Weekly Report

On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied

 Palestinian Territories

 Dec. 26, 2002 -  Jan. 01, 2003

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

 

The International Community Remains Silent While the Israeli Human Rights Violations Continue in the OPT

 


 

Introduction

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, from 26 December 2002 – 1 January 2003, 15 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, were killed by Israeli forces.

On Wednesday, the 1 January 2003, Israeli occupying forces shot dead three Palestinian children from Jabalya refugee camp, claiming that they had knives, with which they attempted to infiltrate into "Elli Sinai" settlement, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.  Clear information about the incident was not available as the area is a very dangerous one and no eyewitnesses were present.  Nevertheless, initial investigations prove that Israeli forces used excessive force against the three children foregoing the use of less lethal means or attempting to arrest them. They were children and did not have weapons that would threaten the lives of Israeli soldiers.  Medical examinations revealed that the children were shot in the upper part of the body from a very close distance.  PCHR's field worker in the northern Gaza Strip, who saw the bodies, reported that the children had been shot in the head exposing their brain tissue.  It is worth mentioning that three Palestinian children were killed in similar circumstances in the same area on 2 January 2002 (see PCHR's reports). 

Also this week, Israeli forces shot dead five other Palestinian civilians, including a child, in cases of willful killing, while three civilians including a child, were killed by Israeli shelling.  In addition, four Palestinian civilians were extra-judicially assassinated by Israeli forces. 

In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments against Palestinian activists, on Thursday, the 26 December 2002, Israeli occupying forces perpetrated three new extra-judicial assassinations that left dead four Palestinian. Early in the morning, Israeli forces assassinated Yousef Mohammed Khalil Abu al-Rub, 40, from Qabatya village in Jenin.  Also in the morning, an undercover unit of Israeli forces assassinated Jamal Nader Mohammed Yahia, 32, from Tulkarm.  At the same time, an undercover unit of Israeli forces assassinated Bassam Lutfi al-Ashqar, 26, from 'Ein 'Arik village in Ramallah, and shot dead a passing civilian, Mahdi Samir 'Obaid, 17, from Ramallah. 

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 destroyed seven houses in Hebron, Jenin, Nablus and Khan Yunis. 

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. On account of this, a Palestinian patient died this week as Israeli forces and settlers obstructed his evacuation to hospital.

The Shelling of and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas

 

Thursday, 26 December 2002

 At approximately 10:30, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into the old town of Nablus, chasing a number of Palestinians allegedly wanted by the Israelis. Israeli soldiers took position inside a number of houses, from which they fired at passing Palestinians.  Mohammed Mohye al-Din 'Aashour, 17, was killed by two live bullets in the chest.  According to eyewitnesses, 'Ashour was shot dead while he was on his way to school without having done anything that may have raised suspicions.  According to 'Abdul Rahim 'Omar al-Qussini, 35, a journalist working in the city, the area where 'Aashour was killed was totally calm and the distance between Israeli soldiers and the victim was no more than 20m. 

 In an apparent willful killing, in the afternoon, Israeli soldiers broke into Ramallah Hospital and fired at its guards, killing one of them.  According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 15:25, while five guards of Ramallah Hospital were sitting inside their guardroom, they heard knocking on the door.  One of the guards, Samer Khalil Mohammed al-Shamali, 25, a policeman from al-Amari refugee camp, opened the door.  A strange man was standing there.  He asked al-Shamali for water, claiming that his car was hot.  When al-Shamali went to bring water, he and his colleagues were surprised by three persons in civilian clothes pointing their pistols towards them through the windows.  Al-Shamali went to the bathroom.  The armed persons opened fire at the room from a distance of 1m.  Al-Shamali was wounded by two live bullets. His colleagues were not hurt as they were lying on the ground while the shooting continued for 30 minutes.  When the fire ceased, the guards who survived got out of the room surrendered.  Israeli soldiers checked their identity cards and interrogated them.  Then, Israeli soldiers arrested the four guards.  They were taken to "Beit 'Eil" detention center, where they were severely beaten.  Three of them were released several hours later, while the fourth, Hassan Mohammed al-Turabi, 23, from Surra village in Nablus, remained in custody. 

 At approximately 11:00, Israeli soldiers on tanks in the vicinity of "Enab" settlement, east of Tulkarm, fired live ammunition and sound bombs at Palestinian houses in Ramin village.  A sound bomb fell near Moraweh Hussein 'Othman, 55, while he was near his house, and caused him a heart attack.  Immediately, his relatives evacuated hi to hospital, but he died before arriving at hospital.

 

Friday, 27 December 2002

 At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of "Gani Tal" settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses and agricultural land in al-Rabwat area in the northwest of the town.  They also fire flare in the air.  A flare fell onto an agricultural store and an animal farm owned by Suleiman Ahmed al-Astal.  The store and the farm burnt down and a number of animals died.  The Palestinian Civil Defense was called to put out the fire before it spread to nearby houses. 

 At approximately 18:30, Israeli soldiers on a gunboat that was sailing near Beit Lahia coast in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian fishing boats that had stopped there.  Three boats, owned by Khaled Radwan Baker and his brothers, burnt, and two other boats, owned by Sa'id Mohammed Abu Riala, were severely damaged.  PCHR's field worker in the northern Gaza Strip reports that the boats were empty and that the shooting took place without any prior warning as the area had not witnessed any incidents. The Palestinian fishermen were not able to put out the fire as the Israeli gunfire lasted for two hours. 

 

Saturday, 28 December 2002

 At approximately 14:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 600m into al-Birka area in the southwest of Deir al-Balah.  An Israeli military bulldozer started razing areas of Palestinian agricultural land:

 

1.    It razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas, olives and palms, demolished a 20-square-meter room and destroyed a water pump owned by Kamel Ahmed al-Salqawi. 

2.    It razed a 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas, demolished a 20-square-meter room and destroyed a water pump owned by Hamdan 'Abdul 'Aziz al-Salqawi. 

3.    It demolished a 20-square-meter room and destroyed a water pump owned by Ahmed Baraka. 

4.    It demolished a 20-square-meter room and destroyed a water pump owned by Jamil Mohammed al-Salqawi.

5.    It demolished a 20-square-meter room and destroyed a water pump owned by Isma'il 'Aashour al-'Assar. 

 

In the evening, Hanin 'Abdul Qader Abu Suleiman, 8, from al-Nimsawi neighborhood in Khan Yunis, was killed by a live bullet fired by Israeli soldiers positioned in military locations in the vicinity of "Neve Dekalim" settlement, west of the town.  In his testimony to PCHR, the victim's father, 'Abdul Qader Saleh 'Abdul Qader Abu Suleiman, 54, said: 

 "At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 28 December 2002, while I was sitting with my child Hanin, 8, and my other children in the street close to my house, approximately 700m east of 'Neve Dekalim' settlement, I heard sounds of intense shooting coming from a military location in the settlement.  My children and I ran towards our house to avoid being injured.  Hanin fell to the ground.  I ran to her and noticed that she was bleeding from the head.  Immediately, I took her in a civilian car to Nasser Hospital.  There, doctors informed me that she was critically wounded by a live bullet in the head.  Few minutes later, an ambulance transferred her to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis.  On the way to the hospital, a paramedic told me that her heart stopped beating.  When we arrived at the hospital, she was dead."

 At approximately 18:30, Israeli forces at the northern border of the Gaza Strip, north of Beit Hanoun, fired three flechette shells (tank shells containing up to 10,000 flechettes) at two Palestinian civilians who were approximately 2000m south of the border.  The two were wounded by shrapnel:

 

1.    Mohammed Samih Zaki al-Kafarna, 22, seriously wounded by shrapnel in the neck; and

2.    Mahmoud 'Omar Jaber 'Abdu, 28, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh. 

 

Monday, 30 December 2002

 At approximately 12:05, Israeli occupying forces moved into the old town of Nablus.  They opened fire at Palestinian houses and passing civilians, wounding Jamal Zuhair Yousef Zabara, 20, with an explosive live bullet in the head.  He was evacuated to hospital but was already clinically death.  At approximately 12:40, he was pronounced dead. 

 At approximately 13:30, Israeli soldiers in a military jeep positioned opposite to 'Omar Ben al-Khattab School in al-Makhfia neighborhood in Nablus fired at Hamdi Ghazi Hamdan al-Sarwan, 16, wounding him with a live bullet in the back.  According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers fired at him when he exited school, while the area was completely quiet. 

 At approximately 14:00, Israeli soldiers on tanks and armored personnel carriers positioned at the northern entrance of Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus, fired at Ahmed Isma'il Mutlaq al-Qeissi, 17, wounding him with a live bullet in the mouth.  According to medical sources, al-Qeissi was wounded by an explosive bullet that cut a part of his tongue and fractured bones of the lower jaw, so he was in critical condition. 

 At approximately 17:00, Israeli soldiers on Wahba building in Hittin Street in Nablus fired, for no apparent reason, at Mo'ayad Hamed Mohammed Saleh al-Sayeh, 21, wounding him with a live bullet in the abdomen.  According to medical sources, al-Sayeh is in critical condition, as the live bullet cut his intestines causing an internal hemorrhage.   

 

Tuesday, 31 December 2002

 At approximately 15:30, Israeli soldiers in tanks in the vicinity of the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian residential areas in the town.  Hassan Husni al-Sha'er, 15, was wounded by a live bullet in the head.  PCHR's field worker in Rafah reported that the child was wounded when he was near his house in al-Jonaina neighborhood, approximately 1200 away from the border. 

 

Wednesday, 1 January 2003

 At approximately 14:00, two Israeli tanks and a military bulldozer moved approximately 400m north of "Kfar Darom" settlement, east of Deir al-Balah.  They razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land and demolished two houses:

 

1.    They razed a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Kamel Mohammed Jaber Sarsour and brothers. 

2.    They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and palms owned by heirs of 'Awad Ibrahim Sarsour.

3.    They razed a 500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with carrots owned by Subhi Mohammed Sarsour.

4.    They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Mohammed Ahmed al-Fallit.

5.    They demolished a 160-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Ayman Shihda Abu Nussair.

6.    They demolished a 200-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Marzouqa Salama Abu Nussair. 

 

At approximately midnight, about 20 Israeli tanks, supported by two helicopters and covered by sporadic gunfire, moved approximately 150m into al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.  A Palestinian civilian, 'Essam Mahmoud Wishah, 27, was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh, while near his house.  A number of houses were damaged.  In addition, a number of Israeli soldiers raided and searched the house of Bassam Ahmed Abu 'Oteiwi, and destroyed the windows of his car.  They also raided a flat that serves as office for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and destroyed its furniture. 

 

Extra-Judicial Assassinations

In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli authorities against Palestinian activists, the Israeli occupying forces, on Thursday, 26 December 2002, perpetrated three extra-judicial assassinations in the West Bank that left four Palestinians dead.

At approximately 02:00, ten heavy military vehicles, a number of Israeli military jeeps and an Israeli ambulance moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin.  They seized control over the village.  Then, they moved to the western area of the village, where they surrounded a number of Palestinian houses and mounted others.  At approximately 02:35, they called on Bilal Helmi 'Ezzat Abu al-Rub through loudspeakers to evacuate his house.  Afterwards they interrogated him, beat him and his family, and put him in a pool of rainwater. Then the Israeli soldiers forced him to go to his neighbor's house, Yousef Mohammed Khalil Abu al-Rub, 40, known as "Hamza", to tell him to leave the house. The wife and children left the house, while Hamza remained inside.  Israeli soldiers then forced the wife and children to go back to the house and tell him to surrender.  Hamza got out of the door and informed the Israeli soldiers of his intention to surrender with the presence of the ICRC or any other international agency to ensure his safety, but they refused.  Israeli snipers positioned on neighboring buildings fired at him.  He was killed by ten live bullets throughout the body, including the head and the chest.  After Israeli soldiers forced neighbors to remove his body, they destroyed the house. 

 At approximately 11:30, an undercover unit, reinforced with Israeli troops, infiltrated the western part of Tulkarm.  They surrounded the house of Jamal Nader Mohammed Yahia, 32.  They knocked the door and Yahia opened it without knowing who was there.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers opened fire at him from a very close distance.  He was wounded by seven live bullets throughout the body, including in the neck, the chest and the abdomen.  Israeli soldiers did not allow Palestinians to offer him help.  Soon, other Israeli forces arrived at the area to support the undercover unit.  They forced people away from Yahia and left him bleeding to death.  Then, they took his body and withdrew from the area. 

 At the same time, an Israeli undercover unit moved in a truck, which had a Palestinian license number, into al-Manara square in the center of Ramallah.  The truck stopped there.  When Bassam Lutfi al-Ashqar, 26, from 'Ein 'Arik village in Ramallah, passed by the area in his private car, a number of gunmen got out of the truck and fired at him from a close distance, killing him with two live bullets in the head and the abdomen.  When Palestinians discovered the presence of the Israeli undercover unit in the area, they tried to attack them, but a number of Israeli military jeeps arrived at the area and opened fire.  Mahdi Samir 'Obaid, 17, from Ramallah, was critically wounded by three live bullets in the chest and the abdomen.  He was evacuated to hospital, but all efforts made to save his life failed.   Israeli forces took al-Ashqar's body and withdrew from the area. 

 

Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

 

Sunday, 29 December 2002

 In an apparent willful killing, Israeli soldiers in a tank and in a number of military jeeps, positioned opposite the 'Ezbat al-Jarad village east of Tulkarm, opened fire at a number of Palestinian school children, who were on their way home after having finished their midterm exams.  A child was killed and another was wounded. 

 According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 10:00, while school children of al-Salam elementary school were on their way home, Israeli soldiers in a tank and in a number of military jeeps, positioned opposite the school, which is located at the entrance of 'Ezbat al-Jarad village, provoked them.  A number of children gathered and threw stones towards the Israeli military vehicles.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired at the children.  'Abdul Karim Yasser 'Abdul Karim Salama, 11, was killed by a live bullet in the head, and 'Aassef Mohammed Sharshir, 12, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right leg.  According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers fired at the children from a distance of only 30m, without the children having posed any threat to the lives of soldiers. 

 At approximately 12:30, Israeli soldiers at a military checkpoint at the entrance of the al-Mawasi area in the west of Rafah opened fire at local and international participants in a sit-in organized by residents of the area. The aim of the sit-in was to call on the Israelis to allow residents of al-Mawasi to go back to the area through the checkpoint, which has been closed since 6 November 2002.  Twenty members of the International Solidarity Movement participated in the sit-in, which took place approximately 200m away from the Israeli military checkpoint.  Tamer Nasser al-Din Sa'di Ziara, 20, a cameraman of the Associated Press, was wounded by a live bullet in the head.  PCHR's field worker in Rafah reported that Ziara was wearing a suit that had the press badge and that the there had been no clashes in the area. 

 

Monday, 30 December 2002

 In an apparent willful killing, Israeli soldiers in a military jeep opened fire from close distance at 'Aassem Fu'ad 'Abdul Rahman Massad, 37, from Faqqou'a village, north of Jenin, killing him with eight live bullets. 

 According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 13:30, Massad was traveling in his private car from his village to Jenin through a branch road.  When he crossed the Jenin-Nazareth road, north of Jenin, to get on a branch road leading to the town, an Israeli military jeep, coming from al-Jalama military checkpoint, chased him and collided with his car.  None was hurt.  Massad stopped his car and got out of it with his hands up, but an Israeli soldier in the jeep shot him dead from a close distance. Then, Israeli forces closed the area and denied Palestinian ambulances access.  At approximately 15:30, Israeli forces allowed a Palestinian ambulance to evacuate the body to hospital.  According to medical sources, Massad was shot by eight live bullets in the head, chest and abdomen.  Later, Israeli forces claimed that Massad was armed, but eyewitnesses refuted this claim and asserted that he got out of the car with his hands up. 

 

Wednesday, 1 January 2003

 Late at night, Israeli occupying forces delivered the bodies of three Palestinian children to the Palestinian side.  The children were killed by Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip in the afternoon. 

 According to PCHR's investigation, at approximately 17:30, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of "Elli Sinai" settlement, north of Beit Lahia, opened fire at three children from Jabalya refugee camp, killing them.  The Israeli radio in Arabic claimed that Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinians, who had knives, with which they attempted to infiltrate the settlement.  The radio did not mention the ages of the Palestinians.  At approximately 22:45, the three bodies were delivered to Palestinian ambulances at the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.  The bodies of the children were evacuated to Shifa' Hospital in Gaza City, where they were identified as:

 

1.    Mohammed 'Atiya Dawas, 14, shot by several live bullets in the head, the abdomen and the limbs; 

2.    Tariq Ziad Dawas, 15, shot by several live bullets in the head and the body; and

3.    Jihad Joma'a 'Aabed, 15, shot by several live bullets throughout the body. 

 

Additional information about the circumstances of the incidents was not available, as the area is dangerous and no eyewitnesses were present.  Nevertheless, initial investigation proves that Israeli forces used excessive force against the three children without resorting to less lethal means or attempting to detain them.  Medical examinations revealed that the children were shot in the upper part of the body from close distance. 

 

A Palestinian Civilian Beaten to Death

 On Monday evening, 30 December 2002, Israeli soldiers kidnapped 'Omran 'Abdul Ghani 'Omran Abu Hamdia, 18, from Hebron, and beat him to death. 

 According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 20:15, while Abu Hamdia was with a number of neighbors in front of his house, an Israeli military jeep arrived at the area.  The jeep stopped and Israeli soldiers got out of it.  They checked the identity cards of the people in the area and ordered some of them to leave.  Then, they took Hamdia in the jeep to the south of the city.  In the jeep, Israeli soldiers violently beat him and then pushed him out of the jeep onto the road, approximately 1500m away from his house.  His neighbors and other people started searching for him.  Nearly 15 minutes later, they found him on the road near Shahin fuel station.  They tried to evacuate him to hospital in a civilian car, but he died on the way.  According to medical sources, the victim was severely beaten.  He was bleeding from the nose, the ears and the mouth, which indicates that he suffered from an internal hemorrhage in the brain.  There were also signs of beatings on the hands and the head.

 

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 out attacks against Israeli targets in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli forces.

At approximately 06:30 on Thursday, 26 December 2002, Israeli forces destroyed the 180-square-meter house of Yousef Mohammed Khalil Abu al-Rub, 40, after they had assassinated him.  Abu al-Rub lived in the house with his wife and three children.  He rented it after his house had been destroyed by Israeli forces.

 

At approximately 07:00 on Saturday, 28 December 2002, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron.  They surrounded the house of the family of Martyr Jamil Hammad Hamad Abu 'Atwan in al-Tabaqa neighborhood.  They forced the eight residents of the 240-square-meter house out and destroyed it. 

 At approximately 08:30 on the same day, Israeli forces surrounded the house of 'Abdul Rahim 'Abdul 'Aziz al-Malalha, 27, in Rajam Abu Hilal area in Dura village.  They forced the three residents out of the 140-square-meter, two-story house and destroyed it.  Israeli forces claim that Talahma is wanted for being a member of the Islamic Jihad. 

 At approximately 03:00 on Monday, 30 December 2002, Israeli occupying forces moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron.  They surrounded the house of the family of Ahmed 'Aayed Ahmed al-Faqih, 20, in Naqat Noah area.  They gave the 11 residents of the 150-square-meter house nine minutes to evacuate their furniture.  At approximately 05:30, Israeli forces destroyed it, claiming that the son, Ahmed, participated in an armed attack against "Otaniel" settlement on Friday, 27 December 2002.  Israeli forces also arrested his father, 'Aayed al-Faqih, 41, his uncle, Tawifiq Hassan 'Obaid, and his neighbor, Ibrahim Hassan al-Talahma, 26, who helped the family evacuate their furniture. 

 At approximately 11:00 on Tuesday, 31 December 2002, Israeli occupying forces surrounded the house of 'Abed Sa'ada Asmar at 'Awarta-Rujib junction, east of Nablus.  They forced the 11 residents out of the 150-square-meter, two-story house and demolished it.  According to Asmar, Israeli forces also demolished his house in 1988 after one of his sons had carried out an armed attack against them.  After the Oslo Accords, Asmar rebuilt the house, but again Israeli forces demolished it, claiming that he does not have the right to rebuild it.  

 At approximately 03:00 on Wednesday, 1 January 2003, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into the al-Rabwat area in the northwest of Khan Yunis.  They surrounded the house of Sa'id D'iab Shaker al-Agha, 75, father of Yassin al-Agha, who was assassinated by Israeli forces on 10 December 2002.  They called on the six residents of the 250-square-meter, two-story house, and the residents of neighboring house to leave them.  They used the father as a human shield in searching the house.  Then, they destroyed it.  A neighboring house, a wood store and well were severely damaged. 

 At approximately 03:45 on the same day, Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and military jeeps, moved into Madama village.  They surrounded the house of Mohammed Ahmed Ziara.  They forced the four residents of the 160-square-meter house out and destroyed it.  Ziara is the father of 'Omar Ziara who carried out a bombing inside Israel in June 2002. 

 

Continued Restrictions of Freedom of Movement

Israeli occupying forces have again restricted Palestinian's movement inside the Gaza Strip.  They have continued to stop and search cars at military checkpoints erected on Salah al-Din Street, the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip.  They have also continued to fire at Palestinian civilians at those checkpoints. 

At approximately 11:00 on Thursday, 26 December 2002, Israeli forces closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street.  Israeli soldiers searched a number of cars and checked the identity cards of passengers.  They interrogated a number of people and detained three Palestinians. 

At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 28 December 2002, Israeli forces closed the two checkpoints again.  They searched dozens of cars and detained a Palestinian, Sami 'Awad Sa'id al-Astal, 32, a teacher from Khan Yunis. 

On Monday, 30 December 2002, Israeli forces closed the two checkpoints and searched a number of cars.  They also fired at a vehicle of the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments that was on its way to Khan Yunis, but no casualties were reported. 

In the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces, at approximately 11:00 on Sunday, 29 December 2002, closed the al-Tuffah checkpoint that separates Khan Yunis from the al-Mawasi area.  In the evening, a few people were able to cross the checkpoint as a delegation of the international popular protection intervened.  Throughout the two previous days, people waited at the checkpoint to go back to the al-Mawasi area, but Israeli soldiers forced them to leave the area. 

In the west Bank, Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict siege on Palestinian communities.  On Sunday, 29 December 2002, Hussein Mahmoud 'Abdul Hamid al-Tamimi, 56, from Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, died as Israeli forces and settlers obstructed his evacuation to hospital.  According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 12:30, al-Tamimi, the headmaster of an elementary school, felt sick.  He went to a doctor in the village who recommended his transfer to hospital.  His son Ramzi took him in a taxi to go to hospital.  When they arrived at the junction of "Halmish" settlement, Israeli soldiers stopped them for 15 minutes and then allowed their passage.  When they arrived at the junction of 'Ein Kina village, west of Ramallah, a number of Israeli settlers stopped them and called the Israeli forces.  Israeli soldiers denied them passage.  Ramzi asked the soldiers to check his father or call an ambulance, but they refused and stopped them for nearly an hour.  At approximately 15:00, al-Tamimi arrived at hospital in Ramallah dead.  According to medical sources, he died an hour earlier from a heart clot and that obstruction of his access to hospital contributed to the deterioration of his condition. 

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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 to take effective measures to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in accordance with their obligations under article 1 and article 146, 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 operations 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.