PCHR Weekly Report

PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory	No. 02/2006 05 - 18 January 2006

Destruction incurred to the market of the old town of Hebron following an arson by Israeli settlers.

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

Israeli violations of international law continued in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during the reporting period (5 – 18 January 2006):

Killing: During the reported period, IOF killed 4 Palestinians, including a woman and her son, in the West Bank. On 12 January 2006, IOF extra-judicially executed a Palestinian in Jenin, while another Palestinian blew himself up. The two were members of the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad. On 15 January 2006, IOF killed a Palestinian woman and her son and wounded 5 other members of the same family in Roujib village, east of Nablus, for no apparent reason. Israeli military sources claimed that IOF fired at the house in response to gunfire from the house. On 17 January 2006, IOF killed a Palestinian gunman who clashed with them when they came to arrest him in Tulkarm. In addition 18 Palestinian civilians were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank.

Incursions: IOF conducted 54 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 94 Palestinian civilians, including 11 children. IOF also transformed 6 houses into military sites. IOF used undercover units and trained dogs during these incursions. An IOF dog bit an elderly woman in Kufor al-Dik village near Nablus.

Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a big prison. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world, has been partially reopened. The crossing point is operated for 8 hours a day only. Even though IOF reopened Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing on 15 January 2006 and allowed dozens of Palestinian workers to travel to their work places inside Israel, they re-closed it on 18 January 2006. IOF also closed al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City, on 15 January 2006 and closed Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah, on 18 January 2006.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. Since the beginning of this year, IOF have separated the north of the West Bank from other Palestinian communities. These measures have coincided with the initiation of campaigns for Palestinian parliamentary elections. IOF have operated Qalandiya checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem, and have transformed Za'tra checkpoint, south of Nablus, into a crossing. Thus, IOF have divided the West Bank into 3 separate zones whose contiguity is controlled by them. IOF have continued to prevent residents of the towns of Tulkarm and Jenin from crossing Za'tara checkpoint. Furthermore, since the beginning of this year, IOF have allowed humanitarian cases only to cross the aforementioned checkpoint. These penal measures have impacted at least 800,000 Palestinians living in the northern West Bank and thousands of traders, workers, employees and students from the center and south of the West Bank, who have interests in the northern West Bank. These measures have violated Palestinian civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. These measures have coincided with the initiation of campaigns for the upcoming parliamentary elections. IOF have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of candidates and their staff not only in East Jerusalem, but also throughout the West Bank, including Palestinian communities isolated behind the Annexation Wall. Additionally, IOF have prohibited the movement of candidates between the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. During the reported period, IOF arrested 13 candidates and volunteers of election campaigns. IOF positioned at various checkpoints also arrested 5 Palestinian civilians.

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank territory. During the reported period, IOF continued to raze areas of land to the east of "Shavi Shomron" settlement, northwest of Nablus, to establish a wall around it. They also continued to raze areas of land in 'Aaboud village, northwest of Ramallah, in Bal'ein village, west of the town, and in Beit Jala town for the purpose of the construction of sections of the Wall. On 9 January 2006, the Israeli High Court rejected a petition submitted by Palestinian civilians from the villages of Beit Siera and Shaqba, west of Ramallah, against the route of the Wall near "Mode'in" settlement. The court also canceled all previous temporary injunctions stopping the construction of the Wall in the area. According to Israeli sources, the Israeli Defense Minister ordered IOF to complete the construction of the Wall near East Jerusalem by the end of March 2006.

Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. During the reported period, Israeli settlers launched a series of attacks on Palestinian civilians and property in Hebron. They also uprooted 120 olive trees in Yatta village, south of Hebron; and seized 150 dunums of land in Dura village, southwest of the town. IOF demolished 5 houses in the West Bank.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (5 – 18 January 2006)

1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and transformed them into military sites. A few hours later, dozens of Palestinian children and young men gathered and threw stones at IOF. Immediately, IOF opened fire at the stone throwers, wounding 9, including 7 children:

1. 'Eid Mo'ayad Ibrahim 'Aamer, 10, seriously wounded by a live bullet to the head;

4. 'Obaida Mahmoud 'Azab, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left thigh;

6. Aws Sameer Zaidan, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left thigh;

7. Ahmed Waheed Balghoud, 12, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left thigh;

9. Ziad 'Omar Abu 'Obaida, 16, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the leg.

· Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Bala'a village, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Deir al-Ghosoun village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They searched agricultural areas and arrested 13-year-old Fadi 'Omar Subaih. They claimed that he threw stones at them.

· At approximately 20:00, IOF moved into Marah Rabah village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 20:00, IOF moved into 'Aaida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They chased a number of Palestinian children and arrested two, claiming that stones were thrown at them:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Shawawra village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Yatta village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed al-Khatib. They held the 13 residents in one room and transformed the house into a military site.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Bani Na'im village, east of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ayoub Eas'aifan al-Taraira. They held the 11 residents in one room and transformed the house into a military site.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mahmoud Ahmed 'Amru. They held the 9 residents in one room and transformed the house into a military site.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF permanently positioned in Hebron raided and searched a house belonging to Zaidan al-Badarin near "Beit Hagai" settlement in the south of the town. They held the 9 residents in one room and transformed the house into a military site.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Silwad village, east of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 10:00, dozens of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at IOF that had moved into Jenin town and refugee camp on 5 January 2006. Immediately, IOF fired at the children. One of the children, 12-year-old Tariq Ameen Joma'a, was seriously wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head. It is worth noting that rubber-coated metal bullets are lethal when they are fired from a close range.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-'Azza refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Fairas Hashem Jaber, 24, and arrested him. IOF claimed that he had been wanted for 5 years.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Khaled Ayoub Seder, 21, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Sourif village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ibrahim Mahmoud Humaidat, 25, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Marda village, southwest of Nablus. They surrounded dozens of house and ordered their residents to get out. They raided and searched these houses. Then, they arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-'Obaidiya village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tubas village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Anwar Hafez Sawafta, 23, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-Judaida village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled the streets as Palestinian civilians were on their way to mosques for the 'Eid prayers. IOF withdrew from the village at approximately 07:00 and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Saida village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Basel Sati Hamad. They held the family in one room and transformed the house into a military site.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Qaddoura refugee camp and Um al-Sharayet neighborhood in Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They patrolled the streets. A few hours later, they withdrew and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Saida village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched dozens of houses and shops. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of 'Emad Mohammed Kumayel, 27, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Wad Abu Katila, al-Sahla, al-Sheikh and al-Sair neighborhoods in Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Shaqba village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed 'Abdullah Nakhla, 23, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses. They left the city a few hours later and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Hindaza neighborhood in Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ibrahim Mohammed al-Khatib 'Ebayat, 18, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm town and refugee camp and the neighboring Nour Shams refugee camp. They raided and searched dozens of houses and arrested 10 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-'Obaidiya village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Abu Enjaim village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to 'Ezziddin al-Huraimi and arrested his two sons: 'Awni, 22; and Tariq, 21.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Qiffin village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into 'Allar village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 05:00, IOF moved into Tubas village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled the streets. They left the village later and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 06:00, IOF moved into Kufor al-Dik village, southwest of Nablus, and imposed a curfew. They raided and searched a number of houses. According to eyewitnesses, a dog belonging to IOF attacked Salha Shihada al-Dik, 84, and bit her. She was moderately injured. The elderly woman lives alone in a house in the center of the village. IOF also arrested Rami Rateb al-Dik, 23.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Yatta village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Bethlehem through its northern entrance. They patrolled the streets. No arrests were reported.

· In the early morning, IOF killed a Palestinian woman and her son and wounded 5 other members of the same family in Roujib village, east of Nablus. Israeli military sources claimed that IOF fired at the house in response to gunfire from the house. They further claimed that IOF later raided and searched the house, where they found weapons and ammunition. However, investigations conducted by PCHR refute IOF's claim.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 02:30, IOF positioned on al-Bayader Mount, to the east of 'Awarta commercial checkpoint, southeast of Nablus, opened fire at a house belonging to Munjed Fawaz Dwaikat, 52, in Roujib village to the east of the city. Dwaikat's wife, 47-year-old Nawal Ahmed Asa'ad Dwaikat, 47, woke up hearing the sounds of shooting. She went up to the third floor of the house. There, she found her son, 21-year-old Fawazi, dead. She hurried towards her husband and informed him of what she had seen. The husband went to the third floor and, immediately, IOF opened fire at him. He was wounded by a bullet to the left eye. Members of the family rushed into the streets asking for help. Five minutes later, the wife and other members of the family went into the house to verify the source of the fire. Immediately, they were fired at from the same source. The wife was killed by at least 15 live bullets. Three of her sons and her daughter were also wounded:

2. Fawzan Munjed Fawaz Dwaikat, 27, seriously wounded by a bullet to the left shoulder;

3. Rawand Munjed Fawaz Dwaikat, 20, seriously wounded by a bullet to the pelvis; and

Soon afterwards, IOF raided and searched the house. They allowed ambulances to evacuate the wounded to hospitals in Nablus. It is worth noting that the deceased son had been guarding the house, at the time of the attack, as the family's car had been burnt out on Thursday, 12 January 2006. The lights in the room where he had been standing were on, when he was shot dead through the window on 15 January.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Surra village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed al-Masri and transformed it into a military site.

· At approximately 06:30, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. A number of Palestinian children and young men gathered and threw stones at IOF. Immediately, IOF fired at the stone throwers, wounding 3:

3. 'Abdullah Saleh Darwish, 21, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left hand.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Bahjat al-Khalili, 26, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 7 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into 'Allar village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Eihab Mohammed Younis, 21, and arrested him.

· Also, at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into 'Attil village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Jamal Muhanna, 19, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They raided and searched dozens of houses and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into al-'Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They chased a number of Palestinian children and arrested two:

IOF claimed that the children threw stones at Israeli vehicles traveling on the Bethlehem – Hebron road to the west of the refugee camp.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They besieged a two-storey apartment building belonging to Hussam Mohammed al-Swais in the west of the town. They broke into the first floor of the building, where al-Swais lives. They ordered him to open a flat on the upper floor. He told them that the flat is rented by a number of university students who were on holiday with their families. They drove him away and an Israeli soldier fired at the lock of the door and kicked it in. Israeli soldiers broke into the flat opening fire. A Palestinian gunman, 23-year-old Thabet Mahmoud 'Ayada Salah al-Din, exchanged fire with them inside the flat. He was killed by several live bullets. Israeli soldiers planted explosives in the flat and largely destroyed it. Soon after, IOF brought the victim's father to the flat to identify him. Later, Hamas declared that Salah al-Din was the leader of its military wing, the 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, in the north of the West Bank.

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into 'Assira al-Shamaliya village, north of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 8 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron, and imposed a curfew. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Ramallah. They raided and searched the house of a lawyer, Rasmi Ahmed Hassan, 29, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Kharabtha Bani Hares village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

On Thursday afternoon, 12 January 2006, IOF extra-judicially executed a member of the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, and a taxi driver. Another member of the al-Quds Brigades blew himself up near IOF.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 14:40 on Thursday, 12 January 2006, an IOF undercover unit moved into Jenin using two civilian cars that had Palestinian registration plates. Israeli soldiers besieged a house belonging to Fathi al-Bala'awi in the east of the town. A few minutes later, at least 30 IOF vehicles moved into the town to support the undercover unit. A number of Israeli soldiers took position on the roofs of a number of neighboring houses. IOF opened fire at the house. Then, a Palestinian gunman got out of the house and blew himself up, dying instantly. IOF fired two artillery shells at the house. Nearly half an hour later, IOF declared that they had killed two other gunmen inside the house and a third gunman surrendered. At approximately 23:30, IOF withdrew from the area. Only two bodies were found under the ruins. One of them was the gunman who had blown himself up. Only his head was found. He was identified as Mo'taz Sa'ad Abu Khalil, 27. The other man was identified as 'li 'Azmi 'Abdul Latif Abu Khalil, 25. He had been hit by several live bullets throughout the body. IOF also arrested two Palestinian civilians from a neighboring building:

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.