Israeli settlers from “Yits’har”
settlement set fire to Palestinian land south of Nablus

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

 

 

· Two
Palestinians were killed by an Israeli air strike in the central Gaza Strip.

– A third
Palestinian was wounded in the same attack.

 

· A Palestinian
civilian died of a previous wound in the West Bank.

 

· Israeli
warplanes attacked a number of civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip.

– A store of
fodders was bombarded and a number of civilian facilities were damaged.

 

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

– Dozens of
demonstrators suffered from tear Gas inhalation.

– IOF arrested 4
international human rights defenders.

 

· Israeli
gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip.

– A fishing boat was damaged.

 

· IOF conducted 32
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  

– IOF arrested 6 Palestinian
civilians, including a child.

 

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

– IOF arrested two
Palestinian civilians, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

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

– IOF cut 11 olive trees in Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit.

– IOF prevented Palestinian farmers from working on their lands near
“Sousia” settlement, south of Hebron.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli
violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued
during the reporting period (30 June – 06 July 2011):

 

Shooting:

 

During the reporting period, IOF
killed two Palestinians and wounded a third one in the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian civilian also died of a
previous wound in the West Bank. 

 

On 05 July 2011, , Israeli warplanes fired at least one missile at
a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance who were at an olive field
in the east of al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip, nearly 600 meters
away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result, two activists were killed by
shrapnel throughout their bodies and a third one was wounded. The Israeli daily Yidiot Aharanot reported on
its English website that “the Israeli Air Force targeted a Palestinian
terrorist cell to the east of al-Maghazi, while its members were attempting to
fire a projectile into Israel, killing two members of the cell and injuring a
third one.”

 

During the reporting period, Israeli
gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip in two
separate incidents. In one of these
attacks, a Palestinian fishing boat was damaged. 

 

On 05 July
2011, Israeli warplanes fired a missile at a number of activists of the
Palestinian resistance near a 1,000-squre-meter store of fodders belonging to
Isma’il Helmi al-Najjar in the east of Gaza City. The missile hit the store and damaged
it. Three activists were also lightly
wounded. Additionally, a nearby tire
workshop belonging to the Dughmosh family and a house belonging to Hafez ‘Aashour
Dughmosh were damaged.

 

In the West Bank, on 01 July 2011, a Palestinian civilian died of
wounds he had sustained by IOF last January. According to PCHR’s documentation, on 20 January 2011, the victim, who
holds an Israeli identity card, was traveling in his car at Nabi Younis
intersection, northeast of Hebron. Without prior warning, Israeli soldiers stationed at a checkpoint in the
area fired at him. He was wounded by a bullet
to the head. His car also turned upside
down. He was seriously wounded, and was
evacuated to Hadassa Hospital. 

 

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, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from
tear gas inhalation.  IOF also arrested 4
international human rights defenders.

 

 

Incursions:

 

During
the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 32 military incursions into
Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 6
Palestinian civilians, including a child. 

 

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 Soafa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2009, and
Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which was dedicated for the delivery of
fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

· IOF have continued to prolong the
implementation of their decision to allow 60 cars into Gaza weekly although
more than 10 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 46 months, IOF have continued to deny approximately 710
Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails their visitation
rights without providing any justification to this measure, which violates the
rules of the international humanitarian law.

West
Bank

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Settlement
Activities:  

 

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

 

On 30 June 2011, IOF cut 11 olive
trees in Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit. They claimed that the area is part of public land and is located near
the bypass road leading to “Elli Zahav” settlement.

 

On 01 July 2011, IOF prevented
Palestinian farmers and a number of international and Israeli solidarity
activists from plowing Palestinian agricultural areas in Wad al-Sweed near
“Sousia” settlement to the southeast of Yatta village, south of Hebron. IOF arrived at the area at 11:00 and forced
the farmers and activists to leave it. It is worth noting that the land whose area is 60 dunums,[1]
and it had been seized by Israeli settlers since 2004. However, the Israeli High Court had recently
issued a decision giving the land back to its Palestinian owners.

 

 

Israeli
Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (30 June – 06 July 2011)

 

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

 

Thursday, 30 June 2011

 

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qalqilya. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Kazem Mofeed
Radwan, 18;

2. ‘Alaa’ Sameer
Saleem, 20; and

3. Usaid Yasser
Saleem, 22.

 

Friday,
01 July 2011

 

· In the morning, medical sources at Hadassa Hospital in Jerusalem
declared that Jalal Khalil al-Masri, 30, from Ethna village west of Hebron and
resident of Jerusalem, died of wounds he had sustained by IOF last
January. According to PCHR’s
documentation, at approximately 23:30 on Thursday, 20 January 2011, al-Masri,
who holds an Israeli identity card, was traveling in his car at Nabi Younis
intersection, northeast of Hebron. Without prior warning, Israeli soldiers stationed at a checkpoint in the
area fired at him. He was wounded by a
bullet to the head. His car also turned
upside down. He was seriously wounded,
and was evacuated to Hadassa Hospital. IOF claimed that he did not obey orders to stop.

 

· At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into Hijja village, east of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Kharabtha al-Misbah village,
north of Ramallah. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 21:30, IOF moved into al-Jiftlek village, north of
Jericho. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 21:45, IOF moved into Sinjel village, north of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 02 July 2011

 

· At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into ‘Aqabet Jaber refugee camp,
southwest of Jericho. They patrolled in
the streets for some time and took photographs of historical sites. They withdrew later and no arrests were
reported.

· At approximately 15:00, 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 18:35, 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 23:30, IOF moved into al-Bireh. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No arrests were
reported.

 

Sunday, 03 July 2011

 

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-‘Ouja village, northeast
of Jericho. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 08:20, IOF moved into Far’ata village, northeast
of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 10:45, IOF moved into al-Fundoq village, east of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 14:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They stationed on Nablus-Tulkarm road near
Ektaba intersection. Israeli soldiers
stepped down from their vehicles. They
stopped and searched a number of Palestinian civilian vehicles. They withdrew from the area later and neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 16:15, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets
and held two Palestinian civilians, including a child, for some time: Yousef
Ahmed Faisal, 17; and Mohammed Faisal Saleem, 19. They released the two civilians later and
withdrew from the village. Neither house
raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 16:15, IOF moved into Kufor Thuluth village,
southeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 18:00, IOF raided and searched Palestinian houses
in al-Ras Street in Hebron. They
withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 20:20, IOF moved into Beit Liqya village, north of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets
and provoked Palestinian civilians. A
number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at Israeli military
vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers
fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at
them. As a result, a number of
Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Monday, 04 July 2011

 

· At approximately 06:40, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit
Lahia seashore in the northern Gaza Strip fired bullets and a number of shells
at Palestinian fishing boats. Palestinian fishermen were forced to flee towards the beach. A boat belonging to Mohammed ‘Abdul Raziq
Baker, from Gaza City, was damaged.

 

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

 

· Also at approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Jafna village, north of
Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. No
arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 11:45, IOF moved into Marka village, south of
Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for
some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 11:45, IOF moved into Ya’bad village,
southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· Also at approximately 11:45, IOF moved into Misliya village, south
of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 14:30, IOF moved into Tullarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of Ahmed Mohammed Jayousi, 20, who was not at home. When Jayousi phoned his sister, an Israeli
officer took the phone and ordered him to come back home. When he arrived at home, IOF arrested him.

 

· Also at approximately 14:30, IOF moved into Bourqin village,
southwest of Jenin, and patrolled in the streets. A number of Palestinian boys gathered and
threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters at them. IOF then raided a shop belonging to Haris
‘Ali Salama, 55, and questioned him. They withdrew later and neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 16:20, IOF moved into Qarawat Bani Hassan village,
west of Salfit. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, northwest
of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the
streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Bidya village, west of
Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

· At approximately 22:30, IOF moved into Brouqin village, northwest
of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets
for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

 

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

 

· At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Deir Jarir village,
northeast of Ramallah. They patrolled in
the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 05 July 2011

 

· At approximately 07:00, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit
Lahia seashore in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing
boats. Palestinian fishermen were forced
to flee towards the beach and neither damage nor casualties were reported.

 

· At approximately 14:40, Israeli warplanes fired at least one
missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance who were at an
olive field in the east of al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip,
nearly 600 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result, two activists were killed by
shrapnel throughout their bodies:

 

1. Mohammed Sa’id
Abu Jazar, 29, from Rafah; and

2. Kamal Hamdan
Abu Mo’ammar, 30, from Rafah. 

 

A third activist was also wounded by shrapnel throughout the
body. The Israeli daily Yidiot Aharanot
reported on its English website that “the Israeli Air Force targeted a
Palestinian terrorist cell to the east of al-Maghazi, while its members were
attempting to fire a projectile into Israel, killing two members of the cell
and injuring a third one.”

 

· At approximately 23:30, Israeli warplanes fired
a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance near a
1,000-squre-meter store of fodders belonging to Isma’il Helmi al-Najjar in the
east of Gaza City.  The missile hit the
store and damaged it. Three activists
were also lightly wounded.  Additionally,
a nearby tire workshop belonging to the Dughmosh family and a house belonging
to Hafez ‘Aashour Dughmosh were damaged.

 

Wednesday, 06 July 2011

 

· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Iraq Bourin village, southwest of
Nablus. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

 

1. ‘Abdullah
Mahmoud Abu Qadous, 24; and

2. ‘Aqel ‘Essam
Faqeeh, 16.

 

· At approximately 14:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets and stopped and
questioned a number of Palestinian civilians. IOF withdrew from the town at approximately 17:45, and no arrests were
reported.

 

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

 

During
the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized
by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the
West Bank. As a result, dozens of Palestinian
civilians and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation and
others sustained bruises.  IOF also
arrested 4 international human rights defenders.     

   

· Following the Friday Prayer on 01 July 2011, dozens of Palestinian
civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful
demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the
construction of the annexation wall and in solidarity with Gaza Freedom
Flotilla 2. They raised the Palestinian,
Turkish and Irish national flags. 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, a number of demonstrators suffered
from tear gas inhalation. 

 

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 01 July 2011, dozens of
Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders
organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of
Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between
the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by
Israeli settlers near “Halmish” settlement, Israeli troops fired
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a number of demonstrators
suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

 

· Also following
the Friday Prayer on 01 July 2011, Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful
demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya. They moved towards the main road of the
village, which has been closed by IOF for more than 10 years. They called for reopening the road, which
links the village with other Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF intercepted the demonstration and fired
tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. They also beat a number of demonstrators. As a result, Murad Mahmoud Eshtaiwi, 40, was
injured in the head, and Ramzi Kamel ‘Aqel, 35, sustained bruises to the
body. IOF deliberately fired tear gas
canisters and sound bombs at both sides of the road. As a result, fire broke out in the area and
at least 200 beehives belonging to ‘Adnan ‘Abdul Muhdi ‘Ali, 60, and 150 olive
trees belong to ‘Ali and to ‘Ali Mohammed Sa’id were burnt. 

 

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

22 –
28 June 2011

 

 

Movement
at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing

28 June
– 05 July 2011

 

Imports:

 

 

Notes:

 

· On Tuesday, 28 June 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 300 tons of
cement, 108 of iron bars and 1,260 tons of construction aggregate for UNRWA,
and 56 tons of construction aggregate for the Palestinian Medical Relief
Committees. They also allowed the entry
of 1,560 tons of fodders.

 

· On Wednesday, 29 June 2011, IOF allowed the entry 240 408 tons of
cement for UNRWA, and 20 tons of construction aggregate and 6 tons of iron bars
for the Palestinian Medical Relief Committees. They also allowed the entry of 1,560 tons of fodders, 476 tons of straws
and 28 tons of flower seedlings.  

 

· On Thursday, 30 June 2011, IOF allowed the entry of cement for
UNRWA, and 1,610 tons of aggregate for ANERA. They also allowed the entry of 1,287 tons of wheat.

 

· On Sunday, 03 July 2011, IOF allowed the entry of 440 tons of
cement and 1,400 tons of construction aggregate for UNRWA. They also allowed the entry of 234 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

29 June
– 05 July 2011

 

 

The West Bank

 

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

 

· Jerusalem: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city.
Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have
been denied access to the city. IOF have established many checkpoints around
and inside the city.  Restrictions of the
movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim
Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.  On Friday, 01 July 2011, IOF imposed
additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians at the
entrance of the old town and the al-Aqsa Mosque. They banned Palestinians aged below 45 from
entering the al-Aqsa Mosque. They also
prevented Palestinians from the West Bank from entering Jerusalem. IOF established checkpoints at the entrances
of the old town and the al-Aqsa Mosque, and reinforced their presence
throughout the city.   

 

· Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of the Palestinian civilians in Ramallah.  At approximately 08:30 on Friday, 01 July
2011, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of
Ramallah. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. At
approximately 17:00 on the same day, they established a checkpoint on Bitillo –
Deir Ammar road, northwest of Ramallah. At
approximately 19:30, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance of Silwad
village, northeast of Ramallah. At
approximately 17:40 on Saturday, 02 July 2011, IOF re-established their
presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. At approximately 18:30 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint under Kharabtha al-Misbah Bridge, west of
Ramallah. At approximately 14:50 on
Sunday, 03 July 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance of
al-Mughayar village, northeast of Ramallah. At approximately 15:30 on the same day, IOF established a checkpoint
near the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. At approximately 19:20 on the same day, IOF
established a checkpoint near the entrance of Turmos’iya village, north of
Ramallah. At approximately 17:40 on
Monday, 04 July 2011, IOF re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint,
north of Ramallah.     

 

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Thursday, 30 June 2011, IOF established two
checkpoints around Qalqilya. On Friday, 01
July 011, IOF established two checkpoints around Qalqilya. At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 02 July
2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of ‘Azzoun village, east of
Qalqilya. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. On
Sunday, 03 July 2011, IOF established two checkpoints around the town.  On Monday, 04 July 2011, IOF established two
checkpoints around Qalqilya.   

 

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:00 on Monday, 04 July
2011, IOF established a checkpoint on Kufor Qoud – Kufor Dan road, west of
Jenin. They stopped and searched
Palestinian civilian vehicles. 

 

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:00 on Monday, 04 July
2011, IOF established a checkpoint on Tulkarm – Qalqilya road. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.

 

· Jericho: IOF
have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. At approximately 01:30 on
Friday, 01 July 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Fassayel
village, north of Jericho. They stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 09:30 on Monday, 04 July 2011, IOF established a
checkpoint at the intersection of “Yataf” settlement, east of Jericho. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles.

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints

 

· At approximately 22:00 on Thursday, 30 June 2011, Israeli soldiers
patrolling in the old town of Hebron arrested Mohammed ‘Aadel Abu ‘Ayash, 15,
claiming that he was carrying a knife.

 

· At approximately 11:00 on Sunday, 03 July 2011, Israeli soldiers
stationed at Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, arrested Murad Ahmed Shadid,
21, a university student from ‘Allar village north of Tulkarm. 

 

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

 

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

 

· At approximately 09:30 on Thursday, 30 June 2011, IOF cut 11 olive
trees belonging to Tawfiq Ahmed ‘Ali in Kufor al-Dik village, west of
Salfit. They claimed that the area is
part of public land and is located near the bypass road leading to “Elli Zahav”
settlement.

 

· On Friday morning, 01 July 2011, IOF prevented Palestinian farmers
and a number of international and Israeli solidarity activists from plowing
Palestinian agricultural areas in Wad al-Sweed near “Sousia” settlement to the
southeast of Yatta village, south of Hebron. IOF arrived at the area at 11:00 and forced the farmers and activists to
leave it. It is worth noting that the
land whose area is 60 dunums belongs to the Houshiya family, and it had been
seized by Israeli settlers since 2004. However, the Israeli High Court had recently issued a decision giving
the land back to the Houshiya family.

 

…………………………………………………………

 

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).