Israeli occupation forces attacks a peaceful demonstration against the annexation
wall in the West Bank.

---

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

 

 

· IOF killed a
Palestinian at a military checkpoint near the northern West Bank town of Jenin.

  

· A Palestinian
civilian was killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a
projectile left by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

 

· Two Palestinian
civilians were wounded by IOF and a third one was wounded by the Israeli police
in the West Bank.

 

· IOF continued
to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the
Gaza Strip.

– A Palestinian farmer was wounded.

 

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

– Two Palestinian
civilians, including a child, were wounded.

 

· IOF conducted 37
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 3 limited ones
into the Gaza Strip.  

– IOF arrested 22
Palestinian civilians, including 7 children.

 

· Israel has
continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip
from the outside world.

– Israeli
soldiers positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 8
Palestinian civilians, including 6 children.

 

· Israel has
continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in
Jerusalem.

– A tunnel was
established between Silwan village and the western wall of the al-Aqsa Mosque.

– The Israeli
municipality of Jerusalem declared intention to confiscate areas of Palestinian
land in Silwa village.

 

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

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (20 – 26 January 2011):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF
killed a Palestinian man and wounded 3 others, including a child, in the West
Bank. A Palestinian civilian was also
killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left
by IOF in the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian
farmer was also wounded by Israeli gunfire. 

 

In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers
positioned at “Mavi Dutan” checkpoint to the south of Ya’bad village,
southwest of Jenin, fired at a Palestinian man who was near the
checkpoint. As a result, he was wounded
by 3 bullets, and IOF denied him access to medical treatment for several
hours. Later, IOF claimed that a gunman
fired at Israeli soldiers, who repeated fire and killed him. The al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of
Islamic Jihad) stated that the victim was one their members and went to the
checkpoint carrying a machine gun to attack Israeli soldiers there.

 

On 23 January 2011, a Palestinian
civilian was wounded by the Israeli police in Hares village, north of
Salfit. 

 

On the same day, Israeli soldiers
opened fire at a civilian vehicle that was transporting a number of Palestinian
workers near Hebron. Two workers were
wounded.

 

During the reporting period, IOF
used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest
to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation
wall. As a result, two Palestinian
civilians, including a child, were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or
sustained bruises. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 22 January
2011, a Palestinian civilian was killed and another two ones were wounded by
the explosion of a projectile left by IOF nearly one kilometer away from the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The three civilians were collecting scraps of construction materials in
the area. 

 

On the same day, a Palestinian
farmer was wounded by Israeli soldiers in the east of Gaza City.

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 37 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 22
Palestinian civilians, including 7 children.

 

In
the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 3 limited incursions into Palestinian communities,
during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land, which they had already
razed.

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

Israel
had 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

 

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.

 

· Expanding the list of items allowed into Gaza
does not change the illegality of this policy, which is inconsistent with
Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying Power and under international
human rights treaties to which it is party, such as the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· 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.

 

· Israel has
imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

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 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, further confiscating 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 a permit issued by the IOF.
These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

 

· IOF continue to
harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the
construction of the Annexation Wall.

 

· Palestinian
civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West
Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by IOF.

 

Measures Aimed
at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem: 

 

IOF have continued to take measures
at creating a Jewish majority in Jerusalem.

 

On 24 January
2011, deputy director of the Israeli antiquities authority declared the
completion of the establishment of a tunnel linking Silwan village to the south
of the old town of Jerusalem with the area located near the western wall for
the al-Aqsa Mosque. He claimed that
“there is no political drive for the establishment of the tunnel, rather
it is the outcome of archaeological excavations in accordance with the law. The tunnel is 600 meters long. The Israeli antiquities authority claims that
it used to be “a canal for the discharge of rainwater under a main road in
the city. According to Wadi Hilaw Center
in East Jerusalem, excavations are funded by “El’ad” settlement
association, which controls all tourist sites in Silwan village. The excavations have caused damages to
Palestinian civilian property, including houses, a school, a nursery, a mosque
and a number of road. 

 

During the
reporting period, Palestinian civilians from Silwan village to the south of the
old town of Jerusalem sated that they found a notice printed in Hebrew and
signed by the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem and the head of the planning and
construction committee in the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem, stuck on walls
of a number of houses and shops. The
notice dated on 03 August 2010 states that the municipality intends to
confiscate more than 4,500 square meter of land for public purposes. According to the notice, owners of these
lands can appeal the decision in two months!

 

Settlement
Activities:

 

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. 

 

On 21 January
2011, hundreds of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, stormed Khillat al-Fahem
and Jabal Abu Zaid areas in al-Khader and Ertas villages, south of
Bethlehem. They conducted religious
rituals in these areas for several hours.

 

On 23 January
2011, Israeli settlers from “Carme’el” settlement to the east of
Yatta village, south of Hebron, attacked Palestinian shepherds in Um al-Khair
area and prevented them from grazing animals. According to information available to PCHR, dozens of settlers attacked
Suleiman al-Hathalin and his two children while they were grazing animals. The settlers also beat two Italian human
rights defenders. IOF later intervened
and arrested the two human rights defenders.

 

On the same
day, an Israeli settler from “Ma’oun” settlement to the east of Yatta
village, south of Hebron, attacked a cattle in Maghayer al-‘Abeed area and
killed a sheep and a dog belonging to Hani Salama Makhamra. The settler also threatened to fire at
Makhamra’s two children. 

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (20 – 26 January 2011)

 

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

 

Thursday, 20 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. Shaker
   Mohsen al-Hanbali, 22; and
2. ‘Ameer
   ‘Abdullah Raddad, 18.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Bitounia town, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:45, IOF moved into Seilat al-Harthiya village, northwest of
Jenin. They raided and searched a house
belonging to the family of Adham ‘Aadel Jaradat, 25, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of ‘Othman ‘Ali Zayed, 23, and arrested him. They then raided a house belonging to the
family of Tariq Ziad Smoudi, 17, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 09:30, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· In the morning,
Israeli soldiers positioned at “Mavi Dutan” checkpoint to the south
of Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin, fired at a Palestinian man who was near
the checkpoint. As a result, he was
wounded by 3 bullets, and IOF denied him access to medical treatment for
several hours. Later, IOF claimed that a
gunman fired at Israeli soldiers, who repeated fire and killed him. The al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of
Islamic Jihad) stated that the victim was one their members and went to the
checkpoint carrying a machine gun to attack Israeli soldiers there.

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately
09:30, Salem Mohammed Sami Smoudi, 32, from al-Yamoun village northwest of
Jenin, left home on a donkey going to his family’s land in al-Birka area, south
of Jenin. At approximately 10:00, his
mother called him on his mobile phone asking him to come back home to have
breakfast, and he told her that he would do. About half an hour later, she phoned him again, but he did not
answer. Shortly after that, IOF declared
that Israeli soldiers positioned at “Mavi Dutan” checkpoint shot dead
a Palestinian gunman. 

 

According to Palestinian medical sources, the victim was hit by 3
bullets from a range of 15-20 meters. The first bullet entered the left ear and exited the neck, the second
one hit the collarbone and the third one hit the chest. IOF did not allow medical crews to attend
Smoudi for 3 hours.

 

· At
approximately 10:40, IOF moved into Hijja village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· Also at
approximately 11:00, IOF moved into al-Zawia village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 11:45, IOF moved into Kufor Qaddoum village, east of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 13:20, IOF moved into Bedya village, northwest of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 14:05, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 17:50, IOF moved into Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets and established
a checkpoint at the entrance of the village. They withdrew later and no house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 18:30, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian children:

 

1. Ussaid
   Mohammed ‘Awadh, 17;
2. Yasser
   Mohammed Abu Fanoos, 17; and
3. Fadi
   Fayez Abu Fanoos, 14.

 

Friday,
21 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Kufor Sour village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 17:30, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 18:40, IOF moved into Deir Ghassana village, northwest of
Ramallah, and patrolled in the streets. A number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at Israeli
military vehicles. immediately, Israeli
soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs
at them. A number of Palestinian
civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

· At
approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

Saturday,22 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Tammoun village, south of Tubas. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. ‘Adnan
   Ahmed Bani ‘Ouda, 35;
2. Na’el
   Mofeed Bani ‘Ouda, 25; and
3. ‘Abdullah
   Ahmed Bani ‘Ouda, 25.

 

· At
approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 12:00, Ahmed Na’im Ahmed Abu Wadi, 23, from al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, and another two civilians were wounded
as a result of the explosion of a projectile left by IOF, when the three
civilians where near Malaka intersection in the east of Gaza City. The three civilians were collecting scraps of
construction materials nearly one kilometer away from the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel. Ayman al-Batniji,
spokesman of the Palestinian police, stated that Abu Wadi and another two civilians
were wounded when they mishandled a projectile left by IOF. The two civilians who were wounded are:

 

1. Mohammed ‘Abdul
Khaliq Abu Wadi, 45, seriously wounded by shrapnel to the eyes; and

2. Ibrahim Sa’id
Silmi, 20, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.

 

· At
approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 17:30, Fares Shaheen Abu ‘Ajwa, 47, from al-Sha’af neighborhood
in the east of Gaza City, was seriously wounded by a bullet to the chest. Israeli soldiers positioned at the border
between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at him while he was working in a cow
farm belonging to his family, nearly 2,000 meters away from the border.

 

· At
approximately 20:40, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats
opposite to Beit Lahia beach in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinian fishermen were forced to flee
towards the beach, and no casualties were reported.

 

Sunday, 23 January 2011

 

· At approximately
01:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested Islam Saleh Tamimi, 14.

 

· Also at
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into the area located between al-Yamoun and
al-Hashimiya villages, northwest of Jenin. They searched the area for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· Also at
approximately 13:40, IOF moved into Kufor Thuloth village, southeast of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and held Eihab ‘Emad al-Saifi, 18, for an hour. They withdrew later and no house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· Also at
approximately 13:40, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a money exchange
shop. They held Ahmed Bassem Saleem for
about an hour in the shop. IOF withdrew
from the village later, and no house raids or arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 16:40, an Israeli police force moved into Hares village, north of
Salfit. For no apparent reason, Israeli
police officers beat a number of Palestinian civilians. When one of these civilian fled, they fired
two bullets at him, but he was not hurt. The civilian’s uncle, Hussam Subhi Jaber, 38, protested and caught the
gun from which the bullets were fired. Immediately, the police officer fired at him, wounding him in the hand.

 

Monday, 24 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 00:00, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses,
but no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Doha village, southwest of
Bethlehem. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested Mohammed Fayez al-Ju’aidi, 14.

 

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into ‘Izbat al-Tabib village,
east of Qalqilya. They raided and
searched a house belonging to Khaled Mohammed Tabib, 45, and arrested him
together with his son, 20-year-old Eyad. The father was released at approximately 13:30.

 

· At approximately 09:30, an IOF undercover unit moved into Nabi
Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, traveling in a civilian vehicle. Israeli soldiers arrested Kareem Saleh
al-Tamimi, 10, who was near his house, claiming that he threw stones towards
them. They released him at approximately
13:30.

 

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved nearly 250 meters into the
northeast of al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land. IOF moved back to the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel ar approximately 17:00.

 

Tuesday, 25 January 2011

 

· At
approximately 00:30, IOF moved into ‘Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Hamdan Rushdi Hamdan, 24, a member of the Palestinian
Presidential Guard, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Kufor Ra’ei village, southwest of
Jenin. They raided and searched a house
belonging to Saher Fayad al-Sheikh Ibrahim, 20, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. Ma’an
   ‘Abdul Jabbar ‘Ateer, 21;
2. Mujahed
   Mohammed al-Safi, 21;
3. Mohammed
   ‘Abdul Fattah Nasrallah, 27; and
4. Mohammed
   Na’im.

 

· At approximately 07:30, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into Gaza
Valley village in the central Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land. IOF moved back to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel two hours
later.

 

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into the east
of al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land. IOF moved back to the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel two hours later.

 

2. 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, two Palestinian
civilians, including a child, were wounded. Dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders also suffered
from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.     

   

· Following the
Friday Prayer on 21 January 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.  They raided the Palestinian flag and
portraits of Bassem and Jawaher Abu Rahma who were killed by IOF, and of Jonathan
Bullak, an Israeli human rights defender who has been detained by IOF. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the
demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation.  

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 21 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in
Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the annexation
wall. They clashed with Israeli troops
positioned near the Wall. Israeli troops
fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at
demonstrators. As a result, a
Palestinian civilian, who has not been identified, was hit by a tear gas
canister to the right foot. Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas
inhalation. 

 

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 21 January 2011, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Reema village, northwest of
Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between
the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by
Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement, Israeli troops fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a number of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation.  Israeli soldiers also sprinkled a hot gas onto
the face of ‘Alaa’ ‘Ali Barghouthi, 13. He sustained burns to the face.  

 

3. 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.

 

· Expanding the
list of items allowed into Gaza does not change the illegality of this policy,
which is inconsistent with Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying
Power and under international human rights treaties to which it is party, such
as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· 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.

 

· Israel has
imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists
and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

At
approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the Egyptian authorities decided
to open Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border in both
directions without specifying a date for its closure. The Egyptian decisions came following the
Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla in international water. On the following morning, the crossing point
was effectively opened and restricted categories of Palestinian civilians were
allowed to travel through it.

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

19 –
25 January 2011

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

19 –
25 January 2011

 

 

Exports through Karm Abu Salem Crossing:

 

On Wednesday, 19 January 2011, IOF allowed the export of 5.5 tons
of strawberries. 

 

On Thursday, 20 January 2011, IOF allowed the export of 213,000
flowers and 8.6 tons of strawberries. 

 

On Sunday, 23 January 2011, IOF allowed the export of 230,000
flowers and 9.5 tons of strawberries.

 

On Monday, 24 January 2011, IOF allowed the export of 20,000
flowers and 3.5 tons of strawberries.

 

Note: On Thursday, 20
January 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 80 tons of cement for UNRWA.

 

Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: During the
reporting period, IOF partially opened the crossing on Friday, 21 January 2011,
and allowed the entry of 1,911 tons of wheat and 1,443 tons of fodders. They opened it again on Sunday, 23 January
2011, and allowed the entry of 2,418 tons of wheat and 2,437 tons of
fodders. They also opened it on Monday,
24 January 2011, and allowed the entry of 1,833 tons of wheat and 1,755 tons of
fodders.

 

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

19 –
25 January 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. Restrictions of the movement
of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim
Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.      

 

· Ramallah: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian
civilians in Ramallah.  IOF troops
positioned at the Jaba’ and Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have
imposed additional restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged checks of
Palestinian civilians. During the
reporting period, IOF established a number of temporary checkpoints, and
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 10:30 on Friday, 21 January
2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the intersection of Bir Zeit University,
north of Ramallah. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 13:30 on the same day, IOF re-established their
presence at ‘Attara checkpoint at the northern entrance of Bir Zeit village,
north of Ramallah. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 18:30, IOF established a checkpoint on Deir Ghassana-Kufor ‘Ein
road, northwest of Ramallah. At
approximately 19:50 on Saturday, 22 January 2011, IOF re-established their
presence at ‘Attara checkpoint at the northern entrance of Bir Zeit village,
north of Ramallah. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 07:00 on Tuesday, 25 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian
vehicles. 

 

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 20 January 2011, IOF established
4 checkpoints around Qalqilya. On
Friday, 21 January 2011, IOF established 6 checkpoints around Qalqilya. On Saturday, 22 January 2011, IOF established
8 checkpoints around Qalqilya. On
Sunday, 23 January 2011, IOF established 3 checkpoints around Qalqilya. Israeli
soldiers stationed at these checkpoints stopped and searched Palestinian civilian
vehicles.  

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 20
January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on Tulkarm-Qalqilya road. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
18:30 on Friday, 21 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on
Tulkarm-Nablus road near the northern entrance of Beit Leed village, east of
Tulkarm. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Sunday
morning, 23 January 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned at Ennab checkpoint, east
of Tulkarm, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.     

 

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:30 on Saturday, 22
January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on the intersection of the Arab
American University, southeast of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.     

 

· Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 22:30 on Friday, 21 January
2011, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk village,
north of Jericho. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

 

Shooting at Military Checkpoints

 

· On Sunday
morning, 23 January 2011, Israeli soldiers opened fire at a civilian vehicle
that was transporting Palestinian workers near al-Zahriya and Arab al-Ramadin
villages, south of Hebron. The driver
and a worker were wounded. An Israeli
military spokesman claimed that Israeli soldiers positioned at a checkpoint to
the south of al-Zahiriya village “noticed a Palestinian vehicle traveling
fast towards the checkpoint, and its driver did not obey orders to stop, so the
soldiers fired into the air, but the driver crossed the checkpoint neglecting
orders to stop, so they fired at the car.”

 

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR, Israeli soldiers in a military vehicle
stations on al-Zahiriya-Arab al-Ramadin road opened fire without warning at a
Palestinian civilian vehicle, in which 4 workers were traveling to their work
in Israel. Israel. As a result, the driver and a worker were
wounded:

 

1. Akram Jameel Samamra, 30, from al-Zahiriya
   village, wounded by a bullet to the left thigh; and
2. Hussam Mohammed Qamri, 26, from Yatta
   village, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

· On Thursday
afternoon, 20 January 2011, Israeli soldiers patrolling on bypass road #60,
east and north of Hebron, arrested 7 Palestinian civilians, including 5
children, from Sa’I village northeast of Hebron, claiming that they threw
stones towards Israeli vehicles traveling on the road. The seven civilians were detained and
interrogated for several hours. IOF
released them at midnight after forcing their families to pay a fine of 1,000
NIS for each one. These civilians are:
Islam Fahmi Jaradat, 15; Firas Yasser Jaradat, 12; Nizar ‘Abdul Rahman Jaradat,
13; Mohammed Tayseer Jaradat, 14; Na’im Suleiman al-Mutawar, 29; ‘Aadel Ibrahim
al-Mutawar, 19; and Nabeel Hamdan al-Mutawar, 16. 

 

· On Wednesday
morning, 26 January 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned at Tarqoumia checkpoint,
southwest of Hebron, arrested Hamza ‘Ali ‘Awadh, 14, from Beit Ummar town north
of Hebron.

 

4. Measures
Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem

 

Israel
has recently escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East
Jerusalem in order to force them to leave the city. PCHR has devoted this section in the Weekly
Report to highlighting violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against
Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem.

 

· On Monday, 24 January 2011, Uzi Dahari, deputy
director of the Israeli antiquities authority, declared the completion of the
establishment of a tunnel linking Silwan village to the south of the old town
of Jerusalem with the area located near the western wall for the al-Aqsa
Mosque. He claimed that “there is
no political drive for the establishment of the tunnel, rather it is the
outcome of archaeological excavations in accordance with the law. The tunnel is 600 meters long. The Israeli antiquities authority claims that
it used to be “a canal for the discharge of rainwater under a main road in
the city. It further claims that the
route of the canal does not go under the al-Aqsa Mosque, and that “it does
not intend to conduct excavations in the vicinity of the Mosque.” According to Wadi Hilaw Center in East
Jerusalem, excavations are funded by “El’ad” settlement association,
which controls all tourist sites in Silwan village. The excavations have caused damages to
Palestinian civilian property, including houses, a school, a nursery, a mosque and
a number of road. 

 

· Palestinian civilians from Silwan village to
the south of the old town of Jerusalem sated that they found a notice printed
in Hebrew and signed by the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem and the head of the
planning and construction committee in the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem, stuck
on walls of a number of houses and shops. The notice dated on 03 August 2010 states that the municipality intends
to confiscate more than 4,500 square meter of land for public purposes.  According to the notice, owners of these lands
can appeal the decision in two months!

 

 

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.

 

· On Friday morning, 21 January 2011, hundreds of
Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, stormed Khillat al-Fahem and Jabal Abu Zaid
areas in al-Khader and Ertas villages, south of Bethlehem. They conducted religious rituals in these
areas for several hours.

 

· On Sunday noon, 23 January 2011, Israeli
settlers from “Carme’el” settlement to the east of Yatta village,
south of Hebron, attacked Palestinian shepherds in Um al-Khair area and
prevented them from grazing animals. According to information available to PCHR, dozens of settlers attacked
Suleiman al-Hathalin and his two children while they were grazing animals. The settlers also beat two Italian human
rights defenders. IOF later intervened
and arrested the two human rights defenders.

 

· On Sunday afternoon, an Israeli settler from
“Ma’oun” settlement to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron,
attacked a cattle in Maghayer al-‘Abeed area and killed a sheep and a dog
belonging to Hani Salama Makhamra. The
settler also threatened to fire at Makhamra’s two children. 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

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).