PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

No. 27/2003

03-09 July, 2003

Israeli Forces escalate war crimes in the OPT

Despite the sharp decrease in violent clashes following the declaration of a 3-month truce by Palestinian resistance organizations, Israeli occupying forces have continued to conduct human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including unlawful killings, collective punishment, shelling of and incursions into Palestinian areas, land leveling and arrests. This week, 3-9 July 2003, 2 Palestinian civilians were killed and 5 others were wounded by Israeli occupying forces.

Israeli occupying forces shot dead 2 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and wounded 5 others in a number of incidents in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. On Thursday, 3 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces shot dead Mohammed Shawar al-Nees, 32, from Qalqilya, allegedly wanted by Israel, and wounded and arrested another Palestinian. On Wednesday, 9 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces shot dead Eyad Mohammed Shalayesh, 27, from Bourqin village, west of Jenin, and seriously wounded his wife, during an Israeli military raid on the family’s house.

This week, Israeli occupying forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In the Gaza Strip, this week, Israeli occupying forces conducted 5 incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they razed more than 120 donums[1] of agricultural land, especially in Rafah.

Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict siege on large areas of the OPT. While they have slightly eased the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, they have tightened the siege imposed on the West Bank.

This week, Israeli occupying forces shot dead 2 Palestinian civilians and wounded 5 others in various incidents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

On Thursday morning, 3 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian allegedly wanted by Israel, and wounded another in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya.

According to information available to PCHR, an undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces moved into Qalqilya. Israeli soldiers surrounded the house of Ibrahim Asa’ad Yassin, who was in the house with his colleague, Mohammed Shawar Mohammed al-Nees. A number of Israeli military vehicles arrived at the area to support the undercover unit. Al-Nees and Yassin attempted to escape through the window, but Israeli soldiers opened fire at them from a distance of 5-meters. Al-Nees was wounded by 3 live bullets in the chest, the right side and the left thigh. He died within minutes. Yassin was wounded by 2 live bullets in the thigh. Israeli forces denied access for ambulances to the area. As they withdrew from the area, Israeli forces arrested Yassin and took him to an unknown destination.

At approximately 09:00 on the same day, Israeli soldiers in a military jeep near al-Matahen military checkpoint, north of Khan Yunis, fired at Palestinian civilians and cars waiting at the checkpoint, which had recently closed. A Palestinian civilian, Ziad Mousa Hussein, 30, from Rafah, was wounded by a live bullet in the right foot.

At approximately 22:00 on Saturday, 5 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces stationed in military locations in the “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at al-Mahatta area, approximately 400m to the north. A number of Palestinian houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.

At approximately 15:30 on Monday, 7 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 200m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border. They leveled the ruins of Palestinian houses which had already been demolished in previous Israeli military operations. A group of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at the Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli forces opened fire with live bullets and tear gas. A Palestinian civilian, Yousef Fathi al-Hams, 19, was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg.

In the evening, Israeli occupying forces fired at a civilian car in the western neighborhood of Tulkarm, wounding a Palestinian civilian.

According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 07:30, Ayman Mowaffaq al-Qarout, 20, from Tulkarm, was driving a civilian jeep on the main road in the western neighborhood of the town. He noticed 2 Israeli military jeeps chasing him, so he attempted to escape. Immediately, Israeli soldiers opened fired at him. He was wounded by a live bullet in right thigh. He stopped the jeep. Israeli soldiers approached and checked his identity card. They left him bleeding without offering him medical assistance and then left the area. A Palestinian ambulance evacuated him to hospital.

At approximately 17:30 on Tuesday, 8 July 2003, Israeli soldiers in a military jeep positioned in the north of “Morag” settlement, south of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses and farms in Gizan al-Najjar area. No casualties were reported.

On Wednesday morning, 9 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian and wounded his wife in Bourqin village, west of Jenin.

According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 03:00, Israeli occupying forces moved into Bourqin village, west of Jenin. They surrounded the house of Mohammed Shalayel and called on its residents through megaphones to leave the house. Then, Israeli soldiers broke into the house and mounted its roof, in an attempt to arrest the owner’s son, Fadi, 22. Another son, Eyad, 27, who lives approximately 30m away, heard screams coming from his father’s house. He and his wife, Kholoud, 27, hurried to their balcony. Immediately, Israeli soldiers on the roof of the father’s house opened fire at the Eyad and Kholoud. Eyad was killed by 2 live bullets in the neck and the hand, while his wife was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head. As they withdrew from the area, Israeli occupying forces arrested Fadi Shalayel and took him to an unknown destination.

At approximately 01:30 on Thursday, 3 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 200m into al-Satar al-Gharbi area in the northwest of Khan Yunis. They set up a barbwire barricade from the east of the house of Mousa Suleiman Abu ‘Owaili through his agricultural land, which was razed by Israeli forces on 20 June 2003, and then extend to the south to cut off the main road. Consequently, the house and 4 other houses have been brought under the de facto control of the “Gani Tal” settlement. The 50 residents of these homes have faced extreme difficulties in moving into, out of, and around the area.

At approximately 11:00 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved approximately 400m into Palestinian agricultural land north of “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah. They razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:

1. They razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Ahmed Mohammed al-‘Azaiza.

2. They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Hammad Mohammed al-Gharb.

3. They razed a 300-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by ‘Eid ‘Ali Darwish.

4. They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Khalil Rabi’ Swaidan.

At approximately 15:00, on Saturday, 5 July 2003, 6 Israeli heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved approximately 500m into Tal Zo’rob area in the southwest of Rafah. They continued the operation until 19:00:

1. They razed an 8-donum area of agricultural land, including greenhouses planted with vegetables, uprooted 40 palm trees and destroyed a well, 3 storage rooms, an agricultural pool, 3 water pumps and an irrigation network all owned by Yahia Shehda Zo’rob.

2. They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an agricultural pool, an irrigation network and some agricultural equipment owned by Ziad Shehda Zo’rob.

3. They razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with fruits, olives and citrus, and destroyed an irrigation network, an agricultural pool and some agricultural equipment owned by Sa’id Shehda Zo’rob.

At approximately 12:00 on Thursday, 8 July 2003, 6 Israeli heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved approximately 500m into Tal Zo’rob area in the southwest of Rafah. The operation continued until 20:00, during which time they razed about 100 donums of Palestinian agricultural land owned by the Zo’rob family. PCHR’s field worker in Rafah reported that the area was planted with palms and citrus, and there were a number of greenhouses on the land. Israeli forces also destroyed the irrigation network servicing the fields. According to eyewitnesses, there had been no clashes or other incidents in the area before Israeli forces razed this land.

Although Israeli military sources announced a decrease in “warnings of imminent armed attacks” by Palestinian resistance organizations, who had declared a 3-month truce, Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict siege on most of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially in the West Bank. While Israeli forces partially redeployed on the main roads in the Gaza Strip, they have continued to restrict movement at border crossings and maintained the siege on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip. They have also continued to close the Rafah-Khan Yunis western road and part of Salah al-Din Street near “Kfar Darom” settlement in the central Gaza Strip.

At approximately 07:30 on Thursday, 3 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed al-Matahen and Abu Houli military checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street. An Israeli military jeep stopped in the middle of the road, blocking Palestinian traffic. Passage was denied for more than 5 hours, during which time Israeli soldiers opened fire sporadically at Palestinian civilians in their vehicles nearby. Israeli occupying forces had partially redeployed on the road on 30 June 2003, after an Israeli-Palestinian security agreement.

On Tuesday evening, 8 July 2003, Israeli occupying forces placed an iron gate and barbwire on Abu al-‘Ajin road, a branch road linking between Wadi al-Salqa village in the central Gaza Strip an al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. The road has been closed since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada.

Israeli measures at al-Tuffah and Tal al-Sultan military checkpoints isolating al-Mawasi area from the rest of the Gaza Strip have not been eased. Conditions on passage through Al-Tuffah checkpoint between al-Mawasi area and Khan Yunis continue; the checkpoint is open only from 09:00 to 13:00, and from 14:00 to 17:00; Israeli forces continue to restrict passage across the checkpoint to groups of 5; males under 35 and females under 25 are not permitted to cross the checkpoint; and only those who fulfill the above conditions and have magnetic cards issued by Israeli military authorities are permitted to cross. Palestinian civilians attempting to pass through the checkpoint continue to be subject to harassment and ill treatment.

Israeli forces opened Tal al-Sultan military checkpoint between al-Mawasi area and Rafah for only one hour in the morning. Palestinian civilians are therefore, forced to come back to the area through al-Tuffah checkpoint in Khan Yunis. Conditions of entry at Tal al-Sultan checkpoint are similar to those at al-Tuffah checkpoint.

The situation in al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip has further deteriorated although Israeli forces were partially redeployed in the general area on 30 June 2003 and Palestinian security forces were able to return to their previous locations. Thirty Palestinian families living in the area face extreme difficulties in moving into and out of the area due to Israeli military measures, which include:

1. A limited number of Palestinians, either residents of the area or farmers who have agricultural lands in the area, have been allowed to enter the area, according to a list that drawn up by Israeli occupying forces.

2. Palestinian civilians on this list are allowed to enter or exit the area only from 07:00 to 09:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.

3. Palestinian civilians in the area face difficulties in movement due to the lack of paved roads and denial of access for vehicles.

6. Basic foodstuffs, animal feeds and fuels are allowed into the area only on Monday and Thursday at the stated gate opening times.

7. Palestinian farmers are restricted in transporting produce out of the area and in bringing in materials to maintain and repair equipment.

8. Farmers whose agricultural lands were razed are not permitted to re-cultivate their lands.

Rafah terminal is the only external exit for the Gaza Strip; all other exits have been closed to most Palestinians since the beginning of the current Intifada. Opening hours are restricted to a maximum of 8 hours a day, and passage through the terminal is subject to severe delays. The Terminal is often subject to arbitrary and prolonged closures.

The crossing was reopened for a limited number of Palestinian workers on 30 June 2003. The number of Palestinian workers allowed entry into Israel has decreased to 1162 from Pre-Intifada levels of more than 30,000. Workers continue to report being subject to arbitrary and prolonged delays in passage and to be harassment and ill treatment during so-called security checks.

Since the beginning of this week, Israeli occupying forces have been establishing new observation points at the crossing. The crossing is currently operating at only 30% of its normal capacity and Israeli occupying forces have allowed the transportation of only 5% of Palestinian products through the crossing into Israel. They have also denied entry of metal and chemical products into the Gaza Strip, and have prevented Palestinian trucks from entering the crossing area. Goods must be off loaded, carried across the checkpoint and reloaded on trucks on the other side.

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 respect for the Convention.

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

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.

[1] 1 donum equals 1000 square meters.

For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 - 2825893