Al-Bustan
neighborhood, Jerusalem – A Palestinian civilian holds a demolition order of
his house issued by the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem, which also ordered
the demolition of another 4 houses in the area

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

 

IOF
launched a series of air strike on the Gaza Strip.

 

4
Palestinians, including one civilian, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

32 Palestinians,
including a child and two women, were wounded.

A number
of houses and shops were damaged.

 

A
Palestinian was wounded at the entrance of an Israeli settlement in occupied
East Jerusalem.

 

IOF use
force to disperse peaceful protest organized by Palestinian civilians in the
West Bank.

A Palestinian
civilian was wounded.

IOF
arrested a Palestinian civilian and two human rights defenders.  

 

IOF
conducted 51 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.   

IOF
arrested 19 Palestinians, including 6 children.

 

IOF
continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

 

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

3 Palestinian civilians were arrested by IOF at various checkpoints
in the West Bank.

 

IOF
have continued efforts to create a Jewish demographic majority in East
Jerusalem.

Israeli
authorities ordered the demolition of 5 houses in al-Bustan quarter in Silwan
village.

Israeli
authorities approved the construction of 180 housing units in “Armona Hanatsiv”
settlement, south of occupied Jerusalem.  

 

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

Israeli
settlers attacked Palestinian property in Bethlehem.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (21 – 27 June 2012):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF
killed 8 Palestinians, including one civilian, and wounded 32 others, including
two women and a child, in the Gaza Strip. 
In the West Bank, two Palestinian civilians were wounded by IOF. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 22 June 2012, a
member of the Palestinian resistance was killed when an Israeli drone fired a
missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance in al-Boreij
refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

 

On the same day, another member of
the Palestinian resistance was killed and two others were wounded when an
Israeli drone fired a missile at them in the northern Gaza Strip.

 

On 23 June 2012, an Israeli warplane
fired a missile at a training site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the
armed wing of Hamas) in the northern Gaza Strip.  As a result, 8 Palestinian civilians living
nearby houses, including a woman and a child, sustained bruises.  Additionally, 5 houses were damaged. 

 

On the same day, an Israeli warplane
fired a missile at the maintenance center in al-Saraya security compound in the
center of Gaza City.  As a result, 10
Palestinians, including 4 civilians, were wounded, and a number of buildings
and shops were damaged. 

 

On the same day, an Israeli warplane
fired a missile at a training site of the Palestinian resistance in Deir
al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip. 
As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a woman, were injured,
and 6 houses and two cars were damaged.

 

Also on the same day, an Israeli
warplane fired a missile at a car in which a number of members of the
Palestinian resistance were traveling. 
The missile went astray and damaged a number of nearby houses. 

 

On the same day, a member of the
Palestinian resistance was killed in the northern Gaza Strip when an Israeli
drone fired a missile at him.

 

Also on the same day, a Palestinian
civilian was killed and 7 civilians and two members of the Palestinian
resistance were wounded, when an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a
motorbike in al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City.

   

During the reporting period, Israeli
gunboats attacked opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern and
central Gaza Strip on two occasions.  No
casualties were reported. 

 

In the West Bank, during the
reporting period, IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized
in protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities
in the West Bank.  As a result, a
Palestinian civilian was wounded and dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear
gas inhalation.  IOF also arrested a
Palestinian civilian and two international human rights defenders.

 

On 27 June 2012, a 30-year-old
Palestinian was seriously wounded in the abdomen when a guard of “Ma’ale
Adomim” settlement.  An Israeli police
officer claimed that the victim attempted to run down an Israeli police
officer, and that officer chased him.  He
further claimed that the Palestinian attempted to forcibly take the gun of a
guard of the settlement, but the guard fired at him.

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 51 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 
During these incursions, IOF arrested 19 Palestinians, including 6 children.
 

 

IOF
raided the office of two members of the Palestinian Legislative Council in
Salfit.  They confiscated some contents
of the office and ordered its closure. 

 

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.

 

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. 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.

 

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.

 

Efforts to
Create a Jewish Demographic Majority in East Jerusalem:

 

On
24 June 2012, the Israeli police, accompanied by officials from the Israeli
municipality of Jerusalem, moved into al-Bustan quarter in the north of Silwan
village to the south of the old town of Jerusalem.  They handed non-appealable demolition notices
to the owners of 5 houses that area located nearly 150 meters away from the
al-Aqsa Mosque. 

   

On
26 June 2012, the Israeli district committee of planning and construction
approved a plan to construct 180 housing units in “Armona Hanatsiv” on a
67-dunum area of land, which IOF confiscated in Sour Baher village and nearby
Palestinian areas.  The Israeli
authorities are currently implementing another plan, which was approved in 2005
to build 440 housing units in the same settlement.   

 

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
23 June 2012, a number of Israeli settlers seized several water wells in ‘Ein
al-Qissis are in the west of al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem.  They prevented Palestinian farmers from using
the wells. 

 

On
24 June 2012, a number of Israeli settlers destroyed barbwires surrounding a
tract of agricultural land belonging in Khillat al-Fahem area in al-Khader
village, south of Bethlehem.  

 

 

  

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (21 – 27 June 2012)

 

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

 

Thursday, 21 June 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Shyoukh al-‘Arroub village, north of Hebron.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested ‘Obaida Hashem al-Hadmi, 33.

 

Also at approximately 01:00, IOF
moved into Kufor Ra’ei village, southwest of Jenin.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested Hakam Mohye al-Din Murshid, 33.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Jericho.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 03:30, IOF moved
into Salfit.  They raided and searched
two houses and arrested two Palestinians:

 

1. Muhannad Fawzi ‘Arram, 25; and

2. Milad Hamdallah Dahdoul, 22, a member of the Palestinian National
Security Forces.

 

At approximately 07:30, IOF moved
into Kharabtha al-Misbah village, southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 08:00, IOF moved
into Marj Na’ja village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved
into Turmos’iya village, north of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Kufor ‘Ein village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved
into al-Janya village, west of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 21:00, IOF moved
into al-Mazra’a al-Qibliya village, northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 21:30, IOF moved
into Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Friday,
22 June 2012

 

At approximately 00:45, IOF moved
into Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into Beit Liqya village, southwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 02:00, IOF
moved into Tulkarm.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 08:30, IOF moved
into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 14:00, IOF moved
into Deir Qiddis village, northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:00, IOF moved
into ‘Ein al-Dyouk village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 16:30, an Israeli
drone fired a missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance in
the northeast of al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, nearly 1,200
meters away from the border with Israel. 
As a result, one of them, Ismail ‘Abdullah Hassan Ahmed, 30, was killed
by shrapnel throughout the body.

 

At approximately 16:45, IOF moved
into Faqqou’a village, northeast of Jenin. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 19:00, IOF moved
into al-Jiftlek village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 22:20, an Israeli
drone fired a missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance near
al-Khuzondar fuel station to the west of the northern Gaza Strip town of
Jabalya.  As a result, one of them,
Hammam Kamal Abu Qadous, 20, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, was
killed, and two others were wounded.

 

At approximately 22:30, IOF moved
into al-‘Ouja village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 23:30, IOF moved
into Beit Reema village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Saturday, 23 June 2012  

 

At approximately 02:00, an Israeli
warplane fired a missile at a training site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades
(the armed wing of Hamas) to the east of Jabalya refugee camp in the northern
Gaza Strip.  As a result, 8 Palestinian
civilians livinin in the area, including a child and a woman, were lightly
wounded:

 

1. ‘Abdul Halil Mohammed al-Hilu, 50, sustained bruises throughout the
body;

2. Rebhi Hassan Lubbad, 56, wounded in the left foot;

3. Haniya Mohammed Lubbad, 52, wounded in the face;

4. Salam Rebhi Lubbad, 21, wounded in the head;

5. Nasser Mohammed al-Ghawanma, 19, wounded in the right foot;

6. Ahmed Majed al-Shanbari, 28, sustained bruises throughout the body;

7. Waheed ‘Ali Saleh, 48, wounded in the neck; and

8. ‘Ali Waheed Saleh, 16, sustained bruises throughout the body. 

 

At approximately 02:10, an Israeli
warplane fired a missile at the maintenance center of the Palestinian National
Security Forces in the south of al-Saraya compound in the center of Gaza
City.  A number of nearby buildings and
shops were damaged, and 10 Palestinian civilians, including 4 civilians, were
wounded:

 

1. Ayman Yousef al-Namla, 21, a security man;

2. ‘Abdul Rahman Nayef Mahmoud, a security man;

3. Mahran Mohammed al-Shnaif, 22, a security man;

4. ‘Abdullah Mohammed Abu ‘Azza, 22, a security man;

5. Mohammed Sa’ad al-Khatib, 33, a security man;

6. Eyad Youseg Muhaisen, 26, a security man;

7. Eyad Ibrahim Qassem, 45;

8. Mahmoud Eyad Qassem, 21;

9. Mahmoud Mansour al-Louh, 20; and

10. Safwat Jameel Abu Sha’ban, 62.

 

At approximately 02:15, an Israeli
warplane fired a missile at a training site of the Palestinian resistance in
the southwest of Deir al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip.  As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians,
including a woman, were injured while they were inside their houses:

 

1. Tahreer ‘Awadallah Baraka, 31, sustained a fracture to the left
shoulder;

2. Hassan ‘Awadallah Baraka, 26, injured in the nose and the ear; and

3. Ahmed Hammad Baraka, 22, injured in the face and the right hand.

 

Additionally, two cars were damaged.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved
into Jericho and the nearby ‘Ein al-Sultan refugee camp.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 02:30, IOF
moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Koubar village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Burqa village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:00, an Israeli
warplane fired a missile at a civilian car, in which a number of members of the
Palestinian resistance, near Abu Jibba fuel station in al-Zaytoun neighborhood
in the east of Gaza City.  The missile
went astray and these members were able to escape.  The car and a number of nearby houses were
slightly damaged.

 

At approximately 13:15, an Israeli
drone fired a missile at a member of the Saladin Brigades (the armed wing of
the Popular Resistance Committees) on Qulaibo Hill in to the east of Sheikh
Zayed Towers in the northern Gaza Strip. 
He was instantly killed by shrapnel throughout the body.  He was identified as Khaled Nasser al-Din
al-Bura;ei, 23, from Tal al-Za’tar area in Jabalya.

 

At approximately 15:00, IOF moved
into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta village, southwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later.  Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:45, an Israeli
warplane fired a missile at a motorbike on which two members of the Palestinian
resistance were traveling near the campus of al-Quds Open University in
al-Nasser neighborhood in the northwest of Gaza City.  The missile hit the fence of the roof of an
8-storey apartment building.  It then
fell onto the ground and exploded.  The
fence of the building’s roof collapsed and killed Ussama Mahmoud Mohammed ‘Ali,
45, as a large stone hit him on them when he was walking near the
building.  Additionally, 9 Palestinians,
including the two targeted persons and a woman, were wounded:

 

1. ‘Ata Bashir al-Hilu, 20, sustained bruises throughout the body;

2. Hassan Ismail Yassin, 30, wounded by shrapnel to the lower limbs;

3. Hassan Mahmoud ‘Ouda, 22, wounded by shrapnel to the left ear;

4. ‘Emad No’man Abu Nahel, 31, wounded by shrapnel to the lower limbs;

5. Ashraf Mohammed al-Masri, 32, wounded by shrapnel to the lower
limbs;

6. Inshirah Harb Hamdouna, 47, wounded by shrapnel to the lower limbs;
and

7. Mohammed ‘Abdul Rahim Meqbil Hamdouna, 44, wounded by shrapnel to
the lower limbs.

(PCHR keeps the targeted persons’
names)

 

At approximately 17:30, IOF moved
into al-Zbaidat village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Sunday, 24 June 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. 
They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Eayd ‘Omar
al-Sulaibi, 14.

 

At approximately 01:45, IOF moved
into Hares village, north of Salfit. 
They raided a house belonging to Jamal ‘Ali Jaber, 50, and summoned him
for interrogation.

 

At approximately 01:50, IOF moved
into Deir Estia village, northwest of Salfit. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 02:30, IOF moved
into Marda village, north of Salfit. 
They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Sami Sameh
Khuffash, 25, and summoned him for interrogation.

 

At approximately 10:10, IOF moved
into Ematin village, northeast of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved
into ‘Aaboud village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:10, IOF moved
into ‘Izbat al-Tbib village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 22:30, IOF moved
into Koubar village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Monday, 25 June 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. 
They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. Ra’ed Ahmed ‘Aadi, 35; and

2. Mohammed Ahmed ‘Aadi, 54.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 01:55, IOF moved
into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. 
They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Waleed Sa’id
Saleem, 17.

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into Hebron.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested Samer Mohammed al-Ja’ba, 19.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved
into Burham village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Budros village, west of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 18:30, Israeli
gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahia seashore in the northern Gaza Strip
opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. 
Palestinian fishermen were forced to sail back to the beach and no
casualties were reported.

 

At approximately 22:25, IOF moved
into Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:30, IOF moved
into Jafna village, northeast of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 23:25, IOF moved
into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Tuesday, 26 June 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Zawia village, west of
Salfit.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested two Palestinian children:

 

1. Ihsan Ahmed
Mawqida, 16; and

2. ‘Adnan Saleh
Doufash, 16.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Hebron.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested two Palestinian brothers:

 

1. Muneer ‘Ezzat
Doufash, 21; and

2. Hatem ‘Ezzat
Doufash, 24.

 

At approximately 21:00, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian
fishing boats that were sailing nearly 1.5 nautical miles away from Deir
al-Balah seashore in the central Gaza Strip. 
They also sprinkled water on some fishermen.  An hour later, they allowed the fishermen to
sail back to the beach and threatened to arrest them next time. 

 

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Taqqou’ village, southeast
of Bethlehem.  They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested two Palestinian children:

 

1. Hamza Salem
Jebril, 16; and

2. Ahmed Yousef
al-Sabbah, 15.

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Hebron.  They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. ‘Aadel Abu
Bakr, 28;

2. Shadi Mohammed
Shaheen, 24; and

3. Kareem Mohammed
Shaheen, 36.

 

Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Salfit.  They raided the office of ‘Omar ‘Abdul Raziq
and Nasser ‘Abdul Jawad, Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from
the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to Hamas. 
They also raided the house of ‘Izziddin Zabaidiya Fattash.  Fattash stated to a PCHR field worker:

 

“At approximately 01:30 on Wednesday, 27 June
2012, at least 30 Israeli soldiers raided and searched my house.  They confiscated two laptops.  An officer told me that some Israeli soldiers
were in the deputies’ office and they confiscated some files and two
computers.  He further told me that they
would leave the office’s door open and that I must go to it to arrange things
there.  He added that I must not open the
office again and to tell ‘Abdul Jawad, who would be released on the following
day not to enter the office again.  I
refused this and stated to the officer that I would not convey the message to
‘Abdul Jawad as I would not convey a message from an Israeli soldier to a
Palestinian.  I debated with him
regarding his right to close the office and raid my house.  He told me that it is a decision that must be
implemented.”

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Seilat al-Harthiya village,
northwest of Jenin.  They raided and
searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Barakat Zayoud, 20, and
Mohammed Jameel Tahaina, 22.  They
released the two detainees a few hours later after interrogating them. 

 

At noon, a 30-year-old Palestinian was seriously wounded in the
abdomen when a guard of “Ma’ale Adomim” settlement.  An Israeli police officer claimed that the
victim attempted to run down an Israeli police officer, and that officer chased
him.  He further claimed that the
Palestinian attempted to forcibly take the gun of a guard of the settlement,
but the guard fired at him.  The
Palestinian has not been identified so far.

 

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, a Palestinian
civilian was wounded and dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas
inhalation and others sustained bruises.  Additionally, IOF arrested a Palestinian
civilian and two international human rights defenders.

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 22 June 2012, 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 and settlement activities.  They raised the Palestinian flag and called
for ending political division. They then moved towards areas of annexation
wall.  They called through megaphones on
Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land.  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 22 June 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in
protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement
activities.  The demonstrators moved
towards areas of the annexation wall.  
Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated
metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators.  As a result, some demonstrators suffered from
tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 22 June 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders
gathered in the center of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to start
the weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and
settlement activities.  The protesters walked towards the gate erected by
IOF near the entrance of the village and leading to Palestinian lands that
Israeli settlers from the nearby “Halmish” settlement are trying to
seize.  Israeli soldiers who had been extensively deployed in the area and
near all the entrances of the village since the morning, began to confront the
protesters who wanted to walk towards the affected lands.  Israeli
soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas
canisters at the protesters.  As a
result, some demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

At approximately 13:20 also on Friday, 22 June 2012, Palestinian
civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest to
the continued closure of the eastern entrance of the village by IOF.  They moved towards the entrance.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at them.  As a
result, a 40-year-old demonstrator was hit by a tear gas canister to the right
foot.  Some demonstrators also suffered
from tear gas inhalation. 

 

On Saturday morning, 23 June 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron.  They moved towards Palestinian lands, which
are threatened to be confiscated by IOF, near “Karmi Tsur” settlement.  Immediately, IOF fired tear gas canisters and
sound bombs at the demonstrators.  They
also arrested 3 demonstrators: Younis ‘Arar, 42, Coordinator of the National
Committee against the Wall and Settlement in Beit Ummar; Dolir, 24, a US human
rights defender; and Benjimmy, 22, a German human rights defender.

 

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 nearly 5 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.  

 

IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and practically
made Karm Abu Salem crossing as the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip although
it is not proper for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and
operational capacity.

 

IOF have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the
strangulation of the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing
total control over the flow of imports and exports.

 

The total closure of al-Mentar “Karni” crossing on 02
March 2011 has created a bitter situation that has seriously affected the Gaza
Strip.  Following this closure, all the
economic and commercial establishments in Gaza Commercial Zone were shut
off.  It should be noted that al-Mentar
crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip in terms of its operational
capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports.  The decision of al-Mentar crossing was the
culmination of a series of decisions to totally close Sofa crossing, east of
the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2009, and Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza
City, which was dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza
Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

 

IOF have continued to impose total ban on the delivery of raw
materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities.  The limited quantities of raw materials
allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population 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.

 

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. 
The situation has been aggravated especially after making Karm Abu Salem
crossing as Gaza sole commercial crossing and the repeated closure of this
crossing which negatively affected the quantity of Gazan products which were
allowed to be exported during last April.

 

For approximately five 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 traders, international
diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza
Strip.  On Wednesday evening, 14 March
2012, IOF arrested Ahmed Subhi al-Kahlout, 40, a trader from Gaza City, when he
was traveling via Beit Hanoun crossing.

 

For approximately 59 months, IOF have continued to deny
approximately 700 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.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

20 –
26 June 2012

 

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

20 –
26 June 2012

 

Imports:

 

 

Notes:

 

On Wednesday, 20 June 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 240 tons of
cement, 4,270 tons of construction aggregates and 80 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 741 tons of fodders and 468 tons of wheat.

 

On Thursday, 21 June 2012, IOF allowed the entry 320 tons of cement,
3,920 tons of construction aggregates and 72 tons of construction steel for
UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry of 858
tons of fodders and 234 tons of wheat. 

 

On Sunday, 24 June 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 400
tons of cement, 2,800 tons of construction aggregates and 72 tons of
construction steel for UNRWA.  They also
allowed the entry of 780 tons of fodders and 390 tons of wheat.

 

On Tuesday, 26 June 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 240 tons of
cement, 2,800 tons of construction aggregates and 166 tons of construction
steel for UNRWA.  They also allowed the
entry of 819 tons of fodders and 234 tons of wheat.

 

Movement
at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing

20 –
26 June 2012

 

 

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.

 

There are approximately hundreds of 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.

 

Many of the main roads that lead to Palestinian communities in the
West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF.

 

IOF have continued to restrict access of Palestinian civilians from
the West Bank to East Jerusalem, through a strict system of permits and a network
of checkpoints.

 

IOF have completed controlled access to the Jordan Valley through 4
permanent checkpoints established at its entrances.  Palestinians living outside the area are not
allowed to enter it without permits.

 

Settlement activities and expansion of settlements impose
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. 

 

IOF have continued to restrict access to gunfire areas and natural
reserves, which constitute about 26% of the total area of the West Bank.

 

Israeli military checkpoints restrict the movement of goods
throughout the West Bank.

 

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

 

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 young Muslim
Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.

 

Ramallah:  IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 21 June
2012, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of
Ramallah.  At approximately 18:00, IOF
established a checkpoint at Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa intersection, southwest of
Ramallah.  At approximately 10:00 on
Friday, 22 June 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nabi
Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.  At
approximately 14:30, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint,
north of Ramallah.  At approximately
09:00 on Saturday, 23 June 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance
of Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah.  At
approximately 10:30, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha al-Misbah
Bridge, southwest of Ramallah, and another one at the entrance of Deir Nizam
village, northwest of the town.  At
approximately 16:00, IOF established a checkpoint at Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa
intersection, southwest of Ramallah.     

 

Qalqilya:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 13:00 on Thursday, 21 June
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at Jainsafout intersection, east of
Qaqlilya.  At approximately 21:35, IOF
established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of Qalqilya.  On Saturday evening, 23 June 2012, IOF
established 3 checkpoints on Qalqilya-Tulkarm road.  At approximately 08:00 on Monday, 25 June
2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the road linking between ‘Azzoun and
‘Izbat al-Tabib villages, northeast of Qalqilya.             

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 18:00 on Thursday, 22 June 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
the entrance of Sanour village, south of Jenin. 

 

Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 19:00 on Thursday, 21 June 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
the southern entrance of Jericho.  At
approximately 09:30 on Friday, 22 June 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
the entrance of al-Jiftlek village, north of Jericho.  At approximately 17:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho. 
At approximately 19:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the Dead Sea
intersection.  At approximately 08:20 on
Saturday, 23 June 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the southern entrance
of Jericho.  At approximately 16:00, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-‘Ouja village, north of
Jericho.    

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints:

 

On Friday morning, 22 June 2012, Israeli soldiers positioned at the
Tunnels checkpoint near Beit Jala arrested Jihad Mohammed Zawahra, 22, from
al-Ma’sara village south of Bethlehem. 

 

On Saturday morning, 23 June 2012, Israeli soldiers positioned at a
checkpoint in Wadi al-Bathan area, northeast of Nablus, arrested Yousef ‘Ali Walwil,
27, from al-Fara’a refugee camp, south of Tubas. 

 

On Tuesday evening, 26 June 2012, Israeli soldiers positioned at a
checkpoint near Beer al-Basha village, south of Jenin, arrested ‘Abdul Rahman
Mahmoud Subaih, 22.  

 

4. Efforts
to Create a Jewish Demographic Majority in East Jerusalem

 

Israeli
occupation authorities have continued efforts aimed at creating a Jewish
demographic majority in East Jerusalem.

 

On
Sunday, 24 June 2012, the Israeli police, accompanied by officials from the
Israeli municipality of Jerusalem, moved into al-Bustan quarter in the north of
Silwan village to the south of the old town of Jerusalem.  They handed non-appealable demolition notices
to the owners of 5 houses that area located nearly 150 meters away from the
al-Aqsa Mosque.  These houses belong to
the families of Abu Rajab, ‘Abdul Majid, al-Tawil and ‘Owaida.  According to Fakhri Abu Diab, a member of the
committee to defend al-Bustan quarter, these demolition orders are part of a
wider plan to demolish the whole quarter in order to established a biblical
park.

   

On
Tuesday, 26 June 2012, the Israeli district committee of planning and
construction approved a plan to construct 180 housing units in “Armona
Hanatsiv” on a 67-dunum area of land, which IOF confiscated in Sour Baher
village and nearby Palestinian areas.  It
is worth noting that Palestinian civilians appealed the plan, especially as IOF
have confiscated at least 2,000 dunums of lands in the village.  The Israeli authorities are currently
implementing another plan, which was approved in 2005 to build 440 housing
units in the same settlement.    

 

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
Saturday, 23 June 2012, a number of Israeli settlers seized several water wells
in ‘Ein al-Qissis are in the west of al-Khader village, south of
Bethlehem.  They prevented Palestinian
farmers from using the wells. 

 

On
Sunday, 24 June 2012, a number of Israeli settlers destroyed barbwires
surrounding a tract of agricultural land belonging to Ibrahim ‘Ouda Salah in
Khillat al-Fahem area in al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem.  

 

…………………………………………………

 

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 (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).