Israeli Occupation
Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and
Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) and Continue to Impose a
Total Siege on the Gaza Strip
· Two Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip as a result
of the collapse of a tunnel bombarded by IOF.
· IOF killed a mentally disabled Palestinian civilian at the
entrance to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
· 13 Palestinian civilians, including four children and one woman,
were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
· IOF conducted 30 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank and one into the Gaza Strip.
· IOF arrested 25 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and four
in the Gaza Strip.
· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the oPt and
have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
· IOF troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West
Bank arrested four Palestinian civilians, including one child.
· IOF have continued measures aimed at establishing a Jewish
majority in east Jerusalem.
· IOF ordered the demolition of a number of Palestinian houses.
· IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank
and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and
property.
· Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers in the north of
the West Bank.
Summary
Israeli violations of
international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting
period (29 April – 06 May 2009):
Shooting: During the reporting period, three
Palestinians were killed and 13 others, including four children and a woman,
were wounded in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
On 1 May 2009, two Palestinians were
killed in the Gaza Strip when IOF warplanes bombarded a tunnel at the border
between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. On the same day, IOF troops positioned east
of Jabalya – along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel – fired at a
Palestinian woman who was grazing animals, wounding her.
On 2 May 2009, a Palestinian farmer
was wounded when IOF troops positioned east of Khan Yunis – along the border
between the Gaza Strip and Israel – fired at a number of Palestinian farmers.
On 3 May 2009, three Palestinian
civilians, including a child, were lightly wounded when a missile left by IOF
during the latest military offensive on the Gaza Strip exploded near them. On
the same day, the ICRC informed the family of missing 12-year-old Ayman Mohammed Shamiya, from Jabalya refugee camp,
that he was detained by IOF. The family was informed that the child was
arrested near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, north of Beit
Hanoun town, after he had been wounded in the feet.
In the West Bank, on 6 May 2009, IOF
shot dead a Palestinian civilian at the entrance of the Ibrahimi Mosque in
Hebron. They claimed that he attempted to take over the gun of an IOF soldier,
so the soldier shot him. According to the victim’s family, he was suffering
from mental disorders.
During the reporting period, seven Palestinian
civilians, including a child, were wounded when IOF used force against peaceful
demonstrations organized to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall.
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF
conducted at least 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the
West Bank. IOF arrested 25 Palestinian civilians, including a child.
In the Gaza Strip, on 2 May 2009, an
IOF infantry unit moved nearly 400 meters into the east of Jabalya town in the
northern Gaza Strip. IOF troops opened fire at houses and agricultural areas.
On 3 May 2009, IOF troops arrested three Palestinian civilians attempting to
infiltrate into Israel to search for jobs. The three were arrested east of
al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the oPt
and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
IOF have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza
Strip for more than two years. The IOF siege of Gaza, which has steadily
tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and
economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
· 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights,
including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living
conditions, work, health and education.
· The main concern of
1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of
food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
· IOF have continued to
prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more
than two years.
· IOF have not allowed
fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas,
since 10 December 2008.
· The Rafah
International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of
patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to the
Gaza Strip.
· IOF have continued to
close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to
the West Bank and Israel for medical treatment, trade or social visits.
· In the Gaza Strip poverty
levels are at approximately 80%, while unemployment has reached approximately
60%.
· IOF have continued to
prevent the entry of spare parts intended for water networks and sewage
systems. Losses incurred to this sector are estimated at US$6 million.
· IOF have imposed
additional access restrictions international diplomats, journalists and
humanitarian workers attempting to reach the Gaza Strip. They have prevented
representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from
entering the Gaza Strip.
· Living conditions of
the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of
poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted.
· At least 900
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been denied family visitation for
more than 17 months.
· IOF have continued to
attack Palestinian fishers along the Gaza Strip coast.
West Bank
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement
of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East
Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.
· IOF have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem,
severely restricting Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently
prevented from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
· There are approximately permanent 630 roadblocks, and manned
and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition, there are some
60-80 ‘flying’ or temporary checkpoints erected across the West Bank by IOF
every week.
· When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for
724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population.
350 kilometers of the Wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of
the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating
Palestinian land.
· At least 65% of the main roads leading to 18 Palestinian
communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF (47 out of
72 roads).
· There are around 500 kilometers of restricted roads across
the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including
occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit
issued by the IOF. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.
· IOF continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold
peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall.
· Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in
Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and
searched in the streets by IOF.
· During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at
military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested four Palestinian civilians,
including a child.
Attempts to
Establish a Jewish Majority in Jerusalem: IOF have escalated arbitrary measures against
Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem, in an attempt to force them to leave
the city. During the reporting period, IOF handed a copy of a decision
issued by the Local Affairs Court of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem to
Nabeel Is’haq al-Daissi. The decision ordered al-Daissi to demolish a structure
he had added to his house in the Old Town allegedly without a license. During
the reporting period, the Local Affairs Court of the Israeli Municipality of
Jerusalem ordered the demolition of a house belonging to Darwish Khalil
al-Daissi, 27, in the Old Town, claming that it was built without a license. On
05 May 2009, the time limit given by IOF to ‘Abdul Nasser ‘Aadel Hamdallah to
demolish his house in al-Sal’a quarter in al-Mukabber village expired. The
Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem had already ordered Hamdallah to demolish his
55-square-meter house, claiming that it was built without a license.
Settlement
Activities: IOF
have continued settlement activities in violation of international humanitarian
law. Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and
property. On 29 April 2009, armed Israeli settlers attacked with stones
Palestinian civilian vehicles traveling on the main road between Kufor Qaddoum
and al-Fundoq villages, northeast of Qalqilya. On 1 May 2009, a number of
Israeli settlers from “Gilad” settlement, escorted by IOF troops,
attacked Palestinian farmers in Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. They
ordered the farmers to leave their lands claiming that that they belong to
them. An Israeli settler beat and sprayed gas onto the face of Mohammed Ahmed
Abu Baker, 20.
Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (29 April – 6
May 2009)
The full report is available PDF
format.
