With Continuing Israeli War Crimes in the OPT and the International Community Remains Silent

Israeli occupying forces have perpetrated more illegal actions and human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including willful and extra-judicial killings, shelling of and incursions into Palestinian areas, house demolitions, and agricultural land leveling. This week, 12-18 December 2002, 12 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a mentally handicapped young man, were killed by Israeli forces.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces carried out a series of incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they shelled these areas. On Sunday, 15 December 2002, Israeli forces moved into 'Oraiba area in the northwest of Rafah, demolishing 14 Palestinian houses and destroying areas of agricultural land. On Thursday, 12 December 2002, Israeli forces demolished 2 houses in Rafah refugee camp, and on Tuesday, 17 December 2002, they demolished 6 other houses in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. More than 180 Palestinians have been rendered homeless as a result of these Israeli attacks.

On Monday, 16 December 2002, Israeli occupying forces informed Palestinians living in al-Sayafa area, which has been under an Israeli military siege, in the north of Beit Lahia, that they would demolish 30 houses built of iron and bricks and housing about 180 persons in one week if they are not demolished by their owners.

In 6 cases of apparent willful killing, this week, Israeli forces killed 11 Palestinian civilians, including 5 from one family, 2 children and a mentally handicapped young man. On Wednesday, 18 December 2002, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the border with Egypt, south of Rafah, opened fire at al-Salam neighborhood in the south of the town. A Palestinian child, 'Alaa' Mohammed Musleh al-Sidoudi, 15, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the heart, while he was playing with his friends. On Tuesday, 17 December 2002, 16-year-old Jawad 'Essam Zeidan, from Khan Yunis refugee camp, was killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell that hit his family's house, when Israeli forces shelled the camp. On Sunday, 15 December 2002, Israeli soldiers at the border with Egypt, south of Rafah, shot dead 'Eid Asa'ad Mohammed Abu Hilal, 22, a mentally handicapped man, while he was rambling near Salah al-Din Gate on the border. On the same day morning, Israeli forces shot dead Hassan Farhan Abu Shalloula, 22, from Khan Yunis refugee camp, while he was checking his donkey that had been injured by previous Israeli shelling.

On the same day, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Gaza City, fired Flechette shells and live bullets of various calibers at five Palestinian young men, who were attempting to infiltrate into Israel to find jobs, through the border near al-Mentar crossing, east of Gaza City. The five were killed.

In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments against Palestinian activists, this week, Israeli occupying forces perpetrated a new extra-judicial assassination that left dead Tariq Mahmoud Ahmed 'Abed Rabbu, 25, from Tulkarm refugee camp and wanted by those forces. They raided the houses where 'Abed Rabbu was hiding and shot him dead. Field investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW) indicate that Israeli soldiers may have liquidated 'Abed Rabbu, especially as he was unarmed, according to eyewitnesses, and he was besieged inside the house.

In violation of international and 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 Israeli forces. In this context, they demolished 7 houses, 6 in Hebron and one in Bethlehem.

Israeli forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPTs, 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 curfews on several different areas.

At approximately 13:00hrs, six heavily armored military vehicles and an armored military bulldozer of the Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 100m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border, south of Rafah. Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian houses, wounding 21-year-old Ahmed Erhayel al-Soufi with a live bullet in the back. The Israeli military bulldozer also demolished two houses:

1. They totally demolished a 166-square-meter house, in which 6 persons lived, owned by Kayed 'Ali Salama Barhoum, destroying all the furniture inside. The house was evacuated two months ago as Israeli forces have been establishing an iron wall along the border with Egypt.

2. They partially demolished a 250-square-meter house, in which 6 persons lived, owned by Suhaila Mohammed Mallahi Barhoum. The house was evacuated two months ago for the same reason.

It is worth mentioning that Israeli occupying forces have been establishing an iron wall along the border with Egypt inside the Palestinian controlled areas, as the distance between the border and the new iron wall is approximately 30m. The wall extends along a distance of approximately 500m opposite to Blocks J, L and O in Rafah refugee camp.

In a new Israeli illegal action, Israeli occupying forces killed five unarmed Palestinian civilians from Khan Yunis from the family of al-Astal, including two brothers.

According to information available to PCHR, late at night, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Gaza City, fired artillery shells and live bullets of various calibers at five Palestinian young men, who were attempting to infiltrate into Israel to find jobs. They were crossing the border near al-Mentar crossing, east of Gaza City. The crime was revealed yesterday evening, when an Israeli military spokesman declared that the Israeli army discovered the bodies of five Palestinians who were killed by the gunfire of an Israeli tank near the Karni crossing, east of Gaza City, on Wednesday night. Israeli forces claimed that the five young men had ladders with which they would attempt to infiltrate through the border fence separating the Gaza Strip and Israel, and that Israeli soldiers noticed them and shot them dead.

The Israeli military spokesman admitted that no weapons or fighting tools were found near the body. According to initial information available to PCHR the five victims were unarmed civilians from the family of al-Astal, whom were forced due to the economic crisis caused by the Israeli total siege imposed on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to attempt to infiltrate into Israel to find job opportunities having lost hope in finding job opportunities in their area. It is evident that Israeli forces could have arrested or used less lethal means against the five Palestinians, as the wide scale land leveling in the area had made it open.

Ambulance officers who went to the site to evacuate the bodies of the five Palestinians asserted that the bodies were found at least 300m west of the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

In addition to the crime of killing, Israeli forces had left the bodies of the five Palestinians in the area since Wednesday night. They only informed the Palestinian side about the existence of the five Palestinians bodies there later. Whenever Palestinian ambulances and medical personnel went to the area in an attempt to remove the bodies, Israeli soldiers fired at them and forced them to retreat especially in darkness. They were able to remove the bodies only on Friday morning. The bodies were found approximately 300m west of the border. According to medical sources of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, to which the bodies were evacuated, the body of one of the victims was in two pieces, while the other bodies sustained severe damage by shrapnel from shells fired by Israeli tanks.

At approximately midnight, two tanks and two armored military bulldozers of Israeli occupying forces moved from the "Netzarim" settlement approximately 150m into al-Mughraqa village, south of Gaza City. The bulldozers demolished three uninhabited Palestinian houses and razed a tract of agricultural land:

1. They demolished a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hussein 'Abdul Wahab Abu Leila.

2. They demolished a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Hassan 'Abdul Wahab Abu Leila.

3. They demolished a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by heirs of 'Abdul Wahab Abu Leila.

4. They razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Ra'fat Suleiman Shahin.

At approximately 09:00hrs, Israeli heavy military vehicles moved from the "Netzarim" settlement approximately 150m into al-Mughraqa village, south of Gaza City. They destroyed some Palestinian civilian property in the area:

1. They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Mahmoud Sha'ban al-Hilu.

2. They made holes in the main and branch roads and blocked them with hills of sand. The main water network that feeds the village was destroyed.

3. They demolished a 6-meter-long wall surrounding the house of Salama Salman Abu Shallouf.

Also at approximately 09:00hrs, two tanks and an armored military bulldozer of the Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 100m into Boba' area in the southeast of Deir al-Balah. They razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:

1. They razed a 2.5-donum area of agricultural land, a part of which was planted with olives while the other had a greenhouse planted with onions and garlic standing on a 1-donum area, and destroyed a 200-square-meter orchard, an agricultural pool and a 400-meter-long wall surrounding a house, owned by Fakhri Fadhlallah al-Qedra.

2. They razed a 500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and palms owned by Hammad Bureik Hammad Abu 'Amra.

At approximately 04:30hrs, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 500m into al-Mughraqa village, south of Gaza City. Immediately, two Israeli armored military bulldozers razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land:

1. They razed a 27-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus and destroyed a 600-meter-long water pipeline owned by Mohammed Farahat al-Zahhar.

2. They razed an 11-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Nabil 'Abdul Mo'ti Salim Abu Kumayel.

3. They razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by 'Abdul Hamid Asa'ad Abu Kumayel.

PCHR's field worker in the central Gaza Strip reported that Israeli soldiers, accompanied by dogs, raided and searched the house of Mohammed Farahat al-Zahhar and held its 26 residents in one room. They also raided the house of Yousef Salem Abu Rabi' and warned its residents that they would be expelled from the area if any Palestinian resistance men were allowed to fire at Israeli military locations in the area.

At approximately 16:00hrs on Sunday, 15 December 2002, two military bulldozers, four tanks, an armoured personnel carrier and 15 military jeeps of the Israeli occupying forces thrust approximately 150m into 'Oraiba area in the northwest of Rafah. They demolished 14 houses over their contents and destroyed 7 greenhouses, a Dairy farm and a smithy’s workshop. PCHR's field officer in Rafah reported that the Israeli forces called out to the Palestinian civilian population of the area through loudspeakers and demanded that they leave their homes. The residents were extremely terrified by them. Five women went into shock and lost conscious. They were evacuated to hospital. Then, Israeli soldiers demolished the houses and destroyed the greenhouses and other civilian property. Israeli soldiers also fired at members of staff from the Palestine Television network, forcing them to leave the area.

No.	Owner	Area in square meters	Nature of the house	Number of residents	Notes
1.	'Ali Ahmed Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	8	Totally demolished
2.	'Ateya Ahmed Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	12	Totally demolished
3.	Jdallah Ahmed Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	7	Totally demolished
4.	Kayed Ahmed Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	10	Totally demolished
5.	'Awadh Ahmed Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	2	Totally demolished
6.	'Oudetallah Ahmed Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	10	Totally demolished
7.	Ibrahim 'Atwa Ahmed 'Abdul 'Aal	100	Asbestos-roofed	3	Totally demolished
8.	Husnia Hassan Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	5	Totally demolished
9.	Hekema Ahmed Ibrahim 'Abdul 'Aal	100	Asbestos-roofed	1	Totally demolished
10.	Hamed Ahmed Ibrahim 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	11	Totally demolished
11.	Nasser Ahmed Ibrahim 'Abdul 'Aal	200	Asbestos-roofed	6	Totally demolished
12.	Daoud Ahmed Ibrahim 'Abdul 'Aal	170	Asbestos-roofed	3	Totally demolished
13.	Ahmed Ibrahim Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal	150	Asbestos-roofed	6	Totally demolished
14.	Salama Hamdan Salem al-Tarabin	150	Asbestos-roofed	2	Totally demolished

It is worth mentioning that Israeli occupying forces had threatened through loudspeakers to demolish those houses on Friday, 13 December 2002, but they abstained. Owners of those houses did not receive any written warning that their houses were to be demolished, and they were not given an adequate space of time to resort to the judiciary.

Israeli forces also razed a 250-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by 'Awadh Ahmed Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal. They destroyed a 100-square-meter animal farm, killing 15 animals, owned by Hakema Ibrahim Daoud 'Abdul 'Aal. They also destroyed a 5-square-meter smithy's workshop owned by Daoud Ahmed Ibrahim 'Abdul 'Aal.

At approximately 17:00hrs, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the border with Egypt, south of Rafah, opened fire at al-Brazil neighborhood in the south of the town. Two Palestinian children were wounded:

1. Sawsan Salama Mohammed al-Salaq, 14, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the chest; and

According to eyewitnesses, the two sisters were wounded while inside their house, approximately 500m away from the border. Israeli forces denied the access of ambulances to the area to evacuate the two sisters, so residents of the area were forced to evacuate them to hospital in civilian cars. The first victim was evacuated to Shifa' Hospital in Gaza City, since she was in serious condition. Israeli forces at al-Matahen checkpoint, north of Khan Yunis, obstructed the passage of the ambulance that evacuated her.

It is worth mentioning that al-Brazil neighborhood is subjected to daily unjustified Israeli shelling.

At approximately 01:00hrs, 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, especially heavily in Block I. Heavy caliber bullets hit roofs of houses and their shrapnel wounded two Palestinian civilians:

1. Basema Salah Suleiman Huneideq, 19, was wounded by shrapnel in the left shoulder; and

In addition, a number of houses were damaged, and a donkey owned by Hassan Farhan Abu Shalloula was injured.

At approximately 03:00hrs, an infantry unit of Israeli occupying forces, accompanied by three tanks, moved approximately 150m into Wadi al-Salqa village, south of Deir al-Balah. They raided two houses of the family of Abu Qassem. They held residents of each house in one room and searched the two houses, using Nabil Sa'id al-Sayed Abu Qassem as human shield. In the end, Israeli soldiers arrested Rasmi al-Sayed Suleiman Qassem, 52, and his son Mohammed, 17.

At approximately 15:00hrs, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the border with Egypt, south of Rafah, opened fire at al-Salam and al-Brazil neighborhoods in the south of the town. A Palestinian child, Islam Khaled al-Sha'er, 5, was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg. PCHR's field officer in Rafah reported that the child was wounded when she was inside her house in al-Jonaina neighborhood, approximately 1000m away from the border.

At approximately 18:00hrs, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and covered by intense shelling, moved approximately 100m into al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah, adjacent to the border with Egypt. Soon, two Israeli armored military bulldozers started demolishing a number of houses. During the operation that continued until Wednesday morning, 18 December 2002, Israeli military bulldozers demolished six Palestinian houses:

1. a 260-square-meter house, in which 9 people used to live owned by 'Emad 'Awadh Ahmed Mansour;

2. a 200-square-meter house, in which 7 people used to live, owned by Hamdi 'Awadh Ahmed Mansour;

3. a 205-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 14 people used to live, owned by Mohammed Walid Suleiman Shaqfa;

4. a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3 people used to live, owned by 'Omar Mohammed 'Ali 'Awadh;

5. a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 people used to live, owned by Ahmed Mohammed 'Ali 'Awadh; and

6. a 300-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 19 people used to live, owned by Walid Ibrahim Mohammed Jarwana.

Residents of these houses had already evacuated them as they had been subject to repeated Israeli shelling and attacks. Israeli forces also razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, and destroyed an agricultural pool, a store, a water pump and an irrigation network owned by 'Abdul Rahman Mohammed 'Abdul Hadi Qeshta.

At approximately 23:00hrs, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of the "Neve Dekalim" settlement and in the "al-Nouria" military location, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp. An artillery shell hit the roof of a 240-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, approximately 100m east of "al-Nouria military location," owned by 'Essam 'Abdul Wahab Zeidan. The shell penetrated a room where the owner's son, Jawad, 16, was sleeping. Shrapnel from the shell hit him in the abdomen, the hands and the legs. His brothers, who were sleeping in an adjacent room, got up and called an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society. He was evacuated to hospital, but all efforts made to save his life failed and he was pronounced dead 15 minutes later. As a result of the Israeli shelling, Shehda Hassan Abu Sahloul, 65, was also wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh.

At approximately 01:00hrs, Israeli occupying forces in a military location in the Tal Zo'rob area in the southwest of Rafah opened fire at the nearby Zo'rob square. A Palestinian civilian, Mohammed Hamdan al-Dabbas, 27, was wounded by shrapnel in the left foot while near his house.

At approximately 14:35hrs, Israeli occupying forces positioned at the border with Egypt, south of Rafah, opened fire at al-Salam neighborhood in the south of the town. A Palestinian child, 'Alaa' Mohammed Musleh al-Sidoudi, 15, was critically wounded by a heavy caliber bullet in the heart, while he was playing with his friends in their area, approximately 200m away from the border. He was evacuated to hospital, but all efforts made to save his life failed.

According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 15:30hrs, undercover units of Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with 15 heavily armored military vehicles and four helicopters, moved into the Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They surrounded al-Manshia area and opened fire at houses and passing Palestinian civilians. When this Israeli operation, which was described by Israeli military sources as a wide scale one, began, Tariq Mahmoud Ahmed 'Abed Rabbu, 25, from Tulkarm refugee camp who was hiding in Nour Shams refugee camp, attempted to escape from the area by moving from one house to another. He moved into the house of 'Omar 'Aaref seeking shelter. The owner advised him to hide in a cupboard and left the house, which was subjected to intense Israeli gunfire. Soon, the Israeli undercover units broke into the house firing intensely. 'Abed Rabbu was instantly killed. Field investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW) indicate that Israeli soldiers may have liquidated 'Abed Rabbu, for, according to eyewitnesses, he was unarmed and was besieged inside the house. According to a medical report issued by Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarm, there were injuries in the body that were not caused by live ammunition. The report stated:

"'Abed Rabbu's body was brought to the emergency unit at Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital. He was killed by intense Israeli gunfire. Upon checking, it was clear that 'Abed Rabbu was shot by four live bullets in the chest, and the left arm, side and thigh.

In addition, five passing Palestinian civilians were wounded by the Israeli gunfire. According to medical sources, Israeli forces denied access to ambulances to the refugee camp to evacuate the wounded. Palestinian civilians were forced to carry the wounded and walk a distance of approximately 2km to reach the ambulances.

Early in the morning, Israeli occupying forces shot dead Jadallah Mousa Shouka, 32, from Bethlehem, with three live bullets in Thabra village, south of Bethlehem. Then, they demolished two houses in the village, where Shouka and another Palestinian were hiding. (See the section of Collective Punishment Measures against Families of Wanted Palestinians and Those Who Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli Targets).

According to the information available to PCHR, at approximately 04:45hrs, Shouka woke up for the dawn prayer. He turned on the lights in the house in which where he lived. The house is an old one in Thabra village, south of Bethlehem, owned by Mousa Abu 'Aahour. Shouka noticed a strange movement outside. He realized that Israeli soldiers were surrounding the house, so he immediately left it in an attempt to escape. Israeli soldiers fired at him. He fell approximately 400m away from the house. At approximately 07:30hrs, his body was brought to al-Hussein Hospital in Beit Jala in an ambulance of the ICRC. According to medical sources, he was shot by three live bullets in the chest and the right arm and thigh. As there were no eyewitnesses in the area, it was not clear whether Shouka was killed instantly or after he had been arrested by Israeli soldiers. Israeli forces also arrested Khader Mahmoud Abu 'Aahour who was in the house with Shouka. Israeli forces claim that Shouka and Abu 'Aahour are wanted for being members of Hamas.

In the morning, Israeli occupying forces that have been in control of Nablus since 20 June 2002, opened fire at Palestinian school students and civilians who broke the curfew imposed on the city. Faisal Street and al-Shuhada square in the center of the city saw most of the action. Eight students and another civilian were wounded:

1. 'Anan Kamal 'Abdul Nabi Kalbouna, 18, was wounded by a live bullet in the jaw and by shrapnel in the left shoulder;

2. Nadine Jamal Dhamra, 13, was wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the head;

3. Walaa' Hussam 'Abdul Raziq 'Amira, 12, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the nose;

5. Ahmed Hussein 'Abdul Raziq Qatanani, 18, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;

8. Ahmed 'Ali Ahmed Qara'an, 18, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand; and

9. Shawqi Hamed Mustafa Rawajba, 28, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right arm.

In an apparent willful killing, in the morning, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian civilian in Khan Yunis and left him bleeding to death. According to PCHR's investigations, at approximately 07:30hrs, Hassan Farhan Abu Shalloula, 22, from Khan Yunis refugee camp, got out of his house to check his donkey that was injured inside its pen by the Israeli shelling early in the morning. This was approximately 10m away from an Israeli military location on a hill near the "Neve Dekalim" settlement, west of Khan Yunis. When he got close to the pen, Israeli soldiers fired at him. He was wounded. He bled for more than 15 minutes without people being able to evacuate him due to the continuous Israeli gunfire. Then, Israeli soldiers allowed people to evacuate him. He was dead. According to medical sources, he was shot by a live bullet in the head. Abu Shalloula is brother of Mohammed Abu Shalloula, who was killed by Israeli shelling on 7 October 2002.

In another apparent willful killing, in the evening, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a mentally handicapped Palestinian civilian in Rafah. According to PCHR's investigations, at approximately 20:00hrs, while 'Eid Asa'ad Mohammed Abu Hilal, 22, mentally handicapped, from Rafah, was rambling near Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, Israeli soldiers in the area shot him dead with several live bullets. When news of the incident was revealed, a Palestinian ambulance moved towards the area to evacuate the body, upon coordination with the Israeli side, but Israeli soldiers fired at it and forced it to travel back. At approximately 10:00hrs on the following day, Tuesday, 17 December 2002, a Palestinian ambulance was able to evacuate the body to hospital. According to a paramedic who participated in the evacuation of the body, the body was approximately 15m away from the gate, and Israeli soldiers ordered him and his colleagues to take their clothes off the upper parts of their bodies and move around a tank positioned near the body. The Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot quoted an Israeli military spokesman as claiming that Israeli soldiers positioned at the Israeli-Egyptian border, south of Rafah, "fired at a Palestinian who ran towards an armored military vehicle, apparently trying explode a bomb he was carrying, and the Israeli explosives experts will check his body tomorrow morning."

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

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

After a number of resistance men had carried out a military attack near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the south of Hebron, Israeli occupying forces demolished five Palestinian houses; two of which were uninhabited, and a sixth house in Beit Kahel village. They also demolished a building that served for meetings of the family of al-Rujbi.

At approximately 02:30hrs, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, raided al-Rujbi neighborhood in Hebron. They surrounded a 130-square-meter, two-story building, the third floor included five stores, while the second one served for meetings of the family of al-Rujbi. An Israeli military bulldozer demolished the building over its contents. Then, Israeli forces moved towards a 100-square-meter two-story house, in which 10 people lived, owned by Nazhmi Munir al-Rujbi. They forced residents of the house out and demolished it without allowing them to evacuate the furniture.

At approximately 04:00hrs, Israeli occupying forces surrounded a 135-square-meter, two-story house, in which two families of 10 people lived, owned by Zeidan 'Abdullah al-Rujbi. An Israeli military bulldozer started demolishing the wall of the house, while residents of the house were still inside. When the owner exited to check what was going one, Israeli soldiers forced residents of the house out and demolished it.

At approximately 06:15hrs, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into Beit Kahel village, northwest of Hebron. They surrounded a 125-square-meter two-story house, in which 8 people lived, owned by Mohammed 'Ali 'Asafra. They forced residents of the house out and destroyed it. 'Asafra is father of 'Ali 'Asafra, 20, who was arrested by Israeli forces at the end of last October.

Also in the morning, Israeli occupying forces surrounded the house of the family of 'Emad 'Abdul Ghani 'Abdul Jawad al-Razem, who was killed while attempting to carry out an armed attack against those forces several months ago. According to his brother, Bilal al-Razem, four Israeli soldiers raided the house located in 'Aqbat Taffouh neighborhood in the west of Hebron. At approximately 07:00hrs, Israeli forces arrived at the area and forced residents of the house out. At approximately 09:20hrs, they informed the family of their intention to demolish the flat where their deceased son used to live. They gave him 7 minutes to evacuate furniture and then they destroyed the flat. The house consists of three flats, in which 11 people lived. The destruction cracked walls of the other two flats, rendering them uninhabitable.

After having killed Jadallah Mousa Shouka who was hiding in Thabra village, south of Bethlehem, on Friday morning, 13 December 2002, Israeli occupying forces destroyed two 40-square-meter houses owned by Hassan and Mousa Khalil Abu 'Aahour, claiming that Shouka used to live in them.

On Monday, 16 December 2002, Israeli forces closed al-Tuffah checkpoint separating Khan Yunis from its al-Mawasi area for several hours. Dozens of people were not able to go back home. Palestinian civilians are subject to humiliation by Israeli soldiers at the checkpoint.

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. At approximately 03:00hrs on Saturday, 14 December 2002, Israeli forces closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints. Israeli soldiers searched a number of cars and checked the identity cards of passengers. They arrested a number of people.

At approximately 21:30hrs on Sunday, 15 December 2002, Israeli soldiers stopped an ambulance of the Palestinian Ministry of Health near al-Matahen checkpoint, while it was on its way towards Rafah, after having evacuated 13-year-old Sawsan Salama al-Salaq, who was seriously wounded by a heavy caliber bullet in the chest fired by Israeli forces in Rafah, to Shifa' Hospital in Gaza City. Israeli soldiers held the medical personnel – two doctors, a nurse and a driver – in a checking yard near the checkpoint. They forced them to take their clothes off and insulted them. This Israeli measure continued until midnight.

On Monday, Israeli forces closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli checkpoints for several hours. They also fired at people, but no casualties were reported.

At approximately 07:00hrs on Tuesday, 17 December 2002, Israeli forces closed the two checkpoints again. The blocked and searched dozens of cars between the two checkpoints and checked the identity cards of passengers. Israeli forces reopened the two checkpoints two hour later. At approximately 13:00hrs on the same day, they closed the checkpoints again. The closure continued until the late hours at night, during which Israeli forces searched many cars. They also searched two ambulances and checked the identity cards of their medical personnel. Israeli forces also arrested 9 Palestinians.

At approximately 16:00hrs on Tuesday, 17 December 2002, Israeli forces at al-Tuffah checkpoint, west of Khan Yunis, denied entry of a Palestinian ambulance, which is the only one that serves al-Mawasi area, into the area. The ambulance had exited the area towards Khan Yunis for maintenance works, but Israeli forces did not allow it to enter the area again.

In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers at military checkpoints and roadblocks humiliated Palestinian civilians and forced them to do acts that harm the public morals. According to a female eyewitness from al-Naqoura village, northwest of Nablus, on Tuesday, 17 December 2002, Israeli soldiers in the village, which has become the main entrance to Nablus for people coming from Jenin and Tulkarm, forced a Palestinian young man to urinate before the eyes of female and male students who were on their way back home. Whenever the young man wanted to cover, Israeli soldier beat him. Israeli soldiers forced many Palestinian civilians from 'Assira village, north of Nablus, including teachers to stay day and night in cold weather at an Israeli military checkpoint between their village and Nablus.

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.