Relatives
of a Palestinian who was killed by an Israeli air strike mourn during his
funeral in Gaza City, Tuesday, June 29, 2010.

 

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

 

· Two
Palestinian civilians and a resistance activist were killed by Israeli forces
in the Gaza Strip.

-One civilian was wounded in the
southern Gaza Strip.

· Israeli
forces continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip.

– Two
civilians, including a child, were injured West Bank.

– Dozens
of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation in the West.

– Israeli
forces arrested three human rights defenders.

 

· Israeli
forces continued to fire at Palestinian farmers and workers in border areas of
the Gaza Strip.

 

· Israeli
forces conducted thirteen incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank
and four limited incursions into the Gaza Strip.

– Israeli
forces arrested nineteen Palestinian civilians, including a child and a girl
and her father in the West Bank.

 

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

– Israeli
troops stationed at military checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank
arrested five Palestinian civilians.

 

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

– The
construction of 1,400 hotel rooms near Habal al-Mukabber area in Jerusalem was
approved. 

– A
Palestinian child was wounded in the eye and a number of children and women
suffered from tear gas inhalation fired by Israeli forces in Silwan village.

 

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

-Israeli forces ordered the demolition
of ten houses and two farms in Hebron. 

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and
humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (24 – 30 June
2010):

 

Shooting: During
the reporting period, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian civilians and a
resistance activist in the Gaza Strip. They also wounded four civilians, including two children, in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip.  

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 25 June 2010, two Palestinian
civilians were killed and a third was wounded when Israeli warplanes bombarded
a tunnel in al-Shouka village, southeast of Rafah. 

 

On 28 June 2010, Israeli troops positioned at the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza City, killed an activist
of the Palestinian resistance after a resistance group fired had fired at Israeli
forces. 

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces fired at
Palestinian workers who were collecting construction materials. No casualties were reported. 

 

In the West Bank, Israeli forces used excessive force
to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians in
protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. As a result, two civilians, including a
child, were injured. Israeli forces also
violently beat a number of demonstrators. 

 

On 27 June 2010, a Palestinian child was struck by in
the eye by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli forces in Silwan village in
Jerusalem, losing his eye as a result. A
number of civilians, mostly children and women also suffered from tear gas
inhalation.

 

Incursions: During
the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least thirteen military
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they
arrested nineteen Palestinian civilians, including a child and a girl. Israeli forces also arrested three human
rights defenders.

 

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted four
limited incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they searched these
area.

 

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 approximately three 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.  

 

· On
Friday, 01 January 2010, Israeli forces decided to close Nahal Ouz crossing
permanently and to divert the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem
Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, citing security reasons. 

 

· 1.5
million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of
movement and the right to appropriate living conditions, work, health and
education.

 

· The principle concern of the population
of the Gaza Strip is to obtain basic necessities: food, medicine, 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 since 10 December 2008, excluding limited amounts of
cooking gas and energy fuel for Gaza Power Plant.

 

· The Rafah International Crossing Point
has been opened on only 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. Israel has prevented representatives of several
international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

· At least 800 Palestinian prisoners from
Gaza in Israeli jails have been deprived of family visitation for more than two
and a half years. 

 

· Israeli forces have continued to attack
Palestinian fishermen along the coast of the Gaza Strip.

 

West Bank

 

Israel has 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.

 

· Israeli
forces 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 Israeli forces 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 eighteen Palestinian communities in
the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by Israeli forces (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 Israeli
forces; these permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

 

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

 

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

 

Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic
Majority in Jerusalem: Israeli forces have continued to take
measures at creating a Jewish majority in Jerusalem. 

 

During the reporting period, Israeli sources revealed
that the Israeli District Committee of Organization and Construction approved
the construction of 1,400 hotel rooms near the Jabal al-Mukabber area in East
Jerusalem. According to Israeli Channel
10, the committee approved the construction of a 1,400-room hotel in Armon
Hanatziv area in the east of the city. The area where the rooms would be established had not been under Israeli
control before 1967. 

 

On 26 June 2010, dozens of armed Israeli settlers
attacked a house belonging to Mohammed Abu Nab in Silwan village to the south
of the old city of Jerusalem, in an attempt to seize it, but Palestinian
civilians were able to repel them. 

 

On 29 June 2010, a bulldozer of the Israeli
Municipality of Jerusalem, escorted by Israeli forces, established a sand
barrier in the Um al-Seksek and al-Za’farana areas in al-‘Eissawiya village in
East Jerusalem, seizing at least 200 donums of land for the Israeli National
Parks Protection Department. Thus, the
areas of land seized by Israeli forces for the Parks Department totalled to 660
donums. 

 

Settlement Activities: Israel has continued its settlement activities in
the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law. Israeli settlers have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

 

29 June 2010, Israeli
forces handed twelve notices to Palestinian civilians ordering stopping
construction works in ten houses and two farms in al-Burj village, claiming
that they were built without licenses. These facilities are located nearly 500 meters away from the annexation
wall.

 

 

 

Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (24 – 30 June 2010)

 

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

 

Thursday, 24 June 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Duhaisha refugee camp, south of
Bethlehem. They raided and searched a
house belonging to the family of ‘Abdullah Nayef Ramadan, 20, and arrested him.

 

· Also
at approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Ebayat village, southeast
of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a
house belonging to the family of ‘Awadh Mohammed ‘Ebayat, 40, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 08:20, Israeli forces moved nearly 400 meters into al-Amal
quarter in the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. They leveled areas of Palestinian land, which
they had already razed. 

 

· At
approximately 09:00, Israeli forces moved nearly 300 meters into the east of
‘Abassan village, located to the east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan
Yunis. They leveled areas of Palestinian
land, which they had already razed. The
Israeli forces then pulled back towards the border between the Gaza Strip and
Israel.

 

· At
approximately 19:00, Israeli forces moved into Surda village, north of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for
some time and later withdrew. No arrests
were reported.

 

Friday, 25 June
2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to
‘Ali Mohammed al-Dadu, 54. They arrested
al-Dadu’s daughter, 19-year-old Yasmine, and confiscated three portables and
disks and ordered Mr. al-Dadu to appear at the Israeli District Liaison Office
in the west of Tulkarm on Sunday, 27 June 2010. At approximately 10:30 on Sunday, Mr. al-Dadu went to the site. At approximately 15:30, Israeli forces phoned
Mr. al-Dadu’s son, demanding him to bring his father’s medicines because his
father was detained. Mr. al-Dadu is a
trader of carpets, and his other son, 26-year-old Diaa’, had been arrested by Israeli
forces at al-Karama International Crossing Point on the Jordanian border, a few
hours earlier on Friday.

 

· At
approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Qabatya village, southeast of
Jenin. They raided and searched a number
of houses and arrested Ibrahim Helmi Kmail, 30, and his brother ‘Abdul Karim,
20. 

 

· At
approximately 02:15, Israeli warplanes dropped a bomb on an area in the east of
the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya. No casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 02:50, Israeli warplanes dropped a bomb of a tunnel in al-Shouka
village near Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, south
of Rafah. Five minutes later, they
dropped a bomb on the same tunnel. As a
results, two workers in the tunnel were killed:

 

1. ‘Aamer ‘Atwa Abu Hadid, 23, from Rafah,
hit by shrapnel throughout the body; and

2. Mohammed Fawzi Abu Suhaiban, 28, from
Gaza City, hit by shrapnel throughout the body.

 

A third worker, Mohammed Ghazi Abu Khatla, 21, was
seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body and his left hand was badly
cut.

 

· At
approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into ‘Ourif village, south of
Nablus. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested three Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Hamdallah Zaidan al-Safadi, 22;

2. Khaled Yousef al-Safadi, 21; and

3. Ayman Yousef Sabbah, 26, a teacher.

 

· Also
at approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into the village of Beita, south
of Nablus. They raided and searched a
number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 20:30, Israeli forces moved into the city of al-Bireh. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

Saturday, 26 June 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into the city of Jenin and the
refugee camp there. They raided and
searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

Sunday, 27 June 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into the village of al-Sammou’, south
of Hebron. They raided and searched a
house belonging to ‘Ata Salama al-Badarin, but no arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 28 June 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:00, Israeli forces moved into Jabal al-Rahma neighborhood in
the center of Hebron. They raided and
searched a house belonging to the family of Yousef Ghazi Salhab, 21, and
arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into the village of Northern ‘Assira,
north of Nablus. They raided and
searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 17:30, Israeli troops stationed at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel fired an artillery shell at activists of the Palestinian
resistance in the east of al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza
City. As a result, Bassam Ibrahim
Mahmoud Badwan, 30, was killed by shrapnel throughout the body.

 

 

 

Tuesday, 29 June 2010

 

· At
approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into the village of Silwad, northeast
of Ramallah. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested nine Palestinian civilians, including a child:

 

1. Khaled Tariq Hamed, 19;

2. Qussai Lutfi Hamed, 17;

3. Ahmed ‘Aahed Hamed, 18;

4. Mohammed Fares ‘Eissa, 23;

5. Rami Radwan Yousef, 18;

6. Mahmoud ‘Abdul Basset Hamed, 18;

7. ‘Abed Salah Hammad, 30;

8. Hashem Mohammed Hammad, 26; and

9. ‘Abdullah Daoud Hammad, 23.

 

· At
approximately 10:00, Israeli forces moved nearly 300 meters into Bourat Abu
Samra area in the northern town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. They searched and patrolled in the area until
17:00, during which time they opened fire sporadically. No casualties were reported.

 

Wednesday, 30 June 2010

 

· At
approximately 07:00, Israeli troops positioned on observation towers near Beit
Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian
workers who were collecting raw construction materials.  No casualties were reported.

 

· Also
at approximately 07:00, an Israeli infantry unit moved nearly 250 meters into
Bourat Abu Samra area in the north of Beit Lahia, located in the northern Gaza
Strip. Israeli troops opened fire at
Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the
location where Israeli settlements existed in 2005. The workers subsequently fled from the
area. At approximately 10:10, a heavy
explosion was heard in the area. Israeli
troops pulled back towards the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel at
approximately 11:15.

 

2. Use of Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrations Protesting
Settlement Activities and the Construction of the Annexation Wall

 

During the reporting
period, Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations
organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights
defenders in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall and settlement
activities. Four Palestinian civilians
were injured, four journalists sustained bruises and others suffered from tear
gas inhalation.  

 

· Following
the Friday Prayer on 25 June 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in protest against the construction of the Annexation Wall in the
village of Bil’ein, west of Ramallah. They
marched towards the annexation wall. Israeli
troops stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and
tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, Radwan Isma’il Yassin, 50, was hit by a tear gas canister
to the right hand. Dozens of
demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 25 June 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration
in the village of Ne’lin, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction
of the Annexation Wall. They clashed
with Israeli troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear
gas canisters at demonstrators. As a
result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and others
sustained bruises. 

 

· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 25 June 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah, in protest
against land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi
Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the
demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near
“Halmish” settlement, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, ‘Izz ‘Abdul Hafiz al-Tamimi, 13,
was hit by a tear gas canister to the back. A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.  

 

· On
Sunday noon, 20 June 2010, Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful
demonstration in the town of Beit Lahia, west of Bethlehem, in protest to the
construction of the Annexation Wall. They marched towards a site where a section of the wall is being
constructed to the west of the town. Israeli
forces fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them and violently beat a
number of demonstrators. As a result,
four demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises. Israeli forces also arrested international
human rights defenders, including Howaida ‘Arraf, an activist of Free Gaza
Campaign, and an Israeli activist.

 

· At
approximately 11:30 on Monday, 28 June 2010, Israeli troops stationed at the
border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Khan Yunis fired at
dozens of demonstrators who were peacefully protesting the establishment of a
buffer zone along the border. The
demonstration was organized by the Popular Campaign against the Security
Fence. No casualties were reported.  

 

3. Continued Siege on the OPT

 

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 for approximately three 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.  

 

Gaza Strip

 

Israel has continuously closed all border crossings
to the Gaza Strip for approximately three 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.  

 

· On
Friday, 01 January 2010, Israeli forces decided to close Nahal Ouz crossing
permanently and to divert the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem
Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, citing security reasons. 

 

· 1.5
million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of
movement and the right to appropriate living conditions, work, health and
education.

 

· The principle concern of the population
of the Gaza Strip is to obtain basic necessities: food, medicine, 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 since 10 December 2008, excluding limited amounts of
cooking gas and energy fuel for Gaza Power Plant.

 

· The Rafah International Crossing Point
has been opened on only 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. Israel has prevented representatives of several
international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

· At least 800 Palestinian prisoners from
Gaza in Israeli jails have been deprived of family visitation for more than two
and a half years. 

 

· Israeli forces have continued to attack
Palestinian fishermen along the coast of the Gaza Strip.

 

Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting
Period:

 

At approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the
Egyptian authorities announced the indefinite “opening” of the Rafah
International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border for travelers from both
directions. The Egyptian decision came
following the Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla in international
water. On the following morning, the
crossing point was conditionally opened and some Palestinian civilians were
allowed to travel through it.

 

Movement at Rafah International
Crossing Point

23 – 29 June 2010

 

 

According to
sources of the Palestinian Crossings and Borders Commission, between 02 and 15
June 2010, 5,910 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 3,536 others
were allowed into the Gaza Strip. The
number of people who were denied traveling during this period was 1,759.

 

Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem
Shalom) Crossing

23 – 28 June 2010

 

 

Al-Mentar
(Karni) Crossing: Israeli Forces
partially opened the crossing on Wednesday, 23 June 2001, to allow the entry of
1,380 of construction aggregate and 1,140 tons of base course for UNRWA
projects. Israeli Forces also opened the
crossing on Monday, 28 June 2010, to allow the entry of 585 tons of wheat and 1,131
tons of fodders. 

 

Beit
Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: Israel has
continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the movement of Palestinian
civilians. Israel has allowed only diplomats, select international journalists,
employees of international agencies and a limited number of patients who suffer
from serious diseases to pass via the crossing. Israel has 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
able to do so only under severe restrictions that include prolonged security
checks and detentions.

 

Movement at Beit Hanoun (Erez)
Crossing

23 – 29 June 2010

 

 

The
West Bank

 

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

 

· Jerusalem: Israeli Forces have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city of
Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip have been denied access to the city. Israeli Forces 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: Israeli Forces have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian civilians in Ramallah. Israeli troops positioned at the Jaba’ and
Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have imposed additional
restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged security checks of Palestinian
civilians. During the reporting period, Israeli
Forces erected a number of temporary checkpoints and stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles.  At
approximately 08:00 on Thursday, 24 June 2010, Israeli Forces established a
checkpoint near al-Mazra’a village, northeast of Ramallah where they stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 12:00 on the same day, Israeli Forces also established
a checkpoint near ‘Attara village, north of Ramallah in order to stop and
search Palestinian civilians vehicles. At
approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 26 June 2010, Israeli Forces established a
checkpoint near Sinjel village, north of Ramallah where they stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

 

· Nablus: Israeli
Forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians in Nablus. On
Sunday and Wednesday, 27 and 30 June 2010, Israeli troops stationed at Hawara
checkpoint, south of Nablus, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians.        

 

· Qalqilya:  Israeli
Forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians in Qalqilya. On
Tuesday morning, 29 June 2010, Israeli Forces erected a checkpoint at the
entrance of ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians.   

 

· Jenin: Israeli Forces have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in Jenin. At
approximately 06:00 on Wednesday, 30 June 2010, Israeli Forces established a
checkpoint at ‘Arraba intersection, south of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.  

 

Arrests at Military
Checkpoints

 

· At
approximately 15:00 on Thursday, 24 June 2010, Israeli troops stationed at
al-Karama International Crossing Point on the Jordanian border arrested Diaa’
‘Ali al-Dadu, 26, from Tulkarm, as he was crossing into the West Bank from
Jordan.

 

· At
approximately 10:00 on Monday, 28 June 2010, Israeli troops stationed at a
checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, arrested
‘Odai Mahmoud ‘Awadh, 27, claiming that he was carrying a knife. 

 

· On
Monday evening, 28 June 2010, Israeli troops stationed at a checkpoint near
al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin, arrested Saleh ‘Abdul Latif al-Sa’di,
55, and Ghassan Ahmed Ab’ali, 42, both from Jenin.

 

· On
Tuesday morning, 29 June 2010, Israeli troops positioned at al-Karama
International Crossing Point on the Jordanian border arrested Nidal ‘Abdul
Muhdi Ahmed, 42, from Kufor ‘Abboush village south of Tulkarm, when he was
together with his family on their way back to the West Bank from Jordan.

 

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

 

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

 

· During
the reporting period, Israeli sources revealed that the Israeli District
Committee of Organization and Construction approved the construction of 1,400 hotel rooms near Jabal al-Mukabber area
in East Jerusalem. According to Israeli
Channel 10, the committee approved the construction of 1,400 hotel rooms in Armon Hanatziv area in
the east of the city. This decision came
less than one week before the expected meeting in the White House between
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyaho, and the US President, Barak
Obama. The area where the rooms would be
established had not been under Israeli control before 1967. 

 

· On
Saturday evening, 26 June 2010, dozens of armed Israeli settlers attacked a
house belonging to Mohammed Abu Nab in the village of Silwan, to the south of
the old city of Jerusalem, in an attempt to seize it, but Palestinian civilians
were able to repel them. 

 

· At
approximately 19:20 on Sunday, 27 June 2010, dozens of Israeli settlers broke
into al-Rajabi quarter in the village of Silwan. The settlers threw stones towards Palestinian
houses. In response, Palestinian
civilians gathered and attempted to drive the settlers out of the area. Immediately, the settlers opened fire with
pistols, firing indiscriminately, and called on Israeli troops to come to the
area. When Israeli troops arrived at the
area, they, too, opened fire at houses and fired tear gas canisters. As a result, Muhammad Mahmoud al-Qawasmi, 17,
was struck by a tear gas canister in his eye. Additionally, eleven civilians, including a pregnant woman and a number
of children, suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises. According to eyewitnesses, Mr. al-Qawasmi was
wounded when he attempted to assist medical crews in evacuating a pregnant
woman, Alaa’ Abu Nab. According to
medical sources, Mr. al-Qawasmi lost his right eye, which was hit by the tear
gas canister.

 

· At
approximately 08:30 on Tuesday, 29 June 2010, a bulldozer of the Israeli
Municipality of Jerusalem, escorted by Israeli Forces, established a sand
barrier in the Um al-Seksek and al-Za’farana areas in the village of al-‘Eissawiya
in East Jerusalem, siezing at least 200 donums of land for the Israeli National
Parks Protection Department.  The area of
land confiscated by Israeli Forces for the department totaled 660 donums. 

 

· Also
on Tuesday, 29 June 2010, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem ordered the
demolition of a house belonging to Mohammed ‘Ali Salah in the village of Beit
Safafa, south of Jerusalem, claiming that he replaced the roof of the house
with tiles. 

 

· Additionally,
on Tuesday, 29 June 2010, Mohammed Ahmed Salah received an official decision
from the Israeli Action Department regarding the 120 sheep which had been
confiscated from him nearly six months ago on the basis that he had not paid
the required fee to an Israeli court in the case of an evacuation of a house
belonging to his family. The court
issued a decision in favor of Israeli settlers in his case.

 

5. Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian
Civilians and Property

 

Israel has continued its
settlement activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian
law. Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

 

· At
approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 29 June 2010, Israeli forces distributed twelve
notices to Palestinian civilians ordering a stop on construction works for ten
houses and two farms in the village of al-Burj, claiming that they were being built
without licenses. These facilities are
located nearly 500 meters away from the Annexation Wall. The following are details of these
facilities:

 

1. A 200 square meter house belonging to
Hussein Isma’il al-Talahma;

2. A 110 square meter house belonging to
Mos’ab Saleh al-Talahma;

3. A 120 square meter house belonging to
Khalil Isma’il Masharqa;

4. A 200 square meter house belonging to
Ziad ‘Eissa al-Talahma;

5. A 110 square meter house, currently
under-construction, belonging to Nidal Bassem al-Talahma;

6. A 160 square meter house, currently
under-construction, belonging to ‘Adnan Hussein al-Talahma;

7. A 200 square meter house, currently
under-construction, belonging to Khalil Hussein al-Talahma;

8. A 220 square meter house, currently
under-construction, belonging to Jamal Mohammed Masharqa;

9. A 250 square meter house, currently
under-construction, belonging to Maher Mohammed Masharqa;

10. A 220
square meter house, currently under-construction, belonging to Munther Mohammed
Masharqa;

11. A 1,000
square meter farm belonging to Fahmi Ahmed Masharqa; and

12. A 260
square meter farm belonging to Ismai’il Ahmed ‘Awawda.

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

 

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 its 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 international civil society organizations, including human rights
organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of
exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and to urge their
governments to bring these people 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 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 agreement or process 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).