Weekly Report

On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied

 Palestinian Territories

 January 10-16, 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

1. An assassination in Tulkarm;

1. In an unprecedented attack, Israeli forces destroy 99 houses and render 41 completely uninhabitable in Rafah, leaving hundreds of families homeless;

1. Under the policy of ethnic cleansing, “Jerusalem Municipality” demolishes 9 Palestinian houses in Al-‘Eisawia village;

1. Israeli forces attack Palestinian laborers;

1. Dozens of Palestinians arrested;

1. Continued shelling of Palestinian residential areas, injuring dozens of civilians; and

This report covers human rights violations perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) in the period 10-16 January 2002. Despite a near-halt in Palestinian resistance operations in the OPT, Israeli forces continued their violations against Palestinian civilians. They fired at peaceful demonstrations which do not pose any threat to the lives of Israeli soldiers and shelled and encroached into Palestinian residential areas without any apparent provocation.

Israeli assaults take place under international silence that encourages the Sharon government and Israeli occupation forces to perpetrate more violations, including war crimes, against the Palestinian people. The latest assault was the large-scale destruction of dozens of houses adjacent to the Egyptian border in Rafah, in the context of a systematic policy aimed at establishing a “buffer zone” along the border emptied of its inhabitants. Israeli violations take place under political cover provided by the US. US Secretary of State Colin Powell went as far as to suggest to reporters that the house demolitions were an act of self-defense.

According to PCHR’s documentation, on Thursday morning, 10 January, Israeli occupation forces thrust into Block “O” area in Rafah refugee camp in the cold weather and under the cover of intensive shelling, in a large-scale operation considered the widest incursion the Gaza Strip has been subjected to since the outbreak of the Intifada. Fifty-nine houses were demolished completely and one partially, leaving more than 750 people homeless. Women and children were seen escaping under heavy rain leaving their property behind, fearing for their lives under the intensive Israeli shelling. On Saturday morning, 12 January, Israeli occupation forces moved into Block “J” area in Rafah refugee camp. They exploded a large bomb in the area. Forty Palestinian houses were destroyed and dozens were severely damaged, leaving more than 850 people homeless. Additionally, 8 Palestinian civilians were injured.

Israeli forces also entirely destroyed the runway of Gaza International Airport, in violation of international law. The destruction of civilian facilities is prohibited even in time of war by the Fourth Geneva Convention.

In a continuation of Israel’s assassination policy, killed a Fateh activist near his house in Tulkarm.

This week, Israeli forces raided and searched many Palestinian houses. Dozens of Palestinians were arrested and interrogated.

Despite Israeli claims that the siege imposed on the OPT was “eased,” Israeli forces tightened the siege and erected roadblocks and checkpoints on main and branch roads in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

1. A New Assassination

   In a continuation of the policy of assassination and extra-judicial killing formally adopted by the Israeli government, the Israeli forces committed a new assassination. An activist of Fatah Movement in Tulkarm, Ra’ed Mohammed Sa’id El-Karmi, 27, was killed on Monday morning, 14 January 2002. Israeli forces accuse El-Karmi of being a leader of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of Fatah.

   According to investigation carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, at approximately 10:45 on Monday, a heavy explosion occurred in the Cemetery Street in the eastern part of Tulkarm. After having heard the sound of the explosion, people hurried to the area where they found El-Karmi’s body. In his testimony to LAW, an eyewitness said:

   At approximately 10:45 on Monday, 14 January 2002, I was sitting in the balcony of my house in the eastern part of Tulkarm. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a heavy explosion. I looked at the place from which the sound came and saw black smoke rising. I hurried to the place of the explosion, where I saw the body of a young man on the ground. I identified him as Ra’ed El-Karmi. There was a hole in the sidewalk of the street, where a bomb was apparently planted, and the body of El-Karmi was approximately 3m away. At the same time I saw an Israeli MK plane flying over the area. I saw that plane three days ago also.

   El-Karmi had survived a previous assassination attempt on 6 September 2001. Two Israeli combat helicopter fired three rockets at a car in which El-Karmi and two other young men, ‘Omar Mohammed Subeh, 22, and Mustafa ‘Aahed ‘Anbas, 19, were traveling. El-Karmi survived with shrapnel injuries in the left eye, while the other young men were killed.

    

2. Shelling of, and Incursions into Palestinian Residential and Controlled Areas

At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces encroached into Block O area in Rafah refugee camp, under the cover of intensive shelling from their locations at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah. They demolished 59 Palestinian houses completely and another one partially. More than 100 Palestinian families, comprised of more than 650 persons, were made homeless. Israeli forces also destroyed electricity and water networks. Following are details of the houses that were demolished by Israeli forces:

At approximately 20:00, Israeli tanks, many armored personnel carriers, bulldozers and jeeps were deployed around Rafah. They were deployed in the northwest (‘Oraybeh area and Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood), the south (the Egyptian border), the east (the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel) and the northeast (near “Morag” settlement).

At midnight, 30 Israeli soldiers moved into Al-Shouka area in the east of Rafah. They raided five Palestinian houses and arrested seven Palestinians:

1. Khaled ‘Abdullah Abu Shousha, 27;

2. Jaber Mohammed Abu Shousha, 23;

3. Saleh Mohammed Abu Shousha, 25;

4. Dheifallah Mohammed Abu Shousha, 28;

5. Musallam ‘Awad Abu Jarad, 32;

6. Khalaf ‘Awad Abu Jarad, 25; and

7. Musleh ‘Awad Abu Jarad.

Six of them were released after they had been beaten and detained until the following morning, while the seventh, Khaled Abu Shousha, remained in custody.

At approximately 02:00, 14 Israeli tanks, armored personnel carriers and bulldozers moved into the east of Rafah, under the cover of intensive shelling. They moved towards Gaza International Airport and completely destroyed its runway. The Palestinian Ministry of Public Works had already started repairing the runway, which had been damaged by Israeli forces on 4 December 2001.

At approximately 03:00, 15 Israeli military heavy vehicles thrust approximately 400m into the northeast of Rafah. They closed Salah El-Din Street connecting Rafah to Khan Yunis. They bulldozed the street and damaged electricity, water and telephone networks in the area. They also destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces that had been already damaged by Israeli forces at the end of August 2001. Israeli soldiers raided the house of Ghazi Mohammed El-‘Omour, west of Salah El-Din Street, and kept his family in one room.

At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Gaza International Airport, south of Rafah, again and caused further damage.

At approximately 01:20, eight Israeli military heavy vehicles thrust approximately 50m into Block J area in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border. They planted a large bomb in the area and then detonated it. Forty Palestinian houses were completely destroyed, 41 were partially destroyed and rendered uninhabitable, and dozens were slightly damaged. More than 100 families, comprised of more than 850 persons were made homeless. The bad weather increased the destruction these houses sustained. In addition, eight Palestinian civilians were injured:

1. Mohammed Sweireh El-Soufi, 21, injured by shrapnel in the head;

2. Shadi Mohammed El-Soufi, 21, injured by shrapnel in the left thigh;

3. Walid Sa’id Hammad, 24, injured by shrapnel in the left shoulder;

4. Ahmed Saleh El-Sheikh ‘Eid, 22, injured by shrapnel in the right shoulder and knee;

5. Khaled Zaki El-Hams, 22, injured by shrapnel in the face;

6. Mustafa ‘Omran Abu Sulaima, 23, injured by shrapnel in the left arm;

7. Yousef Jamal Hassouna, 10, injured by shrapnel in the head; and

8. Fida’ Fayez El-Banna, 17, injured by shrapnel in the head.

Following are details of the houses that were completely destroyed:

Also in the morning, Israeli gunboats and heavy vehicles seized the fishing harbor in Rafah. They confiscated Palestinian fishing boats and destroyed fishing equipment. Israeli gunboats also shelled a Palestinian boat and maintenance workshops at Gaza seashore. They were severely damaged. According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 02:30, Israeli marine forces planted a bomb on the side of a fishing boat that belongs to the Palestinian Marine Police. The boat was severely damaged. Two Israeli combat helicopters were seen flying over the area at the time of the explosion.

3. Continued House Demolitions in Occupied Jerusalem

In the context of its policy aimed at expelling Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem, on Monday morning, 14 January 2002, the so-called “Jerusalem Municipality” demolished nine Palestinian houses in Al-‘Eisawia village, east of the city.

According to investigations carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, at approximately 08:30, more than 1500 heavily armed Israeli policemen and soldiers and personnel of “Jerusalem Municipality,” accompanied by 15 bulldozers, moved into Al-‘Eisawia village, east of Jerusalem. They demolished nine Palestinian houses that were under construction but inhabited and attacked residents of these houses to drive them away from the area. Three Palestinian civilians were injured:

1. Hussein Khalil, 58, seriously injured in the head;

2. Nasser Abu Mayala, 50, seriously injured in the head; and

3. Biha’ Mansour, 20, received injuries and bruises in the head and the back.

The Israeli forces also arrested four members of the Israeli Committee against House Demolition who tried to stop the action of demolition.

Following are details of the houses that were demolished:

4. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

At approximately 13:00, Palestinian civilians organized a demonstration near Israeli positions on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Soon, Israeli forces fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators. Two civilians, including two a journalist, were wounded:

1. ‘Abdullah Jamal Mubarak, 15, from Jalazoun refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the left leg; and

2. Rebhi El-Kubari, 33, from Ramallah, a cameraman of the local Middle East television channel, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the shoulder.

In the morning, Israeli occupation forces fired at Fateh Mohammed Khader, 33, mentally handicapped, from ‘Anza village, south of Jenin, while he was near a petrol station on Nablus-Jenin road. Kahder was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg. Israeli forces arrested him and evacuated him to an Israeli hospital. His family and lawyers were prevented from visiting him. The Israeli military spokesman claimed that Kahder threw a stone towards Israeli soldiers.

4. Arrests

This week, Israeli occupation forces arrested many Palestinians. The arrests took place in the following circumstances:

1. At international border crossings, under the control of Israeli occupation forces.

2. At Israeli military roadblocks on main and branch roads at the entrances to Palestinian cities and villages.

3. In Palestinian towns and villages, often during house raids.

4. During incursions into Palestinian controlled areas.

The following are significant arrests that took place this week:

Early in the morning, an undercover Israeli unit moved into Beit Eiba village, west of Nablus, under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority, and arrested ‘Aamer Lutfi Eshteiwi, 27.

At approximately 08:00, Israeli soldiers at Surda roadblock, northwest of Ramallah, severely beat Haitham Rafe’ Ehmeida, 19, a student of Bir Zeit University from Al-Mazra’a Al-Sharqia village near Ramallah. He received bruises throughout the body.

At noon, Israeli soldiers at the aforementioned roadblock severely beat Mu’taz ‘Abdel-Hassib Khudeir, 20, a student of Bir Zeit University from Al-Bireh. He received injuries in the face and bruises throughout the body.

At approximately 13:00, Israeli marine forces arrested four Palestinian fishermen while fishing inside the area allowed for fishing off the Gazan coast. The four fishermen are:

1. Khaled Ragheb Baker, 22;

2. Shafiq Ragheb Baker, 25;

3. Ragheb Fares Baker, 20; and

4. Mohammed Ghazi Baker, 24.

In the evening, Israeli occupation forces moved into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of Palestinian houses and arrested two Palestinians:

1. Murad Kayed Khalaf, 20; and

2. Anas Hafezh Majd, 22.

In the morning, Israeli occupation forces and police at a roadblock at the Green Line attacked dozens of Palestinian laborers while on their way to work in Israel. According to these laborers, Israeli forces and police severely beat them and handcuffed them. The laborers were taken in a vehicle towards an Israeli military roadblock at the entrance to ‘Azzoun village near Qalqilya. There, the laborers were thrown out of the vehicle. Some of them were injured, two were in serious condition.

Also in the morning, Israeli occupation forces arrested ‘Essam Mohammed ‘Abdel-Qader Qassem, Director of the Environmental Affairs Office in Tulkarm, and took him to an unknown destination.

At approximately 07:00, Israeli soldiers of the “Border Guard” severely beat a number of Palestinian laborers from Khan Yunis while on their way to their work places in the “Gush Qatif” settlement block, west of the city. Five laborers were injured:

1. Walid Mustafa El-Faqa’awi, 37;

2. Akram Ahmed El-Masri, 41;

3. Ramadan Isma’il Ahmed, 41;

4. Hisham Mahmoud El-Ras, 36; and

5. Mohammed Mahdi El-Faqa’awi, 30.

In the morning, Israeli occupation forces moved into Kufor Laqef village near Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of Palestinian houses and arrested two Palestinians:

1. Rami Ahmed ‘Assaf, 22; and

2. Jamal Husni ‘Assaf, 38.

At Rafah Border Crossing, Israeli occupation forces arrested ‘Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Daqqa, 33, from ‘Abasan village near Khan Yunis, while traveling to Egypt.

In the morning, Israeli occupation forces moved into the villages of Battir and Nahalin near Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of Palestinian houses and arrested five Palestinians:

1. Eyad ‘Aadel Fares, 11, from Battir village;

2. Mahmoud ‘Ali El-Najjar, 15, from Battir village;

3. Ra’ed Isma’il Mu’ammar, 20, from Battir village;

4. Murad ‘Ali Ghayazha, 19, from Nahalin village; and

5. Isma’il Rebhi Shakarna, 21, from Nahalin village.

PCHR calls:

1. Upon governments that participated in the World Conference Against Racism in Durban in South Africa to adopt crucial decisions condemning practices by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which can only be described as apartheid against the Palestinian people.

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

3. 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.

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

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

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

7. 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.