Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian
civilian in Qasra village, southeast of Jenin

 

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

 

A
Palestinian civilian was killed and another 7 ones, including a child, were
wounded by IOF in Qasra village, southeast of Nablus.

 

IOF
continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

 

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

18
Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, and a French human rights defender
were wounded.

 

IOF
conducted 36 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  

IOF
arrested 4 Palestinians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative
Council.

 

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

 

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

IOF
approved the construction of 1,100 housing units in “Gilo” settlement, south of
occupied Jerusalem.

IOF
confiscated 148 dunums[1]
of land in Battir village, west of Bethlehem.

Israeli
settlers burnt 590 trees.

Israeli
settlers placed racist banners against Palestinians on the main roads in the
West Bank.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (22 – 28 September 2011):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF
killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 25 others, including 7 children, and
a French human rights defender in the West Bank.

 

On 23 September 2011, IOF killed a
Palestinian civilian and wounded another 7 ones, including a child, when they
moved into Qasra village, southeast of Nablus, to provide protection to a group
of Israeli settlers who raided Palestinian lands in the village

 

During the reporting period, IOF
used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest
to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall in
the West Bank. As a result, 18
Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, and a French human rights defender
were wounded and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights
defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli gunboats
opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. No fishermen were hurt, but Israeli naval
troops confiscated and damaged some fishing nets. 

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 36 military incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 4 Palestinian
civilians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council who was
arrested by an undercover unit from the yard of the ICRC office in Jerusalem.   

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

Israel
had continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all
border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal
Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since
June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic
situation in the Gaza Strip. 

 

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.

 

These statistics which were made available to
PCHR by the Border and Crossings Department indicate a continued drop in the
number of truckloads of Gaza imports and exports.

 

IOF have continued to impose total ban on the
delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Stri, 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.

 

IOF have continued to prolong the
implementation of their decision to allow 60 cars into Gaza weekly although
more than 11 months have passed since they announced this decision after three
years of ban imposed on the delivery of cars to Gaza. As a result, the prices of cars in Gaza have
been on the rise and local markets experience serious shortage in spare parts.

 

For
approximately four consecutive years, IOF have continued to ban the delivery of
construction materials to Gaza. During the reporting period, IOF approved the
delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of
international organizations.

 

Israel has continued to close Beit
Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip. IOF only allow the movement of limited groups
amidst severe restrictions, including long hours of waiting in the majority of
cases. IOF have also continued to adopt
a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move
via Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or
in the West Bank and Jerusalem. IOF
denied new categories of Gazan patient permission to have access to hospitals
via the crossing.

 

Israel has imposed additional access
restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers
seeking to enter the Gaza Strip.

 

For approximately 51 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.

 

West
Bank

 

IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank,
including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.

 

IOF have established checkpoints in
and around Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian access to the city.
Civilians are frequently prevented from praying in the al-Aqsa Mosque in
Jerusalem.

 

There are approximately 585
permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank.

 

When complete, the illegal
annexation wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further
isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the wall have already been
constructed. Approximately 99% of the wall has been constructed inside the West
Bank itself, confiscating more Palestinian land.

 

At least 65% of the main roads that
lead to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully
controlled by IOF.

There are approximately 500 kilometers of
restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of
the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to
Palestinians without permits issued by IOF. Such permits are extremely
difficult to obtain.

 

IOF continue to harass and assault
demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the
annexation wall.

 

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

 

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 22 September 2011, at least 10
Israeli settlers from “Oufra” settlement, northeast of Ramallah, set fire to
olive and fig trees in Wad Zaghoura area in the west of Deir Jarir
village. At least 40 dunums of
agricultural land, including 100 olive trees and 40 fig trees, were burnt
before villagers were able to extinguish fire.

 

On 24 September 2011, Israeli
settlers raised large banners that had racist slogans against Arabs near some
checkpoints, intersections and the entrances of Palestinian communities. 

 

On the same day, at least 20 Israeli
settlers from “Gilad” settlement, northeast of Qalqilya, moved into Far’ata
village, northeast of Qalqilya. They
threw stones at houses belonging to al-Tawil family. IOF arrived at the area and evacuated the
settlers.

 

On 25 September 2011, Palestinian
farmers in Qasra village, southeast of Nablus, found that Israeli settlers had
uprooted 400 trees in Shu’ab al-Kharab area, which is located nearly 1,500
meters away from “Yish Kodish” settlement.

 

On the same day, Palestinian farmers
in Douma village, southeast of Nablus, found that Israeli settlers had uprooted
150 trees in Shu’ab al-Kharab area, which is located nearly 1,500 meters away
from “Yish Kodish” settlement. 

 

On the same day, IOF moved into
Magharat al-Dab’a village, south of Qalqilya. They handed a notice to Hani Manasra ordering him to stop establishing a
greenhouse in the village.

 

On the same day, Israeli settlers
living in settlement communities inside and around Hebron launched a series of
attacks against Palestinian civilians. In this context, a Palestinian civilian sustained burns to the eyes, the
shoulder and the neck, and bruises throughout the body. 

 

On the same day, during the funeral
procession of two Israeli settlers who died in a car accident in the weekend to
the Jewish cemetery near Tal Rumaida neighborhood in the center of Hebron,
dozens of settlers attacked Palestinian houses using stones and empty bottles. Windows and doors of two houses were
damaged. IOF were present in the area,
but did not intervene to stop the attack.

 

On 27 September 2011, a number of
Israeli settlers raised racist banners against Palestinians on Tulkarm-Nablus
road and near Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm. 

 

During the reporting period, the
Israeli District Planning and Construction Committee approved a plane to
construct 1,100 housing units in “Gilo” settlement, south of Jerusalem. The plan included the establishment of a
footpath, a school, public buildings and an industrial zone. The units would be established on a 620-dunum
area of land, and that those units constitute the first stage of a wider plan,
as additional 600 units would be established in the future. It should be noted that the construction of
942 units was approved last August.

 

On 28 September 2011, IOF handed
notices to Palestinian civilians in Battir village, west of Bethlehem, ordering
confiscation of 148 dunums of land planted with fruits, olives and vegetables
belonging to at least 40 Palestinian families. 

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (22 – 28 September 2011)

 

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

 

Thursday, 22 September 2011

 

At
approximately 07:45, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahi beach in
the in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats which
were near the shore. At approximately 08:00, IOF boats approached the shore and
destroyed fishing nets owned by Palestinian fishermen and pulled some fishing
nets into the sea. As the Israeli boats
approached the shore, Palestinian fishermen fled the area in fear for their
lives leaving their equipment and fishing tools in the sea or at the beach. No
casualties were reported. Palestinian fishermen who lost their fishing nets
include: Qussai Mohammed Abed al-Sultan, 33; Ramadan Ghaleb Ramadan al-Sultan,
36; Mu’nis Abed Ramadan Zayed, 34; Ahed Ziad Mahmoud Zayed, 34; and Subuh
Mohammed Hassan al-Sultan, 50, who all live in Beit Lahia.

 

It
should be noted that Israeli gunboats carried out a similar attack on Tuesday
morning, 20 September 2011, when they fired at Palestinian fishermen and at
their boats, destroyed some fishing nets and pulled some other nets into the
sea.  Such attacks result in the loss of
fishermen’s living resources and put their lives at risk.

 

At
approximately 19:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At
approximately 20:40, IOF moved into al-Hfaira village, southeast of Jenin. 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 Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. 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 Toura al-Gharbiya village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

Also
at approximately 22:30, IOF moved into al-Khiljan village, southwest of
Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 23:15, IOF moved into the area located between Sanour al-Zawia
villages, south of Jenin. According to
witnesses, sounds of shooting were heard in the area. IOF withdrew later, and no casualties were
reported. 

 

Friday,
23 September 2011

 

At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah.  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 Beit Siera village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later. No arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 12:00, IOF moved
into Deir Ballout village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew at approximately 13:00. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

In the afternoon, IOF killed a
Palestinian civilian and wounded another seven ones when they moved into Qasra
village, southeast of Nablus, to provide protection to a group of Israeli
settlers who raided Palestinian lands in the village.

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately
13:10 following the Friday prayers, Palestinian civilians from Qasra village
noticed that a group of Israeli settlers from “Yish Kodish”
settlement moved into al-We’ar area (al-Marah 2) in the south of Qasra
village. The settlers who were holding
Israeli flags gathered on a plot belonging to Dr. Samir Mustafa Ibrahim Hassan
who is originally from Qasra village, but currently lives in occupied
Jerusalem. Palestinian civilians gathered and walked towards the mentioned
area. When Israeli who were positioned
in a tent that they installed on a hill in (al-Marah 2) area nearly 100-120
meters from the settlers, saw the Palestinian gathering, seven soldiers left
the tent and erected a checkpoint. The
settlers were gathering just 40 meters behind the soldiers. The Israeli soldiers ordered the Palestinian
civilians to go back to the village, but they refused and requested that the
settlers leave the Palestinian land. A
dispute erupted between the soldiers and the Palestinian civilians. A few minutes later, IOF’s backups arrived at
the scene. An officer stepped down from
one of the military vehicles and asked the soldiers to give the Palestinians
two minutes to leave the area. He
instructed the soldiers to fire tear gas canisters at the Palestinians if they
did not obey orders to leave the area. The Palestinian civilians refused to obey IOF’s orders. IOF immediately attacked them and fired more
than 50 tear gas canisters at them. They fled to the nearest house in the
village. Additional IOF’s backups
arrived at the scene and confronted with the Palestinians who threw stones at
IOF. The serious confrontations took
place near al-Dowwar and al-Khazan areas in the south of Qasra village. The confrontations lasted for three hours and
IOF fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets against the Palestinian
civilians.  At approximately 16:20, IOF
extensively fired tear gas canisters at the Palestinian demonstrators near
al-Khazan area and opened fire at one of the demonstrators, directly wounding
him.  The wounded Palestinian was identified
as Isam Kamal Abed Badran, 37. He was
hit by a bullet that entered the right side and exited from the left shoulder
and was transferred to Rafidya Hospital in Nablus.  Badran died despite doctors’ attempts to save
his life.  Another seven civilians,
including a child, were wounded in the confrontations:

 

1- Hamza Yousef Hassan, 25, wounded
a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left ear;

2- Sadiq Mohammed Farah, 21, wounded
by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the neck;

3- Mohammed Ammar Oudeh, 16,
sustained burns in the abdomen as he was directly hit by a tear gas canister;

4- Jawad Shaher Hassan, 18, wounded
by a bullet to the hand;

5- Rami Yousef Fayez, 38, wounded by
a bullet to the hand;

6- Samer Mohammed Kharyoush, 22, wounded
by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the pelvis; and

7-  Yousef Mohammed Misbah, 20, wounded by two
bullets to the legs.

 

During this attack by Israeli settlers on Qasra village, Israeli
soldiers tortured two young men and let the settlers to throw stones at one of
them.

 

In his testimony to PCHR, ‘Ammar Samer Masameer, 18, stated:

 

“Following the Friday Prayer on 23 September
2011, while I was at home in al-Kazan area in the south of Qasra village,
southeast of Nablus, I heard loudspeakers of mosques in the village calling on
people to go to al-We’ar and Bassilta areas in the south of the village as
Israeli settlers attacked agricultural lands. I immediately headed to these areas together with other men. When I arrived there, I saw 17-20 settlers
uprooting trees belonging to Bahjat Fawzi Hassan. When they saw us, the settlers threw stones
at us, and we responded by throwing stones at them. Soon, two Israeli military arrived and
stopped behind us. Israeli soldiers
stepped down and surrounded us. Israeli
soldiers caught Fat’hi Fayez Hassan, 14, and me. They forced me to sit down and handcuffed
me. Immediately, I saw a settler coming
towards me and picking up a stone. I
realized that he was intending to hit me. I attempted to stand up, but a soldier hit my head with his gun butt. The settler approached me and hit my right
eye with the stone. Blood covered my
face. The soldiers then pushed me down
and violently beat me. Soon after, a
soldier pulled me towards a military jeep. He handcuffed me and pushed me into the jeep. The soldiers then brought another young man
into the jeep and violently beat him. They transported us towards the mountain. There, they took us out of the jeep. They violently beat us.”

  

At
approximately 18:30, IOF moved into Jericho. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 21:00, IOF moved into al-Zawia village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Zeita village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets and established
a checkpoint at the entrance of the village. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. They withdrew later and neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At
approximately 22:30, IOF moved into the area located between Brouqin and Kufor
al-Dik villages, west of Salfit. They
searched the area for some time and withdrew later.

 

Saturday, 24 September 2011

 

At approximately 00:00, IOF moved
into al-Bireh town. 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 ‘Ein al-Sultan refugee camp, northwest of Jericho. 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 Qarawat Bani Zaid village, northwest of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 14:25, IOF moved
into Hijja village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 17:30, 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.

 

Also at approximately 17:30, IOF
moved into Far’ata village, northeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:00, IOF moved
into Zeita village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Sunday, 25 September 2011

 

At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 19:45, IOF moved
into ‘Izbat al-Tabib village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 20:00, IOF moved
into the area located between Thinnaba suburb and Kufor al-Labad village, east
of Tulkarm. They searched the area for
some time and withdrew later.

 

At approximately 21:10, IOF moved
into Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported. 

 

Monday, 26 September 2011

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved
into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:30, a number of
Israeli civilian vehicles stopped near the ICRC office in Sheikh Jarrah
neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem. A
number of persons stepped down and fabricated a quarrel. ICRC security officers and a number of
Palestinians who were gathering in a sit-in tent established by members of the
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), who are threatened to be expelled from
Jerusalem. PLC Member, Ahmed Mohammed
‘Attoun, who was preparing for a press conference stood in front of the
tent. Soon, the quarrelers moved into
the yard of the ICRC office and arrested ‘Atwan. The quarrelers were members of an IOF
undercover unit. Other PLC members
survived the raid because they were away from the tent.

 

At approximately 14:30, 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 19:20, 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 22:55, IOF moved
into Bidya village, west of Salfit. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

 

At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Brouqin village, west of
Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

 

1- Ussama Jamal al-Shua’ibi, 25; and

2- ‘Othman Jamal al-Shu’aibi, 20.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved
into ‘Izbat Shoufa village, southeast of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

At approximately 14:45, IOF moved
into Seer village, south of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 14:45, IOF
moved into al-Jdaida village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. Neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 20:30, IOF moved
into Seer village, south of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Wednesday, 28 September 2011

 

At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Jdaida village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested Mahmoud ‘Abdul Raziq Jarrar, 21.

 

At
approximately 04:30, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahia beach in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. Palestinian fishermen were forced to flee
towards the beach. No casualties were
reported.

 

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, 18 Palestinian
civilians, including 6 children, and a French human rights defender were
wounded. Additionally, dozens of Palestinian
civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation and
others sustained bruises. 

   

Following the Friday Prayer on 23
September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli
human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village,
west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. They raised the Palestinian flag and chanted
slogans calling for ending the occupation and annexation wall and release of
all Palestinian prisoners. Moreover, the
demonstrators chanted “194 is the State of Palestine” and released
balloons and kites having the colors of the Palestinian flag. They raised banners calling the world for the
recognition of the State of Palestine and carried the Libyan uprising flags and
an American flag on which (veto) was written. They then moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli
High Court ordered to be returned to their Palestinian owners. When they reached (Abu Lemon) nature
preserve, the demonstrators walked along the wall and released the balloons and
kites. The demonstrators also used
megaphones to call on Israeli settlers living in “Mitityaho Mizrach” settlement
to leave it. 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 23
September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human
rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of
Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the annexation wall. They chanted slogans calling for Palestinian
reconciliation, adherence to the Palestinian inalienable rights and resistance
of the occupation. Additionally, they
chanted “194 is the State of Palestine” and other slogans against the
American President and his speech at the United Nations that was defended the
Israeli occupation.  They clashed with
Israeli troops positioned near the annexation wall. Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 23
September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli
human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village,
northwest of Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations and settlement
activities. They raised the Palestinian
flag, chanted slogans against the USA, called for ending the occupation and
chanted “194 is the State of Palestine”. When the demonstrators attempted to reach
areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement,
Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas
canisters at them. As a result, Jihad
Mohammed Tamimi, 22, was wounded by a bullet to the head, and the French
activist, Chris Hoppy, 38, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right
leg. They were both transported to
Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah for medical treatment. A number of demonstrators also suffered from
tear gas inhalation and other sustained bruises. 

 

Also following the Friday Prayer on 23
September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians from Ramallah and al-Bireh and
human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration at the entrance of
Qalandya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, in support to the Palestinian
leadership’s demand of recognition for the Palestinian statehood by the United
Nations. They moved towards Qalandya
checkpoint. They set fire to tires and
threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at the
demonstrators. As a result, 17
Palestinians, including six children, were wounded and transported to Palestine
Medical Complex in Ramallah. Additionally, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas
inhalation. (PCHR keeps the names of the
wounded).

 

At approximately 13:30, following
the Friday Prayer on 23 September 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of
Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya. They moved towards the eastern entrance of the village, in protest
against the permanent closure of the entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada. Israeli soldiers fired sound bombs and tear
gas canisters at demonstrators. As a
result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

 

3. Continued
Closure of the OPT

 

Israel has continued to impose a tightened closure of the OPT and
imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza
Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all
border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal
Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since
June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic
situation in the Gaza Strip. The illegal closure has caused not only a
humanitarian crisis but a crisis of human rights and human dignity for the
population of the Gaza Strip. Measures declared recently to ease the
blockade are vague, purely cosmetic and fail to deal with the root causes of
the crisis, which can only be addressed by an immediate and complete lifting of
the closure, including lifting the travel ban into and out of the Gaza Strip
and the ban on exports. PCHR is concerned that the new Israeli policy is simply
shifting Gaza to another form of illegal blockade, one that may become internationally
accepted and institutionalized. Palestinians in Gaza may no longer suffer from
the same shortage of goods, but they will remain economically dependent and
unable to care for themselves, and socially, culturally and academically
isolated from the rest of the world.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

21 –
27 September 2011

 

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

21 –
27 September 2011

Imports:

 

 

Notes:

 

On Wednesday, 21 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 200 tons of cement, 3,220 tons of construction aggregate, 116
tons of construction steel and 7 tons of tar for UNRWA. They also allowed the entry of 1,131 tons of wheat.

 

On Thursday, 22 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 120 tons of cement, 2,800 tons of construction aggregate
for UNRWA, and 101 tons of construction steel for the Palestinian Water
Authority. They also allowed the entry
of 1,170 tons of fodders.

 

On Sunday, 25 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 680 tons of cement, 2,250 tons of construction aggregate
and 45 tons of construction steel for UNRWA. They also allowed the entry of 1,209 tons of wheat.

 

On Monday, 26 September 2011, IOF
allowed the entry of 733 tons of cement, 2,030 tons of construction aggregate
and 17 tons of construction steel of UNRWA, 480 tons of cement for the Palestinian
Water Authority and 910 tons of construction aggregate for UNDP. They also allowed the entry of 1,014 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 September 2011

 

 

The West Bank

 

Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the
reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians.

 

Jerusalem: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city.
Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have
been denied access to the city. IOF have established many checkpoints around
and inside the city. Restrictions of the
movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim
Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque. 

 

Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of the Palestinian civilians in Ramallah. At approximately 11:40 on Friday, 23 September 2011, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Rantis village, west of Ramallah. At approximately 17:30 on the same day, they
re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. At approximately 17:50, IOF established a
checkpoint at Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa intersection, southwest of Ramallah. At approximately 09:30 on Saturday, 24
September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha al-Misbah Bridge,
southwest of Ramallah. At approximately
11:00 on Sunday, 25 September 2011, IOF re-established their presence at
‘Attarah checkpoint, north of Ramallah. In the meanwhile, they established a checkpoint near ‘Oyoun al-Haramiya intersection
on Ramallah-Nablus road.   

 

Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians. On Friday, 23
September 2011, IOF established a number of checkpoints inside and around
Hebron. At approximately 14:00 on
Sunday, 25 September 2011, IOF closed a number of roads in the south and
southeast of Hebron to secure the funeral procession of two Israeli settlers
who were killed in a car accident. They
forced Palestinian civilians to close their shops and turned a number of houses
into observation points. On Tuesday morning, 27 September 2011, IOF ordered the
closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque for Palestinians on Thursday and Friday, 29 and
20 September 2011 for celebration of the new Hebrew year. 

 

Qalqilya: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Friday, 23 September 2011, IOF established
9 checkpoints around the town. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian
vehicles. At approximately 09:20 on Monday, 26 September 2011, IOF established
a checkpoint at the entrance of Jainsafout village, east of Qalqilya. At approximately 15:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at Jeet intersection, northeast of Qalqilya.       

 

Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians. At
approximately 14:30 on Thursday, 22 September 2011, IOF established a
checkpoint on Tulkarm-Qalqilya road. At
approximately 08:30 on Friday, 23 September 2011, IOF imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians through Ennab checkpoint,
east of Tulkarm. At approximately 14:15,
IOF established a checkpoint near Far’oun intersection, south of Tulkarm. At
approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 24 September 2011, IOF imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians through Ennab checkpoint,
east of Tulkarm. At approximately 11:45
on Sunday, 25 September 2011, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians through Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm. At approximately 21:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at al-Ras intersection, south of Tulkarm. At approximately 18:00 on Monday, 26
September 2011, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians through Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm. At approximately 22:30 on Tuesday, 27
September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint between Jour and Beit Leed
villages, southeast of Tulkarm.   

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 18:00 on Friday, 23 September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of al-‘Araqa village, west of Jenin. At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 24 September
2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Arraba village, south of
Jenin. At approximately 12:30, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Jaba’ village, south of Jenin. At approximately 20:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Kfiret village, south of Jenin. At approximately 14:00 on Tuesday, 27
September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint between Sanour and al-Jarba
villages, south of Jenin.

 

Jericho: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:30 on Saturday, 24
September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Jiftlek
village, north of Jericho. At
approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 25 September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at
the southern entrance of Jericho.    

 

Salfit: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Friday, 23 September 2011, IOF established
10 checkpoints around the town. On
Saturday, 24 September 2011, IOF established 5 checkpoints around the
town. At approximately 06:25 on Monday,
26 September 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Brouqin
village, west of Salfit. 

 

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.

 

At
approximately 15:30 on Thursday, 22 September 2011, at least 10 Israeli
settlers from “Oufra” settlement, northeast of Ramallah, set fire to olive and
fig trees in Wad Zaghoura area in the west of Deir Jarir village. At least 40 dunums of agricultural land,
including 100 olive trees and 40 fig trees, were burnt before villagers were
able to extinguish fire.

 

On
Saturday, 24 September 2011, Israeli settlers raised large banners that had
racist slogans against Arabs near some checkpoints, intersections and the
entrances of Palestinian communities.  

 

At
approximately 17:30 also on Saturday, at least 20 Israeli settlers from “Gilad”
settlement, northeast of Qalqilya, moved into Far’ata village, northeast of
Qalqilya. They threw stones at houses
belonging to al-Tawil family. IOF
arrived at the area and evacuated the settlers.

 

On
Sunday morning, 25 September 2011, Palestinian farmers in Qasra village,
southeast of Nablus, found that Israeli settlers had uprooted 400 trees in
Shu’ab al-Kharab area, which is located nearly 1,500 meters away from “Yish
Kodish” settlement.

 

Also
on Sunday morning, Palestinian farmers in Douma village, southeast of Nablus,
found that Israeli settlers had uprooted 150 trees in Shu’ab al-Kharab area,
which is located nearly 1,500 meters away from “Yish Kodish” settlement.  

 

At
approximately 10:05 on Sunday, IOF moved into Magharat al-Dab’a village, south
of Qalqilya. They handed a notice to
Hani Manasra ordering him to stop establishing a greenhouse in the village.

 

On
Sunday evening, Israeli settlers living in settlement communities inside and
around Hebron launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians. In this context, Ra’ed Jihad Abu Ermaila, 38,
sustained burns to the eyes, the shoulder and the neck, and bruises throughout
the body. Israeli settlers stopped Abu
Ermaila and his child, 7-year-old Ussama, near the Ibrahimi Mosque and threw
stones at them. The settlers then
violently beat the father and sprinkled an incendiary gas onto him. Relatives of Abu Ermaila were then able to
evacuate him to the hospital. It should
be noted that IOF are permanently present in this area.

 

Also
on Sunday evening, during the funeral procession of two Israeli settlers who
died in a car accident in the weekend to the Jewish cemetery near Tal Rumaida
neighborhood in the center of Hebron, dozens of settlers attacked Palestinian
houses using stones and empty bottles. Windows and doors of two houses were damaged. IOF were present in the area, but did not
intervene to stop the attack.

 

At
approximately 09:30 on Tuesday, 27 September 2011, a number of Israeli settlers
raised racist banners against Palestinians on Tulkarm-Nablus road and near
Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm. 

 

During
the reporting period, the Israeli District Planning and Construction Committee
approved a plane to construct 1,100 housing units in “Gilo” settlement, south
of Jerusalem. The plan included the
establishment of a footpath, a school, public buildings and an industrial
zone. The Israeli Ministry of Interior
issued a press release on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 stated that the committee
approve the plan, which would be open for objections for 60 days. According to Ahmed Sab Laban, a researcher in
settlement issues, stated that the units would be established on a 620-dunum
area of land, and that those units constitute the first stage of a wider plan,
as additional 600 units would be established in the future. It should be noted that the construction of
942 units was approved last August.

 

On
Wednesday, 28 September 2011, IOF handed notices to Palestinian civilians in
Battir village, west of Bethlehem, ordering confiscation of 148 dunums of land
planted with fruits, olives and vegetables belonging to at least 40 Palestinian
families. 

 

 

………………………………………………………

 

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

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