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

· 15 Palestinians were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank.

· Six of the victims were extra-judicially executed by IOF in
the central and southern Gaza Strip.

· 18 Palestinians and an Israeli human rights defender were
wounded by IOF in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

· IOF conducted 29 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank, and one into the Gaza Strip.

· IOF arrested 28 Palestinian civilians, including 3
children, in the West Bank.

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

· IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.

· 2 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a woman, were
arrested by IOF at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

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

· The construction of 1,300 housing units in the “Ramat
Shlomo” settlement in Jerusalem was approved.

· IOF seized 356 donums[1]
of land in Kherabt Samara village near Tubas to establish a military training
site.

· Two Palestinian civilians were injured by Israeli settlers.

Summary

Israeli violations of
international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT, especially in the
Gaza Strip, during the reporting period (12 – 18 June 2008):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF
killed 15 Palestinians and wounded 11 others in the Gaza Strip.

On 12 June, IOF killed
5 Palestinian resistance activists and wounded 2 others in separate 3 incidents
of air strikes and shooting in Beit Lahia and Jabalia towns in the northern
Gaza Strip and Khuza’a village in the southern Gaza Strip. On 15 June, IOF killed
4 Palestinian resistance activists and wounded 4 others in Khuza’a village in
the southern Gaza Strip, and in Gaza City. On 17 June, IOF extra-judicially
executed 6 members of the Army of Islam and wounded 2 others as well as 3
civilian bystanders in two separate attacks in the central and southern Gaza
Strip. IOF aircrafts attacked two cars in the which the victims were
traveling. 

In the West Bank, seven
Palestinian civilians, including a child, and an Israeli human rights defender
were wounded by IOF.

On 13 June, a
Palestinian civilian was wounded when IOF moved into al-Far’a refugee camp,
south of Tuabs, and opened fire indiscriminately.  On the same day, a Palestinian civilian and an
Israeli human rights defender were wounded when IOF used force to disperse a
peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and
Israeli human rights defenders in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest
to the construction of the Annexation Wall. On 14 June, 4 Palestinian civilians
were wounded when IOF moved into al-Dehaisha refugee camp, south of Bethlehem,
and fired at dozens of children and young men who threw stones at military
vehicles. On 16 June, a Palestinian child was wounded when IOF moved into ‘Anabta
village, east of Tulkarm, and fired at dozens of children who threw stones at
military vehicles.

Incursions: During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 29 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested
28 Palestinian civilians, including three children. 1,334 Palestinian civilians
have been arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008.

In the Gaza Strip, On
16 June, IOF moved into Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, after they had
killed 3 activists of the Palestinian resistance. IOF leveled land and opened
fire indiscriminately.

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

Gaza Strip

IOF have continued to
close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The IOF siege
of Gaza, which has tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on
the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and has violated the human,
economic and social rights of the approximately 1.5 million Palestinian
civilian population, particularly their rights to appropriate living conditions,
health and education. The siege has also paralyzed the Gazan economy. In
addition, the siege has severely impacted the flow of food, medical supplies
and other necessities such as fuel, construction materials and raw materials
for various economic sectors. IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw
materials into the Gaza Strip, and many factories have been forced to close.
Severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the entire Palestinian
civilian population. Regarding civilian movements, IOF permit very few
Palestinian civilians to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in order to
travel to the West Bank or Israel. Rafah International Crossing Point in the
southern Gaza Strip is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world
via a country other than Israel. IOF have closed Rafah International Crossing
Point, even though they do not directly control it. They have prevented
European observers working at the crossing point from reaching it. The closure
of these border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the
Gaza Strip of their inalienable rights to freedom of movement, education and
health. IOF also imposes restrictions on Gaza fishermen, using force to impose
severe restrictions on their rights to fish on their own coastline.

West Bank

Contrary to Israeli
claims of easing restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians, IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians throughout the West Bank. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to Jerusalem. IOF have
established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the
movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them
from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF often violently assault Palestinian
civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city. IOF have also tightened
the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF
positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF also erected
more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During
the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints in the West
Bank arrested two Palestinian civilians.

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement
activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT have, in violation of
international humanitarian and human rights law, continued to attack
Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, the Israeli
District Construction and Planning Committee in Jerusalem approved the
construction of 1,300 housing unit in “Ramat Shlomo” settlement near Beit
Hanina neighborhood in the north of East Jerusalem. According to the Israeli
daily newspaper, Ha’aretz, the number of housing units in East Jerusalem whose
construction has been completed or approved since the Annapolis peace
conference, has mounted to 7,974. On 15 June, IOF handed notices to a number of
Palestinian civilians in Kherbat Samra village, east of Tubas, informing them
that 356 donums of their land would be seized for the purpose of establishing a
military training site. On 12 June,

two Palestinian civilians were injured by Israeli
settlers in Hawara village, south of Nablus.

Israeli Violations Documented during
the Reporting Period (12 – 18 June 2008)

The full report is available PDF format.