Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue
to Attack Civilians and Annex Land Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(OPT)

· 4 Palestinian civilians were killed by IOF, including a
child who was run down by an Israeli settler vehicle.

· 19 Palestinians were injured among them a mother and child
and a further 7 children.

· IOF conducted 34 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank and one into the Gaza Strip (a total of 35 incursions conducted
during the reporting period).

· Houses were raided and 33 Palestinian civilians were
arrested by IOF. 

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF isolated
the southern Gaza Strip; IOF have prevented Palestinian civilians aged 16-35
from traveling through Rafah International Crossing Point; IOF have resumed a
special checking machine at the crossing point; and IOF arrested 12 Palestinian
civilians, including 2 women and a child, at military checkpoints in the West
Bank.

· IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the
West Bank; in Wad Rahhal and Jourat al-Sama’a areas, south of Bethlehem, that
603 donums of agricultural land was seized for the purpose of the construction
of the Wall; and IOF starting razing dozens of donums of agricultural land near
Tarqumea, west of Hebron city.

· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian
civilians and property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; a Palestinian child
was run down by an Israeli settler and a number of houses and civilian
facilities were demolished by IOF in the West Bank. 

Summary

Israeli violations of
international law continued in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during
the reporting period (21 – 27 July 2005):

Killing and Shooting:
On 22 July 2004,
IOF killed a Palestinian civilian in the old town of Hebron as they opened fire
indiscriminately after a Palestinian gunman fired at an Israeli military post
in the area. IOF left the victim to
bleed to death. On the same day, a Palestinian civilian died from an injury he
had sustained last week when IOF extra-judicially killed four members of Hamas
in Gaza City. On 27 July 2005, IOF
killed another Palestinian civilian in Jenin city who was throwing stones
against IOF soldiers who had incurred into the city, surrounded a house and
were demolishing the external wall of the house. Also during the reported period, 16 Palestinian
civilians, including a mother and her child and six other children, were
injured in the West Bank.  Three others
civilians, including a child, were injured in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip after
IOF shelling in the area. 

Incursions: IOF conducted 35 military incursions
into Palestinian areas (34 in the West Bank and one in the Gaza Strip). During these incursions, IOF raided houses
and arrested 33 Palestinian civilians. 

Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a
tightened siege on the OPT, including Jerusalem.  IOF have continued to
close Erez crossing for the third consecutive week. IOF have also continued to prevent
Palestinian civilians aged 16-35 from traveling through Rafah International
Crossing Point. On 22 July 2005, IOF
resumed using a controversial checking machine. In the West Bank, IOF have
continued to impose a tightened siege on Tulkarm and closed Za’tra checkpoint,
south of Nablus.  They also erected a number of checkpoints and arrested
at least 12 Palestinian civilians, including two women and a child.  In the
West Bank PCHR field workers documented five case of inhumane treatment at
military checkpoints.

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the
Annexation Wall inside the West Bank territory. IOF have continued to construct a section of the Wall to the northeast
of East Jerusalem. They have also continued
to establish a military post near Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah. The Israeli government decided to intensify
the construction of the Wall around occupied Jerusalem. On Friday, 22 July 2005, IOF informed
residents of Wad Rahhal and Jourat al-Sama’a areas, south of Bethlehem, that
603 donums of their agricultural land would be seized for the purpose of the
construction of the Wall. On Wednesday,
27 July 2005, IOF started razing dozens of donums of agricultural land near
Tarqumea, west of Hebron city. In
addition, IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organised by
Palestinian civilians and international solidarity activists in protest to the
construction of the Wall. Seven
Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of
international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched
a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. A Palestinian child was killed after he was
run down by an Israeli settler in Hebron. A Palestinian civilian was also injured in another attack by settlers. IOF also razed areas of Palestinian land in Kufor
Qaddoum village near Qalqilya. They also
demolished seven houses and shop of furniture in other areas of the West
Bank.  

Israeli Violations Documented during
the Reporting Period (21-27 July 2005)

The full report is available PDF format.