A photojournalist wounded when Israeli troops
used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of
Ramallah

 

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

 

A
Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF in Gaza City.

IOF partially
damaged a Palestinian house in Gaza City.

 

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

4
Palestinian civilians, including two cameramen, were wounded.

Dozens
of demonstrators, including and Israeli media worker, sustained bruises or
suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

IOF
conducted 56 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited
one into the Gaza Strip.   

IOF
arrested 12 Palestinians, including 3 children, in the West Bank.

IOF
arrested two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

IOF
raided Hayat Nablus Tourist Resort and confiscated equipment.

 

IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

IOF
arrested 4 fishermen and confiscated their boat.

 

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

Israeli soldiers arrested 4
Palestinian civilians, including two children, at various checkpoints in the
West Bank.

 

Israel
has continued efforts to create a Jewish majority in East Jerusalem.

IOF
demolished 2 houses and displaced 13 Palestinians.

IOF
closed a charity and a sports club.

IOF prevented
Rasem Ubeidat, a writer and journalist, from having access to the West Bank.

 

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

IOF distributed
demolition notices in the north and south of the West Bank.

A
Palestinian women sustained wounds in the head and hemorrhage in the brain as
she was attacked by Israeli settlers.

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (26January – 01 February 2012):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF wounded
3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 cameramen, in the West Bank. 

 

In
the West Bank, during the reporting period, IOF used excessive force to
disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement
activities and the construction of the annexation wall in the West Bank.  As a result, Muhib Mohammed Asaad
al-Barghouthi, 46, photographer of al-Hayat al-Jadida Newspaper, sustained
wounds by two bullets to the feet. Al- Barghouthi was transferred to Palestine
Medical Compound in Ramallah for treatment. Also Mohammed Ateya al-Tamimi,
cameraman of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlement in Nabi
Saleh village, sustained wounds by a tear gas canister to the right foot.  A third Palestinian demonstrator also
sustained wounds by a bullet to the right leg. 
PCHR fieldworker was unable to get the personal information of the third
wounded person as he came from another village and he was not transferred to
any hospital or medical center for treatment. 
On 31 January, Imad Ahed Khalil Abu Hashem, 21, sustained shrapnel
wounds by a sound bomb when IOF used excessive force against a peaceful
demonstration in Beit Ummar, north of Hebron. Additionally, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders participating in peaceful
demonstrations suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

In the Gaza Strip, on 31 January 2012, IOF stationed at the border between
the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Shujaiya neighborhood in the east of
Gaza City, opened fire at Munther Rashad Saleh al-Nakhala, 44, wounding him by
a bullet to the left foot.  He was hunting
birds with friends with his near the building of the Energy Authority.  He was nearly 500 meters from the border.

 

On 26 January 2012, IOF stationed at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel to the east of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip
opened fire at farms and residential areas in the east of Abasan village, east
of Khan Yunis.  Palestinian farmers were
forced to flee their farms.  IOF
continued the sporadic firing for approximately one hour.  Neither casualties nor damage to property
were reported.

 

On 29 January 2012, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza
Strip and Israel to the east of al-Shujaiya neighborhood in the east of Gaza
City fired two artillery shells at Palestinian houses.  One of the shells landed on a house belonging
to Abdul Ra’ouf Hamed Mardi Hajjaj, 27. 
The shell opened a hole in the sealing of the kitchen in Hajjaj’s house
and caused slight damages to the contents of the house.  The other shell landed in a farm belonging to
Hamed Mardi Hajjaj, 74.

 

IOF also fired two artillery shells and opened fire from apaches at
open areas in the north of the Gaza Strip. 

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 56 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 12 Palestinian
civilians, including 3 children and a university professor.  

 

In
the Gaza Strip, on 29 January 2012, IOF, backed by military vehicles and
apaches, moved into Gaza International Airport, in the far southeast of Rafah,
south of the Gaza Strip amid indiscriminate firing.  IOF arrested Hajjaj Yousif Ehmeid al-Soufi,
21, who is a university student and Ahmed Hussein Awad Abu Athra, 20, who is a
member of the Palestinian National Security Service.  Al-Soufi and Abu Athra are from al-Shouka
village in the east of Rafah.

 

Restrictions
on Movement:

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

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

 

IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and practically
made Karm Abu Salem crossing as the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip
although it is not proper for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and
operational capacity.

 

IOF have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the
strangulation of the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing
total control over the flow of imports and exports.

 

The total closure of al-Mentar “Karni” crossing on 02
March 2011 has created a bitter situation that has seriously affected the Gaza
Strip.  Following this closure, all the
economic and commercial establishments in Gaza Commercial Zone were shut
off.  It should be noted that al-Mentar
crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip in terms of its operational
capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports.  The decision of al-Mentar crossing was the
culmination of a series of decisions to totally close Sofa crossing, east of
the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2009, and Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza
City, which was dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza
Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

 

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

 

IOF have continued to impose total ban on the delivery of raw
materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities.  The limited quantities of raw materials
allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population in
the Gaza Strip.

 

The cooking gas crisis which has erupted last November has
continued to affect the Gaza Strip.  This
crisis was created when the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed, on
04 January 2010, Nahal Oz crossing, which used to be dedicated for the delivery
of fuel and cooking gas supplies to Gaza, and shifted fuel and cooking gas
supplies to Karm Abu Salem crossing which is not technically equipped to
receive Gaza’s needs of fuel.  Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum
absorptive capacity, can receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day.

 

Approximately 80% of Gaza civilians have continued to depend on
alimentary aid provided by UNRWA and other relief agencies, rates of families
who are living below poverty line have continued to be on the rise and
approximately 40% of Gaza’s manpower has continued to suffer from permanent
unemployment as a result of shutting down the majority of Gaza’s economic
establishments.

 

IOF have continued to impose a total ban on the exportation of
Gaza’s products, especially industrial products, leading to undermining any
real chances to rerun economic establishments. 
The situation has been aggravated especially after making Karm Abu Salem
crossing as Gaza sole commercial crossing and the repeated closure of this
crossing which negatively affected the quantity of Gazan products which were
allowed to be exported during last April.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

For approximately 55 months, IOF have continued to deny
approximately 700 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails
their visitation rights without providing any justification to this measure,
which violates the rules of the international humanitarian law.

 

West
Bank

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Efforts to
Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem

 

On
05 January 2012, IOF moved into al-‘Eizariya village, east of occupied
Jerusalem.  They demolished a
100-square-meter workshop of stone cutting belonging to Sameer Mohammed
Taqatqa.  They destroyed stones whose value
is 30,000 ILS, and confiscated stones whose value is 95,000 ILS.  IOF demolished also a 30-square-meter
workshop of stone cutting belonging to Mohammed ‘Ayad.  They destroyed stones whose value is 15,000
ILS.  Additionally, IOF demolished a
200-square-meter shop of junks belonging to Majed Abu Ghalia, a 30-square-meter
fence and parking yard belonging to Ibrahim Abu Dhaim.

 

On
10 January 2012, IOF razed large areas of Palestinian land in the southeastern
part of al-‘Eissawiya village in occupied East Jerusalem, to establish a
biblical garden.  According to local
sources, IOF confiscated hundreds of dunums[1]
of land in al-‘Eissawiya and al-Tour villages to establish a biblical
garden.  By the establishment of the
garden, al-‘Eissawiya village would be completely isolated by Israeli
settlements.

 

Rasem
Ubeidat, a Palestinian writer and journalist from east Jerusalem, headed to “al-Maskoubeya”
interrogation center in Jerusalem to appear before the Israeli intelligence
service which delivered Ubeidat an order issued by the Shabak Israel Security
Agency presevnting him from having access to the West Bank.

 

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
27 January 2012, IOF distributed a military order to close a dirt road leading
to four Palestinian communities in the south of Yatta, in the far south of
Hebron.  According to data available to
PCHR, IOF distributed the said military order to a number of Palestinians in Kherbat
Jebna.  The order requires the closure of
the said dust road which is linked with the settlement road no. 317 and which
leads to four Palestinian communities in Kherbat Bir al-Ad, Kherbat Jebna,
Kherbat al-Markaz and Kherbat Halawa. 
Approximately 320 Palestinians who mainly depend on grazing sheep and
goats live in these four communities.  It
should be noted that the population in the four affected communities live in
caves and cottages.  They were subjected
before to forcible transfer by IOF under the pretext that they are present in
zones used by the Israeli army for training purposes.  In addition, the population in the area was
repeatedly subjected to attacks by the Israeli settlers who seek to have
control over their lands.  The closure of
the said road is aimed at transferring the local population from the affected
area in order to expand 11 surrounding Israeli outputs.

 

Also
on 27 January 2012, IOF delivered two notices requiring Palestinians to stop
construction works in two houses in al-Ma’adsara village, south of Bethlehem,
and threatened the owners of these houses under the pretext of lack of
construction licenses.  The two houses
belong to Amjad Khaled Ibrahim Zawahra and Suleiman Mohammed Hussein Zawahra.

 

On
Sunday, 29 January 2012, IOF moved into Hares village, north of Salfit.  They headed to five Palestinian houses and
delivered 4 Palestinians notices informing them of IOF’s intention to demolish
their houses. 

 

On
01 February 2012, Myassar Abdul Majid Ibrahim, 61, from Surra village,
southwest of Nablus, sustained wounds when three Israeli settlers, near the
crossroads near “Yitzhar” settlement, stoned the car in which she was
travelling.  Myassar sustained wounds as
a result in her forehead and she bled.  She
was transferred to Rafidia Public Hospital for medical treatment.  It was founded out that Myassar sustained
laceration in the forehead and suffered from hemorrhage in the brain.

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (26 January- 01 February 2012)

 

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

 

Thursday, 26 January 2012

 

At approximately 08:30, IOF moved
into Marj Na’aja village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Saffa village, southwest of Ramlaah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:10, IOF moved
into Fasayel village, north of Jericho.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:15, IOF stationed
at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Khan Yunis in
the south of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at farms and residential neighborhoods
in the east of Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis.  Palestinian farmers were forced to flee their
farms.  IOF continued the sporadic firing
for approximately one hour.  Neither
casualties nor damages to property were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved
into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Shaqba village, west of Ramallah.  They
patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

Also at approximately 10:00, IOF moved
into Deir Abu Masha’al village, west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved
into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta village, west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 16:20, IOF moved
into Kafl Hares village, north of Salfit. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 19:00, IOF moved
into al-Jeftlik village, north of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 23:30, IOF moved
into Kafl Hares village, north of Salfit, for the second time within two hours.  They moved into the village this time to
secure Israeli settlers’ passage to the village to visit a revered shrine.   They withdrew at approximately 00:30 on the
following day.  Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

 

Friday,
27 January 2012

 

At approximately 00:20, IOF moved into Kufor Qaddoum village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Shyoukh village, northeast
of Hebron.  They raided and searched the
house of Hatem Mohammed Halayqa, 58, in the northeast of Shyoukh village.  Before they withdrawing, they arrested
Halayqa and his son Mohammed, 31, and transferred them to “Kfar Etzion”
detention center, southwest of Bethlehem. 

 

At approximately 09:00, IOF moved
into Senjel village, north of Ramallah. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 09:40, IOF moved
into Silwad village, north of Ramallah.  They
proactively patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 10:30, IOF moved
into Dora al-Qare’a village, northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 18:00, IOF moved
into al-‘Oja village, northeast of Jericho. 
They patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 21:00, IOF positioned at the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel to in the east of al-Shujaiya neighborhood in the east of
Gaza City fired two artillery shells at Palestinian houses.  One of the shells landed on a house belonging
to Abdul Ra’ouf Hamed Mardi Hajjaj, 27. 
The two-storey house which measures 180 square meters is located in
al-Mansoura Street in al-Shujaiya neighborhood. 
The shell opened a hole in the sealing of the kitchen in Hajjaj’s house
and caused slight damage to the contents of the house.  The other shell landed in a farm belonging to
Hamed Mardi Hajjaj, 74. The farm which measures 700 square meters is adjacent
to the house which was hit by the first shell.

 

It should be noted that the Palestinian police and explosive
experts arrived at Hajjaj’s house and opened investigations.  They took the shell from Hajjaj’s house and
told the Hajjaj family that the shell was fired by IOF. 

 

At approximately 21:30, IOF moved into Deir Estia village, northwest
of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew at around 21:40. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 21:30, IOF moved into Marda village, north of
Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew at around 21:50. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 21:30, IOF moved into Ein al-Dyouk village,
northeast of Jericho.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time.  They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:05, IOF moved into Kafr al-Dik village, west of
Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew at around 23:30. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into al-Jaroushiya village, north
of Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They withdrew later and
no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:15, IOF moved into Rafat village, west of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew at around 23:30.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 23:40, IOF moved into Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

 

Saturday, 28 January 2012  

 

At approximately 00:05, IOF moved into Deir Ballout village, west
of Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 12:25, IOF moved into al-Zawya village, west of
Salfit.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:10, IOF moved into Jifna village, northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Berham village, northwest of
Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They withdrew later and
no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Deir al-Sudan village, north
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They withdrew later and
no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, northwest
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. 

 

Also at approximately 23:30, IOF moved into al-Bireh.  They patrolled in the streets for some time and
then drove southwards.  They moved into
al-Ama’ari refugee camp and patrolled in the streets for some time.  They withdrew later and neither house raids
nor arrests were reported.   

 

 

Sunday, 29 January 2012

 

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

 

Also at approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Artah suburb, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

Also at approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Artah suburb, south of
Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. 
Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

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

 

At approximately 08:30, IOF moved into Abwin village, northwest of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Beitllo village, northwest
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time.  They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 09:30, IOF moved into al-Zbeidat village, north
of Jericho.  They patrolled in the
streets and held a number of workers for some time.  They withdrew later and neither house raids
nor arrests were reported. 

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Beit Sira village, southwest
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time.  They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Far’on village, south of Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the area for some time and
withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm.  They patrolled in the area for some time and
withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.   It should be
noted that this was the second incursion into Tulkarm within 24 hours.

 

Also at approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Kafr Malek village,
northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in
the streets for some time.  They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 20:30, IOF, backed by military vehicles and
apaches, moved into Gaza International Airport in the far southeast of Rafah in
the south of the Gaza Strip amid indiscriminate firing.  IOF arrested Hajjaj Yousif Ehmeid al-Soufi,
21, who is a university student and Ahmed Hussein Awad Abu Athra, 20, who is a
member of the Palestinian National Security Service.  Al-Soufi and Abu Athra are from al-Shouka
village in the east of Rafah.

 

The family of al-Soufi reported that on Monday morning, 30 January
2012, they received a phone call from someone who introduced himself as a
member of the Israeli Intelligence Service and who told them that IOF arrested
al-Soufi and his friend Abu Athra and transferred them to Ashkelon Prison in
Israel. According to the family of al-Soufi, the two men were walking to a
house of a friend of theirs when they were arrested.

 

At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Jinsafout village, east of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the area for
some time and withdrew later.  Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 22:40, IOF moved into al-Bireh.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Bitonia, west of Ramallah.  They provocatively patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They withdrew later and
no arrests were reported.

 

Also at approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Jericho.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

Monday, 30 January 2012

 

At approximately 01:45, IOF moved into Habla village, south of
Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  Then they raided a house
and delivered a notice to Mohammed Reda Yousif Kharroub requiring him to appear
before the Israeli Intelligence Service. 
IOF withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Beit ‘Aur al-Tahta village,
west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  They withdrew later and
no arrests were reported.

At approximately 15:00, IOF moved into Khrebtha al-Mesbah village, west
of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the
streets for some time.  They withdrew
later and no arrests were reported.

 

At approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Qalqilya.  They patrolled in the streets for some time.   They held a child, Yousif Haitham Matar, 13,
who was near the annexation wall by that time. 
IOF claimed that Matar had a knife. 
After intervention from the Palestinian Liaison Office, IOF released
Mattar at around 21:15.

 

At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.
They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later.  Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Ramon village, northeast of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets for some
time.  They withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.

 

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

 

At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Nablus.  They raided and searched Hayat Nablus Tourist
Resort in Tunisia Street in the west of Nablus. 
They destroyed the door of the administration’s office.  Before withdrawing, they confiscated
surveillance cameras, 2 hard desks used by the financial management and many
other hard desks and documents.

 

Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Balata refugee camp,
east of Nablus.  They raided the house of
Adnan Na’im Khrousha, 29, in the center of Balata refugee camp.  The soldiers knocked at the door of the
house.  As Khrousha got out of his house,
they questioned him and transferred him to the military detention center in
“Howara”, southeast of Nablus.

 

Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tammoun village,
southeast of Nablus.  They raided the
house of Nawwaf Nayef Ateya Bani Odeh, 37. 
The soldiers knocked at the door of the house.  As Bani Odeh got out of his house, they
questioned him and transferred him to an unknown destination.

 

Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Kafr Qaddoum village, northeast
of Qalqilya.  They raided and searched a
number of houses.  They destroyed two
iron gates attached to two of the raided houses.  Before withdrawing, IOF arrested 4
Palestinians:

 

Ali Fathi Jum’a, 21;

Abdul Latif Jamal Ubeid, 18;

Majed Farouq Ubeid, 24; and

Uqba Abdullah Ubeid, 29.

 

At approximately 11:00, IOF stationed at the border between the
Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Shujaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza,
opened fire at Munther Rashad Saleh al-Nakhala, 44. Al-Nakhalla sustained
wounds by a bullet to the left foot as a result.  He was hunting birds with friends with his
near the building of the Energy Authroity. 
He was nearly 500 meters from the fence. 
Eyewitnesses reported that IOF fired three bullets at bird hunters.

 

At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Zabouba village, northwest
of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets
for some time.  In the meanwhile,
Palestinian boys gathered and stoned IOF which replied by firing sound bombs
and tear gas canisters. IOF withdrew later and no further incidents were
reported.

 

Wednesday, 01 February 2012

 

• At
  approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Jalabon village, east of Jenin.  They patrolled in the streets for some
  time.  They withdrew later and no
  arrests were reported.

 

• At
  approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.  They raided and searched a number of
  houses.  Before withdrawing, they
  arrested three Palestinians including two children:

 

Hamza Yousif Mohammed Awad, 17;

Muayad Jawad Suleiman Bahar, 17; and

Muath Jamal Mahmoud Alqam.

 

At approximately 22:30, IOF stationed at the border in the
northeast of Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip fired two artillery
shells.  The shells landed on a land in
the northeast of Beit Hanoun.

 

At approximately 22:40, IOF apaches opened intensive fire for 10
minutes at the northeast of Beit Hanoun. 
Children and women in the area were in panic as a result.  No casualties were reported.

 

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

 

During
the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized
by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the
West Bank, and in protest to the establishment of a buffer zone in the Gaza
Strip.  As a result, Muhib Mohammed Asaad
al-Barghouthi, 46, photographer of al-Hayat al-Jadida Newspaper, sustained
wounds by two bullets to the feet. Al- Barghouthi was transferred to Palestine
Medical Compound in Ramallah for treatment. Also Mohammed Ateya al-Tamimi,
cameraman of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlement in Nabi
Saleh village, sustained wounds by a tear gas canister to the right foot.  A third Palestinian demonstrator also
sustained wounds by a bullet to the right leg. 
A PCHR fieldworker was unable to get the personal information of the
third wounded person as he came from another village and he was not transferred
to any hospital or medical center for treatment.  On 31 January, Imad Ahed Khalil Abu Hashem,
21, sustained shrapnel wounds by a sound bomb when IOF used excessive force
against a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ummar, north of Hebron.  Additionally, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
human rights defenders participating in peaceful demonstrations suffered from
tear gas inhalation. 

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 27 January 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in
protest to the construction of the annexation wall and support for efforts to
achieve national reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah movements.  They
raised the Palestinian flag and called for ending the political division. They
then moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court
ordered to be returned to their Palestinian owners.  Israeli soldiers
stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear
gas canisters at the demonstrators.  As a result, Muhib Mohammed Asaad
al-Barghouthi, 46, photographer of al-Hayat al-Jadida Newspaper, sustained
wounds by two bullets to the feet. Al- Barghouthi was transferred to Palestine
Medical Compound in Ramallah for treatment. 
Additionally, a number of civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday prayer on 20 January 2012, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and Israeli  and international human rights
defenders gathered in the center of al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah, to start the weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the
annexation wall and settlement activities.  The protesters walked towards
the gate erected by IOF near the entrance of the village and leading to
Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby “Halmish”
settlement are trying to seize.  Israeli soldiers, who had been
extensively deployed in the area and near all the entrances of the village
since the morning, began to confront the protesters who wanted to walk towards
the affected lands.  Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters.  As a
result, Mohammed Ateya al-Tamimi, cameraman of the Popular Committee against
the Wall and Settlement in Nabi Saleh village, sustained wounds by a tear gas
canister to the right foot.  Another
Palestinian demonstrator also sustained wounds by a bullet to the right
leg.  A PCHR fieldworker was unable to
get the personal information of the third wounded person as he came from
another village and he was not transferred to any hospital or medical center
for treatment.  Additionally, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas
inhalation. 

 

Also following the Friday Prayer, on the same day, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a
peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against
the construction of the annexation wall.  They chanted slogans calling for
Palestinian reconciliation, adherence to the Palestinian inalienable rights and
resistance of the occupation.  They clashed with Israeli troops positioned
near the annexation wall.  Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal
bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators.  As a
result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

Also following the Friday Prayer, at approximately 12:20 on the
same day, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights
defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Kafr Qaddoum village, northeast
of Qalqilya, in protest against closing the eastern entrance of the
village.  The demonstrators headed towards that entrance. Israeli soldiers
fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them, due to which, a number of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

At approximately 11:00 on Tuesday, 31 December 2012, a Palestinian
civilian sustained shrapnel wounds by a sound bomb and another two Palestinian
civilians and an Israeli media worker sustained fractures and bruises in Beit
Ummar village, north of Hebron, when IOF used excessive force against a
peaceful demonstration.  The
demonstration was organized in commemoration of Yousif Fakhri Ekhlil who was
killed one year ago by settlers when he was in a farm belonging to his family.

 

Dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international
solidarity activists participated in the demonstration.  They walked towards the eastern entrance of
Beit Ummar village.  As the demonstrators
arrived near the checkpoint erected near the eastern entrance of Beit Ummar, IOF
extensively fired sound bombs.  Israeli
soldiers used clubs and gun butts to beat the demonstrators.  As a result, Imad Ahed Khalil Abu Hashem, 21,
sustained shrapnel wounds by a sound bomb to his face.  He also sustained bruises throughout the
body.  Another two Palestinian civilians
and an Israeli media worker sustained fractures and bruises as IOF soldiers
attacked them.  The wounded were
transferred to Hebron Public Hospital and to the medical center in Beit Ummar
for treatment.  The other three wounded
persons are:

 

Ahmed Khalil Abu Hashem, 46, who sustained fractures in a finger in
his left hand and bruises in the head;

Yousif Abdul Hamid Abu Maria, 41, who sustained wounds and
fractures in his nose; and

A media worker for Channel 10 (Israel), who sustained bruises in
the face and the shoulder.

 

At approximately 11:35 on Tuesday, 31 January 2012, IOF positioned
along the border in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire a at a
group of Palestinian and international demonstrators, who were walking near
Beit Hanoun crossing.  They protested the imposition of the buffer zone
along the borders.  There were approximately 60 demonstrators, including 6
international activists and 10 journalists. 

 

In his testimony, the Beit Hanoun Local Initiative Coordinator,
Saber al-Za’aneen, said that at approximately 11:15 on that day, the demonstrators
headed towards the border area.  When they were approximately 50 meters from
the fence, IOF opened fire at the demonstrators who were obliged to get
out of there.  IOF continued firing for
around five minutes.  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.

 

Movement
at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

 

Movement
at Rafah International Crossing Point

25 –
31 January 2012

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

25 –
31 January 2012

 

Imports:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exports:

 

On Monday, 23 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 2.6 tons
of strawberries.

On Wednesday, 15 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 3.4
tons of strawberries.

On Thursday, 26 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 2.3
tons of strawberries and 158,000 flowers.

On Sunday, 29 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 116,000
flowers, 2.1 tons of strawberries and 7.6 tons of tomatoes.

On Monday, 30 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 2.6 tons
of strawberries.

On Tuesday, 31 January 2012, IOF allowed the exportation of 100,000
flowers.

 

Notes:

 

On Monday, 23 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 126 tons of
cement, 2,800 tons of construction aggregate and 65 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 273 tons of wheat.

 

On Tuesday, 24 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 324 tons of
cement, 3,290 tons of construction aggregate and 76 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  IOF also allowed the entry of
120 tons of cement, 210 tons of construction aggregate and 69 tons of
construction steel for UNDP and 350 tons of construction aggregate for USAID. They
also allowed the entry of 1,521 tons of fodders.

 

On Wednesday, 25 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 400 tons of
cement, 2,380 tons of construction aggregate and 57 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  IOF also allowed the entry of
420 tons of construction aggregate for USAID and 980 tons of construction
aggregate for the French Cultural Center. They also allowed the entry of 1,482
tons of wheat.

 

On Thursday, 26 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 120 tons of
cement, 3,360 tons of construction aggregate and 76 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 1,677 tons of fodders.

 

On Sunday, 29 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 482 tons of
cement and 2,660 tons of construction aggregate for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry of 1,365 tons of wheat.

 

On Monday, 30 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 552 tons of
cement, 2,800 tons of construction aggregate and 100 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 1,365 tons of fodders. 

 

On Tuesday, 31 January 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 433 tons of
cement, 2,520 tons of construction aggregate and 120 tons of construction steel
for UNRWA.  They also allowed the entry
of 780 tons of wheat. 

 

 

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

25 –
31 January 2012

 

 

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.

 

Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 26 January 2012, IOF re-established their
presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah.  At approximately 10:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Liqya village, west of Ramallah.  At approximately 17:00 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint under ‘Ein Yabroud Bridge, northeast of Ramallah.  At approximately 08:30 on Friday, 26 January
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest
of Ramallah.  At approximately 10:00 on
the same day, IOF established a checkpoint under Kharabtha al-Misbah Bridge,
southwest of Ramallah.  At approximately
10:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ne’lin, south of
Ramallah.  At approximately 15:00, IOF
established a checkpoint the entrance of Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa village, southwest
of Ramallah.  At approximately 09:00 on Saturday,
28 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Shaqba
village, west of Ramallah. Also at the same time, IOF established a checkpoint
near the entrance of Deir Abu Masha’al village, northwest of Ramallah. At
approximately 10:00, IOF established a checkpoint near the crossroads of Beit
‘Aur al-Tahta, southwest of Ramallah.  At
approximately 09:30 on Sunday, 29 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
under Kharabtha al-Misbah Bridge, west of Ramallah.  At approximately 10:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Termes’ia village, north of Ramallah.  At approximately 17:00, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Beitin village, northeast of Ramallah.  At approximately 10:00 on Monday, 30 January
2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Mazra’a al-Sharqeya,
northeast of Ramallah.  At approximately
10:40, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Liqya village, west
of Ramallah.  At approximately 11:00, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah.  At approximately 15:30, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Mughir village, northeast of
Ramallah. At approximately 09:30 on Tuesday, 31 January 2012, IOF established a
checkpoint the entrance of Beit ‘Aur al-Fouqa village, southwest of Ramallah.

 

Qalqilya:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Thursday, 26 January 2012, IOF established 3
checkpoints around Qalqilya.  IOF established
the first checkpoint at around 14:25 at the crossroads of Jeet village,
northeast of Qalqilya.  This checkpoint
was removed at around 18:15 on the same day. 
At approximately 18:15, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of
Hajja village.  At approximately 19:05,
IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kafr Laqef village.  Also at approximately 19:05, IOF established a
checkpoint at the crossroads of Jinsafout village. At approximately 21:05on
Friday, 27 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the crossroads of Jeet
village, northeast of Qalqilya. On Saturday, 28 January 2011, IOF established 6
checkpoints around Qalqilya.  IOF
established the first checkpoint at approximately 10:10 at the crossroads of
Hajja village; the second crossroads at 10:15 at the entrance of Kafr Qaddoum
village; the third checkpoint at around 14:40 near the crossroads of Jinsafout
village; the fourth at approximately 18:00 at the crossroads of Kafr Laqef
village, the fifth at approximately 18:30, at the crossroads of Jeet village;
and the sixth at around 19:50 at the crossroads of Azzoun village. On Sunday,
29 January 2012, IOF established 7 checkpoints around Qalqilya. IOF established
the first checkpoint at approximately 08:00 at the entrance of Azzoun village.
IOF established a checkpoint again at the entrance of Azzoun village at
approximately 14:10.  This checkpoint was
removed at approximately 14:55 on the same day. At approximately 12:15, IOF
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ematin village.  At approximately 12:45, thye established a
checkpoint at the eastern entrance of Qalqilya. 
At approximately 16:45, IOF established a checkpoint at the crossroads
of Hajja village.  They established a
second checkpoint also  at the crossroads
of Hajja village at 19:45.  At
approximately 18:00, IOF established a checkpoint between al-Fonduq village and
Jinsafout village. On Monday, 30 January 2012, IOF established 5 checkpoints
around Qalqilya.  IOF established the
first checkpoint at approximately 10:10 near Jinsafout village and
re-established the checkpoint at approximately 18:45 on the same day.  At approximately 11:30, IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of Azzoun village. At approximately 19:45, IOF
established a checkpoint at the crossroads of Jeet village.  At approximately 20:00, they established a
checkpoint between Fara’ta village and Ematin village.

 

Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 08:00 on Thursday, 26 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
the entrance of Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin.  At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 27 January
2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the road between al-Tarm village and
Kfireet village, southwest of Jenin.

 

Tulkarm:  IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  At approximately 08:00 on Friday, 27 January
2012, IOF positioned at ‘Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed
restrictions on the movement of Palestinians. At approximately 16:30 on Tuesday, 31
January 2012, IOF positioned at ‘Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed
more restrictions on the movement of Palestinians.  At approximately 15:30 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint on the road between Tulkarm and Qalqilya, near the
gate of Jbara village which is isolated from the surroundings by the annexation
wall.

 

Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the
movement of Palestinian civilians.  At
approximately 09:30 on Thursday, 26 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint
at the entrance of al-Dyouk al-Tahta village, west of Jericho.  At approximately 10:00 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho.  At approximately 01:30 IOF established a
checkpoint at the entrance of al-Zbaidat village, north of Jericho.  At approximately 09:30 on Sunday, 29 January
2012, they established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-‘Oja village, northeast
of Jericho.  At approximately 11:00 on the
same day, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Ein al-Dyouk
village, north of Jericho.  At
approximately 11:30 on Monday, 30 January 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at
the southern entrance of Jericho.  At
approximately 15:00, IOF established a checkpoint on the road between Ramallah
and Jericho. They established a checkpoint at approximately 15:30 near the
entrance of Fasayel village.

 

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

At approximately 20:00 on Thursday, 26 January 2012, IOF stationed
at the crossroads of Kfar Etzion-Beit Fajar on the main road between Hebron and
Bethlehem, arrested Khalil Ibrahim Hassan Qattoush, 45, from al-Dheisha refugee
camp, south of Bethlehem.  Qattoush was
searched by IOF, handcuffed and transferred to “Kfar Etzion” detention
center, southwest of Bethlehem.  IOF claimed
that Qattoush had a knife and he wanted to use it to “stab Israeli
soldiers.”  It should be noted that
Qattoush suffer from cancer and need intensive medical care.

 

At approximately 19:10 on Saturday, 28 Janury 2012, IOF stationed
in the center and the south of Hebron arrested Farid Hmeidan Farid al-‘Awiwi,
22, while on his way to his house.  IOF claimed
that al-‘Awiwi did not obey the soldiers’ orders and he is suspected of
throwing stones at IOF.  He was
transferred to the Israeli police station near “Kryat Arba”
settlement, southeast of Hebron.  The
following day, al-‘Awiwi was transferred to “Kfar Etzion” detention
center, southwest of Bethlehem.

 

 

At approximately 16:30 on Tuesday, 31 January 2012, IOF established
a checkpoint near “Yitzhar” settlement in the south of Nablus.  They stopped a car driven by Mohammed Said
Mohammed Khweiled, 26, from al-Shweika suburb, north of Tulkarm. Mohammed Ahmed
Said Salah, 26, also from al-Shweika suburb, north of Tulkarm, was travelling
in the same car.   Khweiled and Salah were on their way from
Ramallah to their houses.  IOF searched
the car and confiscated a sum of 4,700 ILS from Salah.  IOF arrested the two men and transferred
Salah to “Howara” detention center while they transferred Khweiled to
“al-Jalama” prison in Israel.

 

4. Efforts
to Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem

 

Israeli
occupation authorities have continued to make persistent efforts to create a
Jewish majority in East Jerusalem and expel Palestinian civilians in the city.

 

At
approximately 06:30 on Monday, 30 January 2012, IOF moved into al-Ashqareya
neighborhood in Beit Hanina, north of occupied Jerusalem.  They surrounded a house belonging to Mohammed
Samara and they started to take the furniture from the house and throw it in
the outdoors.  The bulldozer then
demolished the 72-square-meter house which was dwelled by a family of 7
members.  IOF also beat and arrested
Mohammed Abu Gharbeya, 21, who is Samara’s nephew.

 

Samara
reported that his Israeli lawyer told him that he reached a settlement with the
Israeli Municipality.  According to this
settlement, the plan to demolish Samara’s house was cancelled and Samara was
required to pay the sum of 18,000 NIS. So far, Samara has paid 3,000 NIS and he
wanted to make more payments.  It should
be noted that Samara is a bleacher and he suffers from a disease in his brain.

 

Later
on the same day, IOF bulldozed a structure annexed to the house of Fawwaz
Mohammed Jamal Hassouna in Shu’fat neighborhood, north of occupied Jerusalem.  The structure was annexed to the house which
was build before the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967.  In 2011, officers from the Israeli
Municipality in Jerusalem came and photographed the house.  The Municipality claims that the officers
stuck a demolition order on the door of the house on 26 January 2012.  The Hassouna family refuted this claim and
stated that they were surprised when crews from the Municipality arrived to
demolish the mentioned structure.  It
should be noted that the said structure measured 80 square meters.

 

On
Sunday morning, 29 January 2012, IOF closed Silwan Charity and a kindergarten
belonging to the Charity and Silwan Islamic Club in the south of the old city
of occupied Jerusalem.  This measure was
taken based on a decision signed by the Inspector General of the Israeli Police
Major General Yohanan Danino to close these establishments for a period of 30
days under the pretext that these establishments receive funding from Hamas.

 

Luba
Samri, a police spokeswoman for Arabic media, stated that: “Upon an order
signed by the Inspector General of the Police, detectives and investigators
from the Minorities Division in the Central Unit of the Shabak Israel Security
Agency, backed by forces from the Border Police, closed two institutions in
Silwan neighborhood for 30 days.”  Samri
claimed that the closed institutions were funded by Hamas and used for the
movement’s covert activities.  Samri said
that the closure order can be appealed.

 

On
31 January 2012, Rasem Ubeidat, a Palestinian writer and journalist from east
Jerusalem, headed to “al-Maskoubeya” interrogation center in
Jerusalem to appear before the Israeli intelligence service which delivered Ubeidat
an order issued by the Shabak Israel Security Agency to prevent him from having
access to the West Bank. This order is valid until 09 July 2012 and can be
appealed.

 

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.

 

On
Friday morning, 27 January 2012, IOF distributed a military order to close a dirt
road leading to four Palestinian communities in the south of Yatta, in the far
south of Hebron.

 

According
to data made available to PCHR, IOF distributed the said military order to a
number of Palestinians in Kherbat Jebna. 
The order requires the closure of the said dirt road which is linked
with the settlement road no. 317 and which leads to four Palestinian
communities in Kherbat Bir al-Ad, Kherbat Jebna, Kherbat al-Markaz and Kherbat
Halawa.  Approximately 320 Palestinians
who mainly depend on grazing sheep and goats live in these four
communities. 

 

Uthman
Jabarin, member of the Local Committee in Msafer Yatta area, reported that the
targeted road which is nearly 4 kilometers long had been closed previously for
10 years by the settlers who were backed by IOF.  The road was reopened based on a decision
issued by the Israeli High Court one year ago in response to appeals filed by
Palestinians.  Jabarin noted that works
to rehabilitate the said road were completed just one month ago to enable the
local population to drive trucks smoothly on the road.

 

It
should be noted that the population in the four affected communities lives in
caves and cottages.  They were subjected
before to forcible transfer by IOF under the pretext that they are present in areas
used by the Israeli army for training purposes. 
In addition, the population in the area was repeatedly subjected to
attacks by the Israeli settlers who seek to have control over their lands.  The closure of the said road is aimed at
transferring the local population from the affected area in order to expand 11
surrounding Israeli outputs.

 

On
Friday afternoon, 27 January 2012, IOF delivered two notices requiring
Palestinians to stop construction works in two houses in al-Ma’adsara village,
south of Bethlehem, and threatened the owners of these houses that they would
demolish the houses.

 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, IOF
raided Shaab al-Eida area in the southwest of al-Ma’adsara village.  IOF stuck two military orders on two houses
requiring the owners of the two houses to stop the construction works in the
targeted houses.  IOF also told the
owners in the orders that they would demolish the two houses under the pretext
of the lack of construction licenses. The two houses belong to:

 

1. Amjad Khaled
Ibrahim Zawahra. Amjad’s one-storey house measures 200 square meters and it was
supposed to be dwelled by a family of 5 members, including 3 children.

2. Suleiman
Mohammed Hussein Zawahra. Suleiman’s one-storey house measures 150 square
meters and it was supposed to be dwelled by a family of 4 members, including 2
children.

 

Mohammed Ahmed Hassan Breijeyeh, a Palestinian
activist against settlement activities, reported that the two targeted houses
are located in a residential neighborhood and they are around 700 meters far
from the main road. Breijeyeh noted that these measures taken by IOF are aimed
at exerting pressure on the residents of the area to stop their popular
resistance and at expanding settlement activities.

 

At
approximately 10:15 on Sunday, 29 January 2012, IOF moved into Hares village,
north of Salfit.  They headed to five
Palestinian houses and delivered 4 Palestinians notices informing them of IOF’s
intention to demolish their houses.  These
Palestinians are:

 

1. Asaad Mustafa Asaad Souf;
2. Saber Fawwaz Fayez Dawood;
3. Fares Fawwaz Dawood; and
4. Yasser Hussein Saleh Kleib.

 

In
addition, IOF delivered a notice to a fifth Palestinian, Ahmed Mustafa Asaad
Souf, requiring him to stop construction works in house under the pretext of
the lack of a construction license. IOF withdrew from the area at around 10:45
on the same day.

 

At
approximately 14:00 on Wednesday, 01 February 2012, Myassar Abdul Majid
Ibrahim, 61, from Surra village, southwest of Nablus, travelling with her
husband in a car driven by her son-in-law Kamal Tayseer Shahin to Ramallah
tbecause she wanted to be with her daughter who was delivering her baby in a
hospital in Ramallah.  Myassar was in the
back seat while her husband was in the front passenger seat. As they came close
to the crossroads near “Yitzhar” settlement, south of Nablus, they
met three settlers who stoned their car. 
The stones penetrated the glass and hit Myassar’s forehead.  Myassar sustained wounds as a result in her forehead
and she bled.  Her son-in-law immediately
fled to Nablus where he called an ambulance that transferred Myassar to Rafidia
Public Hospital for medical treatment. 
It was founded out that Myassar sustained laceration in the forehead and
suffered from hemorrhage in the brain.

 

 

………………………………………………………

 

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 (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8
282 4776 – 282 5893).