Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Kill
Palestinians and Launch More Attacks in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(OPT)
· Two Palestinians were killed by the IOF in the West Bank.
· A number of Palestinian civilians, including a child, were injured
by IOF.
· IOF conducted 17 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank.
· Houses were raided and 15 Palestinian civilians were
arrested by IOF.
· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; a
Palestinian patient died after IOF obstructed his access to a hospital; IOF
have continued to close a number of roads and border crossings in the Gaza
Strip since the beginning of the current Intifada; and IOF arrested seven
Palestinian civilians at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
· IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the
West Bank; IOF attacked Palestinian civilians and international solidarity
activists who demonstrated in protest to the construction of the Wall and IOF completed
the construction of a section of the Wall at the northern entrance of Bethlehem.
· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian
civilians and property in the West Bank; a mentally handicapped Palestinian
civilian was injured.
Summary
Israeli violations of
international law intensified in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)
during the reporting period (26 May – 01 June 2005)
Unlawful
Killings and Shootings: Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed two Palestinians. On 28 May 2005, IOF killed a Palestinian in
‘Arraba village near Jenin and injured and arrested his two colleagues. IOF claimed that the three fired at an
Israeli military post in the area. On 29 May 2005, IOF shot dead a Palestinian
civilian near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. They claimed that he did not obey orders to stop and attempted to stab
an Israeli soldier but investigations conducted by PCHR refute this claim. On 26 May 2005, a Palestinian child was
seriously wounded when IOF opened fire at residential areas in Rafah. On 29 May 2005, two Palestinian women were
injured when the Israeli Airforce shelled Jabalya refugee camp in the northern
Gaza Strip.
Incursions:
IOF conducted 17
military incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses
and arrested 15 Palestinian civilians. IOF
also destroyed an uninhabited house and used a Palestinian civilian as a human
shield while searching his house and his brothers’ houses in Bedia village near
Nablus.
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a
tightened siege on the OPT, including Jerusalem. In the Gaza Strip, IOF
have continued to completely or partially close some roads and border crossings
of the Gaza Strip and impose severe restrictions on the internal movement of
Palestinian civilians. On Sunday, 29 May
2005, IOF closed Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. The crossing was reopened the following
day. In the West Bank, IOF positioned at
checkpoints in the West Bank arrested seven Palestinian civilians, including a
girl. On Friday, 27 May 2005, a
Palestinian patient died after IOF positioned at a checkpoint obstructed his
access to the hospital.
Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the
“Annexation Wall” inside the West Bank territory. On Thursday, 26 May 2005, IOF completed the construction
of a section of the Wall at the northern entrance of Bethlehem, isolating it
from surroundings areas, including occupied East Jerusalem. This week, IOF resumed the construction of a
section of the Wall in Beit Sourik village, northwest of Jerusalem. In addition, IOF used force to disperse
peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international
and Israeli solidarity activists in protest to the construction of the Wall. A number of demonstrators were injured or
arrested.
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, especially in Hebron. On Tuesday, 31 May 2005, an Israeli settler
fired at a mentally disabled Palestinian civilian in ‘Aqraba village, southeast
of Nablus, wounding him with several live bullets in the legs. He was evacuated to an Israeli hospital.
……………………………………………………………
Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (26 May – 01 June 2005)
The
full report is available PDF format.