PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories	No. 33/2004 19 - 25 August 2004
Israeli Occupation Forces continue their attacks on the oPt.

 

 

  

• 6 Palestinian civilians, including 1 child and 1 old man were  killed by IOF;

• 60 donums[1] of agricultural land were razed in Wadi al Salka and 45 donums in al Moraq;

  17 houses were completely or partially demolished in the Gaza Strip.

   

   

  Introduction

  The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued with their attacks on the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). These attacks cost the lives of six Palestinian civilians, including one child, and injured many others, some of them seriously.  The attacks also involved the demolition of wide scale areas of land and of a number of homes.  The IOF also arrested dozens of civilians in their houses and at checkpoints and international passages.  The IOF made a number of incursions into Palestinian residential areas under cover from random shelling.  The incursions were characterized by the use of excessive military force.  The attacks were made against the background of continuous closures imposed across the oPt and around residential areas.  These attacks have also been paralleled with the continuing hunger strike of 4500 Arab and Palestinian prisoners, in Israeli jails, who are trying to pressurise the occupation authorities to improve their living conditions in line with international standards, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.

  The IOF attacks in the Gaza Strip caused the death of five civilians.  Later a sixth Palestinians died effected by injuries from a previous attack.  He was injured during an attempted extra-judicial execution on Sheik Ahmed al-Jabari, a leader in the Hamas movement.  The other five victims were killed by random shelling in residential areas on the 19^th  ,20^th and 23^rd of August. Two civilians were killed in Rafah and a third in al Qarara, to the north east of Khan Yunis, where he was left bleeding to death.  The other two victims were killed by excessive use of force by IOF. 

  One of them was killed on the 21^st of August, in Nusserait, he was suffering from a psychological disorder while the other victim was killed on the 23^rd , in Rafah.  The IOF conducted seven incursions in different areas of the Gaza Strip.  Three of these incursions took place on the 19^th of August in al Salam neighbourhood, in Rafah, where two homes were demolished.  The two homes were shelters fro three families, totalling 26 people.  In Khan Yunis four civil and industrial facilities in Block I of the Refugee Camp were destroyed. They also demolished eight homes in Khan Yunis, where 15 families lived, about 100 people in total. 

  In Wadi Sulqa village, to the south east of Deir al Balah city, they razed 60 donums of agricultural land.  On the 25^th of August the fourth incursion took place in al Moraqa village, south of Gaza City.  They demolished five houses, three of them completely.  The homes provided shelter for four families, comprising 28 people. 

  In the West Bank, the IOF continued their incursions and attacks in all of the West Bank governorates.  Nablus was subjected to an ongoing incursion, although no fatalities were reported.  However the excessive use of force caused a number of injuries to Palestinian civilians.  During these incursions the Israeli troops blew up one house in Yatma village, south of Nablus and arrested dozens of civilians, who were taken to unspecified locations.

  During the week the PCHR fieldworkers documented a number of attacks committed by IOF against medical institutions and their employees. 

  Also the Israeli settlers living in the oPt, in contravention of international humanitarian law ( particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention) conducted a series of systematic attacks against Palestinians and their properties.  These attacks came against the background of the Israeli government plan to build another 533 housing units in settlement areas located inside the West Bank. 

  In respect of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank the IOF have continued to destroy the main road connecting Ramallah and Jerusalem.  This part of the wall will isolate al Ram village and encompass it into West Bank territory. The industrial area known as “Aderot”, which is part of the oPt, north of the wall will be annexed to Israel.  This part of the wall will force the closure of 450 commercial units located along this closed road, as well as 11 educational institutions in al Ram, where 4000 Palestinian students are studying.  It will also prevent 20,000 civilians who hold Jerusalem identity cards from entering the old City of Jerusalem. 

  The IOF have continued to impose severe closures on the oPt and restricted the movement of Palestinian civilians.  In the Gaza Strip the IOF have continued with systematic violations of the right to freedom of movement of people and goods.  They closed the Erez and Qarni checkpoints, leading into Israel.  Despite the reopening of Rafah International Terminal many Palestinian travellers are still suffering from the limited opening hours being imposed by the IOF.  The IOF intensified its restrictions on the movement of civilians on the internal checkpoints, particularly at al Matahen and Abu Houli on Salah al Din street, linking the north and south of the Gaza Strip. 

  In the West Bank the IOF have continued to impose more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians through the use of fixed and spontaneous checkpoints at city entrances or secondary roads between districts. The closures were particularly applied on the main days which Palestinians use to travel to and from home or places of work, Saturday and Thursday.

  More restrictions were imposed on those wishing to pray at al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as a heavy police presence prevented civilians from entering Jerusalem.  Similar restrictions were imposed in Hebron.

  For more details about the violations read the following report which covers the period from 19 of August to 25  August.

   

  Shelling of , and encroachment into Palestinian areas and  attacks on Civilians and  Property.

  Thursday 19th August 2004

  In the context of daily attacks against Palestinian civilians and their properties, the Israeli occupation forces invaded Rafah city, demolished two houses and four civil and industrial facilities in al Salam neighbourhood. During the incursion, two Palestinian civilians were wounded.

  According to preliminary investigations by PCHR, at approximately 01.00, about 20 heavily armoured vehicles, supported by helicopters from the air, invaded and moved nearly 300 meters into al Salam neighbourhood, adjacent to the Egyptian border. Under cover from random shelling, they started to raze and bulldoze land in the area.  The incursion caused great damage to two houses, an ice-cream factory, a coffee shop, a bakery and a supermarket. They also demolished two houses, which were shelters for three families, totalling 26 people. They were owned by al Sdudi and al Kafraui families.  As a result of this incursion two brothers were wounded:

  1.     Khalid Sultan Khfaja 25 years old;

  2.     Mohamed Sultan Khfaja 27 years old .

   

  At approximately 01.30, IOF backed with seven military vehicles and one truck, invaded El Doha town to the south-west of Bethlehem. They moved into the town and surrounded the Headquaters of al Naqa al Nesae'ea Association and broke down its doors. They razed and searched the offices. Before their withdrawal they confiscated some equipment, including computers and stationery, as well as the files belonging to the assocaition. Notably, the Occupation authorities have escalated their campaign of attacks against humanitarian and charitable associations and institutions in West Bank.

  At approximately 03.00, IOF, supported by heavily armoured vehicles, moved about 150 metres into Wadi Salqa village to the south-east of Deir al Balah city.  Under cover from intensive random shelling they started to raze agricultural land.  This operation, which went on for many hours, involved the razing of 60 donums of agricultural land.  The bulldozed land was planted with vegetables and fruit trees and owned by Ibinsaid, al Hou, al Masari, Abu Harahba, al Hadad, al Efranji, Abu Hamam, el Rumili and Brayam families. 

  At approximately 09.00, IOF attacked al Misan commercial compound in the centre of Hebron. The soldiers went to the compound's roof and transformed it into a military position.   They hung the Israeli flag from the building. This compound is still under construction and is the highest building in Hebron

  Today, for the fourth day respectively, IOF have continued military actions in Nablus city and its refugee camps. During this attack, they randomly shelled the residential area, as well as opening fire at dozens of Palestinian children who were gathered in a demonstration against the troops. The Palestinian civilian Samir Mohamed Abed El Fathah,  26 years old , was wounded by a live bullet in the upper area of his left leg while he was in his house. Further, five Palestinian children were also wounded, they are :

  1 Hamdi Munir Samir Akuba 14 years old, wounded by a metal bullet in the upper area of  the left leg;

  2 Mudar Jamal Abdel Rahim Mabruka, 11 years old,  wounded by a metal bullet in the left leg;

  3 Salah Mahar Abed al Gader al Saka,  17 years old , wounded by a live bullet in the right leg;

  4  Iyad  Jamal Omar Madani, 14 years old,  wounded by shrapnel al over his body.

  5  Baha Ismail Omar Madany, 12 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the face and the abdomen.

  At approximately 12.30, the Israel soldiers positioned at the border with Egypt, south of Rafah city, opened fire with their automatic weapons at the houses in al Salam neighbourhood. They wounded the Palestinian child Mohammad Iyad El Akhras, 17, with shrapnel in the face and left leg. He was evacuated to Abu Yousef al Najar hospital, in the city. Medical sources stated his condition was stable. 

  In another attack, involving random shooting at residential areas, the IOF killed a Palestinian child and wounded another one in Rafah city, in the south of the Gaza Strip.  The wounded child, Belah Ismail Ashur, 13,  informed the PCHR  fieldworker

  “ At approximately 13.55 on Thursday 19 2004 I was standing in Block O,  when the Israeli soldiers positioned at the Salah al Din gate opened fire at the area I was standing in. Immediately, I was  wounded in the right shoulder.  When I shouted my neighbour rushed to my house and carried me towards Salah al Din Street, close to the UNRWA clinic. While we were on the way, the soldiers opened fire again towards us, I was wounded again in my left shoulder and the bullet had penetrated to my neighbour, Ahmed Abed El Fatah El Hams's, chest. I ran to the clinic, while Ahmed was carried by others, to Abu Yousef al Najar hospital in the city.”  

  Medical sources stated that the child Ahmed  El Hams was wounded by a live bullet in the heart and he was pronounced dead on arrival.

  At approximately 15.00, the Israel soldiers positioned around Neve Dikalim settlement, north of Khan Yunis , opened fire at residential areas as well as at the civilian facilities.  The bullets struck Nasser hospital, nearly 700 meters to the north east of the settlement. These bullets penetrated into the south side of the Kidney Unit. This unit sustained great damage. Many patients and visitors were reported to be in a state of shock.

  In another attack, caused by the random shelling of a residential area, in the evening, the IOF killed an old man, after they had shelled his neighbourhood in Rafah city, to the south of the Gaza Strip. The victim's son said

  “at approximately 18.00 on Thursday 19  August, I was sitting in my home, with my father Mohamed Abed Allah El hamida, 62, and with my friends.  Suddenly we heard  the sound of gunfire. One bullet struck my father in the abdomen. We carried him in my car to Abu Yousef al Najar Hospital in the city. Later on, they transferred him to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis where he passed away the next day Friday 20 August.”

  At approximately 23.15,  Israel military troops,  backed by armoured vehicles  and supported by helicopters from the air, moved nearly 150 meters into  Khan Yunis refugee camp, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Under intensive shelling, they started to raze houses in the area.  This operation lasted 8 hours, during it  the IOF completely demolished 4 houses and 4 others sustained partial damage. These houses were shelters for 15 Palestinian families, a total of 100 people.  During this incursion, the Palestinian child Mohamed Kamal El Talawi, 16 years old was wounded by a live bullet in his left hand. The child was evacuated to Nasser hospital and medical sources said he is in a stable condition.

   

  Friday 20th August 2004

  During the day, IOF, reinforced by armoured vehicles, attacked al Aza refugee camp, north of  Bethlehem city and Dear Ghsana town, north-west of Ramallah. The troops raided and searched the houses of Palestinian civilians. They arrested five of them, one of them a female, and took them to an unspecified location.

   

   

  Saturday 21st August 2004

  In the early hours of the morning, less than 24 hours after its withdrawal from the city, armoured Israeli vehicles invaded Nablus and its refugee camp. Tens of soldiers positioned themselves at the top of 9 houses, owned by Ukash, Akuba, Shiqu, Huash,E'esh,  Qanzah, Hamad and Abu Zeat families. They also seized Nablus municipality's compound and transformed it into a military site where they opened fire at passers-by.  Around 12.00, dozens of Palestinian children and youths gathered and threw stones at the Israeli vehicles. Immediately, they responded by opened fire at the demonstrators, wounding 15, five of them children, and one of them seriously:

  1. Islam Jamil Awad Kamir, 9, injured by a live bullet in the neck.

   

  (PCHR has a list of the names of the other injured parties)

   

  In a further attack characterised by excessive military force, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian from Nusserait refugee camp.  The victim was suffering from a psychological disorder.  He was killed when he was near the Israeli borders, to the east of Wadi Gaza village.

  According to preliminary investigations by PCHR, IOF, positioned in tanks and military posts inside the border with Israel opened fire with automatic weapons on the civilian who was near the border area.  Immediately he was injured by several live bullets and fell to the ground.  Later on, after several hours, the Palestinian Liaison Office received a statement from the IOF stating that the body was in the area.  Ambulances, belonging to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, rushed to the scene and evacuated the body to Shuhada al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah.  The victim was identified as:

  1. Nail Khalil Abu Ghulah, 23, from Nusserait refugee camp.

   

  At approximately 09.20, the Israeli soldiers positioned at the border strip with Egypt, south of Rafah city opened fire at the residential areas of al Salam neighbourhood. The Palestinian civilian Mohamed Nae'em Hasan, 43, was injured by shrapnel in the face and the ear. He was evacuated to Abu Yousef al Najar hospital. Medical sources stated he was moderately wounded.

  At approximately 15.30, IOF backed by armoured vehicles moved nearly 800 meters into al Aarara village, north of Khan Yunis city. Under cover from intensive shelling they start to raze the land of houses they had demolished previously. They also bulldozed  the road and closed some sub roads leading to the residential neighbourhoods owned by al Fara, al Qudra and Abu Jumeza families.

   

  Sunday 22 august 2004  

  At approximately, 12.30, IOF, including 7 military jeeps positioned themselves around Martyrs' square and the vegetable market in the centre of Nablus. Immediately, without prior warning, the soldiers opened fire randomly in all directions in order to impose a curfew and to close the market stalls. 15 Palestinians, 8 of them children, were wounded. They were evacuated by ambulances to the city’s hospitals.  Medial sources stated most of them were moderately wounded.

  At approximately 14.00, IOF, reinforced by armoured vehicles, invaded Beit Ur al Tahta, to the west of Ramallah, under cover from intensive shelling towards residential areas.  The Palestinian child Mohammad Jamal Sulliman, 16, was wounded by two live bullets in the abdomen and the left leg.  Ambulances went to evacuate the injured child but the IOF prohibited them from entering the village.  The inhabitants carried him, using a taxi, to Sheik Zyeed  Hospital.  As soon as he arrived he went into surgery and his condition was described as stable.  Eyewitness reports indicated that the child was returning to his home at the time of the attack. 

  At approximately 18.00, IOF, positioned near the border with Egypt opened fire at al Salam neighbourhood in Rafah.  A child Mohammad Khalid al Alul, 10, was wounded by shrapnel in the head.  PCHR’s fieldworker stated that the child was wounded while he was 400 meters from his home.  He was taken to al Najer hospital in Rafah where his condition was described as moderate.

  At approximately 18.30 medical sources in el Shifa hospital in Gaza City declared that Hussein Saeed al Jabari, 43, from al Sheji’ya in Gaza City, had died as a result of injuries caused by IOF last week.   According to PCHR investigations, at that time, he was injured on 18^th August by shrapnel from a rocket in different parts of his body.  The action took place when IOF helicopter gun-ships targeted his brother, Ahmed’s, house.  He is a prominent figure in the Hamas movement. The assassination attempt was unsuccessful.  Five other Palestinian civilians were killed as a result of this attack, three of them from al-Jabari family, while another civilian was seriously injured.  He was taken to the intensive care unit of el-Shifa hospital where he also later died.

   

  Monday 23^rd August

  In an act of wilful killing, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian in Rafah refugee camp after opening fire at him.  According to preliminary investigations the area was in a period of complete quiet at the time of the incident.  The victim was not engaged in any military activity at the time.  According to an account from the victim’s friend: at approximately 07.00 Hazam Fo’had Abu Zuhri, 20, went with his friends to the home of Sulliman Abu Zuhri, located in Block J of Rafah refugee camp in order to evacuate their furniture as the IOF had informed them that the house was going to be demolished.  Upon their arrival the IOF, positioned in a tank, behind a sand barrier 150 metres from the house opened fire at the youths.  Hazam was wounded by a live bullet in his abdomen and fell to the ground.  The others escaped, except one, who crawled along the ground to reach a telephone to request medical assistance for his friend.  After five minutes the ambulance arrived but the soldiers opened fire at them, although no casualties were reported among the crew.  During the evacuation process Hazam lost a large amount of blood and passed away.

  At approximately 14.30 IOF invaded Tulkarm, raising the east neighbourhood of the city and surrounded one building of three storeys.  They opened fire on flats on the first floor, owned by Ibrhaim Naifa, 35.  The Palestinian civilian Mohammad Azmi al Jarushi, 26, from Tulkarm, was injured by a live bullet in the abdomen.  Before their withdrawal at 03.50 the IOF arrested both civilians and took them to unspecified locations.  The IOF state that the two men were wanted.

  During the day the IOF backed with heavy military vehicles entered: Qabatia and al A’raka villages in Jenin; as well as Aska and Balata camps in Nablus; Sourif town, north west of Hebron and Tulkaram.  They raided houses and searched them, arresting 14 Palestinian civilians stating that they are wanted.  The arrested included one group of five brothers and another of three brothers they were all taken to an unspecified location.

  At approximately 21.00, the IOF, positioned around Moraj settlement to the south of Khan Yunis, opened fire with automatic weapons towards the residential areas located to the north of the settlement.  Sulliman Fayez Quawara, 44, was wounded by a live bullet in the upper part of the right leg while he was close to his house.  He was evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis where he was described as being in a moderate condition.            

   

  Tuesday 24^th August

  At approximately 01.30 IOF, backed with heavy vehicles moved about 800 m into al Qara village to the south of Qussafim settlement road, to the northeast of Khan Yunis city.  Under intensive shelling the IOF partially demolished the home of Abdula Mohammad Alia Abu Img’sib.  The house was one storey and was built on an area of 2,200 metres. There were four families living in the house.  The owner of the house told the PCHR fieldworker that he was forced to leave the house with his family after they demolished parts of his house while he was inside.  Immediately after they left the premises the IOF opened fire around them, however no casualties were reported.  In the same area the same forces started to raze land that had been previously demolished during recent incursions.

  At approximately 09.00 IOF raided Bethlehem city and surrounded al Lahila al Mukadasa (The French) Hospital and closed all entrances to the area.  They entered the main square and detonated sound bombs.  Dozens of soldiers entered the hospital and began to raid offices of workers and beds of patients. They searched the whole building and after three hours they withdrew and arrested two Palestinian civilians Adnad and Ratib Abyat, 32 and 29 respectively.  They claimed that Adnan is the leader of al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in Bethlehem and is wanted by IOF for four years.

  At approximately 10.00 the IOF located along the border with Egypt opened fire on Rafah.  Bullets and shrapnel struck al Najer hospital which is located 800 meters from the borders.  Some windows in a department were broken.  Many patients and employees were reported to be in a state of shock.

  At approximately 10.45 the IOF positioned around Neve Dekalim, west of Khan Yunis opened fire at al Namsowi neighbourhood, to the north-east of the settlement.  The Palestinian civilian Abdelrahma Khalil Abu Shaqra, 46, was wounded by a live bullet in the left hand.  The PCHR fieldworker stated that the civilian was wounded while on the roof of, what is known as ‘building number six’ in a well known residential compound, trying to fix the water tanks.  He was carried to Nasser hospital where his condition was described as stable. 

  In the context of a further attack involving random shelling the IOF killed a Palestinian civilian and left him bleeding to death and also injured his cousin’s son, while they were working in a farm in al Qurara village to the north-east of Khan Yunis.  According to eyewitness reports at approximately 16.45 IOF, positioned in tanks inside the border with Israel, opened fire at the agricultural land in the area.  They shot two Palestinian workers who were collecting Okra inside their farm which is 700 meters from the border.  Many farmers and workers in the neighbouring fields tried to reach the two wounded people in order to save them but IOF opened fire at them.  Ambulances rushed to the area but their access was prohibited by IOF.  At 19.15 the ambulances succeeded in reaching the two wounded civilians

  1. Kamal Hassan Mousa al Asta, 19, injured by several live bullets through his body and left to bleed to death.

  2. Bilal Kamal Mousa al Asta, 21, injured by four live bullets, he was taken to Nasser hospital where his condition was described as serious.

   

  At approximately 01.30 IOF positioned near the Egyptian border opened fire at the residential area of Block J in Rafah. Amir Hssan Salah, 10, was injured by shrapnel in the back while he was in his home.  He was taken to al Najer hospital in Rafah where he was described as being in a stable condition. 

  At approximately 23.30 IOF backed with heavy vehicles, including three bulldozers, moved nearly 200 meters inside al Qara village, to the east of Nitzar Hazani settlement, north west of Khan Yunis city.  They raided four houses and searched them, forcing the civilians to leave their homes. They detained them in an open area.  Under intensive shelling the troops demolished one house partially, which was owned by Ismail Abdullah al Habid.  The house was one storey, was made from concrete and was located on an area of 120 metres.  There were nine people living in the house.  As well as this the IOF razed the surrounding fence of four other houses as well as digging several tunnels around the bulldozed land. 

  During the day IOF backed with heavy vehicles entered: Toubas village, al Fara refugee camp and Askar camp in Nablus; Yeta town, south of Hebron; Bethlehem; Beit Luqia village, north of Ramallah; and Abu Deis east of Jerusalem.  They razed and searched a number of houses and arrested 12 civilians who were wanted by Israeli troops and were taken to unspecified locations.

  At approximately 02.00 a large number of IOF, combined with 7 bulldozers moved about 600 meters inside al Moraqa village, adjacent to Netzarim settlement to the south of Gaza City.  They raided houses and searched them.  They detained 8 Palestinians and later released seven of them.  They arrested Said Khalil Rajab al Yuzji, 20, a university student.  They transformed a two storey house owned by Abdel Fatah Ahmed Hmadam,  into a military post.  They detained the family members, consisting of 13 people, in one room.  After one hour the IOF started to raze a wide-scale area of land.  This operation lasted until 17.00 and they demolished five houses, three of them completely.  These homes provided shelter for 4 families, totalling 28 people and were owned by four brothers from al Ayadi family.  Another house was owned by Sukar family.  The razed land is 45 donums and was planted with olives, citrus fruits and vegetables and is owned by Abu Kumain, Ashur, al Akad, Azam, Abu Shaluf, Luhedi, Shaheen, Hajaj, Darouj and al Alami.  They demolished one well and the fence of a number of houses and caused great damage to the infrastructure in the area.

  During the day IOF backed with heavy vehicles invaded Ramallah and Beit Jala in the West Bank.  They raided a number of houses and arrested five civilians, stating that they were wanted.  They took them to unspecified locations.

   

   

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

  In violation of international humanitarian law, in particular 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 a continuation of this policy on Wednesday morning 25^th of August IOF blew up the house of Mondir Snobar, in Yatima village to the south of Nablus city.  According to preliminary investigations by PCHR, at approximately 02.30 IOF including seven military jeeps, invaded the village and surrounded this house.  They forced the occupants to leave without giving them any time to evacuate the furniture.  They panted explosive materials around the corners of the house.  At approximately 05.00 they detonated the explosives and completely demolished the house.  The house is located on 140 meters, including two storeys, with a family comprised of twelve members, including four children, living there.  The IOF sources stated that the civilian is wanted by them for his activities in D.F.L.P. , they stated that he carried out an operation which took place at Jiha crossing 18 months ago where four Israelis were killed.  As well as that they claimed that he carried out 3 military operations on Israeli vehicles since 2001.

   

   

  Continued Siege on the oPt

  The IOF have continued their complete siege on the oPt, including occupied East Jerusalem and have imposed a lot of restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

   

  The Gaza Strip

  The IOF have continued its systematic violations of the right to freedom of movement for Palestinian civilians as well as imposing severe restrictions around the Gaza Strip.  They continued to partially close the border passages and international checkpoints in Gaza.  The IOF continued to close al Matahan and Abu Houli checkpoints at Salah al Din street, which connects the north and south of the Gaza Strip, from 20.00 to 03.00 each night.

  On the 19^th of August at 08.30, the IOF positioned near al Matahen checkpoint, opened fire at Palestinian civilians awaiting to pass to Deir al Balah. They injured a civilian Abedsalam Mohammad al Aham, 33, with a live bullet in his right hand.  He was evacuated to Naser hospital in Khan Yunis.  Medical sources stated his condition was moderate.  At approximately 16.30 the IOF closed the checkpoint and reopened it at 21.00.  During this time they randomly shelled and used tear gas at civilians gathered on both sides of the checkpoints, waiting for the IOF to allow them to pass.

  The next day, Friday 20^th of August, the IOF closed the two checkpoints and impounded several vehicles and forced people to leave their cars.  They searched them and checked their identity cards.  At approximately 15.00 on Saturday 21^st of August the IOF closed the checkpoint for one hour.  They also closed the checkpoint in the morning of Wednesday 25^th.  Throughout that day the checkpoint was periodically closed and reopened and civilians were severally delayed in their attempts to travel.  They arrested four civilians, whose identity is unknown.  During this policy of closing and reopening the checkpoints, hundreds of civilians were waiting on either side of the checkpoint while IOF occasionally opened fire with tear gas on them. 

  IOF have continued to impose a severe closure on al Mawasi area in Khan Yunis and Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip.  Until the middle of this week the IOF prohibited civilians from returning to their homes through Toofah Checkpoint, north of Khan Yunis city.  On Tueday 24^th of August in the morning the IOF reopened the checkpoints for those civilians returning to their homes.  This checkpoint has been completely closed since the 17^th of August.

  At approximately 12.00  on 25^th of August the IOF positioned at the military camp north of Toofah checkpoint fired several tear gas bombs at Palestinian civilians, including women, children and old men waiting to return back to al Mawasi.  Many Palestinian civilians were suffocating as a result of this.  They were treated in the surrounding fields while some other cases were evacuated to Nasser hospital.  In the aftermath the IOF closed the checkpoint and prohibited civilians from travelling through.

  The IOF, periodically closed this checkpoint and stopped civilians from passing.  At the same time they still prevent Palestinian males from 16-30 from passing through without previous special coordination.  Concerning women and 16-25 the same policy applies.  Many inhabitants told PCHR’s fieldworker that the IOF periodically prevent civilians from entering or leaving the area even if they are older then 30. 

  The people in al Sayafah area, between Dogit and Elai Sinai settlements in the north of the Gaza Strip, are living under the same conditions.  The IOF continues to control the only gate in and out of the area and prevents all civilians from passing through the checkpoint unless there is exceptional circumstances and prior coordination.  The IOF allowed only five people to pass through each day to purchase basic provisions. They are only allowed to pass through at certain specified hours and they are subject to humiliation and degrading treatment during the security check process.  This process of security checks also involves strip-searches, searches with dogs and metal detectors. They have prohibited supplies of domestic gas from entering the area for more then three months; which causes serious suffering to the civilians in the area who are forced to use wood for cooking instead of gas.  Farmers are prevented from moving freely to tend their agricultural land which damages the crops.  The people in Ma’ani area next to Kvar Darom settlement,  28 families a total of 138 people, are also suffering similar conditions and also face severe difficulties in access to and from the area.

  IOF have continued to close the Erez checkpoint from the 27^th of June for  Palestinian civilians but is partially open for those who work in Israel and in the Erez Industrial zone.  From the start of June the IOF allowed approximately 500 Palestinian workers to travel to Israel, this number has been gradually increased to 3000.  However the workers are subjected to such a complex process of security checks and humiliation that only 1500 workers are able to enter Israel.  One of the workers told the PCHR fieldworkers that “we have to wake up early in the morning and to walk nearly four kilometres, and then to pass through hours of security checks, including through a number of metal detectors, while soldiers engage in a process of insulting and humiliating us.”  Israeli occupying authorities have continued to partially open the Sofa passage, to the east of Rafah.  They only allowed access for construction materials but they prevented people from crossing.  The Qarni commercial passage, east of Gaza city, which is considered the main terminal for goods coming in and out of the Gaza Strip, has only been partially opened in the past several months.  Notably the constant closure of this terminal has had an obvious negative impact upon the local market.

  Despite the reopening of the Rafah International terminal at the Egyptian-Palestinian border, the suffering of travellers has continued as a result of the IOF policy of limited opening hours, in contravention of international agreements between Israel and Egypt to open it 24 hours a day for 363 days a year.  The closure forces large numbers of civilians to congregate on both sides of the Terminal waiting to pass through.  It should be noted that the IOF have been sporadically opening and closing the Terminal over the last three months of this year. They have prevented large numbers of people from travelling through and have imposed strict security procedures on those people permitted to travel.

  Since the start of the Intifada the IOF have claimed, to the international community, that that the Rafah terminal is consistently open. In fact they have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and only allowed certain categories of Palestinians to cross the border.  In particular civilians between the ages of 16-35 have been prevented from travelling out of Gaza since 18th April.  This has prevented thousands of students and those in need of medical treatment from travelling. On Monday 23^rd of August the IOF did not abide by its commitments to allow these civilians to leave the Gaza Strip. 

   

  West Bank

  The IOF have continued to impose more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians at both temporary military checkpoints and spontaneous checkpoints.  They have also imposed curfews on many cities, villages and refugee camps.

   

  Jerusalem

  The IOF imposed more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Jerusalem.  On the 20^th of August they prevented thousands of worshippers from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque for their Friday prayer.  Eyewitness reports indicated that, from the early hours of the morning, there was a large Police presence throughout the old City.  They prohibited all Palestinian civilians under the age of 45 from reaching the al-Aqsa Mosque.   This was paralleled with more checkpoints imposed around all of the neighbourhoods in Jerusalem.  They used extensive search policies against civilians, checking identity cards, especially at al Barid neighbourhood, to the north of the city, Qilu checkpoint in the south and Hazma and Shofat to the east of Jerusalem.  These soldiers, positioned at both main routes and secondary roads, stopped Palestinian vehicles throughout the week and forced passengers to submit to specific search and identification procedures.

  On Tuesday the 24^th of August the IOF detained and humiliated dozens of civilians at the entrance to Bado’ village in the northwest of Jerusalem until they checked their identity cards. For three years this entrance has been the only entrance for all villagers in the area, home to about 50,000 Palestinians.  During the week IOF erected spontaneous checkpoints on the secondary roads in the city.  They stopped and extensively searched Palestinian vehicles.

   

  Ramallah

  On Saturday the 21^st of August, in the early hours of the morning, the IOF erected a number of military checkpoints on the primary and secondary routes.  The PCHR fieldworker reported that the IOF imposed these procedures on the first and last days of the week.  On these days large numbers of people tend to travel to visit their family or return to work.  The IOF positioned at Qalandia checkpoint, south of Ramallah, prevented civilians who do not have special permission to cross the checkpoint and leave the city.  On Monday morning, the 23^rd of August, IOF erected a spontaneous checkpoint at Qafar Nama/Ras Karkar, to the west of Ramallah.  The soldiers forced Palestinians to leave their vehicles, before searching them and checking their ID.  Notably, this crossing connected Ramallah city to the surrounding villages: Bitilou, Rantiss, Jamalah, Budros, Kafar Nama, Ras Karkar, Deir Amar, Qibiya.

   

   

  Bethlehem

  On Thursday August 19^th IOF used concrete blocks and sand to close two roads in Janata village, to the south east of Bethlehem.  The first road connected between the village and the surrounding villages on one side and with Bethlehem on the other side.  The second road connected the village with the agricultural land.  Local sources stated that these procedures prevented Palestinian civilians from entering the town and the surrounding  villages.  This was paralleled with more restrictions imposed, in a similar fashion, at other checkpoints around the city.

   

  Hebron

  On Friday the 20^th of August, in the early hours of the morning, the IOF imposed a curfew on Wadi el-Hussein, to the south of Hebron city.  Eyewitness reported that the soldiers intensified the deployment in the area forcing the owners of supermarkets and stalls to close as well as preventing the movement of civilians to the west of Qariat Araba’ settlement. The IOF seized an empty house, owned by a Palestinian civilian Walid al Jabari, and transformed it into a military post.  Eyewitness added that IOF patrols stopped tens of civilians on their way to Ibrahim mosque and searched them against a wall in the area.  They attacked a number of them.  This was paralleled with a series of attacks carried out by settlers living in the settlements.

   

  Nablus

  The IOF positioned at the military barriers around the city have continued their policies of prohibiting Palestinian civilians under the age of 35 from passing through.  The PCHR fieldworker reported that the soldiers positioned at these barriers have tried to delay the Palestinians which caused huge queues of people waiting to pass.  Many people waited for hours before they were allowed to pass.  It is notable that IOF have established a new turnstile gate controlled by soldiers in heavily fortified closed rooms.  This turnstile is positioned at Beit Iba, to the west and Huwara to the south.  These procedures are combined with continuous incursions, attacks and curfews on different neighbourhoods.

   

  Tulkarm

  The PCHR fieldworker reported that the IOF erected a number of spontaneous checkpoints at Faron village crossing, to the south of Tulkarm and at Shuweka crossing, to the north of the city.  As well as this they have continued to close A’inab gate for the sixth consecutive week.  This gate is located on the Tulkarm - Nablus road.

   

  Qalqilia

  This week witnessed further restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in Qalqilia.  The PCHR fieldworker reported that on the morning of Saturday the 21^st of August IOF erected a new military checkpoint to the east of Qalqilya, close to the military liaison office.  Eyewitness reports indicated that the IOF forced dozens of Palestinian cars to stop and applied a complicated search process which lasted for many hours.  Qalqilia is surrounded by the annexation wall from all directions.  The east entrance is now the only functioning entrance to the city.  The IOF established a gate controlled by soldiers who impose random and restricted opening hours.

  In a continuation of the systematic policy of attacks against Palestinian ambulance crews, IOF positioned at Far Atsion settlement, north of Hebron, violently attacked an officer from the Palestinian Red Crescent Association.   According to preliminary investigations, on 10.00 on 24^th of August the crew member Hassan Mohammad Awad, 27, from Idna village south of Hebron, was driving his ambulance vehicle to Beit Jala hospital carrying a number of Palestinian patients.  When he arrived at the checkpoint the soldiers forced him and the patients to leave the ambulance and searched them.  When he protested against this humiliation, for the patients, the IOF began to attack him violently and handcuffed him. They detained the ambulance for another hour before allowing him to continue.  Medical sources said his condition was moderate and this explained how he was able to drive the ambulance back to the hospital.

   

  Arrests at checkpoints

  The IOF have continued using their checkpoints as a means for trapping Palestinian civilians and arresting them. 

  The IOF soldiers positioned at Allenby border crossing, arrested a Palestinian student Alaa Mohammad Damin Zidan, 20, from Yita, to the south of Hebron on the 20 of August on the way to the Sixth of October University , in Egypt, via Jordan.  On Monday the 23^rd of August the IOF positioned at Qalandia checkpoint, south of Ramallah, arrested a Palestinian civilian Firas Khadar, 23, from Nablus, and took him to an unspecified location.  He works as an ambulance medic in The United Health Care Committees Association.  He was arrested while on a mission to evacuate a patient from Ramallah to Nablus.

   

  Annexation Wall

  The IOF  have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the Palestinian areas in the west Bank and the construction activities were mainly in the area around occupied East Jerusalem.

   

  Jerusalem

  IOF using heavily armoured bulldozers continued to raze land in the main street connecting Ramallah and Jeruslaem.  These activities, which have continued for two months, come in the aftermath of the adjudication by the Israeli High Court on Thursday 19^th of August.  According to the adjudication the Court overturned a previous adjudication prohibiting construction on this part of the wall.  Eyewitness reports indicated that IOF bulldozers have restarted work in the area between Dariid neighbourhood, north of Jerusalem and Qalandia, to the south of Ramallah.  The eyewitnesses added that the work continued intensively day and night and that they demolished the rest of the road in order to place concrete foundations for the Annexation Wall.  Huge trucks were seen delivering the concrete blocks and depositing them on the side of the street.  This continued alongside razing of lands between Wadi Iyad and al Bariid and al Aqbart neighbourhoods to the north of the city.  The PCHR fieldworker reported that the work extends over two kilometres.  This will have the effect of moving al Ram town from inside the boundaries of the Israeli state and placing it inside the West Bbank.  This will isolate the industrial zone known as “Aderot” which is part of Israel.  As well as this it will isolate the western part of al Bariid and will annex it to Israel.  Sources in the local municipal council of al Ram town informed the PCHR fieldworker that the wall will have an impact on 450 commercial premises on either side of the closed street.  It will also isolate 11 educational institutes in al Ram where there about 4000 students enrolled.  Notably al Ram village has become a central route connecting the north and south of the West Bank, particularly as a result of the heavy closures imposed at Qalandia checkpoint.

  The Head of the Wall Directorate in the Israeli Defence Ministry stated that the settlement block of Gush Itzion, to the south-west of Bethlehem will be inside the wall.  He made this statement during a session on the Committee for Foreign Affairs and security in the Israeli Parliament, the “Knesset”.  He further claimed to have reduced the amount of land required for the course of the wall between the area Alakna settlement and Ofar Military Camp.  He added that the land owned by Palestinian civilians amounts to 6000 donums and that the rest of the land “13000 donums is owned by the state of Israel.”  This land, which he claimed was owned by the state of Israel, is governmental land located inside the occupied West Bank territory and not inside the Israeli borders.

  On Sunday the 22^nd of August IOF established a new crossing north of Bardala village in the highest point of the north-east Jordan valley.  Local sources said that engineering units from the IOF razed a wide-scale area of land which had been confiscated earlier by military orders to continue the construction of the Annexation Wall in the north-east of the West Bank.  Local sources said that these actions of razing land and engineering construction indicate that the Israeli troops intend to construct permanent buildings including a Police department, tax offices.

   

   

  Crimes and Attacks by Settlers on Palestinian civilians and their properties

  In contradiction of international humanitarian law the settlers living in the oPt have continued their systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property.

  According to preliminary investigations by PCHR, on 21.20 on Saturday 21^st of August settlers from Ramati Shay in Tel Remada neighbourhood, in the centre of Hebron, began to throw stones and empty bottles at Palestinian civilians and their properties in the area. They entered the front gardens of the houses and broke the windows and tried to burn some furniture inside the houses.   All of these actions took place while the IOF watched and protected the settlers.  A Palestinian civilian Hanna  Jamil Abu Haikal, said that about 200 settlers and their supporters, backed by large numbers of IOF and Israeli Police, attacked her home and broke windows and property and caused chaos throughout the day.  She added that armed groups of settlers also demolished the electricity transformer and a water pumping station owned by her family, tore up their clothes and shouted and made threats to kill the inhabitants and to force them to leave the area.  The families who were attacked by settlers are:

  1. Adil and MAjdi al Said

  2. Jamil Abu Haikal,

  3. Abdelkharim al Hadad,

  4. Arif Sharabati,

  5. Abdullah Sh’hada

  6. Bilal Sadir.

   

  In light of the activities of the construction of settlements throughout the West Bank Israeli authorities unveiled, for the first time, plans to build 533 new housing units.  The Deputy Prime Minister, Yuhud Olmert, who is also responsible for Israeli governmental land decided to establish wide areas for the purpose of developing new housing units.  The plan sets out the details of; f 200 new houses in Har Gilo settlement; 101 housing units in Har Adar settlement; 134 units in Adam Settlement; 89 units in Amu Naeel settlement.  In light of this plan it is clear that the Israeli authorities are preparing to expand the settlement construction in both the south and east of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank.  According to the details of this plan they will tender the construction of the foundations of 150 units in Har Homa settlement (Abu Ghuniam Jabal, in Arabic); 48 units in Besgat Zeeve; 36 units in Gilo settlement.

   

   

   

Recommendations to the International Community

 

1.     PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under article 1 of the Convention to ensure Israel's respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  PCHR calls on the international community to immediately “ensure respect” for the Convention.

2.     PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel's respect of the Convention in the OPTs and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.

3.     PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with its legal obligations detailed in article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.

4.     PCHR recommends international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of searching for Israeli war criminals and to urge their governments to bring these war criminals to justice.

5.     PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel.  PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the oPt. PCHR also requests the application of the EU Guidelines on Arms Sales and requests that EU Missions and Embassies in Israel and the oPts press the Israeli government to apply and implement in full the recently agreed EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders.

6.     PCHR calls upon European governments to change their positions towards the Palestinian cause at UN bodies, particularly the General Assembly, Security Council and Commission on Human Rights. 

7.     PCHR requests that the international community follow the advisory opinion of the ICJ when it called on the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention, through the UNGA and UNSC, to take effective measures to stop the construction of the annexation wall in the West Bank.

8.     In recognition of ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the oPt, including for facilitating family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

9.     PCHR appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel's respect for human rights in the oPt and to end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

10. In light of the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupying forces on access of human rights defenders to the oPt, PCHR calls upon European countries to deal the same way with Israeli citizens. 

11. PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace agreement or process must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.

 

“END”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] 1 Donum is equal to 1000 sq meters