Weekly Report

On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied

 Palestinian Territories

17- 23 April  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 -- Copenhagen

 E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org

Web site: www.pchrgaza.org

 

Israeli Occupying Force Continue to Commit Violations of Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

 

 


 

Introduction

Israeli occupying forces have continued to conduct illegal actions and human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including collective punishment, willful killings, shelling of and incursions into Palestinian areas and agricultural land leveling.  This week, 17-23 April 2003, 9 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were killed, and dozens were wounded by Israeli occupying forces.

Israeli occupying forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, during which they attacked Palestinian civilians and property.  On 19 April 2003, during a wide-scale incursion into Rafah refugee camp, Israeli occupying forces killed 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, and wounded 30 others. The condition of 10 of the wounded is said to be critical and the number of wounded included 7 children.  During this full-scale incursion into Rafah, Israeli occupying forces dynamited a house owned by a Palestinian family – a member of which is allegedly wanted for suspected activities against Israel. 4 other houses were completely destroyed by bulldozers and some 20 other houses were damaged.  The electricity and telephone supplies were also damaged. 

 This week also witnessed an escalation of Israeli military attacks against the press, characterized by not only the excessive and indiscriminate use of force against journalists, but also the specific targeting of media personnel and institutions in an attempt to silence the press and prevent public reporting of Israeli military actions. On Saturday, 19 April 2003, Israeli occupying shot dead Nazeeh 'Aadel Darwaza, 42, from Nablus, a cameraman for Palestine Television and Associated Press, when they deliberately fired at a group of Palestinian journalists who were reporting on clashes that erupted between Palestinian civilians and Israeli soldiers in the center of Nablus.  The journalists were clearly marked and were carrying their cameras.  This brings the total number of journalists killed by Israeli occupying forces whilst carrying out their work since the beginning of the current Intifada to 6: 5 Palestinians and 1 Italian national.  A further 94 journalists have been injured by the Israeli occupying forces.

In violation of articles 16 and 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, on Wednesday morning, 23 April 2003, Israeli occupying forces raided Dr. Suleiman Khalil and al-Shifa' hospitals in Jenin and arrested 2 Palestinians who were receiving medical treatment for previously sustained injuries. 

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.  In this context, they threatened 7 Palestinian families from Tulkarm, informing them that their houses would be demolished if their sons, who are allegedly wanted for activities against Israeli forces, did not surrender.  They also destroyed a house in Rafah refugee camp when they invaded the camp at the beginning of this week.  10 neighboring houses were severely damaged as a result of this destruction.

Israeli occupying forces have maintained a total siege on the OPT.  They have isolated Palestinian communities from one another. They have partitioned the Gaza Strip into three separate zones and have restricted the movement of people and goods.  They have also maintained curfews on some areas in the West Bank.  Since Saturday, 15 March 2003, Israeli occupying authorities prevented Palestinians aged 16-35 from traveling abroad.  Israeli occupying forces imposed further restrictions on the entry of Palestinian workers into Erez industrial zone in the northern Gaza Strip, stipulating that workers must be at least 28 years old, married and have children.  These restrictions have deprived more than 50% of the workers their source of income and the border crossings have remained closed for over a week. Also this week, Israeli forces fired at Palestinian civilians moving through Israeli military checkpoints and on 22 April 2003, Israeli forces arrested a number of Palestinians near al-Matahen military checkpoint, north of Khan Yunis.     


 

Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas

 

Thursday, 17 April 2003

 During the night, Israeli forces seized a house belonging to Ahmed Mohammed Baraka when they encroached into the Boba’ district of the southeast of Deir Al-Balah. At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces positioned on top of the house opened fire at a site of the Palestinian National Security Force approximately 150m to the north, wounding 2 security men:

 

1.    Mansour 'Abdul Karim Ejmei'an, 25, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand

2.    'Abdul Qader 'Abdullah Nussairat, 28, wounded by a live bullet in the right side. 

 

They also fired at Salama Fathi Abu 'Amra, 18, wounding him with a live bullet that entered the abdomen and exited the back.  Abu 'Amra was repairing his tractor on his agricultural land, approximately 300m away from the source of fire. 

 

Nearly half an hour later, two tanks and an Israeli military bulldozer moved into the area.  The bulldozer razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:

 

1.    1-donum of agricultural land planted with palms, olives and figs owned by Ahmed Mohammed Baraka.

2.    1-donum of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Hussein 'Abdul Rahman Baraka.

3.    1-donum of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Ahmed 'Abdullah Baraka.

4.    A 500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Ahmed Mohammed Baraka.

5.    1-donum of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Zaki Mohammed Baraka.

6.    A 500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by 'Othman Salama Baraka.

7.    1-donum of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Mustafa Ahmed Baraka.

8.    It demolished a 12-meter-long fence owned by Mahmoud Ahmed Baraka.

 

At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with tanks and armored personnel carriers, surrounded Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarm, claiming that an allegedly wanted Palestinian was hiding inside the hospital.  They called through loudspeakers for the Palestinian to surrender.  Director of the hospital, Dr. Sa'id Abu Baker told Israeli soldiers more than once that the individual in question was not in the hospital.  A number of Israeli soldiers went to the house of the wanted Palestinian’s family, forcing his parents to accompany them to the hospital, where they made the parents call through loudspeakers for their son to surrender to Israeli forces.  When the Israeli officer was certain that the son was not in the hospital, he told the parents that their son "is not so important that they may break into the hospital to arrest him."  The officer asked the parents to persuade him to surrender, or "the army will bring him on a stretcher," in a clear threat to assassinate him.  During the siege on the hospital, Israeli soldiers tried to provoke Palestinians in the surroundings and a number of Palestinian boys gathered in the area and threw stones towards Israeli forces.  At approximately 11:20, while a number of the stone throwers were near al-Qarout fuel station, an Israeli military jeep arrived at the area.  The jeep stopped for a while and an Israeli soldier got out and took up a combat position behind a civilian car, approximately 50m away from the stone throwers.  The jeep proceeded towards the boys and as it got closer, Yousef 'Abdul Raziq Mohammed Yahia, 16, hit the body of the jeep with an iron bar.  Immediately, the Israeli soldier who was behind the civilian car fired at him.  The other boys warned Yahia that he was being fired at, so he lowered his head to avoid being wounded, but he was hit by two live bullets in the left buttock and forearm.  A Palestinian ambulance tried to evacuate him to hospital, but Israeli soldiers obstructed its passage for 5 minutes, during which time Yahia died of his injuries.  According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupying forces did not attempt to use non-lethal force to stop the boy’s actions.  According to medical sources, one of the live bullets caused an acute internal hemorrhage in the victim's body. 

 At approximately 17:00, Israeli soldiers on tanks that had invaded Jenin and its refugee camp in the morning opened fire at Palestinian houses.  A Palestinian child, Mahmoud Khaled Ebdah, 12, was critically wounded by a live bullet that entered his back and exited the abdomen. 

 At approximately 18:20, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 50m into Block O in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian border south of Rafah. They opened fire on a group of Palestinian children who were playing football, approximately 300m away.  Two of the children and a third child who was near her home were wounded:

 

1.      'Alaa' Mohammed 'Omar, 10, wounded by a live bullet in the left shoulder;

2.      Ahmed Isma'il Radwan, 17, wounded by a live bullet in the back

3.      Yasmin Jamal Yousef, 8, wounded by shrapnel in the head. 

 

Friday, 18 April 2003

 At approximately 21:30, Israeli occupying forces in a military location known as "al-Nouria," west of Khan Yunis, fired a number of artillery shells at Palestinian houses to the east.  A shell hit the house of Basem Ibrahim Mahmoud Khalafallah, 33, approximately 200m east of the Israeli military location.  Khalafallah was critically injured by shrapnel in the head.  PCHR's field worker in Khan Yunis reported that other shells fell onto the streets of Khan Yunis refugee camp, damaging a number of Palestinian houses.  The area was completely quiet when the unprovoked Israeli shelling. 

 

Saturday, 19 April 2003

In an escalation of attacks against the press, characterized by the excessive and indiscriminate use of force against journalists in an attempt to silence the press and prevent public reporting of Israeli military actions, Israeli occupying forces opened fire at a number of journalists reporting on clashes between Palestinian civilians and Israeli soldiers in the center of Nablus.  A journalist was killed and two others were wounded. 

 According to eyewitness accounts, in the early morning Israeli heavy military vehicles moved into the center of Nablus.  During this incursion, an Israeli tank was subject to a technical fault, and as Palestinian school children were on their way to school, they observed Israeli forces trying to repair the tank, so they threw stones towards them.  Immediately, Israeli soldiers opened fire at the stone throwers, wounding 5.  A number of journalists arrived at the area to report the clashes, but Israeli soldiers deliberately targeted them.  At approximately 08:30, Israeli soldiers stopped Nasser Suleiman Mohammed Eshtayeh, 34, from Salem village, east of Nablus, an Associated Press cameraman and forced him to move away from the area.  After he had moved a way and sat near a school, an Israeli soldier pointed his gun towards him and fired 9 rubber-coated metal bullets, wounding him in the right ankle.  Another journalist, 'Aaref Tuffaha, 40, from Nablus, an ABC cameraman, was injured by shrapnel in the face.  Even after the children had stopped throwing stones towards Israeli forces and left the area, Israeli soldiers continued to fire.  Journalists took shelter in the entrance of a house and although they were wearing clothes that clearly identified them as members of the press and were shouting that they were journalists, an Israeli soldier fired a live bullet at them.  The live bullet hit Palestine Television and Associated Press cameraman Nazeeh 'Aadel Ahmed Darwaza, 42, from Nablus in the head.  He was killed instantly.  Darwaza was married and a father of 4 children.   

 

The wounded were identified as:

 

1.      Sa'ed Hussam Mohammed Shaf'ei, 17, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen

2.      Ra'ed No'man al-Sarrawi, 14, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head

3.      Hanna Ibrahim Hanna Khouri, 67, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg

4.      Hamza 'Abdullah Khaled Qandil, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg

5.      Mohammed Mas'oud 'Othman Zo'aiter, 21, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back. 

 

In another incursion into Palestinian territory, Israeli occupying forces killed 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, and wounded 30 others in Rafah. The condition of 10 of the wounded is said to be critical and the number of wounded included 7 children.  During this full-scale incursion into Rafah, Israeli occupying forces dynamited a house owned by a Palestinian family – a member of which is allegedly wanted for suspected activities against Israel. 4 other houses were completely destroyed by bulldozers and some 20 other houses were damaged.  

 According to PCHR investigations, at around 21:45, Israeli occupying forces, supported by more than 40 vehicles, including tanks, bulldozers and helicopters, launched an incursion into Yebna area in Rafah refugee camp.  Israeli forces moved from their military posts on the border with Egypt, into approximately 5km of Palestinian territory, reaching the centre of Rafah. The incursion was accompanied by bombing from tanks and helicopters.

 Israeli occupying forces surrounded the 300-square-meter, two-story house belonging to Mohammed Ibrahim Salah Abu Shamaleh and home to 4 families (25 people).  Israeli occupying forces claim that Mohammed Abu Shamaleh is wanted by authorities for alleged activities against these forces. Via a megaphone, Israeli forces notified all residents to evacuate the building, without any prior notification. Soon after the residents had evacuated the house, Israeli forces placed dynamite inside the building, completely demolishing the structure, which is located in a densely populated area.  Another 10 houses were severely damaged by the blast. At a different location, Israeli bulldozers destroyed 4 other houses, which were home to 43 people, including women and children, who were consequently left without shelter.

 

Following are details of the houses that were bulldozed:

 

1.      70-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 10 people lived, owned by Ahmed Yousef Mohammed 'Aashour;

2.      150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 8 people lived, owned by Mufid Yousef Abu 'Obaid;

3.      200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed uninhabited house owned by Zakiyah 'Abdul Hamid Abu Hashem

4.      120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed uninhabited house owned by Hashem 'Abdul Karim Abu Hashe.

 

As a result of the indiscriminate attacks by Israeli forces which finally ceased at around 03:30 on Sunday, 20 April 2003, 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were killed and another 30 were injured.  Severe damage was reported to 10 houses and elements of the civilian infrastructure (telephone and electricity lines) were severely damaged.

 

The individuals killed were identified as:

 

1.      Mohammed Ibrahim al-Hamaida, 14,  shot by a live bullet in the abdomen;

2.      Mahmoud Ahmed Abu Koush, 15, shot by a live bullet in the abdomen;

3.      Sa'di Juma’a Abu Hudayed, 26, shot by a live bullet in the head;

4.      Hussein Mahmoud Zannoun, 22,  shot by two live bullets: one in the abdomen and one in the chest

5.      Sa'id Ibrahim al-Masri, 28, shot by a live bullet in the head.

 

During the incursion, Israeli occupying forces destroyed 14 civilian vehicles, including a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance. It was reported that Israeli forces surrounded the headquarters of Palestinian Red Crescent Society, preventing medical staff from attending to the wounded. 

 

Sunday, 20 April 2003

 At approximately 23:15, Israeli occupying forces in a military location in the Tal Zo'rob area in the southwest of Rafah opened fire at Palestinian houses.  A Palestinian civilian, Hassan Salah Madhi, 26, was injured by shrapnel in the back, abdomen and left foot, while he was near his house, approximately 400m away from the source of fire.

 

Monday, 21 April 2003

 At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of "Neve Dekalim" settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Khan Yunis refugee camp and al-Nimsawi neighborhood.  A Palestinian child, 'Abdul Rahman 'Abdul Mon'em Ibrahim 'Arram, 8, was injured by shrapnel in the abdomen and the limbs.  PCHR's field worker in Khan Yunis reported that the child was injured while he was playing on the roof of his family's house, approximately 200m away from the aforementioned settlement. 

 In the evening, an undercover unit of the so-called ‘Israeli Border Guard,’ supported by large troops of Israeli occupying forces and two helicopters, moved into Jenin to arrest Palestinians allegedly wanted by Israeli occupying authorities.  This incursion was accompanied by intense gunfire that left 5 Palestinian civilians wounded.  Israeli forces arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, but released them shortly after they had withdrawn from the town. 

 According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 18:20, a Palestinian registered civilian car (Mercedes 410), moved into Jenin through Nazareth Street, north of the town.  The car crossed Salah al-Din Street and stopped near Abu al-Sukkar Café at the entrance of the old town.  Immediately 14 armed masked persons in civilian clothing got out and broke into the café.  They ordered all those inside the café to remain in their places.  Nearly 5 minutes later, 10 tanks and 5 Israeli military jeeps, supported by two helicopters, came to the area.  They opened fire at Palestinian civilians, injuring 5:

 

1.      Shadi Yhia Kalbouna, 20, injured by shrapnel in the right foot and the left leg

2.      Shadi Mufid Jarrar, 26, injured by a live bullet in the right leg and shrapnel in the left leg

3.      'Essam Hamza Abu Ja'as, 27, injured by shrapnel in the left hand and neck

4.      Jaber Mohammed Abu al-Rub, 23, injured by shrapnel in the forearms

5.      Mohammed Amin Abu Hammad, 25, injured by shrapnel in the right thigh. 

 

Upon their withdrawal from the town, Israeli forces arrested 4 Palestinians.  They were later released at approximately 20:30. 

 

Tuesday, 22 April 2003

 At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved approximately 600m into 'Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis.  In 9 hours, they razed 34 donums of Palestinian agricultural land and two roads, including:

 

1.      A 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and onions and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Sharif Mohammed Baraka Abu Daqqa.

2.      A 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ibrahim 'Abdul Karim Mohammed al-Shami. 

3.      A 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Samir 'Abdul Karim Mohammed al-Shami.

4.      A 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by 'Abdul Hadi Hamdan Salman Abu Lebda.

5.      A 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and a 100-meter-long row of wild figs owned by Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Nusair.

6.      A 5.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by 'Abdul 'Aziz Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Sa'ada.

7.      A 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Maziouna Suleiman 'Ali al-Msadani.

8.      A 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, breeches, almonds and figs and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mohammed 'Abdullah Suleiman Abu Roumia.

9.      A 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and a 300-meter-long row of wild figs, and destroyed a 200-meter-long water pipeline owned by Mohammed Mustafa 'Abdullah Abu Roumia.

10.  A 3-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and a 70-meter-long row of wild figs and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Nabil Mahmoud Abu Halib. 

 

Wednesday, 23 April 2003

 At approximately 03:00, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with tanks, armored personnel carriers and two helicopters, moved into Nablus.  They surrounded Khanfar apartment building and opened fire at the flats.  A 26-year-old Palestinian was seriously wounded.  When they attempted to arrest him, Israeli occupying forces used Dr. Walid Khanfar, 55, as a human shield.  The wounded man had been renting a flat in the building for 45 days prior to the incident and had introduced himself to the owner as Aysar Abu Zour.  Later, Israeli occupying forces declared that they had seriously wounded Anas Shuraitah before they arrested him, claiming that he was the Nablus leader of Islamic Jihad and had opened fire at Israeli forces.  Israeli occupying forces also destroyed the flat where Shuraitah lived. 

 At approximately 08:30, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including two bulldozers, moved approximately 100m into al-Mughraqa village, south of Gaza City.  They demolished 5 Palestinian houses:

 

1.      Totally demolishing a 140-square-meter house, in which 5 people live, owned by Jaber Hassan al-Hassanat.

2.      Totally demolishing an 80-square-meter uninhabited house owned by 'Atiya Abu 'Amra.

3.      Totally demolishing a 120-square-meter uninhabited house owned by Karam Mahmoud Miqdad.

4.      Partially demolishing a 170-square-meter uninhabited house owned by Walid Sa'id al-Nazli.

5.      Demolishing a 250-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Bassel Hashem al-Nazli. 

 

At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including two bulldozers, moved into the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, razing areas of Palestinian agricultural land.  Approximately 3 hours later, they moved forward surrounding a 240-square-meter, 3-storey uninhabited house owned by Majed 'Abdul 'Aziz 'Abdul Rahman Wahdan.  They then proceeded to erect sand barriers around it and then demolished the structure.   Following are details of the agricultural areas that were razed:

 

1.      A 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Hassan Yousef Shurrab.

2.      A 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Eihab Khaled Shurrab.

3.      A 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Mohammed Jarada.

4.      A 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Hatem al-Nakhala. 

 

A Palestinian Civilian Dies from a Previous Injury Sustained in an Extra-Judicial Assassination

 At approximately 13:10 on Thursday, 17 April 2003, medical sources at Shifa' Hospital in Gaza City declared that Mahmoud Mohammed 'Ali al-Louh, 21, from al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City, succumbed to an injury inflicted when Israeli occupying forces committed an assassination in 'Asqoula neighborhood in Gaza City. 

 According to PCHR's investigation, al-Louh was injured by shrapnel throughout the body on 8 April 2003, when an Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile at Palestinian civilians who were gathered near a civilian car that had been attacked by the same helicopter in an assassination targeting two Hamas activists.  This attack left 7 Palestinians dead and injured 53 others, 8 of whom were in a critical condition.  Al-Louh was the third of the wounded to die from injuries sustained during the attack, while 5 others are still in a critical condition.  This brings the number of Palestinians killed as a result of the attack to 10. 

 

Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

 

Sunday, 20 April 2003

 At approximately 09:30, a number of Palestinian boys gathered at the northern edge of 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya and threw stones towards Israeli military vehicles passing on Nablus-Qalqilya road.  Israeli soldiers immediately fired at the stone throwers and 'Abdul Rahman Zuhdi Ahmed 'Aabed, 17 was injured.  The Israeli soldiers offered him no assistance and he bled to death.  Israeli forces took the body to an Israeli institute of forensic medicine and then delivered the body to the Palestinian side the following evening.  According to medical sources, 'Aabed was shot by a live bullet in the right armpit. 

 

Monday, 21 April 2003

 At approximately 10:00, Israeli soldiers fired at a number of Palestinian children who were playing in front of their house, claiming that they challenged the curfew imposed on Hebron.  One of the children, Nasser Mohammed al-Qaimari, 14, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand.  At approximately 17:00, another child, Sa'ed Raji al-Rujbi, 9, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head. 

 At 12 noon, Israeli occupying forces on the coastal road between Gaza City and the central Gaza Strip, near "Netzarim" settlement, fired at Palestinian civilians and cars while they were trying to cross a roadblock that had been situated in the area for over a week.  A Palestinian child, 'Abdul Raziq 'Atiya Noufal, 15, was wounded by a live bullet in the left foot and a Save the Children vehicle was also damaged by live bullets.

 

 Collective Punishment 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.  This week, they threatened Palestinian families, informing them that their houses would be demolished if their sons, who are allegedly wanted for activities against Israeli forces, did not surrender.

 

At approximately 03:30 on Sunday, 20 April 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, moved into Tulkarm.  They surrounded a 180-square-meter, two-storey house in the south of the town owned by Lutfi Mahmoud 'Ouda Kittana, where the family of Sami Mahmoud D'ib Subeh - allegedly wanted by Israeli forces - lives in one of the flats.  Israeli forces forced the family out of their flat and informed them that their flat would be destroyed if their son did not surrender. 

Israeli occupying forces also surrounded the house of Jamil 'Ouda, which is located in the same area and rented by Riad al-Mabrouk, who is allegedly wanted by Israeli forces. Israeli forces informed the inhabitants that they would destroy the premises if al-Mabrouk did not surrender. Eventually al-Mabrouk gave himself up. 

 

At approximately 17:30 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces surrounded 3 Palestinian houses in Saida village, north of Tulkarm, and threatened to destroy them if members of the families who are allegedly wanted by Israeli forces did not surrender.  Following are details of the houses:

1.      A 280-square-meter, two-storey house owned by Mahmoud Mohammed Hamdan Hamad;

2.      A 160-square-meter, two-storey house owned by 'Abdullah Yousef 'Abdul Ghani; and

3.      A 200-square-meter, one-storey house owned by Rasem Mohammed Ahmed Yousef. 

 

On Tuesday morning, 22 April 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with 7 armored personnel carriers, a number of military jeeps and a military bulldozer, moved into Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus.  They surrounded the house of Lutfi Mohammed Sa'ada, blew up the door and broke into the house.  After searching the premises, they notified Sa'ada that his house would be destroyed on the following day.  Sa'ada is the father of Mohammed Sa'ada who was killed while carrying out an armed attack against Israeli occupying forces nearly 4 months ago.  Israeli occupying forces also raided a house belonging to the family of Burhan Husni Abu Ghalmi, who was killed with Sa'ada while carrying the armed attack and notified them that the house would be demolished. 

 

At approximately 01:15 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces surrounded the house of Isma'il Ahmed Mustafa Hanani, 55, in the same village.  They called via megaphones on the 9 residents of the 160-square-meter, two-storey house to evacuate the premises.  They placed explosives throughout the house and destroyed it.  A nearby school and barbershop were also damaged.  Hanani is the father of Zaid Hanani who was killed nearly 6 months ago while carrying out an armed attack against Israeli occupying forces near the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya. 

 

At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupying forces surrounded the house of Mazen Mustafa 'Ali Hilal Hanani, 46, in the same village.  They called via megaphones on the 7 residents of the 120-square-meter house to get out of it.  They searched the house and planted explosives inside and then destroyed the structure.  Hanani is the father of Mustafa Hanani who was killed while carrying out an armed attack against Israeli occupying forces in the northern Jordan Valley. 

 

Israeli Occupying Forces Raid Two Hospitals and Arrest Two Wounded Palestinians

 

In violation of articles 16 and 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, on Wednesday morning, 23 April 2003, Israeli occupying forces raided Dr. Suleiman Khalil and al-Shifa' hospitals in Jenin and arrested two Palestinians who were receiving medical treatment for previously sustained injuries. 

 

According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 02:30, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with tanks and armored personnel carriers, moved into Jenin.  They surrounded Dr. Khalil Suleiman Hospital.  Immediately, a number of Israeli soldiers broke into the hospital and arrested Aysar 'Aayed Mohammed al-Atrash, 24, from Kufor Ra'ei village, southwest of Jenin.  Al-Atrash was brought to the hospital at approximately 11:00 on Tuesday, 22 April 2003, after he had been wounded by a live bullet in the right leg. 

 

At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupying forces surrounded al-Shifa' Hospital in Jenin and 15 Israeli soldiers broke into the hospital.  They took 'Ezzat Amin Mohammed Turkman, 24, from Beer al-Basha village, south of Jenin, on a stretcher out of the hospital.  According to Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Qabaha, 31, from Ya'bad village, an Israeli soldier pushed him violently to a wall when he protested the Israeli raid.  Dr. Qabaha added that a soldier was masked and another was wearing civilian clothing.  Turkman was brought to the hospital on 12 April to receive regular medical treatment for an injury he had previously sustained to the right thigh. 

 

* * * * *

 

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 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.