A Special Issue on the 7^th Anniversary of the al-Aqsa Intifada

 

The Intifada Enters Its Eighth Year and Criminals Remain Free of Punishment

 

This report coincides with the 7^th anniversary of the eruption of the al-Aqsa Intifada, which broke out following the former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s provocative visit to al-Aqsa Mosque (the Holy Sanctuary) in occupied Jerusalem.  Over the last 7 years, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have perpetrated grave breaches of international law, including war crimes, against Palestinian civilians, in a manner unprecedented since 1967. The international community has remained silent and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 failed to meet their obligations to ensure respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and provide protection for Palestinian civilians.  The international silence has served to encourage the Israeli government and its occupation forces to perpetrate more war crimes with impunity against Palestinian civilians. 

Over the past 7 years, IOF have employed its full-fledged arsenal against Palestinian civilians and property in the OPT. IOF have also attacked medical crews and journalists and killed and wounded a number of them. PCHR believes that the international failure to punish Israeli war criminals to apply the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949  in the OPT is a form of permission for more killings.

The 7^th year of the Intifada has been the worst for the Gaza Strip. IOF hand continued to impose a total siege on the Gaza Strip, isolating it from the outside world, and forcing nearly 1.5 million Palestinians to live in a big jail under severe humanitarian conditions. IOF closed all border crossing of the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip on 14 June 2007. Israeli policy peaked with declaring the Gaza Strip as “an enemy entity.” Although such declaration does not bring any new, as IOF have effectively dealt with the Gaza Strip as an enemy entity, it implies more sanctions against the Palestinian civilian population. IOF have allowed the entry of limited food and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip. The total siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has impacted all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip and has violated Palestinian economic and social rights. Moreover, IOF have continued to prevent Palestinians from the Gaza Strip from travelling to religious sites in Jerusalem. They have only allowed a few number of Christians to travel to the West Bank during Christian occasions.

In the West Bank, IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in violation of international law and humanitarian law and the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on 9 July 2004, which considers the Wall illegal.

In the 7^th year of the Intifadah, IOF have continued to move into Palestinian communities and kill and arrest Palestinian civilians. IOF have also continued to impose severe restrictions on internal movement inside the West Bank. They have divided the West Bank into 5 separate partitions through a network of checkpoints and barriers. They are currently at least 40 permanent checkpoints and at least 15 temporary ones in the West Bank. These figures do not include checkpoints erected along the border between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. IOF have also closed scores of roads with barriers, including sand hills, cement blocks, iron gates and trenches. By the end of 7^th year of the Intifada, the number of checkpoints in the West Bank has been 546.

IOF have maintained policies aimed at the Judaization of Jerusalem. They have continued to construct the Annexation Wall around the city and take a series of measures against its Palestinian population. They have cut off the city from its Palestinian surroundings and expanded settlements around the town.  

In the 7^th year of the Intifada, 470 Palestinians, including 344 civilians (73%) have been killed by IOF. The number of civilian victims includes 81 children (23%) and 14 women (3.5%). In the Gaza Strip alone, 365 Palestinians, including 262 civilians, have been killed by IOF. According to PCHR's documentation, 83 Palestinians have been extra-judicially executed by IOF (34.5% of the total number of civilian victims). This number includes 72 targeted persons and 11 civilian bystanders. Also during the 7^th year of the Intifada, IOF killed 2 medical personnel and a journalist. In addition, a Palestinian civilian was killed by an Israeli settler.

By the end of the 6^th year of the al-Aqsa Intifada, 4,329 Palestinians, including 3,413 civilians (79%), have been killed. These figures include 724 children (22%) and 119 women (3.5%). In the Gaza Strip alone, 2,502 Palestinians, including 1,779 civilians, have been killed by IOF. According to PCHR's documentation, 668 Palestinians have been extra-judicially executed by IOF (19.6% of the total number of civilian victims). This number includes 448 targeted persons and 220 civilian bystanders, including 73 children.

 

A table showing those killed during the al-Aqsa Intifada from

29 September 2000 to 28 September 2007  

 

* In addition, 80 Palestinian civilians, including 19 children and 26 women, have died at military checkpoints and border crossing due to the obstruction by IOF of their access to medical care.

 

A table showing those who have been wounded during the al-Aqsa Intifada from

29 September 2000 to 28 September 2007[1]

 

 

A table showing land levelling, house demolitions and destruction to industrial and educational facilities in the Gaza Strip during the al-Aqsa Intifada,

from 29 September 2000 to 28 September 2007 

 

 

The seven years of the al-Aqsa Intifada have been characterized by the following Israeli military attacks:  

·      Prolonged Incursions and redeployment into Palestinian Authority controlled areas.

·      Massive killings and destruction of houses and civilian property.

·      Extra-judicial executions against Palestinian activists and political leaders, the most significant of which targeted Abu Ali Mustafa, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder and leader of Hamas; and his successor, Dr. ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al-Rantissi.

·      Destruction of the Palestinian economy and the structure of the Palestinian Authority through the destruction of civil and security facilities.

·      Using  Palestinian civilians as human shields during military operations in the OPT.

·      Closing Rafah International Crossing Point and other border crossings of the Gaza Strip.

·      Chasing fishermen and depriving them of their sources of income.

·      Storming Jericho Prison and arresting senior political leaders.

·      Humiliation of Palestinian at military checkpoints.

·      Deaths of dozens of people due to the obstruction of their access to hospitals.  

·      Deportation of a number of Palestinian activists.

·      Continued construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank territory, in a challenge for the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considered the construction of the wall illegal.

·      Wilful killing of Palestinian civilians.

·      Indiscriminate shelling of Palestinian civilian residential areas using various forms of weaponry, including warplanes, tanks and machine guns.

·      Collective punishment of Palestinian civilians, denying them their basic human rights, including the rights of health, education, freedom of movement and work, through imposing a tightened siege on the OPT.

·      Transformation of Erez crossing into an international border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

·      Transformation of Qalandya checkpoint into an international border crossing between the West Bank and Israel.

·      Arbitrary arrests and placing Palestinians in administrative detention.

·      Closure of a number of charitable societies in the West Bank.

·      Systematic attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.

 

 

 

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

 

·                    4 Palestinians, including one civilian, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

 

·                     One of the victims was extra-judicially executed by IOF.

 

·                    12 Palestinians, including 2 children and a journalist, were wounded by IOF.

 

·                    IOF conducted 21 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 3 ones into the Gaza Strip.

 

·                     IOF arrested 25 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and 2 ones in the Gaza Strip.

 

·                     IOF have closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron during the holy Ramadan Month for 6 sporadic days.

 

·                    IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

 

·                     IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.

 

·                     Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

 

·                     IOF troops arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including a child, at checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

·                    IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property.

 

·                     IOF started to level land in Jerusalem to establish a metro network. 

 

·                     Israeli settlers stormed some areas in Hebron and Nablus.

 

 

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (27 September – 3 October 2007):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 4 Palestinians, including one civilian, and wounded 10 others, including 2 children and a journalist, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF killed 4 Palestinians and wounded 3 others.

On 1 October 2007, 2 members of the Palestinian resistance were killed when they resisted an IOF infantry unit that moved into the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya. On 3 October 2007, IOF extra-judicially executed a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) and wounded another one in Rafah. On the same day, a Palestinian civilian was killed by IOF during an incursion into al-Fukhari area in Khan Yunis. During the reporting period, a child and a journalist were wounded in two separate attacks near Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, when IOF troops fired at Palestinian civilians who gathered near the crossing waiting for their relatives who were released from Israeli jails on 2 October 2007.

In the West Bank, 7 Palestinian civilians, including one child, were wounded by IOF. Five of these civilians were wounded when IOF used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah. The other two civilians, including a child, were wounded by in Hebron.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 21 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, IOF arrested 25 Palestinian civilians. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 2,067. In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 3 incursions into Palestinian communities in the Gaza Strip.

Restrictions on Movement: Since Wednesday morning, 26 September 2007, IOF have imposed a total siege on the OPT. 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 occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza Strip

IOF have imposed a strict siege on the Gaza Strip. They have closed its border crossings as a form of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians.

IOF have closed Rafah International Crossing Point, even though they do not directly control it. They have prevented European observers working at the crossing point form reaching it. IOF had already closed Rafah International Crossing Point following an armed attack against an IOF military post in Kerem Shalom area, southeast of Rafah, on 25 June 2006. The crossing point had been partially reopened for short, sporadic periods to allow few numbers of Palestinian to travel through it. The crossing point has been completely closed since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip and the withdrawal of Palestinian security forces from the crossing point. There are approximately 6,000 Palestinians held at the Egyptian side of the border awaiting to return to their homes in the Gaza Strip. Most of them have run out of money and are living on assistance. In addition, 19 of them have died in Egypt. The bodies were returned to Gaza through the Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. In addition, thousands of travelers were allowed to return to the Gaza Strip through al-Ojah crossing, 8 kilometers southeast of Rafah. From there, they were transported to Erez Checkpoint to enter the Gaza Strip.  IOF have also closed commercial crossings, especially al-Mentar (Karni) crossing. IOF have continued to close Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have been prevented from traveling through this crossing. 

 

West Bank

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. IOF have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF often violently beat Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city. IOF have imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the city since the beginning of the holy Ramadan Month on Thursday, 13 September 2007. Although IOF claimed that they would ease the restrictions on access to holy sites in the city during the Ramadan Month, but they reinforced their presence at various checkpoints on the roads leading to the city. In Hebron, IOF have closed the Ibrahimi Mosque for 6 sporadic days since the begging of the Ramadan Month.

IOF have tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have isolated Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including a child, at checkpoints in the West Bank.

Settlement Activities: Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, IOF started to level land in two sites to establish two passenger stations and a car park in the context of the metro project in East Jerusalem. The project aims at connecting Israeli settlement around Jerusalem. It is expected to seize more areas of Palestinian agricultural land. Also during the reporting period, IOF started to establish cement foundations and electrical pillars in Hebron to establish an electricity network for a number of Israeli settlements to the southwest of Bethlehem. Large areas of Palestinian land would be damaged with the establishment of this electricity network. On 30 September 2007, Israeli settlers from settlements located around Hebron, escorted by IOF, stormed al-Jumjoma Mount, which overlooks settler road #60 to the north of Hebron. They stayed in the area for nearly 3 hours, during which time they prevented Palestinian farmers from reaching their agricultural land. On 2 October 2007, Israeli settlers living in settlements around Nablus, escorted by IOF, broke into Joseph Tomb in the east of Nablus, and conducted some religious rituals. They withdrew from the area later. On the same day, hundreds of Israeli settlers moved towards the evacuated “Homesh” settlement. They set up tents to stay in the area. IOF imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They also established sand barriers and leveled land. “Homesh” settlement and 3 other Israeli settlements were evacuated in 2005.  

 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (27 September – 3 October 2007)

 

1.      Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

 

Thursday, 27 September 2007

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus and neighboring refugee camps. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

·      At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Bireh. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

Friday, 28 September 2007

 

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’ refugee camp, west of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

Saturday, 29 September 2007

·      At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. They stormed and searched the cemetery of the village, but no arrests were reported.

 

Sunday, 30 September 2007

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Alaa’ Mohammed Mas’oud, 21, and arrested him.

·      At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Beit Fujjar village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

 

1.      Nizar Yousef Taqatqa, 21; and

2.      ‘Aadel Salah Taqatqa, 22.

 

·      At approximately 01:40, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched 2 houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

 

1.      Faidi Shabana al-Tamimi, 43; and

2.      Firas Hafez Mujahed, 32.

 

Monday, 1 October 2007

·      At approximately 00:00, an IOF infantry unit moved from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel nearly 1,000 meters into Palestinian agricultural land in the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip. A number of activists of the Palestinian resistance positioned in the area discovered the presence of IOF troops and exchanged fire with them. Two resistance activists were killed: Ahmed ‘Aayesh al-‘Aamoudi, 22; and Bilal Jamal Abu Eshkian, 22. IOF troops did not allow ambulances to evacuated the bodies to the hospital. Residents of the area were able to evacuate the bodies to the hospital in the evening, when IOF troops withdrew from the area.

 

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus and neighboring refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

·      Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into ‘Aaida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

 

1.      Khader Saqer, 22;

2.      ‘Abdullah Saqer, 18; and

3.      Mohammed Deeb, 18.

 

·      At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Kufor Ra’ei village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Hamza Yahia, 29.

 

·      At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Salem village, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Sayaf ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Eissa, 22, and arrested him.

 

·      At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Deir Abu Da’eif village, east of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Waleed Mohammed Mahamid, 23, and arrested him.

 

·      At approximately 13:20, IOF troops positioned near Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian civilians who were waiting for their relatives who would be released from Israeli jails. Ibrahim Mohammed al-Madhoun, 14, was wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen.

 

·      At approximately 22:30, IOF moved into several areas in Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

Tuesday, 2 October 2007

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Leqia village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

 

1.      Samer Subhi Bader, 37;

2.      Baker Ahmed Mafarja, 37;

3.      Eyad Faraj ‘Aassi, 35; and

4.      Sa’ad As’ad Mousa, 25.

 

·      At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

 

·      At approximately 12:45, hundreds of Palestinian civilians and dozens of journalists gathered near Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, waiting for 29 Palestinians who would be released from Israeli jails through the crossing. When the released Palestinians started to get out of the crossing, civilians and journalists moved forwards and got nearly 300 meters close to the crossing. Suddenly and without warning, IOF troops positioned at observation towers around the crossing opened fire at these civilians and journalists. As a result, Mohammed Jadallah Salem, 23, a cameraman of Reuters, was wounded by a gunshot to the left leg. 

 

Wednesday, 3 October 2007

 

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched dozens of houses and arrested 9 Palestinian civilians:

 

1.      Nasser Khalil Jeetawi, 24;

2.      ‘Abdul Basset Sa’id Sheikh Yousef, 30;

3.      Ibrahim Sa’id Sheikh Yousef, 26;

4.      Mohammed Rasmi Jaberm, 32;

5.      Yousef Fayadh Sheikh Yousef, 24;

6.      Hussein Ahmed Meqbel, 25;

7.      ‘Ali Mahmoud Fouda, 24;

8.      Fadi Mohammed Abu Hantash, 24; and

9.      Firas Fayez al-Zayet, 28.

 

·      At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Teera suburb, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Abu Libda, 28, and arrested him.

 

·      Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved nearly 1,000 meters into al-Fukhari area in the southeast of Khan Yunis. They raided a number of houses and transformed them into military sites. They then started to level areas of already razed agricultural land, while opening fire indiscriminately at the area. At approximately 08:00, Sa’id ‘Abdul Majeed ‘Atiya al-‘Omour, 23, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the head, when he was near his house. He was evacuated to the hospital, but medical life to save his life failed and he was pronounced dead an hour later. IOF withdrew from the area at approximately 13:00.

 

·      At approximately 08:30, an IOF infantry unit moved into agricultural areas in the east of al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. IOF troops arrested two Palestinian farmers in the area:

 

1.      Mahmoud Bahri Abu Ghoula, 48; and

2.      Jamal Abu Shanab, 50.

 

 

2.      Extra-Judicial Execution

On Wednesday, 3 October 2007, IOF extra-judicially executed an activist of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 00:05, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of activists of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades in al-Salam neighborhood near the Egyptian border. As a result, Mohammed Bassam Hassan, 25, and Mohammed Jom’a Avu Sh’ar, 25, were wounded by shrapnel throughout their bodies. At approximately 02:00, medical sources declared that Hassan died from his wound.

 

3.      Continued Siege on the OPT

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 Occupied East Jerusalem.