Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic
Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory (OPT)
· Two
Palestinian civilians was killed in the West Bank in a new extra-judicial
assassination.
· 20
Palestinian civilians, including three children, 4 women, 3 international human
rights defenders and 2 cameramen, were wounded in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip.
· IOF
continued to fire at Palestinian farmers and workers in border areas of the
Gaza Strip, and continued to harass Palestinian fishermen at sea.
· IOF
continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.
· IOF
conducted 27 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and 4
limited ones into the Gaza Strip.
· IOF
arrested 45 civilians, including 14 children, 2 women, 2 cameramen including an
Israeli cameraman, 5 Israeli solidarity activists and 2 Palestinian activists,
in the West Bank.
· IOF
continued to harass members of popular committees against the Annexation Wall
and threaten them to arrest them.
· Israeli
forces have continued measures aiming at creating a Jewish majority in occupied
east Jerusalem
· Israel
has continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza
Strip from the outside world.
· Israel
has continued its settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers
have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
· Families
in “al-Musafer” area, south of Hebron, were delivered notices to
leave the area.
· 70
dunums cultivated with grapes in Beit Ummar village were sunk
with sewage water.
· 20
olive trees were uprooted in Deir Estia in Salfit.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law
and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (22 – 28
April 2010):
Shooting: During
the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank, and
wounded 20 civilians, including 17 civilians in the West Bank and 3 civilians
in the Gaza Strip. The wounded included 3 children, 4 women, 3 international
human rights defenders and 2 cameramen.
In the West Bank, on 26 April 2010, in a crime – which
constitutes an extrajudicial execution – IOF killed Ali Isma’el Swaiti, 45, in Beit ‘Awwa in the
West Bank district of Hebron, claiming that he had been wanted for several
years. Swaiti was killed after
demolishing a house while he was inside, where other five Palestinians were
wounded, including a child and a young woman. The IOF spokesperson said that Swaiti had been wanted by the Israeli
Security Service for eight years, as he was held responsible for carrying out a
number of shooting attacks against Israeli targets near Hebron
IOF also used excessive force against peaceful
protests organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human
rights defenders against the construction of the Annexation Wall and settlement
activities in the West Bank. Twelve protesters, including an Israeli and an
Italian solidarity activists, 2 children and one women, were wounded as a
result of the use of excessive force by IOF. Also a number of protesters suffered
suffocation from gas inhalation or suffered
bruises because they were beaten by IOF. Ms. Luisa
Morgantini, the former Vice-President of the European Parliament, was one of
the protesters who fainted.
In the Gaza Strip, on 24 April 2010, three civilians,
including two women, one of them is an international solidarity activist, were
wounded and an old man was shocked when Israeli soldiers who were in their military
jeep inside the border strip with Israel, east of Central Gaza, fired bullets at
a peaceful demonstration organized by the Popular Committee against the Wall as
the participants approached the border strip east of al-Maghazi refugee camp.
On 25 April 2010, IOF positioned in watchtowers near
Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing fired at a number of Palestinian workers
who were collecting stones and iron bars from the debris of the industrial
zone, southwest of Beit Hanoun crossing. IOF fired sporadically for 30 minutes,
forcing the workers to flee the area in fear for their lives. No casualties
were reported.
On 28 April 2010, killed a Palestinian boy in the
east of el-Shaja’eya neighborhood, in the eastern Gaza City. This boy was a participant in a
peaceful demonstration organized in the said neighborhood moving towards the
eastern strip, and condemning the security belt along the border line in the
east of the city. When the demonstration
reached Nahal ‘Oz crossing, at 150 meters away
from the borders, some participants stoned the Israeli troops stationed at the
borders, as a result, they opened fire towards the participants. The said boy was wounded by a bullet to the
right thigh, and then his death was announced after few hours.
Incursions: During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 27 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 45 Palestinian civilians, including two women and 14
children, one of them is 13 years old.
IOF also arrested 5 persons, including a cameraman of
al-Hayat al-Jadida newspaper, an Israeli cameraman and three international
solidarity activists, in the weekly peaceful demonstration organized in Bal’ein
village. The arrested were transported to an Israeli interrogation center in
“Na’leh” settlement, west of Ramallah. They were release on Saturday
morning, 24 April 2010. also IOF arrested 3 participants in a vigil organized
by “Youth
Against
Settlements” in protest against the continued closure of al-Shuhada street
in the center of Hebron. The arrested are Issa ‘Amr, 30, a member of Youth Against
Settlements and two Israeli professors who are Amiel Vardi and Jonathan Pollack.
On 25 April 2010, 6 persons, including a child, from
Selwan town in the southern old town of Jerusalem while they were demonstrating
against a demonstration organized by the settlers to claim the demolish of 216
houses belonging to the Palestinians in the said town. Thus, during the reporting period, the number
of the arrested persons reached 45, including 6 non-Palestinian ones.
PCHR notes that through its observation of human
rights violations committed by IOF against Palestinian civilians in the West
Bank, it is clear that IOF are intentional to maltreat Palestinian civilians
and terrorize them while raiding their houses. They are also intentional to
damage Palestinian houses and destroy parts of them.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 4 limited incursion as
follows:
On 22 April 2010, IOF moved approximately 500 meters into the east
of ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Younis. IOF bulldozed and leveled agricultural
lands. At approximately 13:00 on the same day, IOF moved to the south along the
border strip and bulldozed agricultural lands in Khza’a village. IOF then
withdrew inside the border strip.
On 25 April 2010, IOF moved approximately 300 meters into the east
of al-Qarara village, east of Khan Younis. They bulldozed and leveled
agricultural lands in the area before withdrawing inside the border strip.
Also on 25 April 2010, IOF moved into al-Farahin
neighborhood in ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Younis. IOF bulldozed and leveled
agricultural lands. IOF moved to the south along the border strip and bulldozed
agricultural lands in Khza’a village. IOF then withdrew inside the border
strip.
On 27 April 2010, Israeli ground forces,
including 30 soldiers, moved approximately 200 meters into the
north of the industrial zone, which is in the west of Beit Hanoun (Erez)
crossing, in the northwest of Beit Hanoun town, in the northern Gaza
Strip. The Israeli troops fired at a
group of Palestinian workers who were collecting stones and iron bars from the
debris in the area to force them to flee the area.
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
Israel had continuously closed all border crossings
to the Gaza Strip for more than two and a half years. The Israeli-imposed 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.
· On
Friday, 01 January 2010, IOF decided to close Nahal Ouz crossing permanently,
and to allow the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing,
southeast of Rafah, claiming security reasons.
· 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.
· Israel
has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two and a half years.
· Israel
has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of
cooking gas and energy fuel for Gaza Power Plant, 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.
· 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 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 mounted sharply.
· At
least 800 Gazan prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived of family
visitation for more than two and a half years.
· IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the coast of the Gaza
Strip.
The 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 630 permanent 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 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 (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.
· During
the reporting period, Israeli troop stationed at military checkpoints in the
West Bank arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a woman.
Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Majority in Jerusalem:
They detained 6 men from Selwan village. They are as follows:
El-Rajabi was released on Monday, 26 April 2010, while the others are
still under detention until preparing this report.
Forcing Salah’s family to evacuate its home
The 50-member family of Salah have lived in the 200-meter² house since
1967. the settler named Herkovch claimed that he had bought the said house
from the heirs of the original owner of the house in 1991. IOF aim at occupying the house of Salah as it
is included an Israeli settlement scheme to build Givat
Hamtos settlement on Beit Jala and Beit Safafa. Salah’s family had been struggling long time ago
against the settlers, who occupied the house in the 90s with the help of
IOF. In addition, the family was
attacked by settlers on 20 October 2010 and their cattle consisting of 120
sheep was confiscated last year.
IOF threaten el-Keswani family for the second time
Settlement Activities: Israel has continued its settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international
humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On Thursday morning, 22 April 2010, IOF delivered
notices to 6 Palestinian families in the al-Musafer area in the south of Yatta
village, southern Hebron, notifying them that their houses would be destroyed
and requiring them to leave their property under the pretext that their houses
were not licensed by the Israeli “civil administration”. The houses,
which are tents and plastic huts which were provided by the civilians in the
area by Joint Council for Services, the Palestinian Hydrology Group and the
Italian Voluntary Group. They are located in “Sha’ab al-Butum” and
“Ma’in” areas which are surrounded by “Iva Hal”, “Metza
Ya’er, and “Sosya” settlements from the east and the southeast.
On 22 April 2010, Israeli settlers who run a sewage
water collection plant belonging to “Gush Etzion”, north
of Hebron, pumped sewage water to dozens of agricultural dunums belonging to
Palestinian civilians from Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. Approximately
70 dunums cultivated with grapes were sunk. Besides, between 250 and 300 meters of walls
constructed to protect farms were destroyed..
It should be noted that the settlers running the
mentioned plant normally pump sewage water to the Mediterranean Sea through
water networks and treat a part of this water to irrigate plants in Israeli
settlements in the area.
On 23 April 2010, a group of settlers uprooted 20 olive
trees from Wadi Qana area in the west of Deir Estia village, northwest of
Salfit. The trees were planted in a peace of land belonging to Qasem Naser
Mansour in Kafat al-‘Amoud area.
Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (22 – 28 April 2010)
1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians
and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Thursday,
22 April 2010
· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jenin city and Jenin refugee camp. They fired into the air and raided and
searched many. They arrested Ghassan Ahmed Jamal Tahayna, 26, from al-Marah
neighborhood, east of Jenin. They then withdrew at approximately 05:00.
· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Muthalath al-Shuhada village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched many houses. They
arrested Mohammed Jihad Mohammed Wishahi, 22.
· Also
at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Qabatia village, southeast
of Jenin. They fired into the
air and raided and searched many houses. They arrested two Palestinian
civilians: Majed Faisal Mohammed Nazzal, 21, and Jihad Abdullah Suleiman
Nazzal, 23.
· Also
at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Taqou’ village, southeast of Bethlehem.
IOF soldiers who had tracker dongs raided and searched many houses and arrested
6 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, two of them are brothers:
1. Amin Ahmed Hajajleh, 17;
2. Louay Ahmed
Hmeida, 18;
3. Musa’b Suleiman
Sabbah, 22;
4. Izz Sabbah, 16;
5. Mohammed Salim Sabbah, 17; and
6. Ahmed Salim Sabbah, 13.
· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Deir Ghazal village, northeast of
Jenin. They raided and searched many
houses. They arrested Abdul Qader Adnan Abdul Qader Jalamneh, 23.
· Also
at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Jalboun
village, northeast of Jenin. They raided and searched many houses and arrested
Walid Ibrahim Said Abu al-Rub, 23.
· Also
at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Ya’bud village, southwest of Jenin. They fired into the air and raided and
searched many houses. They arrested Nidal Jamal Sharif Abu Baker, 25.
· In
the early morning, IOF supported with many military vehicles broke into
“el-Menya” village in the east of Bethlehem. They broke into the house of Basem Abdul
Majeed ‘Awwad Kawazba, 38, and arrested his two sons; Jihad, 15, and Nadeem,
15. they were taken to Kfar Etzion detention center, in the southwest of the city.
According
to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 2:40 of the said day, the
Israeli troops broke into the house of Kawazba, where they forced him to waken his sons up. The Israeli officer was shocked to see that
the two sons were young. He checked
their names in their father’s ID. The
Israeli officer informed the father of the arrest warrant against his sons
claiming that they stoned IOF. Then he
ordered the Israeli soldiers to put them in the military vehicle; however,
their father insisted on accompanying them. Thus, he was handcuffed, blindfolded and taken with his sons, who were
also blindfolded.
The father
said:
(In the
middle of the main street leading to Kfar Etzion, the military vehicles
stopped, and then I was dropped at the intersection of Taqou’-el-Baq’a, in the
southeast of Bethlehem. I was forced to
go back home after an intelligence service’s officer told me that my sons are
detained and that I can see them in the morning in Kfar Etzion. At approximately 8:00 I headed to the said
detention center, after waiting for an hour, I was able to see them; however,
they were interrogated previously. An
Israeli officer told me that my sons were detained as they are charged of
throwing stones. Thus, they would be
transferred to Ofer detention center, in the west of Ramallah, and their trial would
be held on 25 April 2010. In fact, they
were really transferred to Ofer at 13:00. At approximately 15:30,they were brought to trial, where the judge
decided to extend their detention until preparing an indictment against
them. On Monday, 26 April 2010, the two
sons were brought before the court and their indictment were presented stating
that they stoned IOF in the area they live in. The military prosecution requested the judge to sentence Jihad to
imprisonment for four months and a half and a fine amounting to 2000 NIS; Nadim
was sentenced to imprisonment for three months and a half and a fine amounting
to 1000 NIS. However, their lawyers
rejected the military prosecution’s request and called for postponement of the
trial, which was appointed on Thursday, 29 April 2010).
· At
approximately 09:00, IOF moved approximately 500 meters into the east
of ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Younis. IOF bulldozed and leveled agricultural
lands for four hours and fired indiscriminately. At approximately 13:00, IOF
moved to the south along the border strip and bulldozed agricultural lands for
two hours in Khza’a village. IOF then withdrew inside the border strip.
Friday, 23 April 2010
· At
approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They fired many tear gas canisters and sound
bombs and raided and searched many houses in the north and center of the
village. They arrested 5 Palestinian
civilians, including 2 children, from the village:
1. Ahmed
Khalil Abed Abu Hashem, 42, who is the secretary of the Popular Committee
against the Wall in the village;
2. Khaled
Khalil Abdul Fattah Sabarna, 24;
3. Yousef
Fathi Khader Sabarna; 20;
4. Hatem
Ahmed Rashid Sabarna, 17; and
5. Yousef
Mohammed Yousef ‘Awad, 17.
Mohammed ‘Ayad ‘Awad, an activist in the “Palestinian Solidarity
Project” in the village, stated to the PCHR fieldworker that IOF soldiers
were intentional to use sound bombs and tear gas canisters to terrorize
civilians in their houses. He said that they crushed windows of houses
belonging to the persons who were arrested, including the house of Hatem Ahmed
Sabarna. In the afternoon of Sunday, 25 April 2010, four of the arrested
civilians were released. Yousef Fathi Khader Sabarna remained under detention.
· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ramzi Hassan al-Tamimi,
33. Before withdrawing, they arrested al-Tamimi.
· At
approximately 3:00, IOF moved into ‘Anin village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched many houses. They
withdrew later and no arrests were reported.
Saturday, 24 April 2010
· At
approximately 2:00, IOF, supported by approximately 12 military vehicles and
approximately 100 foot
soldiers, moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilia. They raided and searched many houses and arrested
5 children from the village:
1. Said
Farouq Said Abu Haneyeh, 17;
2. Said
Zeyad Abu Haneyeh, 17;
3. Sa’ad
Ahmed Mohammed Masha’al, 17;
4. Yehya
‘Ali Abdul Hafez ‘Odwan, 17; and
5. Ahmed
Abdul Rahman Mahmoud Salama, 17.
· At
approximately 11:30, IOF soldiers who were in their military jeeps in a
military site inside the border strip with Israel, east of Central Gaza, fired
bullets at participants in a peaceful demonstration organized by the Popular
Committee against the Wall as the participants approached the border strip in
the east of al-Maghazi refugee camp. As a result, three people, including two
women, one of them is an international solidarity activists, were wounded while
an old man was shocked. The wounded were transferred to al-Aqsa Martyrs
Hospital in Deir al-Balah for medical treatment.
The wounded are:
1. Bianica
Zamit, 28, a
solidarity activist from Malta and a member of the International Soliderity
Movement, who was wounded by a bullet in the left thigh;
2. Hend
Mohammed Ahmed al-Aqra’a, 23, from al-Zawayda village, who was wounded by a
bullet in the abdomen;
3. Nedal
Fayez al-Naqleh, 18, who was wounded by a bullet in the right thigh.
4. Suleiman
Salem al-Bheiri, 70, who was shocked.
Hend al-Aqra’, who was wounded in the incident, stated to the PCHR
fieldworker that she participated with dozens of civilians in the peaceful
demonstration that walked to the border strip with Israel in the east of
al-Maghazi refugee camp. Participants were carrying slogans and flags and there
were not any armed actions in the demonstration. The demonstrators became
approximately 200 meters
far from the border strip. Some of them walked closer to the border to raise
the Palestinian flag but the Israeli soldiers who were in their military jeeps
fired heavily at the peaceful demonstration. She said she was wounded and
transferred by a civilian car to an ambulance and then to al-Aqsa Martyrs
Hospital. It was found out that she was wounded by a bullet in the abdomen.
Sunday, 25 April 2010
· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Fajjar village, south of Bethlehem. They
raided and searched many houses and delivered Jihad Khaled Deireyeh requiring
him to appear before the Israeli intelligence in “Gush Etzion”
settlement, south of Bethlehem.
· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into ‘Ajjah village, south of Jenin. They raided
and searched many houses, but no arrests were reported.
· Also
at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into ‘Anza village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched many houses, but no
arrests were reported.
· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin. They
raided and searched many houses, but no arrests were reported.
· Also
at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Sannour village, southeast of Jenin.
They raided and searched many houses, but no arrests were reported.
· Also
at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Mithlon village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched many houses, but no
arrests were reported.
· At
approximately 06:00, IOF moved into Dora village, southwest of Jenin. They
raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Salama, near the
intersection of al-Tabaqa area. IOF held the residents of the house in one room
inside the house and transformed the house into a military barracks.
· At
approximately 09:30, IOF moved approximately 300 meters into the east
of al-Qarara village, east of Khan Younis. For 3 hours, IOF bulldozed and
leveled agricultural lands in the area. They fired indiscriminately and
withdrew later inside the border strip.
· At
approximately 011:00, IOF moved into the east of al-Farahin neighborhood in
Abasan village, east of Khan Younis. They bulldozed and leveled agricultural
lands in the area for approximately 2.5 hours. Then they moved to the south
along the border strip and bulldozed and leveled agricultural lands in Khza’a
village for four hours. They indiscriminately bombarded the area before their
withdrawal inside the border strip.
· Also
at approximately 11:00, IOF positioned in watchtowers near Beit Hanoun
“Erez” crossing fired at a group of Palestinian workers who were
collecting stones and iron bars from the debris in the industrial zone,
southwest of Beit Hanoun crossing. They sporadically fired for 30 minutes
forcing the Palestinian workers to flee the area in fear for their lives. No
casualties were reported in this incident.
· At
approximately 22:30, IOF, supported by a number of military vehicles, police
forces and foot soldiers, moved into Baroqin village, west of Salfit. They
raided and searched many houses. The foot soldiers stopped a number of
Palestinian civilians who were in the main street and beat Helmi Rabah Helmi
Samara, 19. they then handcuffed him and led him to an unknown area.
Monday, 26 April 2010
· In
the early morning, in a crime – which constitutes an extrajudicial execution – IOF
killed Ali Isma’el Swaiti, 45, in Beit ‘Awwa in the West Bank district of Hebron,
claiming that he had been wanted for several years. Swaiti was killed after demolishing a house
while he was inside, where other five Palestinians were wounded, including a
child and a young woman. The IOF
spokesperson said that Swaiti had been wanted by the Israeli Security Service
for eight years, as he was held responsible for carrying out a number of
shooting attacks against Israeli targets near Hebron, including opening fire near the Ethna-Tarqumiya
intersection on 26 April 2004, i.e. exactly six years prior to yesterday’s
killing of Swaiti. The said attack resulted in the death of an Israeli soldier
and the injury of two others.
According to
investigations conducted by PCHR and eyewitness testimony, Israeli occupation
forces entered Beit ‘Awwa town in the far south of Hebron at approximately 3:00
on Monday 26 April 2010, supported by military armored vehicles, a bulldozer
and a Caterpillar digging vehicle. Israeli forces surrounded the house in which
Ali Swaiti was located, using sound bombs. The home belongs to Mahmoud Abdul
Aziz Swaiti and is located in Khellet el-Foulah, in the north of the town.
During the operation, Israeli soldiers broke into numerous other houses in the
area and turned them into observation points and firing posts. After some minutes, Israeli occupation forces
evacuated at gunpoint the family living in the targeted one-storey house as
well as a family living in another two-storey house, which belongs to the
family of Ahmed Abdul Aziz Swaiti. The two families were detained outdoors for
some time before they were taken to an adjacent house belonging to Abdul Jalil
Swaiti. They were detained there with other families, all of whom were
interrogated regarding the whereabouts of the targeted person.
At approximately
5:40, an Israeli bulldozer began to destroy the fences surrounding the targeted
house. It progressed towards the house and started to demolish it, but it
retreated as it was fired at from inside the house. Israeli forces stationed in
the neighboring houses opened fire at the house for 15 minutes from all sides
before an explosion took place inside the house. Residents of the area reported
that the explosion resulted from the shelling of the house.
At
approximately 6:00, the Caterpillar vehicle began to drive into and destroy the
fences of the targeted house. After that, a digging vehicle continued
demolishing the house, and then retreated to allow the renewed advance of the
bulldozer and the search for the body of Swaiti.
At
approximately 7:00, the bulldozer lifted the body of Swaiti out of the rubble
and dropped it onto a road close to the demolished house before moving it
another 10 m
away. At approximately 7:30, an Israeli soldier fired at least two shots at the
body of Swaiti from a distance of three meters. At approximately 8:00, Israeli
occupation forces left the homes in which they had taken position.
In the
meantime, Palestinian civilians had left their homes and many of them hurried
towards the area of the attack. They carried Swaiti’s body to take it indoors.
However, some people clashed with Israeli forces as they withdrew. Israeli
occupation forces fired at those people using rubber-coated metal bullets,
wounding five Palestinians including a boy and a young woman. The wounded are
as follows:
1. Mohammed Mahmoud Masalmah, 23, wounded
by a bullet to the head;
2. Baha’ Mohammed ‘Akimi el-‘Amareen, 20,
wounded by two bullets to the legs;
3. Hussein Yusuf Swaiti, 18, wounded by a
bullet to the leg;
4. Hammam Isma’el Masalmah, 17, wounded by
two bullets to the legs; and
5. Asma’ Murshed Swaiti, 19, wounded by a
bullet to the right shoulder.
Before their
withdrawal, IOF detained three civilian Palestinians:
1. Maysoon Abdul Jalil el-Rjoob, 33, the
wife of the detainee whose house was targeted.
2. His brother, Ahmed Abdul Aziz Swaiti,
40.
3. His oldest son, Abdul Aziz, 19.
At
approximately 24:00, IOF stationed at a military jeep and site inside the
border strip, in the east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, fire at
dozens of participants in a peaceful demonstration organized by the Popular
Campaign Against the Security Belt in the east of ‘Abasan town. The participants were holding the Palestinian
flag and posters condemning the security belt; when they were few meters away
from the from the said border strip, the Israeli troops fired indiscriminately
at them so as to be dispersed. The demonstration was dispersed without
injuries.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
· At
approximately 1:00, IOF supported with military vehicles moved into
el-‘Obaideya area in the east of Bethlehem. They moved in the streets and broke into many houses, where they
searched them. Before their withdrawal,
IOF delivered Shadi Mohammed Kayed Khalifa, 25, a notice to go to the
Israeli Intelligence Service office in “Etzion”, in the southern Bethlehem.
· At
approximately 11:45, Israeli ground forces, including 30 soldiers, moved
approximately 200 meters
into the north of the industrial zone, which is in the west of Beit Hanoun
(Erez) crossing, in the northwest of Beit Hanoun town, in the northern Gaza
Strip. The Israeli troops fired at a
group of Palestinian workers who were collecting stones and iron bars from the
debris in the area to force them to flee the area in fear for their lives. At approximately 13:00, the Israeli forces
withdrew and no casualties were reported in this incident.
· In
the afternoon, IOF supported with military vehicles broke into the house of
Ra’ed Abdul Qader Hassan el-Shheitat located at the intersection of el-Tabaqa
village, in the west of Dora city, in the southwest of Hebron. IOF turned the house into military position.
The Municipal
sources stated that IOF broke into the two-storey house of el-Shheitat and used
it as an observation point and firing post. After the 20 persons living in the house were detained in one room, IOF
broke into the house and held a checkpoint at the same intersection.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
· At
approximately 1:00, IOF moved into Deir el-‘Asal el-Foqa village, in the far
southwest of Hebron. They started surrounding
the house of Kamel Mohammed Hussein Shawamrah at 30 meters away from the
Annexation Wall in the village. They
also arrested the house owner, Halima Abed Rabu Mohammed Shawamrah, 60.
According to
the testimony of her husband, after IOF broke into the house, they asked about
his wife, Halima, and his son, Nader, 20, who were not at home at that moment. Before their withdrawal, IOF detained his
wife. It should be noted that Halima
suffer from many diseases, including blood pressure and a fracture in the right
leg.
· At
approximately 2:00, IOF moved into Qabatia village, southeast of Jenin. In the
morning, they withdrew and there were no casualties.
· Also
at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Sannour village, southeast of Jenin.
They raided and searched many houses, but no arrests were reported.
· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into
al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched many houses,
but no arrests were reported.
· According
to investigations of PCHR, at approximately 24:00, a peaceful demonstration organized
in el-Shaja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, moving towards the
eastern strip, and condemning the security belt along the border line in the
east of the city. When the demonstration
of 100 persons, including 4 international solidarity activists, reached Nahal
‘Oz crossing, at 150
meters away from the borders, some participants stoned
the Israeli troops stationed at the borders, as a result, they opened fire
towards the participants. The said boy
was wounded by a bullet to the right thigh. He was taken to el-Shifa hospital in Gaza City ; however, his death was
announced at 16:15 due to his wounds.
2. Use of Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrations
IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall
and 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 of the construction of the Wall and settlement activities.
The detainees are as follows:
The wounded are as follows:
1. Emad
Rezqa, 43, from Jaffa, wounded by a tear gas in his head.
2. The
Italian activist, Simone, 30, wounded by a bullet to the right hand.
3. Najah
Hassan Abu Rahma,48, wounded by a tear gas in her back.
4. the
Israeli activist, Dur, 27, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
5. Haytham
Kamal el-Khateeb, 35, wounded by a bullet to the right leg. He works as a cameraman for the popular
committee in Bil’ein.
6. ‘Abbas
Abdul Wahab el-Momani, 34, wounded by a bullet to the right leg. He works as a cameraman for the AFD.
7. Majd
el-Blaj, 22, wounded by a bullet to the right leg.
The wounded are as follows:
1. Khamis
Abdullah ‘Amera, 22, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
2. Mohammed
Hatem Nafi’, 17, wounded by a bullet to the left hand.
3. Sa’eed
Ibrahim Mostafa ‘Amera, 19, wounded by a bullet to the right thigh.
4. Ra’ed
Khalil ‘Amera, 30, wounded by a bullet to the back.
· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 23 April 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Nabil Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. When the demonstrators attempted to reach
land seized by Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement, Israeli
troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, tear gas canisters and
(Skunk Gas) at them. As a result,
Mohammed Mahmoud, 16, was wounded by a bullet to the head; dozens of
demonstrators suffered also from tear gas inhalation, and other sustained
bruises.
· At
approximately 16:00, on Saturday, 24 April 2010, “Youth Against
Settlements” gathering organized a peaceful demonstration in Hebron, due
to the continued closure of el-Shohada’ Street in the center of the city. The demonstration included number of Israeli
and international supporters and ended up with a sit-in at the entrance of
settlement of “Beit Romano” established on the rubble of Osama Ben
Monqeth School in the north of the old town. During the sit-in, groups of settlers from the said settlement
intentionally hampered the activities of the sit-in and the weekly round
organized after every Saturday. These
groups attempted to breakthrough the sit-in area under the protection of
IOF. The demonstrators foiled it before
the Israeli troops attacked them and detained four demonstrators.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 17:10,
the Israeli troops stationed in the area attacked the participants in the
sit-in in an attempt to disperse the demonstrators by force. In the meanwhile, IOF detained three participants,
including the human right activist, Issa Isma’el ‘Amr, 30, who is an activist
in the “Youth Against Settlements”, and two Israeli activists,
Professor Amiel Vardi and Jonathan Pollack. The three detainees were taken to the Israeli police station before the
settlement of Kiryat Arba in the southeast of the city. After few hours, the two Israeli activists
were released, but ‘Amr was kept in detention, where he was charged of
attacking an Israeli soldier. It should
be noted that ‘Amr did not show any violent behavior in the demonstration
according to eyewitnesses and photographs taken. At night of the same day, ‘Amr was
transferred to Ofer Israeli prison in the west of Ramallah.
Israel has 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 over two and a half years. The illegal Israeli-imposed 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.
Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting
Period:
Movement at Rafah
International Crossing Point
21 – 27 April 2010
|
Date |
Details |
|
21 April 2010 |
40 |
|
22 April 2010 |
Two Palestinians |
|
23 April 2010 |
Closed. |
|
24 April 2010 |
|
|
25 April 2010 |
One |
|
26 April 2010 |
Closed. |
|
27 April 2010 |
Three |
Movement at Karm Abu
Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing
21 – 27 April 2010
|
Date |
Category |
Amount |
|
|
Tons |
Liters |
||
|
21 April 2010 |
Foodstuffs |
802 |
|
|
Agricultural materials |
352 |
|
|
|
Various goods |
451 |
|
|
|
Cooking gas |
195,710 |
|
|
|
Industrial fuel |
|
367,400 |
|
|
Benzene |
1995 |
|
|
|
Humanitarian aids |
269 |
|
|
|
22 April 2010 |
Foodstuffs |
671 |
|
|
Agricultural materials |
597 |
|
|
|
Various goods |
410 |
|
|
|
Cooking gas |
196,210 |
|
|
|
Industrial fuel |
|
455,377 |
|
|
Humanitarian aids |
243 |
|
|
|
Foodstuffs |
793 |
|
|
|
Agricultural |
320 |
|
|
|
Various |
316 |
|
|
|
Cooking |
195 |
|
|
|
Industrial |
|
478.000 |
|
|
Humanitarian |
89 |
|
|
|
26 April 2010 |
Foodstuffs |
297 |
|
|
Agricultural materials |
283 |
|
|
|
Various goods |
538 |
|
|
|
Cooking gas |
199 |
|
|
|
Industrial fuel |
|
94000 |
|
|
Industrial fuel (UNRWA) |
|
294000 |
|
|
Benzene (UNRWA) |
|
45000 |
|
|
Humanitarian aids |
191 |
|
|
Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: Israel partially opened the crossing on Wednesday, 21
April 2010, and allowed the entry of 975 tons of wheat and 2,379
tons of fodders.
It was also opened on Thursday, 22 April 2010, and
allowed the entry of 633 tons of wheat and 1,716 tons of fodders. On Monday, 26 April 2010, IOF allowed the
entry of 546 tons of wheat and 1,872 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
21 – 27 April 2010
|
Date |
Patients |
Companions |
Arabs from Israel |
Diplomats |
International |
International |
Travelers abroad |
Traders |
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
21 April 2010 |
52 |
52 |
26 |
10 |
2 |
44 |
2 |
4 |
|
|
22 April 2010 |
32 |
31 |
8 |
9 |
2 |
47 |
5 |
3 |
|
|
23 April 2010 |
1 |
4 |
9 |
Nil |
1 |
10 |
5 |
Nil |
|
|
24 April 2010 |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
|
|
25 April 2010 |
45 |
43 |
17 |
Nil |
2 |
27 |
2 |
6 |
|
|
26 April 2010 |
54 |
51 |
11 |
7 |
Nil |
22 |
Nil |
6 |
|
|
27 April 2010 |
37 |
37 |
2 |
7 |
6 |
35 |
Nil |
8 |
|
During the reporting period, at approximately 9:00,
on Sunday, 25 April 2010, IOF detained ‘A’ed Rafeeq Abdul Jawad Zeyada, 26,
from Beit Lahya Project in the northern Gaza Strip after he was summoned by the
Israeli Intelligence Service at Beit Hanoun crossing. Zeyada was heading to Israel for medical
treatment for he was wounded.
On Saturday evening, 24 April 2010, Zeyada received a
phone call from the of the medical coordination office of the Ministry of
Health asking him to head to go to Beit Hanoun crossing on Sunday morning, 25
April 2010, to have an interview with
IOF. After he went there, he never came
back home. At approximately 20:00 of the
same day, Zeyada’s father received a phone call from IOF informing him that his
son was detained in el-Majdal (Ashkelon)
prison in Israel.
“For more details, see the reports and press
releases published by PCHR on the state of the Gaza Strip’s crossings at the
website.”
The West Bank
Israel has imposed a tightened siege on the West
Bank. During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians.
· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 22 April 2010, Israeli troops
stationed at Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus, imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Sunday morning, 25
April 2010, Israeli troops stationed at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus,
imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.
On Monday, 26
April 2010, IOF some areas in Hebron and held three sudden military checkpoints
at the intersections of (el-Saheb – el-Tahrir – Nemra – el-Mhawwel) in the
south, southwest and east of the city.
Arrests at Military Checkpoints
On Wednesday, 28 April 2010, Israeli troops stationed a checkpoint near
the eastern Barta’a village, in the southwest of Jenin, arrested Mohammed Fo’ad
Abu ‘Abed, 22, from Ya’bed town, in the southwest of the city.
4. 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.
Head of the Joint Services Council of Yatta, Saber
Hussein el-Hareeni, said to PCHR’s researcher that the houses targeted of
demolition are located in “Sha’b el-Butum” and “Ma’in”
areas, which are surrounded by the settlements of ” Eva Hal”, “Metza
Ya’er, and “Sosya” from the eastern and the southeastern
sides. These houses include
“tents” and plastic “arbors distributed previously by the Joint
Council for Services, the Palestinian Hydrology Group and the ” Italian
Voluntary Group”.
These houses belong to the families of: Yusuf Isma’el
el-Najjar, Talab Mosa Abdul Fatah el-Najjar, ‘Ezzat Gebra’il Abdul Rahman
el-Najjar, Mahmoud Mosa el-Najjar, Hatem Mosa Jabareen and Ishaq Mahmoud
Ibrahim Jabareen.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR and
testimony of one of the farmers, ‘Oda Ahmed ‘Oda Sabarnah, who works as an
agricultural engineer, the settlers operating “the station for collecting
wastewater” used for the settlements of “Gush Etzion” had
intentionally pumped the wastewater to tens of dunums of grape farms located in
the northeast of Beit Ummar town. As a
result, approximately 70 dunums of grape farms were sunk and damaged. Besides, tens of “stone” fences
separating between farms were destroyed. These fences reach 250-300 meters.
Sabarnah said that one of the farmers, whose farm was
damaged, had called him to inform him of what had happened, due to which, he went
with one of his colleagues working in the Ministry of Agriculture to the
targeted area in ” Shkhid Valley”, where he observed tens of dunums
sunken with the wastewater. In addition,
at approximately 11:00 he saw that two settlers were still pumping the
wastewater to the said farms. Sabarna
confirmed that grapes in the targeted farms had become unfit for human
consumption. It needs human intervention
to treat the soil to be arable after two years at least.
Sabarnah added that settlers usually pump part of the
wastewater in the said station to the sea, while the other part is treated in t
he station to be sued in watering farms in the settlements in that area. He said that the first farm, which was sunken
in the wastewater, is two meters away from the station. Most of the farms belong to: Ahmed ‘Oda
Msallam Sabarnah, Ibrahim ‘Oda Msallam Sabarnah, Mahmoud ‘Oda Msallam Sabarbah,
Mohammed ‘Oda Msallam Sabarnah, Ahmed Abdul Qader Mohammed Sabarnah, Shhadah
Abdul Fatah Sabarnah, Shehdah Abdul Fatah Sabarnah, Ali Sa’eed Hassan Sabarnah,
Mohammed Hussein Mansour Sabarnah, Khalil Saber Mostafa Sabarnah, Mostafa Saber
Mostafa Sabarnah, Mohammed Saber Mostafa Sabarnah, and Isma’el Saber Mostafa
Sabarnah.
At approximately 10:00, on Friday 23 April 2010, a group of settlers
uprooted 20 olive trees in Qana Valley in the west of Deir Estiya town in the
northwest of Selfeet. These trees belong
to Qasem Naser Mansour and they are located in Kafet el-‘Amoud area.
Eyewitnesses
said that a group of settlers had polluted the pool of ‘Ein el-Basah through
throwing bottles inside it. In the
meanwhile, four settlers tried to attack the sons of Jihad Khaled Mansour:
Fatema, 16, and Waheeb, 14, when they were helping their father in gathering
the orange and lemon in the said area. The settlers expelled them; however, the father defended them and throw
stones on the settlers until they got out of the area. It should be noted that the two children were
not harmed.
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).
