Weekly
Report
on Israeli
Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
March
1 – 7, 2001
The
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
·
Israeli forces and settlers kill eight Palestinian civilians;
·
Israeli forces wound dozens of Palestinian civilians;
·
Israeli forces fire upon
medical personnel; and
·
Israeli forces shell Palestinian houses and civilian facilities;
PCHR
apologizes for the delayed distribution of the report.
The report was not issued on March 8, 2001 due to the Muslim holiday
of ‘Eid al-Kabir.
Introduction
This
report covers Israeli human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) during the week of March 1-7, 2001.
During this period, there has been a significant escalation in Israeli
human rights violations. Israeli
occupation forces killed seven Palestinian civilians; a Jewish settler killed an
eighth Palestinian civilian.
Friday, March 2, 2001
At
approximately 1:00 local time, an Israeli tank positioned at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim,)
junction, south of Gaza City, fired an artillery shell at Mustafa Hmadan
Abdel-Qader El-Ramlawi, 42, from Al-Boreij refugee camp.
The shell hit El Remlawi in the head and instantly killed him.
At
approximately 14:30 local time, a nine-year-old child from Al-Bireh, Obai
Mohammed Darraj, was killed by an explosive live bullet.
The bullet entered his left shoulder and exited his chest.
The child was inside his family’s house when the Israeli occupation
forces shelled Palestinian residential neighborhoods in Al-Bireh.
At
approximately 16:30, Abdel-Karim ‘Eissa Abu ‘Asba, 23, from Qalandya refugee
camp, south of Ramallah, was killed by live bullet fired by Israeli forces.
The bullet entered his back and exited his chest.
The forces fired indiscriminately on Palestinians, killing Abu ‘Asba
even though was not participating in clashes.
In
the evening, a thirteen-year-old from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City,
Mohammed Mahmoud Helles, was pronounced dead at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
He died from a head wound he received from the Israeli occupation forces
on February 27, 2001.
Saturday, March 3, 2001
At
approximately 19:30 local time, ‘Aaida Daoud Fatiha, 43, was killed when the
Israeli occupation forces shelled Palestinian houses in Al-Bireh.
He was hit by a live bullet that entered his right armpit and exited his
chest.
At
approximately 20:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on
Palestinian demonstrators in Hawara village near Nablus, killing Baher Shafiq
Mahmoud Oudeh, 20, with three live bullets in the back, the right side, and the
foot.
At approximately the same time, near Shilo settlement, a Jewish settler shot and
killed Ahmed Hassan ‘Allan, 25, from Qariout village near Nablus, with a live
bullet in the head. ‘Allan was on
his way back home when he was shot.
Sunday, March 4,
2001
At
approximately 23:00, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a number of
Palestinian youth in Sahel El-Jalama area in Jenin, killing Ossama Ibrahim
‘Eid, 22, from Jenin refugee camp, with several live bullets in the head.
Monday, March 5, 2001
At
approximately 1:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned west of Al-Amal
neighborhood in Khan Yunis, fired upon ‘Alla’ ‘Ali Hneideq, 20.
Hneideq was seriously wounded by two live bullets in the right shoulder
and the pelvis.
PCHR
expresses its profound concern regarding this recent and significant escalation
in Israeli forces’ and settlers’ use of lethal force against Palestinian
civilians--during clashes and in their absence. This escalation has coincided with Israel’s continued strict internal and external siege of
the Occupied Palestinian Territories. (For more information about the siege
imposed on the Gaza Strip and its disastrous consequences, see Closure Update,
a report by PCHR on the closure imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the
Gaza Strip.)
1.
Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
Friday, February
22, 2001
At approximately 1:00 local time, a tank of
the Israeli occupation forces, positioned at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction,
to the south of Gaza City, fired an artillery shell at Mustafa Hmadan
Abdel-Qader El-Ramlawi, 42, from Al-Boreij refugee camp, hitting him in the head
and instantly killing him. According
to official medical reports, El-Ramlawi was mentally handicapped and could not
work. According to his family, El-Ramlawi
would go out and return on the following day.
(For more information about this incident, see PCHR’s press release on
March 4, 2001.)
At approximately 16:30 local time,
Abdel-Karim ‘Eissa Abu ‘Asba, 23, from Qalandya refugee camp, south of
Ramallah, was killed when Israeli forces fired a live bullet that entered his
back and exited his chest. According
to eyewitnesses, Abu ‘Asba was returning home from a nearby grocery on the
main road adjacent to his refugee camp, Ramallah-Jerusalem road.
At the time, the Israeli occupation forces were firing indiscriminately
on a number of Palestinian demonstrators on the road. Abu ‘Asba was shot from
a distance of 100m. He was not
participating in the clashes.
After the Friday prayer, clashes erupted
between Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh.
Israeli forces fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets at Palestinian
civilians, wounding a number of them. They
also fired canisters of a highly effective black gas similar to the one used in
Khan Yunis three weeks ago. Among
the wounded were four medical personnel of the Palestinian Medical Relief
Committees. They are:
1)
Nasser
Jamjoum, 32, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the mouth that broke
his front teeth;
2)
Arafat
Zayed, 18, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left foot;
3)
Riham
Abu Joma’a, 18, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left
shoulder; and
4)
Rami
Abu Dayeh, 20, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
In Deir Nezham village, near Ramallah,
similar clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation
forces following Friday prayer. These
forces opened fire, wounding six Palestinian civilians, including four children,
with rubber-coated metal bullets. They
are:
1)
Mohammed
Abdel-Qader Mosad, 14, wounded with two rubber-coated metal bullets in the right
thigh and the right hand;
2)
Ahmed
Tayseer Yaqoub, 10, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh;
3)
Mohammed
Faraj Mohammed, 8, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the mouth;
4)
‘Anan
Kahldoun Abdullah, 10, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the pelvis;
5)
‘Emad
Mohammed El-Tamimi, 44, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right
leg; and
6)
Zeid
Fraj Mohammed, 25, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand.
On Friday evening, the child Mohammed
Mahmoud Helles, 13, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, was pronounced
dead at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City, from a wound in the head he received
from the Israeli occupation forces on February 27, 2001.
The child was put into the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in
Gaza City. According to the PCHR
investigation and eyewitness testimony published in PCHR’s Weekly Report,
the incident occurred on Tuesday, February 27, 2001, near Al-Mentar (Karni)
Outlet, east of Gaza City. For more
information see PCHR’s 8th weekly report, covering the period 21-28
February 2001.
Saturday,
March 3, 2001
At approximately 20:30 local time, Israeli
occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in Hawara village
near Nablus. Baher Shafiq Mahmoud
Oudeh, 20, was killed by three live bullets in the back, the right side, and the
foot. Furthermore, another three
Palestinian civilians were wounded with live bullets.
Also at approximately 20:30 local time,
near Shilo settlement, a Jewish settler shot and killed Ahmed Hassan ‘Allan,
25, from Qariout village near Nablus, with a live bullet in the head.
‘Allan was on his way back home when he was shot.
Sunday,
March 4, 2001
At
approximately 6:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at Rafah
border, shot Sweilem Rajab Mohammed El-Qadhi, a 60-year-old mentally handicapped
man from Rafah. El-Qadhi was
wounded with three live bullets in the neck, the left arm, and the right thigh.
According to PCHR’s investigation, El-Qadhi entered the border area
near Qeshta neighborhood, unaware of the danger he might face as a consequence.
Israeli
forces opened fire on this mentally handicapped and defenseless elderly man from
a distance of approximately 300m. He
collapsed and bled, during which time the Israeli soldiers did not offer
assistance until negotiations between the Palestinian and Israelis sides
occurred. As a result, two
Palestinian civilians were allowed to enter the border area and evacuate the
wounded man to hospital. El-Qadhi
is still at Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah in stable condition.
At
approximately 23:00, Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a number of
Palestinian youth in Sahel El-Jalama area in Jenin, killing Ossama Ibrahim
‘Eid, a 22-year-old from Jenin refugee camp, with several live bullets in the
head.
Monday,
March 5, 2001
At
approximately 1:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned west of Al-Amal
neighborhood in Khan Yunis, fired at ‘Alla’ ‘Ali Hneideq, 20, wounding him
with two live bullets in the right shoulder and the pelvis.
Hneideq was evacuated to the Palestine Red Crescent Society hospital in
Khan Yunis and then to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City due to his serious
condition. According to PCHR’s
investigation, Hneideq was on his way back home when he was fired upon from a
distance of approximately 200m. There were no clashes in the area.
2.
Shelling of Residential Neighborhoods
Friday,
March 2, 2001
At approximately 14:30 local time, Israeli
occupation forces positioned in Psagot settlement east of Al-Bireh, fired
indiscriminately on Palestinian houses in the Wadi Al-Jenan neighborhood of
Al-Bireh. As a result, the nine-year-old child, Obai Mohammed Darraj,
was killed by an explosive live bullet that entered his left shoulder and
exited his chest. The child died during his evacuation to Ramallah hospital.
When he was shot, the child was inside his family’s house, located
approximately 500m from the settlement. According to eyewitnesses, there
were no clashes in the area when the Israeli occupation forces opened fire
indiscriminately and unjustifiably.
At
approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the
Rafah border shelled Palestinian houses in Brazil Refugee camp.
The forces fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium
caliber bullets, wounding:
1)
the six-year-old child Mohammed Fathi Qeshta, with shrapnel in the head,
the right leg and the right arm;
2)
the eleven-year-old child Mukhtar Tawfiq Barbakh, with shrapnel in the
right hand.
Saturday,
March 3, 2001
At
approximately 19:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in
Psagot settlement shelled Palestinian houses in the Friends Street in Al-Bireh,
which are located approximately 1,500m west of the settlement. As a result,
‘Aaida Daoud Fatiha, 43, was killed by a live bullet that penetrated her
right armpit and exited her chest, severing her aorta.
Furthermore, her twelve-year-old child Nadil Fatiha, was wounded with
shrapnel in the left hand. Wafa’ Ahmed Qar’an, 42, was also wounded with
shrapnel in the left hand.
Monday, March 5 – Wednesday, March
7, 2001
Throughout
these three days, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Al-Zabadeh military
site, known as “Bezeq,” in Jenin, fired artillery shells, heavy caliber
bullets, and medium caliber bullets at the nearby Al-Zababdeh campus of the
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees Agriculture College, causing severe
damage.
On
Wednesday, March 7, 2000, at approximately 21:30 local time, Israeli forces
positioned west of Al-Amal neighborhood, fired artillery shells, heavy caliber
bullets, and medium caliber bullets at the neighborhood market and nearby houses. As
a result, a 200-square-meter one-story house was hit with an artillery shell
that destroyed one of its rooms; bullets also hit the walls of the house.
Seven people live in the house which is owned by Nabil B’ara. PCHR’s
field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the house was empty at the time.
Like most in the area, its residents had evacuated over the past months
due to frequent Israeli shelling.
3.
Razing of Agricultural Land
On Monday,
March 5, 2001, at approximately 6:00 local time, the Israeli occupation
forces started to raze areas of agricultural land adjacent to the border
east of Al-Mghazi refugee camp. PCHR’s
area field officer reported that this razing continued over the course of
three days and included the following:
1)
A 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and grapes,
owned by Abdel-Rahaman and Abdel-Raziq Nabhan Abu Mandil;
2)
A 40-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and grapes,
owned by Abdel-Karim Suleiman El-Telbani;
3)
A six-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and grapes,
owned by Mohammed Salameh El-Telbani;
4)
An eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
grapes, owned by Mahmoud ‘Atteya El-Telbani;
5)
An eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned
by Mo’ein Suleiman Abu Mansi;
6)
A seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by
Nayef ‘Awwad Abu Shehadeh;
7)
A seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by
Yahia Abu Mansi;
8)
A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and
grapes, owned by Ali El-Musaddar;
9)
A four-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by
Hassan El-Telbani; and
10)
A one and a half donum area of agricultural land planted with olives,
owned by Yahia Suleiman El-Telbani.
4.
Arrests and Other Attacks
On
Thursday, March 1, 2001, at approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli forces
positioned at the Al-Matahen junction leading to Gush Qatif settlement block in
Khan Yunis arrested three Palestinian civilians.
They are:
1)
‘Abdel-‘Azziz
Mahmoud Mohammed El-Deirawi, a 36-year-old teacher from Nusseirat refugee camp;
2)
‘Adnan
Ibrahim Ali El-Deirawi, a 35-year-old driver from Al-Zawaideh village; and
3)
Mohammed
Ibrahim Ali El-Deirawi, a 23-year-old university student from Al-Zawaideh
village.
The
three were travelling by taxi (driven by ‘Adnan El-Deiraw) to Khan Yunis when
Israeli soldiers stopped the taxi. The
soldiers arrested the three and released the other civilians who were traveling
in the same taxi. According to the
testimony of one of the arrested men’s father, who was also traveling in the
same taxi, the soldiers bound the men’s hands and took them to a nearby
military site. Then, an Israeli forces’ truck transferred them to an unknown
destination.
On
Sunday, March 4, 2001, Israeli occupation forces at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing
arrested ‘Azzam Fathi Suleiman Abu Koush, a 21-year-old policemen from Rafah.
Abu Koush was on his way back to Rafah from Bethlehem.
On
the same day, Israeli policemen attacked Bassem Saleh Hammoud Asfar, 33, from
‘Aqraba village near Nablus, when he was in the Israeli city of Natanya.
Asfar was evacuated to Natanya hospital because of injuries, including
broken bones, incurred as a result of being beaten with batons and iron bars.
Israeli police arrested him for not having a permit to enter Israel.
On
Wednesday, at approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
savagely beat the seven-year-old child, ‘Odai Amin Mahmoud from ‘Aanin
village in Jenin. As a result, the
child suffered from bruises throughout the body.
At the time, the child and his father were on their way home when they
encountered an Israeli patrol. The
Israeli soldiers beat the child without provocation before his father’s eyes. In his testimony, the child’s father said that an Israeli
soldier justified themselves by saying that the child was beaten in order to
terrify and deter him from throwing stones at Israeli soldiers in the future.
****
PCHR reiterates its call for the
international community to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli killings
and criminal acts against Palestinian civilians.
PCHR calls in particular for:
1.
Establishing without delay an independent commission of inquiry, in
accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a
thorough and comprehensive investigation into Israeli abuses and killings
against Palestinian civilians.
2.
Convening a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations
under the Convention.
3.
Immediately providing international protection for Palestinian civilians
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories against the killings and criminal acts
perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under their
protection.
4.
Use by the EU of effective political and economic measures with reference
to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which calls for the
respect of human rights.
5.
Providing humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people
whose living conditions have deteriorated
due to Israel’s continued total siege imposed on the entire Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
