December 2, 2010
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (25 Nov.. – 01 Dec. 2010)
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (25 Nov.. – 01 Dec. 2010)

IOF Demolish a
Mosque in Kherbet Yerza Village in the East of Tubas

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

 

 

· IOF continued to fire at Palestinian
workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip.

 10 Palestinian workers, one farmer and one
fisherman were wounded.

 

· A Palestinian civilian was wounded by
Israeli gunfire in al-‘Eissawiya village near Jerusalem.

 

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

 Dozens of demonstrators suffered from
tear gas inhalation.

 

 

· IOF conducted 35 incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and two limited ones into the Gaza
Strip.  

 IOF arrested 8 Palestinian civilians,
including a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and summoned 13
others for interrogation.

 

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

 IIsraeli
soldiers at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested two Palestinian
civilians.

 

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

 IOF demolished two houses and a
printing press in al-‘Essawiya and al-Tour areas.

 IOF demolished 9 shops in Hazma
village.

 IOF approved the construction of 755
housing unit for Israeli settlers in Jerusalem.

 

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

 IOF demolished a mosque, a house and 10 barracks in
Khirbat Yarza area in the northern Jordan Valley.

 IOF demolished a house in Khirbat al-Deirat area, south
of Hebron.

 IOF ordered the demolition of more houses and civilian
property.

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations
of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the
reporting period (25 November – 01 December 2010):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, 12 Palestinian
civilians, including two children, were wounded by IOF in the Gaza Strip. A 13th civilian was wounded by IOF
in al-‘Eissawiya village near Jerusalem. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, IOF fired at Palestinian
workers who were collecting raw construction materials, at fishermen and at
farmers. As a result, 10 workers, one
farmer and one fishermen were wounded by Israeli gunfire. The wounded include two children. 

 

On 24 November 2010, a Palestinian civilian
was wounded by IOF in al-‘Eissawiya village near Jerusalem.

 

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. As a result, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or
sustained bruises.  

 

Incursions:

 

During the reporting
period, IOF conducted at least 35 military incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 8 Palestinian
civilians, including Nayef al-Rajoub, Member of the Palestinian Legislative
Council. They also summoned 13
Palestinian civilians for interrogation.

 

In the Gaza Strip,
IOF conducted one limited incursion into the northern Gaza Strip, during which
they leveled areas of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.  

 

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. 

 

· 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.

 

· Expanding the list of items allowed into Gaza does not
change the illegality of this policy, which is inconsistent with Israel’s legal
obligations both as an Occupying Power and under international human rights
treaties to which it is party, such as the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the ground refute Israeli
claims with respect to the
easing of the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and the reduction of
restrictions imposed on the entry of goods.

 

· Israeli declaration of allowing new
goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes an attempt to delude the
international community, as such goods do not meet the minimal needs of the
Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have continued to ban the entry
of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have imposed a ban on all exports
from 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 access
restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers
seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several
international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

West Bank

 

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

 

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

 

· There are approximately 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,
further confiscating Palestinian land.

 

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

 

· 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 a permit issued by the IOF. These permits are extremely difficult to
obtain.

 

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

 

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

 

Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish
Demographic Majority in Jerusalem:
 

 

IOF have continued to take measures at
creating a Jewish majority in Jerusalem.

 

On 25 November 2010, the Israeli
Municipality of Jerusalem waged a campaign against owners of shops in Hazma
village near Jerusalem. They demolished
9 shops claiming that their owners do not have licenses. Losses are estimated at more than 1.5 million
NIS.

 

On the same day, IOF demolished a
house and a printing press in al-‘Eissawiya village near Jerusalem. 

 

IOF demolished a house in al-Tour
neighborhood in Jerusalem. 

 

During the reporting period, the
organization committee in the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem approved the
construction of 130 housing unit between “Gilo” settlement and Beit
Safafa village. The committee approved
turning the area, which was devoted to the establishment of hotels, into a
residential area. 

 

On 01 December 2010, the Israeli
district committee of organization and construction approved the construction
of 625 housing units in “Pisgat Ze’ev” settlement, northeast of
Jerusalem. It is worth noting that the
Israeli occupation authorities have started to construct another 1,300 housing
units in Israeli settlements in Jerusalem and 1,000 ones in settlements in the
West Bank, since the end of the temporary freezing of settlement activities on
25 September 2010.

 

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 25 November 2010, IOF demolished a
mosque, a house and 10 barracks in Kherbat Yazra village, east of Tubas, in the
northern Jordan Valley. 

 

On the same day, IOF moved into al-Dairat
area to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron. They demolished a house in the village. 

 

Also on the same day, IOF handed two
notices to Mousa Taha and Hussein Shamsna, fom Qatna village northwest of
Jerusalem, that their animal farms would be demolished.

 

On 29 November 2010, IOF moved into
al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem. They handed notices to Mahmoud Ahmed Zawahra and ‘Awadh Hassan Zawahra
ordering the demolition of their houses. IOF also ordered the demolition of Ibrahim al-Khalil Mosque by 23
December 2010.

 

 

Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (11 – 24 November 2010)

 

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

 

Thursday, 25 November 2010

 

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into the villages of Beit Ummar and Safa, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses,
especially ones belonging to persons who are active in resisting settlement activities
and the annexation wall. They arrested 4
Palestinian civilians, including two brothers:

 

1. Mousa ‘Abdul Hamid Abu Maria, 32, Coordinator of the
National Committee against the Annexation Wall in Beit Ummar village;

2. Saddam Kassab Abu Daya, 25;

3. Yousef ‘Abdul Hamid Abu Maria, 38; and

4. Mo’ayad Hassan al-Tit,20.

 

IOF
also confiscated a laptop and some personal belongings of the first
detainee. On Sunday evening, 29 November
2010, IOF released the four detainees after forcing them to sign oaths not to
be present near “Karmi Tsur” settlement to the south of Beit Ummar
village.

 

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF
moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into Za’tara village, east of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Anas
Mohammed Thwaib, 26, and summoned him for interrogation.

 

· At approximately 07:00, IOF moved
nearly 350 meters into the northeast of the Bedouin Village in the northern
Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of
Palestinian land.

 

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and summoned 6 Palestinian
civilians for interrogation.

 

· Also at approximately 10:00, IOF
moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched two car maintenance workshops, but no arrests
were reported.

 

· At approximately 17:00, IOF moved
into the western neighborhood in Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time. They stopped near Ajnadin School. An Israeli soldier stepped down and beat
11-year-old Wa’ed Fat’hallah al-Hamshari, when he was playing in the area. IOF also confiscated the child’s
bicycle. IOF withdrew from the town
later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 21:50, IOF moved
into Kharabtha al-Misbah village, west of Ramallah, and patrolled in the
streets. A number of Palestinian boys
gathered and threw stones at IOF military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at the
boys, but no casualties were reported.

 

· At approximately 23:00, IOF moved
into Sa’ir village, northeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of As’ad Zaidan
Jaradt, 18, and arrested him. 

 

Friday, 26 November
2010

 

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Fahma village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 10:00, IOF
moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 27 November 2010

 

· At approximately 09:10, Israeli
soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border between the Gaza Strip
and Israel to the northwest of Beit Lahia town opened fire at a number of
Palestinian workers from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of
“Elli Sinai” used to stand. As
a result, Shamekh Sa’id al-Debes, 16, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a
bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.

 

· At approximately 12:30, Israeli
soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit
Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian
fishermen who were fishing nearly 350 meters away from the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result,
Ahmed Mahmoud Jarbou’, 26, from al-Shati refugee camp in the west of Gaza City.

 

· At approximately 14:00, Israeli
soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were
collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez
industrial zone. As a result, Khaled
Ashraf Abu Sitta, 21, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the
left leg.

 

· At approximately 23:00, IOF moved
into Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah, and patrolled in the streets. A number of Palestinian boys gathered and
threw stones at IOF military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at the boys, but no casualties were
reported.

 

Sunday, 28 November 2010

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into ‘Anabta village, east of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for ssome time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into ‘Aaroura village, north of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved
into Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya. They raided a number of houses and summoned 3 Palestinian civilians for
interrogation: Khaled Mulaq Shamasna, 36; Taher Mohammed Jaber, 40; and Sari
Mohammed Baida, 22.

 

· At approximately 08:15, Israeli
soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were
collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez
industrial zone. As a result, Mukhles
Jawad al-Masri, 15, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the left
leg, when he was nearly 250 meters away.

 

· At approximately 08:30, IOF moved
into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 09:15, Israeli
soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit
Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian
workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the evacuated
Israeli settlement of “Elli Sinai.” As a result, Mamdouh ‘Aayesh al-Sous, 28, from Beit Lahia town, was
wounded by a bullet to the left foot.

 

· At approximately 09:30, Israeli
soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in
the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were
collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez
industrial zone. As a result, Mohammed
Khalil al-Za’anin, 20, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the
left leg, when he was nearly 100 meters away.

 

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into ‘Ejja village, south of Jenin. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 10:10, IOF moved
into Jainsafout village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 10:30, IOF moved
into Sanour village, south of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 11:30, IOF moved
into al-Rama village, south of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 13:30, IOF moved
into Bidya village, west of Salfit. They
patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 13:30, IOF
moved into Salfit. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 17:50, IOF moved
into Jeet village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 19:30, IOF moved
into Bourqin village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 19:40, IOF moved
into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

Monday, 29 November 2010

 

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved
into Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit. They raided and searched a number of houses and summoned 3 Palestinian
civilians for interrogation: Gharib
‘Abdul Rahman al-Dik, 20; Nash’at ‘Abdul Rahman al-Dik, 20; and Shihab Karem
al-Dik, 20.

 

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Samer Jameel al-Balboul,
but no arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 01:25, IOF moved
into Qalqilya. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 11:15, IOF moved
into Abu Da’if village, east of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 11:15, IOF
moved into al-Khalayel area near Kufor ‘Abboush village, south of Tulkarm. They searched the area and withdrew
later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 14:15, IOF moved
into Safarin village, east of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  No arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 30 November 2010

 

· At approximately 07:20, Israeli
soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit
Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian
workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the evacuated
Israeli settlement of “Elli Sinai.” As a result, Isma’il Sa’ed Ghaben, 31, from Beit Lahia town, was wounded
by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.

 

· At approximately 08:20, Israeli
soldiers fired at Palestinian workers in the same area. As a result, two workers were wounded:

 

1. Ghassan Mas’oud Abu Riala, 21, from al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by a bullet to the left leg; and

2. Ameen Akram Abu Shawish, 22, from al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.

 

· At approximately 08:40, a fourth worker was wounded by
IOF in the same area. He was identified
as Nader Mohammed al-Anqar, 21, from Beit Lahia town, wounded by a bullet to
the left leg.

 

· At approximately 10:40, IOF stationed
at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast of Beit Lahia
town opened fire at Palestinian agricultural areas near the border. As a result, Bayan Farouq Tanboura, 26, a
farmer from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was
nearly 400 meters away from the border.

 

· At approximately 22:30, IOF moved
into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a
number of houses, including a 3-storey apartment building belonging to the
family of ‘Alaa’ Saleh Shahin, 38, whom they interrogated. No arrests were reported.

 

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

 

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved
into Dura village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Nayef Mahmoud al-Rajoub,
53, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, without allowing him to
change his sleeping clothes. It is worth
noting that al-Rajoub had been released from Israeli jails on 20 June 2010.

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved
into ‘Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They raided a house belonging to the family of Mohammed ‘Abdul Latif
Shibani, 35, a leader of Islamic Jihad. An Israeli intelligence officer interrogated him about his detention by
Palestinian security services. The officer
also discussed with him the current political situation. IOF then raided a house belonging to Tayseer
Burhan Jaber, 48, and took him to guide then to the house of his nephew, Samer
Mo’in Jaber, 30, a leader of Islamic Jihad. IOF raided the house and interrogated Samer. They then raided a house belonging to Ja’far
Ibrahim ‘Izziddin, 39, another leader of Islamic Jihad, and discussed with him
the current political situation.  

 

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved
into al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Samer Jameel al-Balboul,
but no arrests were reported. .

 

· At approximately 11:45, Israeli
soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at a
number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials in
Bourat Abu Samra area, nearly 400 meters away from the border. As a result, Murad Bassam al-Souq, 19, was
wounded by a bullet to the right leg. .

 

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, 9 Palestinian civilians,
including two children, were wounded. Dozens
of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas
inhalation and others sustained bruises. IOF also arrested 5 international and Israeli human rights defenders and
a Palestinian child.

   

· Following the Friday Prayer on 26
November 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli
human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest to the
construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the annexation wall. 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 and others sustained bruises as they were
beaten by Israeli soldiers.  

 

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 26
November 2010, 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 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 26
November 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli
human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh
village, northwest of Ramallah, in commemoration of the late Palestinian
President Yasser Arafat, and 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. A number of
demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation. IOF also chased the
demonstrators into the village. They
also turned a house belonging to Helmi Tamimi into a military site. They withdrew from the village at
approximately 17:00.

 

· Also on Friday noon, 26 November
2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and a number of international human
rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in al-Ma’sara village,
south of Bethlehem. They moved towards
the annexation wall in the north and northwest of the village. IOF reinforced their presence at the entrance
of the village. They attacked the
demonstrators and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, 6 demonstrators, including
15-year-old Mo’tassem Mos’ad Fawaghra, suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

· At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 29
November 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border
between the Gaza Strip and Israel near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the
northern Gaza Strip opened fire about 50 demonstrators, including 7
international solidarity activists, who demonstrated nearly 50 meters away from
the border in protest to the establishment of a restricted buffer zone along
the border. No casualties were
reported. 

 

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.

 

· Expanding the list of items allowed
into Gaza does not change the illegality of this policy, which is inconsistent
with Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying Power and under
international human rights treaties to which it is party, such as the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

 

· Facts on the ground refute Israeli
claims with respect to the easing of the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and
the reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of goods.

 

· Israeli declaration of allowing new
goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes an attempt to delude the
international community, as such goods do not meet the minimal needs of the
Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have continued to ban the entry
of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip. 

 

· IOF have imposed a ban on all exports
from 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 access
restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers
seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several
international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

 

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

 

Movement at Border
Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

At approximately
13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the Egyptian authorities decided to open Rafah
International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border in both directions without
specifying a date for its closure. The
Egyptian decisions came following the Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla
in international water. On the following
morning, the crossing point was effectively opened and restricted categories of
Palestinian civilians were allowed to travel through it.

Movement at Rafah
International Crossing Point

24 – 30 November 2010

 

Date

Details

24
November 2010

357 Palestinians were
allowed to travel to Egypt and 295 others, including pilgrims, were allowed
into the Gaza Strip.

25
November 2010

371 Palestinians were
allowed to travel to Egypt and 1,215 others, including pilgrims,  were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

26
November 2010

882 pilgrims were
allowed into the Gaza Strip.

27
November 2010

557 pilgrims were
allowed into the Gaza Strip.

28
November 2010

456 Palestinians and 35
members of Hope Convoy were allowed to travel to Egypt and 847 others,
including pilgrims, were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

29
November 2010

238 Palestinians were
allowed to travel to Egypt and 541 others, including pilgrims, were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

30
November 2010

239 Palestinians were
allowed to travel to Egypt and 878 others, including pilgrims, were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

 

Movement at Karm Abu
Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

24 – 30 November 2010

 

Date

Imports

Category

Amount

Tons

Liters

24
November 2010

Foodstuffs

1,183

 

Agricultural
materials

190

 

Various
goods

1,419

 

Humanitarian
aids

321

 

Cooking
gas

90.640

 

Industrial
fuel

 

353,499

Diesel

 

36,500

25
November 2010

Foodstuffs

1,105

 

Agricultural
materials

398

 

Various
goods

1,390

 

Humanitarian
aids

1,231

 

Cooking
gas

91.363

 

Industrial
fuel

 

314,968

Diesel

 

36,500

28
November 2010

Foodstuffs

986

 

Agricultural
materials

307

 

Various
goods

1,220

 

Humanitarian
aids

162

 

Cooking
gas

90.630

 

Industrial
fuel

 

310,982

29
November  2010

Foodstuffs

905

 

Agricultural
materials

152

 

Various
goods

1,718

 

Humanitarian
aids

346

 

Cooking
gas

90.750

 

 

Note:
On Sunday, 28 November 2010, IOF allowed the exportation of 204 tons of
strawberries and 25,000 flowers from the Gaza Strip.

 

Al-Mentar
(Karni) Crossing:
During the reporting period, IOF partially opened the
crossing on Wednesday, 24 November 2010, and allowed the entry of 3,780 tons of
construction aggregate for UNRWA, 10,890 tons for Mas’oud ‘Ali Company. They opened it again on Monday, 29 November
2010, and allowed the entry 1,677 tons of wheat and 3,613 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

24 – 30  November 2010

 

Date

24
November

25
November

26
November

27
November

28
November

29
November

30
November

Patients

28

23

3

Nil

29

45

32

Companions

28

22

3

Nil

29

48

31

Palestinians from Israel

12

4

11

Nil

24

18

2

Diplomats

11

16

Nil

Nil

Nil

10

5

International Journalists

7

4

7

Nil

2

2

1

International Workers

39

75

8

Nil

12

29

34

Travelers abroad

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

2

Business People

56

56

Nil

Nil

10

42

22

Meetings

1

4

Nil

Nil

1

1

2

Ambulances to Israel

1

2

1

Nil

1

2

1

Ambulances from Israel

2

Nil

1

Nil

3

1

3

 

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.     

 

· Bethlehem: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have maintained their presence at 41
checkpoints around the town. The town
has been also impacted by the construction of the annexation wall to the north
and west, and large areas of Palestinian land have been isolated by the
wall. During the reporting period,
Israeli troops stationed at the 300 checkpoint (Rachel Tomb), north of
Bethlehem, continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to Jerusalem. Palestinian civilians are forced to wait in
queues on two routes outside the checkpoint. They are then checked by Israeli soldiers using electronic checking
machines. Such checking is often
prolonged and humiliating.   

 

· Ramallah: IOF have continued
to impose severe restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian civilians in
Ramallah. IOF troops positioned at the
Jaba’ and Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have imposed additional
restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged checks of Palestinian
civilians. During the reporting period,
IOF established a number of temporary checkpoints, and stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 16:30 on Thursday, 25 November 2010, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately 23:00
on the same day, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint at the
northern entrance of Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilians. At approximately 21:00 on
Saturday, 26 November 2010, IOF established a checkpoint under Deir Dibwan
Bridge, northeast of Ramallah. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 20:00 on Sunday, 27 November
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at Kharabtha al-Misbah intersection, west of
Ramallah. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles.     

 

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Friday, 26 November 2010, IOF established
5 checkpoints around Qalqilya. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.  On Saturday, 27 November 2010, IOF established
4 checkpoints around Qalqilya. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.  On Sunday, 26 November 2010, IOF established 3
checkpoints around Qalqilya. They
stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 25
November 2010, IOF closed Eannab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, for several
hours.  At approximately 16:00 on Friday,
26 November 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at Ennab checkpoint, east of
Tulkarm, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. At the same time, IOF
established a checkpoint near Kufor Sour intersection on Tulkarm-Qalqilya road,
south of Tulkarm. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 20:30 on Saturday, 28 November 2010, IOF established a
checkpoint near Far’oun intersection on Tulkarm-Qalqilya road, south of
Tulkarm. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 09:00 on Sunday, 28 November 2010, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of al-Jaroushiya village, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. At approximately
09:00 on Monday, 29 November 2010, IOF established a checkpoint Beit Leed
intersection on Nablus-Tulkarm road, east of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.

 

· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:30 on Monday, 29 November 2010, IOF established a
checkpoint near Deir Sharaf intersection on Nablus-Tulkarm road, west of
Nablus. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles.

 

· Jenin: IOF have continued
to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At
approximately 19:30 on Thursday, 25 November 2010, IOF closed Barta’a
checkpoint to the east of Barta’a village, which has been isolated by the
annexation wall, west of Jenin, for several hours, claiming that they found
explosives. At approximately 12:00 on
Sunday, 28 November 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Jaba’
village, south of Jenin, and another one at the entrance of ‘Anza village,
south of the town. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Salfit: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to close the northern
entrance of Salfit with cement blocks and sand barriers since 2000. They have also continued to close two roads
linking Marda village with agricultural land belonging to it.  At approximately 23:00 on Friday, 26 November
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Estia village,
northwest of Salfit. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.   

 

· Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 06 on Friday, 26 November
2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk village,
north of Jericho. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

Arrests
at Military Checkpoints

 

· At approximately 14:00 on =, Israeli soldiers positioned
at Ertah checkpoint near Tulkarm arrested Ma’rouf Mahmoud al-Rammal, 20.

 

· On Tuesday evening, 30 November 2010, Israeli soldiers
positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, arrested Nour al-Din Hafez
Sawafta, 30, from Tubas. 

 

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 IOF against Palestinian civilians in
East Jerusalem.

 

· On Thursday morning, 25 November 2010, the Israeli
Municipality of Jerusalem waged a campaign against owners of shops in Hazma
village near Jerusalem. They demolished
9 shops claiming that their owners do not have licenses.

 

According to
investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 01:30 on Thursday, IOF moved
into Hazma village, east of Jerusalem. They demolished 9 shops after confiscating the majority of their
contents:

1. A shop of bricks belonging to Mohammed ‘Abdul Rahman
‘Abdul Rahim;

2. An agricultural nursery belonging to Malek ‘Abdul Karim;

3. An agricultural nursery belonging to ‘Azmi al-Khatib and
Samed Sabi;

4. An agricultural nursery belonging to Nader Salem and
Hassan ‘Abdul Latif;

5. A shop of bricks belonging to Mohammed Tafatfa;

6. A shop of furniture belonging to Riad ‘Othman;

7. An agricultural nursery and a shop of bricks belonging
to ‘Afif Suleiman;

8. An agricultural nursery and a shop of bricks belonging
to Jamal Salem; and

9. An agricultural nursery belonging to Mohammed Saladin.

 

Losses are estimated at more than 1.5
million NIS.

 

· At approximately 08:00 on Tuesday, 30 November 2010, IOF
moved into al-‘Eissawiya village near Jerusalem. They demolished a 120-square-meter, under-construction
house belonging to ‘Atiya Isma’il Mtair, claiming that it was being built
without a license. According to Mtair,
he had not received any demolition notice, and the issue of licensing was being
considered by an Israeli court. IOF then
demolished a 30-square-meter structure belonging to Mohammed Robin ‘Olayan, 28,
which served as a printing press.  

 

During this operation,
IOF attacked Palestinian civilians who gathered in the area. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and
rubber-coated metal bullets at civilians. As a result, Ghassan ‘Olayan, 35, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet that caused fractures to the skull and the nose. They also violently beat a number of
civilians. As a result, Robin ‘Olayan
sustained bruises throughout the body. Additionally, 5 women suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

· At approximately 08:00 on Wednesday, 24 November 2010,
IOF moved into al-Tour neighborhood in Jerusalem. They demolished a house belonging to ‘Aziz
Zablah, claiming that it was built without a license. As a result, 7 individuals, including 4
children, have become homeless.

 

· During the reporting period, the organization committee
in the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem approved the construction of 130
housing unit between “Gilo” settlement and Beit Safafa village. The committee approved turning the area,
which was devoted to the establishment of hotels, into a residential area. 

 

· On Wednesday, 01 December 2010, the Israeli district
committee of organization and construction approved the construction of 625
housing units in “Pisgat Ze’ev” settlement, northeast of
Jerusalem. It is worth noting that the
Israeli occupation authorities have started to construct another 1,300 housing
units in Israeli settlements in Jerusalem and 1,000 ones in settlements in the
West Bank, since the end of the temporary freezing of settlement activities on
25 September 2010.

 

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

 

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

 

· At approximately 06:30 on Thursday, 25 November 2010,
IOF, accompanied by 3 bulldozers, moved into Kherbat Yazra village, east of
Tubas, in the northern Jordan Valley. They closed the entrances of the village. At approximately 07:00, they demolished a
100-suqaure-meter mosque and a 20-square-meter subordinate room. Soon after, they demolished a 50-square-meter
house belonging to Fayez Hamed Daraghma, in which 15 individuals, including 8
children, lived. They then demolished 10
tin-made barracks, which served as stores and barnyards:

 

1. A 120-square-meter barrack belonging to Na’im Hafez
Masa’id;

2. A 60-square-meter barrack belonging to Hafez Na’im
Masa’id;

3. An 80-square-meter barrack belonging to Mithqal Fayez
Daraghma;

4. An 80-square-meter barrack belonging to Fawzi Mahmoud
Daraghma;

5. An 80-square-meter barrack belonging to Hassan Khaled
Daraghma;

6. A 75-square-meter barrack belonging to Mohammed Mahmoud
Darghma;

7. A 50-square-meter barrack belonging to Mahmoud Fawzi
Daraghma;

8. An 80-square-meter barrack belonging to Sami Khaled
Daraghma;

9. A 70-square-meter barrack belonging to ‘Omair Khaled
Daraghma; and

10. A 50-square-meter
barrack belonging to Khaled Mohammed Masa’id.

 

· At approximately 07:00 also on Thursday, IOF,
accompanied by two bulldozers, moved into al-Dairat area to the east of Yatta
village, south of Hebron. They besieged
a 250-square-meter house belonging to Eyad and Mohammed Musleh al-‘Omour, in
which 25 individuals live. They forced
its residents out and demolished it, claiming that it was built without a
license. According to the two brothers,
they applied for a license, but IOF refused to delay the demolition.

 

· On Thursday, 25 November 2010, IOF handed two notices to
Mousa Taha and Hussein Shamsna, fom Qatna village northwest of Jerusalem, that
their animal farms would be demolished.

 

· On Monday, 29 November 2010, IOF moved into al-Ma’sara
village, south of Bethlehem. They handed
notices to Mahmoud Ahmed Zawahra and ‘Awadh Hassan Zawahra ordering the
demolition of their houses; a 200-square-meter house and 230-square-meter one
respectively. IOF also ordered the
demolition of Ibrahim al-Khalil Mosque by 23 December 2010.

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Recommendations to the International
Community

 

 

1. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting
Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal and moral
obligations under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure Israel’s respect for
the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence
practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it
is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human
rights and humanitarian law.

 

2. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting
Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a conference to take
effective steps to ensure Israel’s respect of the Convention in the OPT and to
provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.

 

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting
Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with their legal obligations
detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those
responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.

 

4. PCHR calls for the immediate
implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of
Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the
West Bank illegal.

 

5. PCHR recommends that international
civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar
associations and NGOs, participate in the process of exposing those accused of
grave breaches of international law and urge their governments to bring the perpetrators to justice.

 

6. PCHR calls upon the European Union to
activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides
that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic
cooperation between the EU states and Israel. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods
produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the OPT.

 

7. PCHR calls on the international
community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in
September 2005, for what it is – not an end to occupation but a compounding of
the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. 

 

8. In recognition of ICRC as the
guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase
its staff and activities in the OPT, including the facilitation of family
visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

 

9. PCHR appreciates the efforts of
international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar
associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue their role in
pressuring their governments to secure Israel’s respect for human rights in the
OPT and to demand Israel end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

 

10. PCHR calls upon the international
community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the
Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international
organizations to the OPT.

 

11. PCHR reiterates that any political
settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law
cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to
further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace process or agreement must be based
on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian
law.

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

 

Public Document

For further information please visit our
website (www.pchrgaza.org) or contact
PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email ([email protected]) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).