Weekly Report

On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied

 Palestinian Territories

 November 28- December 03 , 2002

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

Consultative Status with the ECOSOC of the United Nations

Affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists – Geneva

Member of the International Federation for Human Rights – Paris

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network

 

Continued Israeli War Crimes in the OPT and the International Community Remains Silent

  


 

Introduction

 This week, Israeli occupying forces have perpetrated more human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including willful killings, shelling of, and incursions into Palestinian areas and agricultural land leveling. Between the 28th of November and the 3th of December 2002, 7 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and an old woman were killed by Israeli forces.

 During the week, the Gaza Strip was subjected to various kinds of attacks by Israeli forces.  On Saturday night, 30 November 2002, two Palestinian civilians were killed and 20 people wounded when Israeli forces late at night moved into Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. During the incursion they also demolished three houses.  The body of one of the victims, a 70-year-old man, was discovered in the morning among the ruins of his house that was destroyed by Israeli forces. The other victim was a 32-year-old man who was traveling home in his car when he for no apparent reason was shot dead by Israeli forces.  These Israeli measures are a continuation of the policies of retaliatory collective punishment adopted by the Israeli government against families of Palestinian activists.  In a similar incident, Israeli forces destroyed two Palestinian houses in Jenin on Friday, 29 November 2002. 

 In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces have maintained complete control over, and imposed curfew on: Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus and Tulkarm, and encroached into Ramallah, Jenin and Qalqilya.  They have also raided houses and arrested many Palestinians. 

 During the week, the southern Gaza Strip towns of Rafah and Khan Yunis were subjected to indiscriminate shelling by Israeli forces in military locations in the vicinity of settlements surrounding the two towns.  A number of Palestinian civilians were wounded and a number of houses damaged.  In Deir al-Balah, Israeli forces razed more areas of Palestinian agricultural land.

 Also, the Israeli forces have carried out a number of apparent willful killings that have left 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and an old woman, dead, in addition to the two who were killed in the Israeli invasion of Beit Lahia.  On Saturday, 30 November 2002, Israeli forces at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Gaza City, shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian boy while he was walking with his friends, more than 1km away. 

 On Monday, 2 December 2002, Israeli forces carried out three apparent willful killings.  In the morning, they shot dead an 18-year-old Palestinian civilian in Jenin.  At noon, they shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian civilian in Tulkarm.  In the afternoon, they shot dead a Palestinian worker, when they fired at a number of Palestinian workers at Beit Hanoun crossing, who were on their way home. In addition, 11 workers were wounded. 

 On Tuesday, 3 December 2002, Israeli soldiers at the northern entrance of al-Bireh shot dead a 95-year-old Palestinian woman and wounded another 41-year-old woman.     

 In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments against Palestinian activists, the Israeli occupying forces carried out a failed assassination attempt that targeted a commander of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip.  The commander, his guard and a passing child were wounded. 

 Israeli forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively punishing the Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons, violating Palestinian civilians' economic, social and cultural rights.  They have also imposed curfew on several different areas.  In the West Bank, a Palestinian civilian, who suffered from a heart attack, died as Israeli forces obstructed his evacuation to hospital. 

 


 

The Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas

 

Thursday, 28 November 2002

 At approximately 05:00, Israeli forces moved approximately 200m into Abu Haddaf area in al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis.  They raided and searched three houses owned by 'Abed Rabbu Sa'id Abu Haddaf, Salem 'Abdullah Abu Haddaf and Khaled Salman Abu Hajjaj.  Israeli soldiers arrested Ahmed and Salah Salem 'Obeiallah Abu Haddaf, 22 and 20 respectively. Both are university students. 

 At approximately 14:45, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Block L in Rafah refugee camp.  Wajdi 'Omar al-Hams, 11, was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh.

 

Friday, 29 November 2002

 At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of "Neve Dekalim" settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp.  Two Palestinian civilians were wounded:

 

1.    Mohammed Ahmed Abu Khudair, 25, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand; and

2.    Tayseer Mohammed al-Najjar, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand. 

 

PCHR’s field worker in the area reports that the two civilians were wounded while they were inside their houses, approximately 50m away from the source of fire.  In addition, a number of houses were damaged.

 At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 200m into Abu Haddaf area in al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis.  They raided nine houses owned by the Abu Haddaf family and forced their residents out.  Then, they used one resident of each house as human shields to search the houses. By the end of the search, which continued until 05:00, Israeli soldiers had arrested 13 Palestinians.  They were all taken to an Israeli military location in the east of the Gaza Strip, where they were interrogated.  The detainees were then released, except for 3 who remains in custody:

 

1.    Saleh Sa'id 'Abed Rabbu Abu Haddaf, 24, an employee;

2.    Nazhmi Hammad Saleh Abu Haddaf, 20, a university student; and

3.    Nazhmi Salem 'Obeidallah Abu Haddaf, 26, a member of the Palestinian National Security Force. 

 

At approximately 21:15, Israeli occupying forces in a military location in Tal Zo'rob area in the southwest of Rafah opened fire at Palestinian houses in 'Ali Ben Abi Taleb Street adjacent to Zo'rob square.  A Palestinian woman, Najwan Sa'id Dahliz, 20, was wounded by shrapnel in the face, while she was located close to her house. 

 At approximately 14:00, Israeli occupying force, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 200m into Gizan Abu Rashwan area in the southwest of Khan Yunis.  An Israeli military bulldozer destroyed a well and razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:

 

1.    It destroyed a well and demolished two rooms that stood on a 60-sqaure-meter area of land owned by Ahmed Subhi Mansour Zo'rob. 

2.    It razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and onions, and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ahmed Subhi Mansour Zo'rob. 

3.    It razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and onions, and destroyed an irrigation network and a 16-square-meter store owned by Ibrahim Subhi Mansour Zo'rob. 

4.    It razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land, on which a greenhouse planted with tomatoes stood, and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Faten 'Abdul Rahman Zo'rob. 

 

At approximately 20:30, Israeli occupying forces in a military location near "Erez" industrial zone, north of Beit Hanoun, opened fire at Palestinian residential areas in the town.  Mohammed Ibrahim Yousef 'Awadh, 16, was wounded by a live bullet in the right foot.  The PCHR field worker in the area reports that 'Awadh was wounded while he was walking in the street, approximately 1500m away from the source of fire.

 At the same time, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at Palestinian residential areas in Deir al-Balah and its refugee camp.  A Palestinian woman, Salha Mohammed al-‘Arqan, 45, was wounded by a live bullet in the right foot, while she was praying in her house in Deir al-Balah refugee camp, approximately 4km away from the source of fire.

 

Saturday, 30 November 2002

 At approximately 07:10, Israeli occupying forces in military locations and on tanks at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in the nearby al-Salam neighborhood.  A Palestinian civilian, 'Aatef Hussein 'Abdul 'Aal, 31, was wounded by a live bullet in the left arm. 

 At approximately 20:30, Israeli soldiers on a tank positioned near an Israeli military location at the entrance of the al-Mawasi area in the west of Rafah opened fire at Palestinian houses in Tal al-Sultan neighborhood.  Two Palestinian civilians were wounded:

 

1.    Khalil Ibrahim Baroud, 29, wounded by shrapnel in the right leg; and

2.    Rami Hassan Abu Sulaima, 25, wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh. 

 

At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupying forces in military locations and on tanks at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Block L in Rafah refugee camp.  A Palestinian civilian, Ahmed Yousef Abu 'Obeid, 30, was wounded by shrapnel in the back. 

 Late at night, two Palestinian civilians were killed and 20 people wounded when Israeli forces late last night moved in to Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. During the incursion they also demolished three houses.  The body of one of the victims,  a 70-year-old man, was discovered on the following morning among the ruins of his house that was destroyed by Israeli forces. The other victim was a 32-year-old man who was traveling home in his car when he for no apparent reason was shot dead by Israeli forces.

 

According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 22:30, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks, bulldozers and combat helicopters, and covered by intense shelling, invaded the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia.  They surrounded three houses owned by families of three Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli targets.  Without prior warning, Israeli soldiers called on the residents through loudspeakers to leave and then they destroyed the houses.  These Israeli measures are a continuation of the policies of retaliatory collective punishment adopted by the Israeli government against families of Palestinian activists (for more details see the section on the Israeli retaliatory campaign against families of wanted Palestinians and those who have carried out armed attacks against Israeli targets). 

 

One of the houses that were destroyed was owned by 'Aashour 'Abdul Malik D'ib, 70, who suffered from hearing difficulties. D'ib was still in his room on the third floor of the house when the Israeli forces destroyed the house, suggesting that he didn’t hear the Israeli soldiers order to leave the house.  Rescue teams discovered his body under the ruins of his house in the morning. His family managed to escape the house.

 The PCHR fieldworker in the area reported that more than 30 houses were severely damaged and a number of civilian cars destroyed during the incursion.  Israeli forces raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinians:

 

1.    Mazen Khaled 'Abdul 'Azhim Hammouda, 28; and

2.    Mu'ayad Jamil Khaled Hammouda, 22. 

The three-hour Israeli incursion ended at approximately 01:30 on Sunday, as Israeli occupying forces began to withdraw to their military locations in "Dogit" settlement, established on the land of Beit Lahia, which has been occupied since 1967.  Meanwhile, 32-year-old Mahmoud Saleh Mohammed al-Na'rani was traveling in his car towards his house in al-Nada housing compound, east of Beit Lahia.  When he passed by Beit Lahia, Israeli soldiers opened fire at his car for no apparent reason.  He was killed by several live bullets throughout the body.  In addition, 14 Palestinian civilians, including 9 children, were wounded by the Israeli shelling:

 

1.    Mohammed Jamil Shamia, 13, wounded by shrapnel in the head;

2.    Walid Hamdi al-Masri, 12, wounded by shrapnel in the head;

3.    Murad Maher al-Barrawi, 17, wounded by shrapnel in the head;

4.    Ahmed Anwar 'Aziz, 12, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot;

5.    Anwar Anwar 'Aziz, 10, wounded by shrapnel in the face;

6.    Israa' Anwar 'Aziz, 11, wounded by shrapnel in the face;

7.    Eyad Hassan al-Najjar, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the face;

8.    Mohammed Zayed 'Oukal, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the head;

9.    Jihan 'Aadel Abu Shouqa, 35, wounded by shrapnel in the head;

10.              'Emad Ahmed Rayan, 19, wounded by shrapnel in the left foot;

11.              Ra'ed Salah al-'Ajouri, 21, wounded by shrapnel in the head;

12.              Mustafa Rayan, 20, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg;

13.              Wa'el Ba'lousha, 21, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand; and

14.              'Ali Mousa al-Debes, 31, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand.

 

Sunday, 1 December 2002

 

At approximately 12:00, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 200m into al-Mughraqa village, south of Gaza City.  They razed more areas of Palestinian agricultural land and destroyed agricultural facilities additional to those that were razed and destroyed on Thursday, 28 November 2002:

 

1.    They razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, olives and palms and destroyed parts of a car owned by heirs of Ahmed ‘Abdul Qader Yahia Hamdan. 

2.    They destroyed a well owned by Hussein ‘Abdul Wahab Abu Leila.

3.    They destroyed a well and a 100-square-meter, iron-roofed hall owned by ‘Ata al-Hilu. 

4.    They destroyed a 30-square-meter room owned by ‘Eid Salem Abu Leila. 

 

At approximately 14:30, Israeli occupying forces in military locations and on tanks at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses and agricultural land in al-Shouka neighborhood.  A Palestinian farmer, 'Abada Mohammed Abu Jarad, 29, was wounded by two live bullets in the legs.  PCHR's field worker in Rafah reported that Abu Jarad was wounded while he was working in his fields. 

 

Monday, 2 December 2002

 

At approximately 02:00, around 20 Israeli soldiers accompanied by two military jeeps moved approximately 600m into al-Birka area in the south of Deir al-Balah.  Israeli soldiers raided and searched a number of houses.  Then, they arrested two Palestinians:

 

1.    Khaled Ghanem al-‘Er, 35, unemployed; and

2.    Suleiman Hamed al-‘Er, 20, a university student. 

 

At approximately 08:40, an Israeli undercover unit stole into al-Masarwa neighborhood at the edge of the old town of Jenin, in two civilian cars with Palestinian registration numbers, in an attempt to arrest two Palestinians wanted by the Israeli forces for being members of the Islamic Jihad.  An Israeli military unit also moved into the area to reinforce the undercover unit.  Israeli forces took position at the western and eastern entrances of the old town and imposed a curfew on the town.  At approximately 09:30, while school children were on their way back home after the curfew had been imposed. A number of them gathered near the Israeli forces and threw stones towards them.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers opened fire at the stone throwers.  Mo’taz Kamal Mohammed ‘Ouda, 18, was critically wounded by a live bullet that entered the right shoulder and hit the heart.  He succumbed to his wound upon arrival at hospital.  In addition, 21, including 16 children, a 48-year-old woman and a 65-year-old man, were wounded, two of them critically. 

 In a similar incident, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian civilian and wounded seven others in Tulkarm.  According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 15:05, an Israeli undercover unit stole into the eastern part of Tulkarm in a truck with a Palestinian registration plate.  The truck stopped near al-Shahed Restaurant and members of the undercover unit, who were masked and in military uniform, got out.  They broke into the restaurant while firing indiscriminately at passing Palestinian civilians.  Jamal Nader Yahia, 30, was wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the head and the right hand.  Later, a number of Palestinian civilians gathered in the area and threw stones at the Israeli unit.  Immediately, Israeli heavy military vehicles and jeeps moved into the town and imposed siege on the area.  They opened fire indiscriminately, wounding six Palestinian civilians who didn’t participate in the stone throwing.  At approximately 15:30, a number of Palestinian gunmen arrived at the area and an exchange of fire erupted between the two sides.  When Maher “Mohammed Ramez” Fawzi Saqallah, 19, attempted to see what was going on by looking around the corner of a road in the area, an Israeli sniper shot him dead with a live bullet in the head.  According to eyewitnesses, Saqallah was not armed and did not throw stones at the Israeli forces.  

 

Tuesday, 3 December 2002

 In the morning, Israeli occupying forces fired two Fletchette shells at two Palestinian civilians without prior warning, wounding them seriously.  According to PCHR's investigation, at approximately 07:45, Mohammed Sa'id Mohammed al-Sweis, 27, from Gaza City, and his brother Nihad, 13, were walking on a sandy road approximately 800m away from the border with Israel east of Gaza City.  Israeli soldiers at the border fired a Fletchette shell at the two brothers, who did not pose any threat to the lives of those soldiers.  The two were wounded.  The elder brother fell to the ground, while his brother was able to escape from the area to inform his family, but Israeli soldiers fired another shell that hit him.  The elder brother were lying on the ground bleeding for more than an hour, before his brother Ramadan and two friends were able to reach the area.  They took clothes off their upper parts of the body and moved forward the wounded with their hands in the air in order to be allowed by Israeli soldiers to offer help to the wounded.  The two brothers were evacuated to hospital.  The elder brother was wounded by shrapnel throughout the body, while his brother was wounded by shrapnel in the legs and the left side. 

 At approximately 23:15, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with three heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 600m into al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis.  An Israeli military bulldozer then demolished a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed site of the Palestinian National Security Force.  It also leveled areas of Palestinian agricultural land that had already been razed by Israeli forces.   

 At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of "Gani Tal" settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in al-Amal neighborhood in the west of the town.  An Israeli mobile observation tower in the settlement and a tank positioned approximately 100m away also opened fire at the neighborhood.  Three Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded:

 

1.    Mustafa Rawhi Mahmoud Abu 'Abdu, 10, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen;

2.    Shadi Ahmed Madhi, 29, wounded by shrapnel in the back; and

3.    'Emad Mahmoud Tayem Abu Laban, 32, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh. 

 

Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

 

Saturday, 30 November 2002

 At approximately 09:30, Israeli occupying forces at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Gaza City, fired for no apparent reason at 17-year-old Hatem Rezeq Saleh al-'Ejla, from al-Shoja'eya neighborhood in Gaza, who was having a picnic with two of his friends approximately 1200m away from the border. Al-'Ejla was critically wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen, while his friends were able to escape.  He was evacuated to a nearby hospital and then to Shifa' Hospital but he succumbed to his wound. 

 

Sunday, 1 December 2002

 In the afternoon, Israeli soldiers at a military checkpoint near Abu Houli junction on Salah al-Din Street, the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip, fired at a civilian car, in which 'Abdul Muhsen al-Astal and his wife Miriam Yousef Mohammed al-Astal, 27, were traveling towards Khan Yunis, shortly after it had crossed the checkpoint.  The wife was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the back.  Soon, Israeli soldiers called through loudspeakers on al-Astal to stop and move back.  He informed them that his wife was wounded and they allowed them to leave 5 minutes later.  The wife was moved to the intensive care unit at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.  According to medical sources, the wife was wounded by an explosive live bullet whose shrapnel spread out in the intestines and the spinal column.  A PCHR field worker reported that the area was completely quiet and the checkpoint was open when Israeli soldiers fired at the car. 

 

Monday, 2 December 2002

 In an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian worker and wounded nine others near Beit Hanoun crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, while they were on their way home. 

 According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 15:30, Israeli soldiers in a military location, south of “Erez” industrial zone and east of “Nissanit” settlement, opened fire at thousands of Palestinian workers while they were in the passage of workers at Beit Hanoun crossing on their way home.  One of the workers, Khaled ‘Abdul Ghani Mohammed Nasser, 35, from Beit Hanoun, was shot dead by a live bullet that entered the back and exited the chest.  In addition, 11 workers were wounded:

 

1.    Manar Sa’id Wadi, 50, from Kahn Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the face and the neck;

2.    Riadh Mohammed al-‘Aamoudi, 40, from Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the abdomen;

3.    Khaled ‘Abdullah al-Tubji, 36, from Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the right foot;

4.    Mustafa ‘Abdullah Hijazi, 41, from Bani Suhaila village in Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the right thigh;

5.    Marwan ‘Abdullah Hijazi, 30, from Bani Suhaila village in Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the neck and the thighs;

6.    Ghassan ‘Abdullah Hijazi, 35, from Bani Suhaila village in Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen, the thighs and the nose;

7.    Ziad Jamil Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, 35, from Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the right eye and he lost it;

8.    Ra’fat jamil Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, 37, from Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the head;

9.    Salman Mohammed Abu Daraj, 41, from Khan Yunis, wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh and forearm, the abdomen and the lower jaw;

10.              Salman Qaudeih, 41, from Khan Yunis, wounded by a live bullet in the right knee; and

11.              Saleh Mohammed Saleh, 25, from Jabalya, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh. 

 

The incident took place after Palestinian gunmen fired a mortar at “Nissanit” settlement adjacent to Beit Hanoun crossing. 

 

Tuesday, 3 December 2002

 At approximately 11:45, while many civilian cars were trying to enter Ramallah and al-Bireh through their northern entrances, after the curfew imposed on the two towns had been lifted, Israeli soldiers in three military jeeps positioned at the northern entrance of al-Bireh opened fire at those cars.  An old woman, Fatma Mohammed 'Eid al-Harahsha, 95, from 'Atara village, north of Ramallah, was shot by a live bullet in the heart.  She succumbed to her wound on the way to hospital.  Another woman, Kifaya Ra'fat Yousef, 41, was wounded by a live bullet in the left side.  

Collective Punishment Measures against Families of Wanted Palestinians and Those Who Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli Targets

In violation of international humanitarian law which prohibits collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliatory measures against families of Palestinians who have carried attacks against Israeli targets in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by the Israeli forces.

At approximately 06:30 on Friday, 29 November 2002, the Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into Jalboun village in Jenin.  They surrounded the house of Mohammed Ragheb Abu al-Rub.  They arrested three of the owner's sons: Habes, 30; Ragheb, 28; and Ibrahim, 20.  Then, they forced the 9 residents of the 130-square-meter house out and destroyed it.  Abu al-Rub is the father of Yousef Abu al-Rub, 22, who participated in an armed attack in Bissan on 28 November 2002. 

 Later, Israeli forces moved to the house of Mohammed 'Awadh Abu al-Rub.  They raided the house and arrested two of the owner's sons: Zuhdi, 26, and Khaled, 24.  They forced the 8 residents out of the 120-square-meter house and destroyed it.  Abu al-Rub is the father of 'Omar Abu al-Rub, 19, who participated in an armed attack in Bissan on 28 November 2002. 

 After having destroyed the two houses, Israeli forces arrested three other Palestinians and took them to an unknown destination.       

 At approximately 22:30 on Saturday, 30 November 2002, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with tanks, bulldozers and combat helicopters, and covered by intense shelling, invaded the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia.  They surrounded three houses owned by families of three Palestinians, one of whom carried out an attack against Israeli targets while the other two are wanted by Israeli forces.  Without prior warning, Israeli soldiers called on the residents through loudspeakers to leave and then they destroyed the houses:

 

1.    They destroyed a 190-square-meter house, where 4 families counting 16 persons lived, owned by Hamdi al-Masri, the father of Jihad al-Masri who carried out an attack against "Dogit" settlement in the northern Gaza Strip last year. 

2.    They destroyed a 480-square-meter, 3-story house, where 6 families counting 30 persons lived, owned by Mohammed and Jamil Khaled 'Abdul 'Azhim Hammouda.  The latter is the father of Ahmed Hammouda who is allegedly wanted by Israeli occupying forces. 

3.    They destroyed a 200-square-meter, 5-story house, where 9 families counting 56 persons lived, owned by 'Aashour 'Abdul Malek Salem D'ib, the father of Hisham D'ib who is allegedly wanted by Israeli occupying forces.  The owner was killed in his home when the Israeli forces demolished the house without making sure that all residents had left. 

 

A Failed Assassination Attempt

 In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments against Palestinian activists, the Israeli occupying forces this week carried out a failed assassination attempt that targeted a commander of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip.  The commander, his guard and a passing child were wounded. 

 According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 14:40 on Sunday, 1 December 2002, two Israeli combat helicopters that were flying over Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip launched a missile at a civilian car, a Peugeot 504, that was traveling near al-Je’el fuel station, east of Jablaya.  The missile hit the car directly and destroying it.  The three men who were traveling in the car were able to jump out of before the missile hit.  Two of them were lightly wounded by shrapnel.  A passing child, ‘Emad Silmi al-Barqawi, 14, was also lightly wounded by shrapnel in the chest, the abdomen and the legs.  Later, the Islamic Jihad declared that a commander of its military wing was traveling in the car, without giving details about the identities of the men. 

 

Continued Siege

 Israeli forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively punishing Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons, and have imposed curfews on some areas, violating Palestinian civilians' economic, social and cultural rights.  The Gaza Strip is still partitioned into three isolated zones. 

 At approximately 09:00 on Friday, 29 November 2002, Israeli forces closed al-Tuffah checkpoint separating Khan Yunis from its al-Mawasi area.  Dozens of people were not able to get home and were forced to spend the night with relatives and friends in Khan Younis.  The checkpoint was reopened on Monday, 2 December 2002 according to strict conditions imposed recently by Israeli forces, which include a strict check of people and that anyone who wants to cross the checkpoint must be at least 40.

 This week, Israeli forces have regularly closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street, the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip, disregarding the sacredness of the month of Ramadan.  On Friday and Saturday, 29 and 30 November 2002, Israeli forces closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints.  They reopened the two checkpoints 2 hours later.  They searched a number of cars randomly.  Israeli soldiers searched cars and checked the identity cards of the passengers.  Israeli soldiers also fired at Palestinian civilians who were waiting at the checkpoints, but no casualties were reported. Israeli forces again closed the two checkpoints on the following day morning and cars were searched. 

 At approximately 14:15 on Sunday, 1 December 2002, Israeli soldiers at Abu Houli checkpoint, south of Deir al-Balah, fired three explosive live bullets at a civilian car, wounding a Palestinian woman seriously (see Shooting at Palestinian Civilians above).

 At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 2 December 2002, Israeli forces closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints.  They reopened the two checkpoints 4 hours later.  They searched a number of cars randomly and Israeli soldiers checked the identity cards of passengers.  Ten Palestinians were arrested. 

   In the West Bank, Israeli occupying have imposed a curfew on most Palestinian towns and villages.  Israeli forces have lifted the curfew imposed on Nablus since 20 June 2002 for very short periods.  Tulkarm has been also under curfew for 41 days.  During that period it has become clear, that Israeli soldiers don’t hesitate to open fire at Palestinian civilians when they challenge curfews and leave their houses to buy basic food products. 

 On Monday morning, 2 December 2002, Hassan Shihada Qersh, 75, from al-Shayah neighborhood near al-‘Eizaria village in occupied East-Jerusalem died from a heart attack, as Israeli occupying forces obstructed his evacuation to hospital.  Israeli forces prevented his neighbors from taking him to a nearby hospital and denied the access of an ambulance to the area on time.  Earlier, on Friday morning, 29 November 2002, Israeli forces put cement blocks at the entrance of al-Sahayah neighborhood where Qersh and 10 other families live, restricting movement of those people. 

 

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  PCHR calls:

 

1.        Upon the international community to provide immediate and independent international protection for the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

2.        Upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene in order to take effective measures to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in accordance with their obligations under Article 1, to ensure the respect of the Convention.

3.        Upon the international community to investigate and prosecute those believed to have committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before international courts.

4.        Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence, expand its activities, and intensify its field observations throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

5.        Upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights.

6.        Upon the international community to provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people, whose living conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of the continued siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian Territories.