details |
9 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and |
|
11 February 2010 |
83 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt, |
12 February 2010 |
4 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt. |
13 February 2010 |
5 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and |
14 February 2010 |
7 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and |
15 February 2010 |
13 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt, |
16 February 2010 |
6 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and |
Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem
Shalom) Crossing
10
– 16 February 2010
Date |
Details |
10 |
103 containers of food aid for international |
11 |
138 containers of food aid for international |
12 |
Closed |
13 |
Closed |
14 |
88 containers of food aid for international |
15 |
87 containers of food aid for international |
16 |
110 containers of food aid for international |
Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: IOF partially opened the crossing on Monday, 15
February 2010, and allowed the entry of 1,280 tons of wheat and 2,320 tons of
fodders. It should be noted that IOF
were supposed to open the crossing on Wednesday, 17 February 2010, but it was
closed for security claims.
Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: IOF have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez)
crossing for the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have allowed only
diplomats, a number of international journalists, employees of international
agencies, and a small 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. IOF have
permitted a small number of patients to pass through the crossing, but under
severe restrictions that include prolonged checking.
Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing
09 – 16 February 2010
Date |
Patients |
Companions |
Arabs |
Ambassadors |
International |
International |
Travelers |
Traders |
9 |
28 |
30 |
2 |
12 |
3 |
23 |
Nil |
6 |
10 |
18 |
15 |
7 |
8 |
6 |
22 |
6 |
7 |
11 |
27 |
28 |
2 |
13 |
2 |
60 |
4 |
3 |
12 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
Nil |
3 |
23 |
12 |
Nil |
13 |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
|
14 |
32 |
35 |
28 |
3 |
2 |
25 |
5 |
4 |
15 |
46 |
45 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
24 |
1 |
7 |
16 |
47 |
45 |
12 |
4 |
2 |
44 |
9 |
3 |
The West
Bank
IOF have imposed a tightened siege on the West Bank.
During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians.
Arrests
at Military Checkpoints
3. Construction of the Annexation Wall
IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall
inside West Bank territory. 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.
1. Peaceful Demonstrations Against the Wall
2. Construction Works and Bulldozing
According to investigations conducted by PCHR and
testimonies of owners of those agricultural facilities, including Mohammed
Abdul Mohdi Morshid al-Tumaizi and Eyad Hussein al-Jeyyawi, IOF and two
military bulldozers stormed into al-Bas area at approximately 8:00. This area
is adjacent to the Annexation Wall, west of Hebron. At 8:40, bulldozers started
destroying 6 wells used for irrigation and 5 neighboring rooms used for
electrical generators and storing agricultural equipment. IOF also confiscated
some electrical generators and water pumps used for irrigation. Al-Tumaizi and
al-Jeyyawi stated that IOF also had damaged some donums of farms of different
crops. They both confirmed that there was no prior warning or notification.
These wells, which were destroyed, as IOF claimed,
“for being adjacent to the Annexation Wall and having no licenses from IOF
to dig them”, belong to five brothers: Taysir, ‘Aziz, Morshid, Hassan and
Mohammed Abdul Mohdi Morshid al-Tumaizi, Thyab Hussein al-Jeyyawi, Mohammed
‘Esa al-Jeyyawi, Mohammed Mostafa al-Jeyyawi, Mohammed Badr al-‘Asoud and
Mohammed Fadel al-‘Asoud.
It should be noted that these targeted farms are
considered the only sources of living for many families. In addition, dozens of farmers work in these
farms, providing the town with different types of vegetables. The destruction of the area, which aimed at
preventing people from planting farms adjacent to the Wall, caused large financial
losses.
4. Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Majority in Jerusalem
IOF has recently escalated
arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem to force
them to leave the city. PCHR has devoted this section in the Weekly Report to
highlight violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against Palestinian
civilians in East Jerusalem.
The Israeli Supreme Court upheld
a decision taken by the Israeli Central Court to evacuate and demolish three
shops in Bab al-‘Amoud in occupied eastern Jerusalem. The Market Inspector of
IOF Municipality in Jerusalem delivered evacuation and demolition summons to
the owners of the affected shops. The owners are: Najati al-Ju’ba who has a
shoes shop, Mutasem Abu Ermeila who has a clothes shop, and Samer al-Salayma
who has a shop for children clothes. The total area of the three shops measures
200 m2.
the shops were built in beginning 1990s on Waqf (endowment) lands which were
confiscated by IOF to implement a plan of IOF Municipality in Jerusalem to
build public WCs and garden. In 2004, the targeted shops were set alight. The
Israeli police opened investigations into the incident and concluded by stating
that the fire was set by unknown persons although the police had observation
cameras. In the same year, the owners of the shops started to repair their
shops, but the Municipality and the Israeli Authority of Antiquities
continuingly delivered notifications to the owners of the shops to stop the
repair works. The owners resorted to the Israeli Magistrate’s Court and then to
the Central Court which made a decision in favor of the owners. But the
so-called old city development company appealed to the court of the Israeli Municipality
in Jerusalem which made a decision in favor of the Israeli company. They owners
appealed the decision at the Magistrate’s Court which upheld the decision. The
owners appealed the decision of the court of the Israeli Municipality again
with the Supreme Court which also upheld the decision. This decision is in line
of the declared intent of the Israeli Municipality in Jerusalem to close Bab
al-‘Amoud and the market from Bab al-‘Amoud to the al-Buraq Wall for two or
four years under the pretext of developing the infrastructure of the old town
of Jerusalem. The application of this intent means paralyzing commercial and
economic transactions in the old town. This decision is part of measures taken
by IOF in order to create a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem.
5. Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian
Civilians and Property
IOF have continued settlement activities in the OPT
in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR and
testimony of Jamal, at approximately 12:00, on Wednesday, IOF troops driving 5
vehicles headed by an officer from the Israeli “Civil
Administration”, a “Settlements’ Security” jeep and a bulldozer
belonging to settlers living in the neighboring “Kiryat Arba”
settlement stormed the area. They immediately started destroying the stockyard,
because settlers refused its existence adjacent to the said settlement
according to the Israeli claim. The stockyard is established on a land
officially owned by Abu Es’ifan family and its space amount to 150 square
meters. Jamal said that he was granted the livestock and the stockyard from
ICRC and he gave them to his family two years and a half ago. He indicated that
he received a demolish notification from IOF two years ago, as the officer of
Israeli “Civil Administration” in Beit ‘El told him that the
demolition was upon the request of the settlers.
…………………………………………………………
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 its 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 immediately 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 international civil society organizations, including human rights
organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of
exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and to urge their
governments to bring these people 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 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 agreement or process must be based
on respect for international law, including international human rights and
humanitarian law.
…………………………………………………………
Public Document
For further information please visit our website (http://www.pchrgaza.org) or contact PCHR’s
office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email ([email protected])
or telephone (+972 (0)8 2824776 – 2825893).