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

 

 

· Two
Palestinian civilians were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank.

 

· IOF
conducted 19 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

 

· IOF
arrested 29 Palestinian civilians, including two women and a child, in the West
Bank.

 

· IOF
stormed houses of a number of activists against the construction of the
Annexation Wall. 

 

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

 

· IOF
troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 3
Palestinian civilians (two journalists and a child).

 

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

 

· IOF
ordered a number of Palestinian farmers to the east of ‘Aqraba village near
Nablus to evacuate their property.

 

· Israeli
settlers uprooted 15 olive trees in Deir Nizam village near Ramallah.

 

 

 

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law
and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (21 – 27 January
2010).

 

Shooting: During
the reporting period, IOF wounded two Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. 

 

On 22 January 2010, a Palestinian civilian was
wounded when IOF also used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized
by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders, protesting
the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.

 

On 23 January 2010, a Palestinian civilian was
wounded when IOF fired at Palestinian civilians who gathered at the entrance of
Iraq Bourin village, south of Nablus, to prevent Israeli settlers from entering
the village.  

 

On 19 January 2010, a child was wounded when IOF
moved into Jenin Refugee Camp in the northern West Bank and fired at a number
of children demonstrating in the area.  

 

Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were
also wounded by Israeli troops stationed at military checkpoints. 

 

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 19 military
incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  IOF arrested 29 Palestinian civilians,
including two women and one child. IOF
also stormed houses of activists against the construction of the Annexation
Wall.    

 

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

 

Gaza
Strip

 

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

 

· 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.

 

· Israel
has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for the past two and a half years.

 

· Israel
has 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 to the
Gaza Strip.

 

· IOF
have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians
wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or
social visits.

 

· Living
conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated;
levels of poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted, especially in the Gaza
Strip.

 

· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and
sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector are estimated at US$ 6 million.

 

· Israel
has imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to the Gaza Strip. IOF have prevented representatives
of several international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza
Strip.

 

· Palestinian
prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived for family visitation for more
than two and a half years. 

 

· IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen 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 630 permanent roadblocks, manned and unmanned checkpoints
across the West Bank. In addition, there are some 60-80 ‘flying’ or temporary
checkpoints erected across the West Bank by 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 has already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been
constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.

 

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

 

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

 

On 21 January 2010, IOF moved into the Lafjam area
to the east of ‘Aqraba village, southeast of Nablus, and handed notices to 6
Palestinian farmers from the Bani Monia and Bani Jaber families ordering them
to evacuate animal sheds. Otherwise, IOF would force them to do so,
confiscating the animals and forcing the farmers to pay the costs.

 

On 23 January 2010, a number of Israeli settlers
from “Brakha” settlement, south of Nablus, stormed Iraq Bourin
village to the south of the settlement. In response, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in the north of
the village to prevent the settlers from entering the village. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at those
civilians, wounding one.

 

On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from
“Halmish” settlement, northwest of Ramallah, uprooted 15 olive trees
belonging to Jameel ‘Abdul Qader Mezher in Deir Nizam village.

 

On 26 January 2010, a number of Israeli settlers
from “Ma’oun” settlement to the east of Yatta village, south of
Hebron, stormed al-Twana village – allegedly to look for sheep belonging to
them. The armed settlers clashed with
Palestinian villagers, and Israeli troops intervened to protect the
settlers. Israeli troops also violently
beat a villager.

 

On 27 January 2010, a number of Israeli settlers
gathered in the evacuated “Homesh” settlement, northwest of
Nablus. They attacked a Palestinian
farmer while he was farming his land. They
also threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles traveling on the
Jenin-Nablus road. No injuries were
reported. 

 

 

 

Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (21 – 27 January 2010)

 

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

 

Thursday, 21 January 2010  

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian
civilians:

 

1. Usaid
Khaled Salama, 19; and

2. ‘Abdul
‘Aziz Khalil Jebril, 23.

 

· Also
at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Qussai
Mohammed Nafe’, 19;

2. Barakat
‘Ali al-Khawaja, 32; and

3. Mustafa
Rateb ‘Amira, 53, who was arrested to exert pressure on his son, 32-year-old
Rateb, so he would hand himself in to IOF.

 

· At
approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Mohammed
Mahmoud al-Slaibi, 25;

2. Jamal
Ibrahim Ekhlil, 18;

3. Mohammed
Muhaisen ‘Awadh, 32; and

4. ‘Allam
Muneer Ebraighaith, 18.

 

During the
house raids, IOF broke the door of Muhaisen ‘Awadh’s house and damaged the
furniture. They also violently beat him,
and an amount of 800 NIS (approximately US$ 200) from inside the house went
missing. IOF also violently beat ‘Alaa’
Mahmoud al-Slaibi, 16, and his brother Ahmed, 19, and damaged a truck belonging
to Yousef Khudair ‘Awadh. 

 

· At
approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Deir Abu Da’if village, northeast of
Jenin. They raided and searched a number
of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

Friday,
22 January 2010

 

· At
approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Deir Nizam village, northwest of
Ramallah. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested Mohammed Faraj al-Tamimi, 23.

 

· At
approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses,
but no arrests were reported.

 

 

Saturday,
23 January 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and
arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Hussein
Ibrahim Abu ‘Ayash, 19;

2. Muhannad
Khaled Abu ‘Awad, 20; and

3. ‘Eissa
Mohammed ‘Awadh, 21.

 

During the
house raids, IOF forced Diab Hassan ‘Allami, 24, out of his house. The held him for more than an hour, during
which time they violently beat him.

 

Sunday, 24 January 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:15, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahiya beach
in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. Palestinian fishermen were forced to sail
back to the beach; no casualties were reported.

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested Rateb Mustafa ‘Amira, 32. IOF had arrested ‘Aamia’s father 3 days earlier to force him to hand
himself in.

 

Monday, 25 January 2010

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Hani Masalma, and arrested
his two sons, Malek, 19; and Mohammed, 17.

 

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

 

1. Mohammed
‘Abdul Ghani Shqair, 22; and

2. Mansour
‘Abdul Khaliq ‘Izziddin, 33.

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses,
but no arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Tubas. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were
reported.

 

· Also
at approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Tammoun village, south of Tubas. They raided and searched a number of houses,
but no arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 26 January 2010

 

· At
approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Jalboun village, east of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

· At
approximately 04:00, IOF moved into the southern part of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time
and withdrew later. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

Wednesday, 27 January 2010

 

· At
approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses
and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

 

1. Muneer
Jamal Saif, 18;

2. Nafe’
Ahmed Salah, 19;

3. Ashraf
Rassem Hijja, 20;

4. Walid
Yazid Daghlas, 18; and

5. Fadi
Zaher Abu ‘Omar, 18. 

 

They also informed the family of Saddam Ragheb Shraida, 19, that he
must hand himself in.

 

· At
approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to
the family of ‘Ammar ‘Aaref Qazzaz, 19, and arrested him.

 

· At
approximately 05:00, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahiya beach
in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. Palestinian fishermen were forced to sail
back to the beach. No casualties were
reported.

 

· At
approximately 15:00, IOF moved into Qalqiliya. They patrolled in the streets and stopped and checked a number of
Palestinian civilians. No house raids or
arrests were reported.

 

2. Continued Closure of the OPT

 

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

 

Israeli occupation forces
have continued to impose a tightened blockade for more than two and a half
years. The illegal Israeli-imposed closure 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 the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs
of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.

 

· Israel
has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza
Strip for more than two and a half years.

 

· Israel
has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, 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 to the
Gaza Strip.

 

· IOF
have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians
wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or
social visits.

 

· IOF
have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and
sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector are estimated at US$ 6 million.

 

· Israel
has imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats,
journalists and humanitarian workers to the Gaza Strip. IOF 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.

 

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

 

· IOF
have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.

 

Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting
Period:

 

Movement at Rafah International
Crossing Point

20 – 26 January 2010

 

 

Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom)
Crossing

20 – 26 January 2010

 

 

Nahal Ouz
Crossing: On 01 January 2010, IOF
decided to close the crossing permanently, and to only allow the entry of fuels
through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, citing
security reasons.    

 

Al-Mentar
(Karni) Crossing: IOF partially
opened the crossing on Wednesday, 20 January 2010, and allowed the entry of 1,520
tons of wheat and 1,280 tons of fodders. They opened it again on Monday, 25 January 2010, and allowed the entry
of 1,360 tons of wheat and 680 tons of fodders. 

 

Beit
Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: IOF have continued
to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the movement of Palestinian civilians.
They have allowed only diplomats, a number of international journalists, employees
of international agencies and a small 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. As mentioned above, IOF have permitted
a few number of patients to pass through the crossing, but under severe
restrictions that include prolonged checking.

 

Movement at Beit Hanoun (Erez)
Crossing

20 – 25 January 2010

 

 

The
West Bank

 

IOF
have 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. Israeli occupation forces have established many checkpoints
around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian
civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim Palestinians from
praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli occupation forces often violently beat
Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the
city.   

 

· Nablus: IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians.  On Sunday morning, 24 January 2010, Israeli
troops stationed at Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus, imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  On Tuesday morning, 26 January 2010, Israeli
troops stationed at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  

 

· Ramallah: IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian
civilians in Ramallah. IOF troops
positioned at the Jaba’ and Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have
imposed additional restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged checking on
Palestinian civilians. During the
reporting period, IOF erected a number of temporary checkpoints, and stopped
and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Tuesday evening, 26 January 2010, IOF closed Jaba’ checkpoint,
southeast of Ramallah, for one hour.     

 

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. On
the morning of Sunday, 24 January 2010, IOF established a checkpoint between
Rummana and Zabbouba village, west of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On the morning of Tuesday, 26 January 2010,
IOF established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. On Wednesday morning,
IOF established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jenin, and another on the
Maithaloun-Sanour road. They stopped and
searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.      

 

· Bethlehem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. At
approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 25 January 2010, IOF closed al-Nashahs intersection
at the southern entrance of Bethlehem for an hour and a half. They stopped and searched Palestinian
civilian vehicles. On Friday noon,
Israeli troops stationed at Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They searched Palestinian civilian vehicles
and verified the identity cards of passengers. 

 

· Hebron: IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. On Thursday, Friday and
Saturday, 21, 22 and 23 January 2010, Israeli troops stationed in al-Ras and
Wadi al-Hussain neighborhoods in the southeast of Hebron imposed additional
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They stopped, checked and questioned
Palestinian civilians. In the same
context, Israeli troops stationed at a military checkpoint at the entrance of
Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, stopped, held, checked and questioned a
number of Palestinian civilians. 

 

Arrests
at Military Checkpoints

 

· At
approximately 19:00 on Thursday, 21 January 2010, Israeli troops stationed in
the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the old city of Hebron arrested Isma’il
Hawamda, 16, from al-Sammou’ village southwest of Hebron, claiming that he was
carrying a knife. 

 

· At
approximately 12:00 on Saturday, 23 January 2010, IOF arrested Ahmed Hamza
al-Kilani, 29, and Mos’ab al-Khatib, 27, two journalists working for al-Quds
Television. The two journalists were
preparing a television report on Ariel College, which the Israeli government
intends to turn into an accredited university. When Israeli settlement security officers saw them, they called Israeli
troops stationed at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus. When they arrived at the area, Israeli troops
confiscated the journalists’ cameras and identity and press cards. They also detained and interrogated the
journalists for some time.

 

In his testimony to PCHR, journalist Ahmed al-Kilani
stated:

 

“At
approximately 12:00 on Saturday, 23 January 2010, my colleague, Mos’ab
al-Khatib, and I were near ‘Taffouh’ and ‘Ariel’ settlements preparing a
television report for al-Quds Television on the transformation of Ariel College
into a university.  Soon, two settlement
security officers came to us and asked us for identity and press cards. They then called Israeli troops stationed at
Za’tara checkpoint. A Hummer military
jeep arrived in the area. Israeli
soldiers stepped out of it and ordered us to show them the video recordings and
ordered us to delete them, but we refused. They asked us for identity and press cards and confiscated our cameras.  They then handcuffed and blindfolded us. We were taken in an armed personnel carrier
to some place.  For one hour and a half,
the interrogated us about what we were doing. Ten minutes later, they took us to Za’tara checkpoint, where they
released us.”  

 

Harassments
at Military Checkpoints

 

· On
Sunday morning, 24 January 2010, Israeli troops attacked10 Palestinian workers
in the Za’im area near the Annexation
Wall, east of Jerusalem. As a result,
Rani Hussein Salah, 26, from al-Khader village south of Bethlehem, sustained an
injury in the mouth and acute bruises across his body. He also lost 6 of his teeth. The other workers sustained bruises across
their bodies. According to
investigations conducted by PCHR, on Sunday morning, hundreds of Palestinian
workers gathered approximately 500-600 meters away from al-Za’im crossing, east
of Jerusalem, wishing to enter the city to attend their jobs, as they do not
have permits to enter the city. Israeli
troops were patrolling in the area and chasing anyone they saw. At approximately 04:30 Israeli troops
surrounded 10 workers, mostly from al-Khader village, who were on a sand hill
to the east of the Wall. They forced the
workers to sit down and violently beat them for more than 10 minutes. They then held the workers in a room near
al-Za’im crossing for approximately 30 minutes, without offering Rani Hussein
Salah, who was injured, any medical aid. They released him at approximately 07:30, and he could hardly reach a
hospital in Bethlehem. The other workers
were released at 13:30 of the same day.  

 

3. Construction of the Annexation Wall

 

IOF have continued to
construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory.  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.

 

· Following
the Friday Prayer on 22 January 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and
international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Bil’ein
village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the Wall and threw stones at IOF
troops positioned in the area. Immediately, IOF troops fired rubber-coated
metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear
gas inhalation.

 

· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 22 January 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration
in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, protesting the construction of the
Annexation Wall. They clashed with IOF
troops positioned near the Wall. IOF
troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters
at demonstrators. Dozens of
demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

 

· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 22 January 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in
protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall in al-Ma’sara village, south
of Bethlehem. Israeli troops closed the
entrance of the village and attacked the demonstrators. They fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters
at the demonstrators and violently beat a number of them. Israeli troops also arrested Sa’id Suleiman
Braijiya, 60.

 

· Also
following the Friday Prayer on 22 January 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians
gathered in the Wad al-Raya area between Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam villages,
northwest of Ramallah. They attempted to
reach their agricultural lands located near “Halmish”
settlement. Immediately, Israeli troops
fired at them. As a result, Mohammed
Hassan al-Tamimi, 22, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left
hand. Israeli troops also arrested 4
civilians, including two women:

 

1. ‘Atallah
Tamim al-Tamimi, 60;

2. Murad
‘Abdul Karim al-Tamimi, 38;

3. Maha
Hussein al-Tamimi, 31; and

4. Manal
‘Abdul Salam al-Tamimi, 33.

 

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

 

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

 

· At
approximately 11:00 on Thursday, 21 January 2010, IOF moved into the Lafjam
area to the east of ‘Aqraba village, southeast of Nablus, and handed notices to
6 Palestinian farmers from the Bani Monia and Bani Jaber families ordering them
to evacuate animal sheds. Otherwise, IOF would force them to do so,
confiscating animals and forcing the farmers to pay the costs.

 

· At
approximately 15:00 on Saturday, 23 January 2010, a number of Israeli settlers
from “Brakha” settlement, south of Nablus, stormed Iraq Bourin
village to the south of the settlement. In response, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in the north of
the village to prevent the settlers from entering the village. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at those
civilians, wounding 20-year-old Mohammed ‘Essam Faraj with a rubber-coated
metal bullet to the leg.

 

· On
the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from “Halmish” settlement,
northwest of Ramallah, uprooted 15 olive trees belonging to Jameel ‘Abdul Qader
Mezher in Deir Nizam village.

 

· At
noon on Tuesday, 26 January 2010, a number of Israeli settlers from
“Ma’oun” settlement to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron,
stormed al-Twana village – allegedly to look for sheep belonging to them. The armed settlers clashed with Palestinian
villagers, and Israeli troops intervened to protect the settlers. Israeli troops also violently beat Mufdi
Ahmed Reb’ei, 40. He sustained bruises across
his body.

 

· On
Wednesday afternoon, 27 January 2010, a number of Israeli settlers gathered in
the evacuated “Homesh” settlement, northwest of Nablus. They attacked a Palestinian farmer from the
nearby Seilat al-Zaher village, Yousef Mohammed Mar’ei, while he was farming
his land. He sustained bruises across
his body. The Israeli settlers also
threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles traveling on the Jenin-Nablus
road. No injuries were reported.   

…………………………………………………………

 

 

 

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 2824776 – 2825893).