PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

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

No. 31/2003

14–20 August 2003

Israeli Forces Continue Violations of Human Rights in the OPT

Since Wednesday evening, 20 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces have escalated their illegal military actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, following an Israeli governmental decision taken in the aftermath of a bombing that occurred in West Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, 19 August 2003. Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian child in Tulkarm refugee camp, imposed a total siege on the OPTs and destroyed a number of houses belonging to families of Palestinian activists.

Recent Israeli illegal military actions were initiated a few hours after the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Defense Minster Shaul Mofaz took a decision to escalate military operations against Palestinians, including a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations. PCHR’s field workers in the West Bank reported that Israeli occupying forces have encroached into the old town of Nablus and the town of Jenin, Ramallah and al-Bireh. Israeli occupying forces called the new military operation “Directed Tone.” Commander of the Israeli military paratroops is currently leading the operation. The operation is expected to be carried out in the following days, with no date being specified as to when the operation would come to an end.

This week, Israeli occupying forces resumed the policy of extra-judicial assassinations against Palestinian activists, a policy which had been halted since the conclusion of a security understanding between the Israeli and Palestinian sides. Israeli forces have also imposed a total siege on the OPTs, raided Palestinian houses and arrested more Palestinians. This week, 14-20 August 2003, 2 Palestinians, including a child, were killed and 10 others were wounded by Israeli occupying forces. In addtiong, Israeli forces destroyed 4 Palestinian houses and arrested dozens of Palestinians.

In resumption of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and security establishments, and 6 weeks following the start of the implementation of a truce between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, according to which Israeli occupying forces halted this policy, Israeli occupying forces assassinated a Palestinian in Hebron. On Thursday morning, 14 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces assassinated Mohammed Ayoub Seder, 28, claming that he was wanted for his activities in al-Quds Brigade, the military wing of Islamic Jihad.

This week, Israeli occupying forces continued to shell Palestinian residential areas in the Gaza Strip, especially in Rafah and Khan Yunis. Whereas no casualties were reported, a number of houses were damaged and wide spread fear of such attacks persisted among Palestinian civilians, especially children, in the effected areas. Such tactics represent the use of a system of terror inflicted on the general population of the OPTs by Israeli authorities. Israeli occupying forces conducted 2 incursions into Palestinian areas along the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, during which they destroyed a Palestinian house. Palestinians living along the border in Rafah have endured the continuous presence of belligerent Israeli occupying forces in the area.

In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian controlled areas, accompanied by indiscriminate shelling and shooting. As a result of these incursions, 8 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and an old man, were wounded. Israeli occupying forces also raided some houses and arrested a number of Palestinians.

In violation of international humanitarian law, especially the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949, article 33 of which prohibits punishing any protected person for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli forces took retaliatory measures against the families of Palestinians Israel alleges have ordered, facilitated, or carried out attacks against Israeli targets. In this context, they destroyed 3 Palestinian houses in Nablus.

Israeli occupying forces have continued work on the “security fence.” They have confiscated more areas of Palestinian land and isolated more Palestinian residential areas for this purpose. They also declared that they would begin to establish a fence north of ‘Eizariya and Abu Dis villages, east of Jerusalem, and have confiscated areas of Palestinian land in al-Sawahra and Sour Baher villages. Palestinian sources expect that 173 donums of land will be confiscated in the area by Israeli occupying forces to establish the “security fence.” Furthermore, a number of Palestinian villages will be isolated from both Jerusalem and the West Bank if the fence is established in the area.

Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict siege on most of the OPT, especially in the West Bank, in violation of Palestinian economic, social and cultural rights. On Tuesday evening, 19 August 2003, after a bombing occurred in West Jerusalem, Israeli occupying forces imposed a strict military siege on the OPTs and closed all crossings into Israel. While Israeli forces redeployed from the main roads in the Gaza Strip, they have continued to restrict movement on these roads and at border crossings. They often obstruct movement of people at al-Matahen and Abu Houli checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street, north of Khan Yunis. They moved the military observation tower at al-Matahen junction approximately 20m to the west, and the observation tower at Abu Houli checkpoint approximately 20m to the northeast. At al-Shuhada (Netzarim) junction, south of Gaza city, Israeli occupying forces have established two iron gates, approximately 200m away from the junction. They moved an Israeli military location in the area to the east of junction.

Israeli forces also continue to maintain the strict siege imposed on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than 8,000 Palestinians live, as well as al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip. In al-Sayafa area, Israeli occupying forces have begun to issue magnetic cards for residents of the area, to be used to move into and outside the area.

Israeli occupying forces have restricted the access of Palestinian fishermen to the sea and Palestinian workers continue to face humiliating measures at “Erez” (Beit Hanoun) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip on their way to work in Israel. Israeli occupying forces have continued to restrict the passage of goods through commercial crossings of the Gaza Strip. Rafah terminal, on the border with Egypt, has recently witnessed a growing humanitarian crisis.

In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict siege on Palestinian communities, isolating them from one another. They have restricted movement of Palestinians at military checkpoints, despite Israeli claims that a number of military checkpoints were dismantled. They re-closed a number of roads and erected dozens of roadblocks. On Wednesday morning, after Israeli occupying forces had allowed dozens of Palestinian civilians to cross Israeli military checkpoints erected at entrances of Palestinian towns and villages, they closed these checkpoints and prevented the civilians that had crossed the checkpoints from returning to their homes.

In a further escalation of aggressive measures against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, on Wednesday afternoon, 20 August 2003, Israeli police and prison guards, supported by helicopters, broke into Mageddo Prison, northwest of Jenin, using tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets. A division in the prison was burnt and more than 100 Palestinian prisoners suffered from tear gas inhalation. Palestinian prisoners were protesting an Israeli decision to transfer 100 prisoners to a desert jail in the Negev Desert.

In resumption of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli political and security establishments against Palestinian field activists and political leaders, which had been halted following the conclusion of a truce between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, Israeli occupying forces assassinated a Palestinian in Hebron. On Thursday, 14 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces assassinated Mohammed Ayoub Seder, 28, from Hebron, claiming that he was one of the most wanted people in Hebron for his activities in al-Quds Brigade, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad.

According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 01:15 on the aforementioned day, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into the Palestinian controlled area of Sha’aba, northeast of Hebron. They surrounded three commercial stores belonging to the heirs of the deceased Mohammed Jawad ‘Omar al-Muhtasseb, approximately 300m east of the headquarters of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH). Israeli soldiers ordered residents of nearby buildings through megaphones to get out. Then, they opened fire at the stores. They then ordered a person in the targeted buildings to surrender. At approximately 03:00, Israeli soldiers fired two artillery shells at the stores. As a result, fire broke out in the stores. An Israeli bulldozer approached the stores and began to tear one of them down. At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces declared that they found Seder’s body. Before withdrawing from the area, a military vehicle transported Seder’s body to an unknown destination. The body has been kept by Israeli occupying forces.

An Israeli military spokesman claimed that an exchange of fire took place between Seder and Israeli occupying forces, but eyewitnesses denied this claim and confirmed that Israeli forces ordered a man to surrender without mentioning his name specifically. It is worth noting that on 10 December 2001, Seder survived a failed assassination attempt, when an Israeli helicopter fired two missiles at a car, in which he was traveling, when it stopped at a traffic light on al-Salam Street in the center of Hebron. Although Seder survived the attack, two Palestinian children: Burhan Mohammed al-Haimouni, 3; and Shadi Ahmed ‘Arafa, 13, were killed, and a third civilian, Mohammed Ibrahim al-Haimouni, 46, died later of the wounds he sustained in the attack.

Excessive Use of Force against Palestinian Civilians and Attacks on Their Property

This week, Israeli occupying forces fired at Palestinian civilians, shelled Palestinian residential areas and encroached into Palestinian Authority controlled areas. Following are details of these human rights violations:

At approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 14 August 2003, 5 Israeli heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 100m into Salah al-Din Street in Block L in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border. During the incursion, which continued until 06:00, Israeli forces fired two artillery shells at a 250-square-meter house owned by Suhaila Mohammed Barhoum. Then, Israeli military vehicles demolished parts of the house while simultaneously firing indiscriminately in the area. The 7 residents of the house were in Saudi Arabia at the time, but are now in Rafah. They had submitted a request to the Palestinian liaison to request the Israelis to allow them access to their house in order to evacuate their furniture and belongings. On 13 August 2003, they were allowed to enter their house, however some of their furniture and belongings had already been destroyed by Israeli shelling. On Friday, 15 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into the area again and demolished the house completely. The house was located approximately 100m north of the Egyptian border, in front of an Israeli military location that was established at an iron wall, which Israeli occupying forces have been constructing along the border. Israeli soldiers in military locations located in the area open fire at anyone that tries to get close to the aforementioned house or enters any part of the area.

At approximately 02:15 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces moved into Jenin refugee camp. They seized control over the camp, and a number of Israeli snipers took position on roofs of houses. Israeli soldiers raided many houses, employing live ammunition and sound bombs during the operation. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers fired a tank shell at the door of Sumaya D’ib al-Sa’di’s house, severely damaging it. Al-Sa’di was not at home. Israeli soldiers raided a neighboring house owned by Fawzi Mahmoud al-Sa’di. They forced residents of the house out and opened fire inside. A few hours later, Israeli occupying forces withdrew from the camp. No casualties or arrests were reported.

At approximately 17:00 on the same day, an Israeli settler in a civilian car that had an Israeli number fired at Husni Ahmed Mahmoud Hamad, 44, from ‘Ezbat Shoufa village, south of Tulkarm, wounding him with two live bullets in the chest and the left hand. Hamad was walking on a bypass road linking al-Taybeh inside the Green Line and the “Enab” settlement, east of Tulram. Hamad was on his way back to his village from his agricultural land.

At approximately 00:00 on Friday, 15 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces in military locations between the Israeli settlements of “Gani Tal” and “Neve Dekalim” settlements, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire into the al-Sad al-‘Aali area in Khan Yunis refugee camp. They also fired flare bombs into the area. A flare bomb fell onto the house of Joma’a Mohammed Abu Mustafa, approximately 300m away from “Neve Dekalim” settlement. The bomb penetrated the asbestos roof of the house and fell into the children’s bedroom. One of the children, Mohammed Mahmoud Abu Mustafa, 16, sustained burns and injuries in the left leg. Two hours later, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Nimsawi neighborhood. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 02:00 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and covered by intense gunfire, moved into Qalqilya. They raided and searched the house of Tariq Burhan Hilal, 24, and arrested him.

At approximately 22:00 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” and “Gadid” settlements, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire the cemeteries of the Baten al-Samin area to the east. No casualties were reported, however, a high level of fear stifled the daily activities of Palestinian civilians in the area.

At approximately 06:00 on Saturday, 16 August 2003, 3 tanks, two armored personnel carriers and a number of military jeeps of Israeli occupying forces moved into al-Quds Street in the south of Nablus. They raided a car maintenance workshop and arrested two Palestinians:

At the same time, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into the southwest of Nablus and proceeded towards the old town while opening fire at Palestinian houses. They arrested a number of Palestinians in the area.

At approximately 20:00 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Gadid” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses to the east. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 03:00 on Sunday, 17 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and covered by intense gunfire, moved into Qalqilya. They surrounded houses of ‘Aakef Fayez ‘Abdul Ra’uf Nazzal, 35, and Sa’ed Jamal ‘Araba, 18. They searched the two houses and arrested these two Palestinians.

At approximately 05:45 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces positioned in a military location south of “Morag” settlement, north of Rafah, opened fire at nearby Palestinian residential areas. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 07:00 on the same day, 3 Israeli military jeeps moved into Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus, while firing in the air. A number of Palestinian children and young men gathered in the center of the village and threw stones towards the jeeps. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets at the stone throwers, wounding 6, including 4 children:

At approximately 10:45 on the same day, Israeli soldiers on a tank that was patrolling in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Nimsawi neighborhood to the east. No casualties were reported, but a number of houses were damaged and a high level of fear persisted among the general population of the area.

At the same time, Israeli occupying forces positioned in a military locations in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Amal neighborhood to the southeast. A horse owned by ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al-Mana’ma was killed by several live bullets.

At approximately 16:00 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces in a military location southeast of “Dogit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia, fired a number of live bullets at Jamal ‘Olayan Khudair, 25, when he got close to the electronic fence surrounding the aforementioned settlement. Apparently, after opening fire Israeli forces discovered that Jamal was mentally handicapped, they informed the Palestinian side in order to move him away from the area. Half an hour later, members of the Palestinian National Security Force arrived and took him away from the area.

At the same time, Israeli occupying forces moved into the western areas of Hebron. They raided and searched the house of Isma’il Sa’id Nairoukh in Wadi al-Tuffah Street, and arrested his son, Tamer, 18.

At approximately 04:00 on Monday, 18 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved into Qalqilya. They surrounded the house of Shaker Wajeeh Ibrahim Hubais, 25. They then searched the house and arrested the owner.

At the same time, two armored personnel carriers and 4 military jeeps of Israeli occupying forces moved into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinians.

At approximately 16:45 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces in military locations at al-Matahen junction on Salah al-Din Street, north of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses and a site of the Palestinian National Security Force to the south. Traffic on Salah al-Din Street was disrupted.

At approximately 19:25 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces in a military location known as “al-Nouria”, west of Khan Yunis, and in military locations in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Amal neighborhood. A number of houses were damaged and a high level of fear stifled the daily activities of Palestinian civilians in the area.

In the evening of the same day, Israeli occupying forces positioned behind sand hills north of the entrance of al-Fawar refugee camp, southwest of Hebron, fired at a civilian car, in which two Palestinian civilians were traveling. A civilian was wounded and another one was arrested.

According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 20:00, while Ibrahim ‘Abdul Fattah Shawabka, 31, from al-Fawar refugee camp, was traveling with an unknown person in a private car near the northern entrance of the camp, they were surprised by shooting targeted at them coming from behind a sand hill. The unknown companion was wounded. Israeli soldiers moved towards the car, evacuated the wounded man to an Israeli hospital and arrested Shawabka.

At approximately 04:20 on Tuesday, 19 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into Jenin. They opened fire at Palestinian houses. No casualties were reported, but Israeli soldiers arrested Mohammed Ahmed Abu ‘Ameera, 28.

At approximately 18:30 on Wednesday, 20 August 2003, Israeli soldiers in a military location near Tal al-Sultan checkpoint, west of Rafah, opened fire at Tal al-Sultan neighborhood to the east. A Palestinian civilian, ‘Abdul Qader Isma’il al-‘Afifi, 70, was seriously wounded by a live

Tulkarm refugee camp. The Israeli military has not denied responsibility for the child’s death. The Arabic web site of Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot quoted Israeli military sources as saying that “the incident took place when an Israeli military undercover unit attempted to arrest wanted Palestinians in the refugee camp.” “Late at night,” the same source added, “an undercover unit fired at 5 Palestinian activists in Tulkarm, apparently as they attempted to escape.”

According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 22:00 on the aforementioned day, an undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces infiltrated into the schools area at the northern entrance of Tulkarm refugee camp, using a civilian car that had a Palestinian number. The car suddenly stopped and Israeli soldiers rushed out, opening fire on a number of Palestinian civilians who were in a billiard club in the area. 6 civilians were wounded. Immediately, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with armored personnel carriers, moved into Tulkarm to support and the undercover unit and cover its withdrawal. Israeli soldiers arrested 9 Palestinians, including 4 of the wounded, and withdrew from the area. Later, Israeli occupying forces informed the Palestinian liaison that one of the wounded had died and asked for an ambulance to transport his body. An ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society evacuated the body to Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarm, where the victim was identified as Sa’id ‘Awadh Ghanem, 15. According to medical sources, he was shot by a live bullet in the head. Israeli occupying forces informed the Palestinian liaison that the other wounded prisoners were transferred to an Israeli hospital. According to medical sources, two additional Palestinian civilians were wounded by the Israeli gunfire:

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

In violation of international humanitarian law, especially the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949, whose article 33 prohibits punishing any protected person for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli forces took retaliatory measures against the families of Palestinians Israel alleges have ordered, facilitated, or carried out attacks against Israeli targets. In this context, they destroyed 3 Palestinian houses in Nablus.

According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 14 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into ‘Askar refugee camp, northeast of Nablus. They surrounded a 120-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by Yousef Qutaishat and forced residents of the house to evacuate. An Israeli officer informed the owner of an order to destroy the flat of his son, Islam, who was killed while carrying out a bombing near “Ariel” settlement in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, 13 August 2003. Israeli soldiers gave the family 5 minutes only to evacuate their belongings. Then, they planted explosives in the son’s flat and destroyed it. Walls of the flat collapsed. Israeli soldiers mounted to the second floor to check results of the explosion and fired a number of fire bombs at the furniture, which was totally burnt.

At approximately 02:00 on Friday, 15 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They surrounded a 120-square-meter, 3-storey house belonging to the family of the deceased ‘Aamer Shaker Abu ‘Ayash, in which 14 people (3 families) lived. They forced the families out without allowing them to evacuate any of their furniture. Then, they planted explosives in the second and third floors and destroyed them.

At approximately 01:00 on Sunday, 17 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They surrounded an 80-square-meter, 2-storey house belonging to the family of the deceased Amjad Suleiman Abu Salim, in which 14 people (2 families) lived. The families were hosting two activists of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). Israeli soldiers forced the families out. When the two ISM activist attempted to stop the destruction of the house, Israeli soldiers beat and arrested them. At approximately 03:00, Israeli soldiers planted explosives in the house and destroyed it.

Israeli military sources claimed that Abu ‘Ayash and Abu Salim are activists of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the military wing of Fatah movement, and that on 18 May 2003, they attempted to carry out a bombing in “Sha’ari Tikva” settlement in the northern West Bank. The two were killed while they were attempting to infiltrate into the aforementioned settlement. The same sources further claimed that weapons were found near their bodies.

The man who carried out a bombing in West Jerusalem on Tuesday, 19 August 2003, was identified as Ra’ed ‘Abdul Hamid Misk, 29, from Hebron. At approximately 23:45, Israeli occupying forces moved into the Palestinian Authority controlled al-Sheikh neighborhood in Hebron, raiding and searching Misk’s house and arresting his brothers: “Mohammed Akram”, 42; and Anwar, 32; and his nephew, ‘Abdul Hamid, 20. At approximately 02:00 on Wednesday, 20 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into the center and north of Hebron. They also closed al-Haras and ‘Ali Bakkaa’ mosques.

Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict siege on most of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially in the West Bank. While Israeli forces redeployed on the main roads in the Gaza Strip, they have restricted movement at border crossings and maintain the siege imposed on al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip. Israeli imposed closures also continue at the Rafah-Khan Yunis western road, part of Salah al-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip) near “Kfar Darom” settlement in the central Gaza Strip, and Abu al-‘Ajin road between Wadi al-Salqa village in Deir al-Balah and al-Qarara village in Khan Yunis. Israeli occupying forces have restricted movement of Palestinian civilians living in al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinian workers have faced extreme difficulties on their way to their work places in Israel. Israeli occupying forces have also restricted travel of Palestinians through Rafah Terminal on the Egyptian border.

Since the beginning of the current Intifada, Israeli occupying authorities have restricted access of Palestinian workers to their work places in Israel. According to recent statistics, 13885 Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip have been allowed to cross into Israel for work. These workers have met the conditions set by Israeli occupying authorities, which include that a worker must be over 28, married with children, have a magnetic card issued by Israeli occupying authorities and have registered work with an identified Israeli employer.

Workers passing through Erez crossing continue to be subject to measures and procedures which may collectively amount to ill treatment, including prolonged and arbitrary delays, humiliation, and arbitrary confiscation of work permits. For more details about these Israeli measures, see PCHR’s Weekly Report issued on 23 July 2003. According to some workers, especially those who live in the southern Gaza Strip, they leave their houses at 23:00 – 24:00 towards Erez crossing. They reach their work places in Israel at 08:00 – 09:00, and leave work at 03:00. They arrive back at home at 07:00 – 08:00, allowing only 3-4 hours for rest between work days.

Palestinian workers also face extreme difficulties in renewing their magnetic cards, which allows their entry into Israel. In order to renew a magnetic card workers must book a turn and wait to get a number from the Palestinian liaison office. Afterwards, they are then transported in buses to the Erez crossing area. Israeli occupying forces issue magnetic cards for a limited number of workers every day, so some people spend days waiting to get a magnetic card. Some workers have been deprived of obtaining magnetic cards.

Despite relative quiet in Rafah since the Israeli and Palestinian sides concluded a security understanding on 30 June 2003, Palestinians living along the Egyptian border, south of the town – approximately 8km long – have lacked stability and security. In addition, those who had their houses destroyed or damaged by the Israeli occupying forces have not been able to go back to the area. Entire families have had to find more secure places of residence, which has increased economic burdens on them.

In the meantime, engineering units of Israeli occupying forces have continued to establish an iron wall along the Egyptian border, opposite the Rafah refugee camp. This work began on 16 October 2002, beginning at the part of the border opposite to Block O. The wall extended to the part of the border opposite to Block L in the west, before engineering works had stopped for 3 months. In June, Israeli occupying forces resumed work at the wall, beginning from Salah al-Din Gate and moving east towards al-Sha’er and al-Brazil neighborhoods. The wall is iron-made and 12-meter-high and is expected to be 8km long, extending from Tal al-Sultan neighborhood in the west to Rafah Terminal in the east. It extends 30-50 meters inside Palestinian Authority controlled areas. Israeli occupying forces have established a number of observation towers and military locations along the wall, including a fortified, iron-made, 20-meter-high observation tower opposite to ‘Omar Ben al-Khattab Street. Israeli soldiers positioned at that tower and 6 other military locations along the border often open fire at Palestinian houses and streets in Rafah.

Palestinians residing along the border live under continuous fear due to continued underground explosions conducted by Israeli occupying forces to destroy alleged tunnels. Such explosions have severely damaged a number of Palestinian houses. Israeli heavy military vehicles patrol the border and "buffer zone" 24 hours a day, terrifying people living in the area. Last year the Israeli occupying forces destroyed a sewage plant in Block O and there are now fears of an impending environmental disaster resulting from raw sewage run-off in the area. Many people have been forced to leave their homes because of this problem.

Israeli occupying forces have imposed more restrictions that have tightened the siege already imposed on al-Sayafa area, which is located between “Dogit” and “Elli Sinai” settlements north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.

At approximately 14:00 on Sunday, 19 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces denied the entry of Palestinian civilians into the area using animal carts, so they had to walk a 300-meter distance between the external and internal gates of the area. They were also checked by Israeli soldiers.

On 10 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces held 48 residents of the area at the gate established at the entrance of the area. Israeli soldiers photographed the civilians for magnetic cards, which will probably be used for access to and from the area. Palestinian farmers whose agricultural lands in al-Sayafa have been razed are not permitted to re-cultivate their lands. This leveled and uncultivated land totals an estimated area of 3,500 dunums.[1] Israeli occupying forces have also confiscated about 1,000 dunums to establish a security fence and a bypass road for Israeli settlements in the northern Gaza Strip.

Contrary to Israeli claims regarding dismantling a number of military checkpoints in the West Bank and easing restrictions on internal movement, Israeli occupying forces have continued to restrict movement of Palestinians at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

On Thursday morning, 14 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces restricted movement of Palestinians at entrances of the city. They slowly checked Palestinians. They also erected a roadblock on a bypass road near Jaba’ village, northeast of the city, further restricting Palestinian movement.

On Saturday morning, Israeli occupying forces closed the road leading to the solid waste management plant of the al-Ram local council north of the city. They denied access of trucks of garbage to the plant.

On Sunday morning, 17 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces imposed restrictions at the demarcation line separating between the two sectors of the city and at military checkpoints at its entrances. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupying forces erected more checkpoints at entrances of Palestinian villages and closed Qalandiya military checkpoint, north of the city.

At the same time, Israeli occupying forces erected a roadblock at Jaba’ junction, approximately 2 km. from Qalandiya military checkpoint. They searched vehicles and restricted the movement of Palestinians. They also closed a road north of al-Ram village, denying Palestinian workers access to their work places north of Jerusalem. In the evening, Israeli occupying forces closed Qalandiya military checkpoint for 6 hours. They allowed only patients and those who are over 45 and have permits issued by the “Israeli Civil Administration” to cross the checkpoint. Even these exceptions were thoroughly checked by Israeli soldiers.

On Thursday, 14 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed all roads leading into the two towns of Ramallah and al-Bireh, right at the center of the West Bank, denying passage of Palestinian civilians. PCHR’s field workers reported that at 06:00, Israeli forces closed Surda military checkpoint at the northwestern entrance of Ramallah that leads to the northern and northwestern villages of the district. All vehicles were forced to turn around, and were prevented from entering or leaving the town. People were forced to walk for more than three kilometers. This procedure prevented Birzeit University students from reaching the university. Israeli forces also re-erected the ‘Atara Bridge checkpoint, north of Birzeit, which heads to the Salfit area, Western Bani Zeid village and villages of the northwest of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers humiliated civilians and detained their cars in lines more than a kilometer long on both sides of the checkpoint. Moreover, several Israeli military vehicles were positioned on the outskirts of Kofor Ni’ma and ‘Ein ‘Ariq at the western entrance into Ramallah. Israeli soldiers forced Palestinian civilians out of their cars and checked them provocatively. Humiliation of Palestinian civilians, and provocative search procedures were intensified at the Na’leen checkpoint, which leads to 13 villages west of Ramalla (Rantees, Deir Abu Mish’al, Kibia, Shibteen, Badras, Na’leen, al-Madiyah, Deir ‘Amar, al-Lubban al-Gharbee, ‘Abood, Um Safa and Na’leen). People were made to wait for long periods of time until they were allowed to pass, only to reach yet another checkpoint.

On Sunday morning, 18 August 2003, Israeli forces intensified their presence in the areas surrounding Ramallah and al-Bireh. Israeli soldiers positioned at ‘Atara checkpoint north of Birzeit prevented Palestinians from passing through, even those with special permits. They were forced to resort to branch roads. Palestinian civilians heading to the northern parts of the West Bank faced similar procedures at the Deir Balout checkpoint near Salfit, where Israeli soldiers would deliberately prolong the search procedures. Several heavy military vehicles were deployed around the village of Abu Mish’al and the outskirts of al-Nabi Saleh, northeast of Ramallah. The soldiers compelled all cars to stop, and conducted a provocative inspection of the civilians’ ID cards. Israeli soldiers positioned at the entrance to the “Halmeesh” settlement, northwest of Ramallah, also deliberately detained Palestinian civilians Sunday morning. Another checkpoint was erected 400 meters away from the Deir Balout checkpoint, near Um Safa village. Here Palestinian civilians were detained for hours.

Israeli occupying forces redeployed around Bethlehem according to the Palestinian-Israeli truce declared on 30 June 2003, but the city was not excluded from the strict Israeli siege measures enacted this week. According to eyewitnesses, on Thursday, 14 August 2003, Israeli forces blocked the eastern entrance to the town of Beit Sahoor, near the Mashroo’ area. Israeli bulldozers closed the entrance with rocks and sand barricades. Gilo checkpoint, north of Bethlehem, which allows access to Jerusalem from the south, was also closed. Israeli soldiers positioned at the checkpoint prevented Palestinian civilians, even those with “blue” Israeli ID’s from passing either way through the checkpoint. Civilians with Israeli identification were forced to take the tunnel route while residents of the West Bank and East Jerusalem were denied access altogether.

On Sunday morning, 17 August 2003, Israeli soldiers, positioned at the “Container” checkpoint on the Wadi al-Nar road linking between the north and south of the West Bank, abused Palestinian citizens and detained their cars for several hours. On the same day, Israeli soldiers positioned at Gilo checkpoint, north of Bethlehem detained more than 200 Palestinian workers. According to eyewitnesses, the detainees had been led to the checkpoint after they were caught attempting to pass through the neighboring Tantoor area. Israeli soldiers subjected the detainees to physical abuse and made them lie down on the ground under the scorching sun.

Nablus witnessed several incursions that resulted in the demolition of three houses in Balata and ‘Askar refugee camps, and the arrest of several Palestinians. The checkpoints leading to town remained closed by Israeli occupying forces until Saturday, 16 August 2003. Israeli measures at checkpoints remained strict and Palestinian civilians under 35 are required to obtain permits issued by the “Israeli Civil Administration” in order to cross those checkpoints. Israeli soldiers positioned at Huara checkpoint south of the town, Beit Foreek checkpoint, to the east, and Deir Sharaf checkpoint, to the west, deliberately obstructed passage of Palestinian civilians and subjected them to long hours of searching and detention.

Israeli occupying forces closed the main and branch entrances of Jenin, denying movement of Palestinian out and into the town. According to eyewitnesses, on Saturday, 16 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed “Ganat” military checkpoint at the southern entrance of the town, and Jenin-Bourqin road, west of the town. An Israeli tank was positioned on Jenin-Qabatya road, southeast of the town, and another tank was positioned in al-Swaitat area at the eastern entrance of the town. Israeli occupying forces also closed the iron gate separating the northern and central Jordan Valley from other Palestinian areas.

On the following day, Sunday, 17 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces held hundreds of Palestinian civilians at al-Hamra and Tayaseer military checkpoints, which lead to the Jordan Valley. According to eyewitnesses, most of these Palestinian civilians were on their way to their work places in al-Jiftlek, Jericho and Tubas.

On Saturday morning, 16 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed al-Kafriyat military checkpoint, which separates Tulkarm from Qalqilya and southern villages. They allowed Palestinian civilians who are over 35 to cross the checkpoint only on foot. According to eyewitnesses, Palestinian civilians were subject to prolonged checking.

Israeli occupying forces also erected more roadblocks around the town, at which they searched cars and checked Palestinian civilians. They also reinforced their presence in areas close to “the security fence” around the city.

Although the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minster Shaul Mofaz declared that their occupying forces would be redeployed around Qalqilya soon, Israeli occupying forces conducted a number of incursions into the town and tightened the siege on its residents. On Saturday morning, 16 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed Habla gate, which links Qalqilya to its southern villages. Palestinian civilians had to resort to accessing the city on long muddy roads. Before this closure, Israeli occupying forces allowed movement of Palestinian civilians through the gate for only one hour everyday.

Establishment of 3 New Observation Points in Khan-Yunis and Hebron

On Thursday, 14 August 2003, and in an ongoing attempt to seize more Palestinian controlled areas, Israeli occupying forces established a military observation point west of al-Matahen junction on Salah al-Din Street, which links between the northern and southern Gaza strip. Israeli forces built a cylindrical observation tower over huge cement blocks to west of a military location at al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis.

The observation point was established despite the security understandings concluded between the Palestinian and Israeli sides on 30 June 2003, according to which Israeli forces were to be redeployed around Salah al-Din Street. Nevertheless, the observation point at al-Matahen junction was moved only 15 meters to the west of its original location. The new point was established close to the area where car searches are conducted, and is the second such point Israeli forces have established in the same area.

In an attempt to control and enhance monitoring over Palestinian controlled areas, Israeli occupying forces continuously resolve to building military locations, rendering Palestinian areas vulnerable to sniper attacks and indiscriminate shelling. In this context, Israeli forces established dozens of military points all over the Gaza Strip, especially in the vicinity of Israeli settlements and controlled areas. Last July, two observation points were established; the first to the north of al-Tufah checkpoint, west of Khan Yunis, and the second on a tract of land owned by the “Dheir” family near Morag settlement, north of Rafah.

On Sunday, 17 August 2003, Israeli occupying forces started to build two observation towers in Palestinian controlled areas in Hebron; the first in Juneid neighborhood in the eastern part of the town, and the second in Talat al-Takroory (al-Karanteena). Israeli forces supplied both towers with advanced monitoring devices and 4 mobile homes and surrounded each of them with a cement wall.

PCHR’s fieldworker reported that Israeli forces confiscated 20 dunums of land owned by the heirs of the deceased Yousef ‘Abbas ‘Omar, No’man ‘Amru and Mohammed al-Takroory in Talat al-Takroory. Thirty more dunums belonging to the al-Juneidi family were confiscated in Juneid neighborhood.

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 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 dunum equals 1,000 square meters.

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