Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)
Launch More Attacks in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

· A number of Palestinian civilians, including three children,
were injured by IOF.

· IOF conducted 16 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank and one in the Gaza Strip.

· Houses were raided and 14 Palestinian civilians were
arrested by IOF in the West Bank. 

· IOF used a Palestinian civilian as a human shield while
searching his house in al-Mughraqa village in the central Gaza Strip.

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; 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 14
Palestinian civilians, including three children, at military checkpoints in the
West Bank.

· IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the
West Bank; IOF demolished a house and three civilian facilities in Hebron and
fired at Palestinian civilians who demonstrated in protest to the construction
of the Wall.

· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian
civilians and property in the West Bank; a number of Palestinian civilians were
injured and a number of small houses were demolished. 

  

Summary

Israeli violations of
international law continued in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during
the reporting period (19-25 May 2005): 

Incursions: Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)
conducted at least 16 military incursions into Palestinian areas in the West
Bank territory. During these incursions,
IOF injured a number of Palestinian civilians and arrested 14 others. IOF also raided two registration centers of
the Palestinian Central Election Commission (CEC). On Saturday, 20 May 2005, IOF moved into
al-Mughraqa village in the central Gaza Strip. They raided and searched a house. They used a Palestinian civilian as a human shield while searching the
house. On Wednesday, 25 May 2005, a
Palestinian child was injured when IOF opened fire at Palestinian residential
areas in Khan Yunis. 

Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT,
including Occupied East 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 Friday, 20 May 2005, IOF
closed Abu Houli and al-Matahen checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street (the main
road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). They also closed Beit Hanoun (Erez)
crossing for three days. In the West
Bank, IOF positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 14 Palestinian
civilians, including three children. On
Sunday, 22 May 2005, IOF fired at a Palestinian civilian vehicle near Beit
Fourik checkpoint, east of Nablus. The
driver was wounded by seven live bullets to the thigh. On Monday, 21 May 2005, IOF fired at a
Palestinian worker near Tulkarm, wounding him with four live bullets. 

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the “Annexation Wall” inside
the West Bank territory and seize more land for this purpose. On Tuesday, 24 May 2005, IOF demolished a
house and three civilian facilities in Ethna village, west of Hebron. 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.  On
Friday, 19 May 2005, a number of Israeli settlers from “Efrat”
settlement, south of Bethlehem, razed an area of Palestinian agricultural land
in al-Khader village. This week, Israeli
settlers from “Qidoumim” settlement, east of Qalqilya, razed more
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Kufor Qaddoum village. On Sunday, 22 May 2005, IOF demolished a
number of small houses in the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron. 

……………………………………………………………

Israeli Violations Documented during
the Reporting Period (19–25 May 2005)

The full report is available PDF format.