PCHR Weekly Report

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Continue to Impose a Total Siege on the Gaza Strip

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (25 June – 01 July 2009):

Shooting: During the reporting period, 5 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

On 01 July 2009, 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded when IOF soldiers waiting in an ambush to the south of Nablus fired at them.

During the reporting period, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, and an Israeli human rights defender were wounded when IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.

In the Gaza Strip, on 29 June 2009, a Palestinian child was wounded when IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire at Palestinian communities.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 18 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 28 Palestinian civilians, including 10 children.

IOF have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The IOF siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

· 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.

· The main concern of 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.

· IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than two years.

· IOF have not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas, since 10 December 2008.

· The Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to the Gaza Strip.

· IOF have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social visits.

· Poverty had mounted to approximately 80% and unemployment has mounted to 60% in the Gaza Strip.

· IOF have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector are estimated at US$ 6 million.

· IOF have imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

· Living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted.

· At least 900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been denied family visitation rights for more than 24 months.

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.

· IOF have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

· There are approximately permanent 630 roadblocks, manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition, there are some 60-80 ‘flying’ or temporary checkpoints erected across the West Bank by IOF every week.

· When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the Wall has already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.

· At least 65% of the main roads that leads to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF (47 out of 72 roads).

· There are around 500 kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit issued by the IOF. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

· IOF continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall.

· Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by IOF.

· During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 3 Palestinian civilians.

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, 12 Palestinian civilians were injured by Israeli settlers.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (25 June – 01 July 2009)

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

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children:

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 20:30, IOF moved into the north of Hebron. They erected a checkpoint at the university intersection. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Beit Kahel village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mahmoud 'Abdul Majid al-'Atawna, 16, and arrested him.

· At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Hawara village, south of Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to the Dumaidi family and arrested two Palestinian civilians (a man and his nephew):

· At approximately 00:30, an IOF infantry unit moved into Bal'ein village, west of Ramallah. 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 number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian children:

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Jalboun village, northeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into al-Tarbiqa quarter in the south of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 'Imad Rouzi Sabarna, 23.

· At approximately 15:30, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Gaza Valley village in the central Gaza Strip and helicopter gunships opened fire at Palestinian areas located to the west of the border following an armed clash with Palestinian resistance activists. As a result, Sabri Hani al-'Owaidat, 12, was wounded by a gunshot to the head when he was near his family's house nearly 1,500 meters away from the border.

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Bal'ein village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Suleiman Saif al-Waleedi, 17.

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

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-'Araqa village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:20, IOF moved into Southern 'Assira village, south of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Zahran neighborhood in the west of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ra'ed 'Abdullah Jebara, 40, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Kahel village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mahmoud 'Abdul Majid al-'Atawna, 17, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ibrahim Mahmoud Nahda, 32.

· Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-Taybeh village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Nouba village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

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.

· 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.

· The main concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.

· IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than two years.

· IOF have not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas, since 10 December 2008.

· The Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to the Gaza Strip.

· IOF have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social visits.

· Poverty and unemployment levels in the Gaza Strip currently stand at approximately 80% and 60% respectively.

· IOF have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector are estimated at US$ 6 million.

· IOF have imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seekig to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

· Living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted.

· At least 900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been denied family visitation rights for more than 24 months.

Date	Details
24 June 2009	133 containers of food aid for international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
25 June 2009	104 containers of food aid for international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
26 June 2009	95 containers of food aid for international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
27 June 2009	Closed.
28 June 2009	77 containers of food aid for international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
29 June 2009	62 containers of food aid for international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
30 June 2009	98 containers of food aid for international humanitarian organizations and goods for local traders were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

Date	Details
24 June 2009	53 Palestinian patients and two members of the UN Human Rights Council Fact-Finding Mission were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
25 June 2009	15 Palestinians, including an 11-member UNRWA delegation were allowed to travel to Egypt and 8 others, including patients, and the body of a dead man were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
26 June 2009	A 5-member UNRWA delegation was allowed to travel to Egypt and 30 Palestinian disabled athletes and 13 members of the UN Human Rights Council Fact-Finding Mission were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
27 June 2009	350 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 1,770 others, including patients, were allowed into the Gaza Strip. 100 Palestinians were also from traveling to Egypt.
28 June 2009	568 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 896 others, including patients, were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
29 June 2009	600 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 494 others, including patients, were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
30 June 2009	4 Palestinians, including 3 members of a delegation of Fatah movement were allowed to travel to Egypt and one Palestinian and the body of the dead person were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: IOF have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have allowed only diplomats, a number of international journalists, workers at international agencies and a few patients who suffer from serious diseases to pass through the crossing. They have continued to prevent Palestinian civilians from visiting their relatives who are detained in Israeli jails. As mentioned above, IOF have allowed a few number of patients to pass through the crossing, but under severe restrictions that include prolonged checking.

Date	Patients	Companions	Traders and Businessmen	International Journalists	International Workers	Travelers abroad
Date	Patients	Companions	Traders and Businessmen	International Journalists	International Workers	Travelers abroad
24 June 2009	22	20	Nil	2	42	4
25 June 2009	18	18	Nil	Nil	54	6
26 June 2009	3	6	Nil	4	14	Nil
27 June 2009	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
28 June 2009	16	16	Nil	4	6	3
29 June 2009	15	15	Nil	7	14	3
30 June 2009	28	28	Nil	10	37	8

Nahal Ouz Crossing: During the reporting period, IOF allowed the entry of 800 tons of cooking gas and 2,234,000 liters of energy fuel into the Gaza Strip.

Date	Cooking Gas (tons)	Energy Fuel (liters)
17 June 2009	20.760	422,400
18 June 2009	131.160	475,200
19 June 2009	Nil	Nil
20 June 2009	Nil	Nil
21 June 2009	134.800	424,800
22 June 2009	89.800	466,400
23 June 2009	89.490	431,420

Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: IOF partially opened the crossing for one day, and allowed the entry of 1,800 tons of seeds and fodders.

IOF have imposed a tightened siege on the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

· Jerusalem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city. 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 impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians on Fridays to restrict their access to the al-Aqsa Mosque.

At approximately 07:30 on Sunday, 28 June 2009, IOF troops positioned at a checkpoint on the Nablus-al-Bathan road, northeast of Nablus, arrested Usaid Shafiq Kharraz, 21, from Tubas town, when he was on his way to Nablus.

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 07:00 on Saturday, 27 June 2009, IOF erected a checkpoint at the 'Arraba intersection on the Jenin-Nablus road. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. No arrests were reported.

· Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside and around the town. On Saturday morning, 27 June 2009, IOF erected a checkpoint at al-Tahreer intersection in the southwest of Hebron. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians. On Sunday morning, 28 June 2009, IOF stationed in the south and southeast of Hebron prevented Palestinian medical and civil defense crews from reaching al-Ras area in the southeast of Hebron to carry out their humanitarian mission following the explosion of a gas canister inside a house belonging to al-Ja'bari family near "Kiryat Arba" settlement. IOF besieged the house and declared the area a closed military zone.

· Bethlehem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints, especially the Container checkpoint northeast of the town, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 06:00 on Saturday, 27 June 2009, IOF erected a checkpoint at Dar Salah intersection, east of Bethlehem. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Monday evening, 29 June 2009, IOF erected a checkpoint at Qaber Hilwa intersection, east of Bethlehem. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints around the town, especially Jaba'-Qalandya checkpoint, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians.

· Tulkram: At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 25 June 2009, IOF troops in the District Coordination Office in the west of Tulkarm arrested Tha'er Mahmoud 'Assaf, 20, from Thinnaba suburb east of Tulkarm.

· Al-Karama International Crossing Point: At approximately 16:00 on Friday, 26 June 2009, IOF troops positioned at al-Karama International Crossing Point on the Jordanian border arrested Hazem Fayez al-Sa'id, 32, from Hebron.

At approximately 17:30 on Wednesday, 01 July 2009, IOF soldiers who set an ambush behind a sand hill near a bypass road to the southeast of Za'tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, opened fire at 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, who were walking on the roadside. The four civilians were wounded. Two of them were evacuated to a hospital in Nablus, whereas the other two ones were evacuated to an Israeli hospital. The four civilians were identified as:

1. Maher Fawzi Hamayel, 15, wounded by a gunshot to the left leg and shrapnel to the right leg;

2. Laith Saleh Hamayel, 15, seriously wounded by two gunshots to the left thigh;

IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall.

· At approximately 11:00 on Saturday, 27 June 2009, dozens of Palestinian farmers and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in Abu al-Reesh area near "Bat Ain" settlement to the north of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, to farm Palestinian agricultural land and organize a sit-in, in protest at the restrictions imposed on Palestinian farmers trying to reaching their lands in the area. IOF troops attacked the participants and fired tear gas and sound bombs at them. As a result, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, and an Israeli human rights defender were injured. IOF also arrested 15 human rights defenders. IOF claimed that the participants "provoked security forces," while IOF declared the area a closed military zone. Those who were injured are:

1. Yousef 'Abdul Hamid Abu Maria, 28, sustained bruises and cuts to the back, the chest and the face;

2. Mohammed 'Abdullah al-Slaibi, 47, sustained bruises and cuts to the back, the chest, the face and the limbs;

4. 'Abdul Hamid Hammad al-Slaibi, 26, sustained bruises and cuts to the shoulders and the left leg;

6. Nayef Deeb Hashlamoun, 45, a cameraman for Reuters, sustained bruises and cuts to the face and the shoulder; and

7. Golda, 32, an Israeli human rights defender, sustained bruises throughout the body.

3. Efforts aimed at establishing a Jewish majority in occupied east Jerusalem

IOF has recently escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem to force them to leave the city. PCHR has devoted this section in the Weekly Report to highlight violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem.

· At approximately 08:00 on Tuesday, 30 June 2009, IOF troops, accompanied by officials of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem, moved into al-Tour village, southeast of Jerusalem. They besieged a house belonging to Samer Ahmed Abu Jom'a, 30, in which 7 people, including 3 children, live. They violently beat and forced the family and relatives out. Five women were injured. Soon after, they demolished a 50-square meter structure that had been added to the house less than 45 days earlier, claiming that it was built without a license.

4. Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian Civilians and Property

IOF have continued settlement activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

· At approximately 08:00 on Friday, 26 June 2009, at least 50 Israeli settlers from settlements located neart Kufor al-Labad village, east of Tulkarm, attacked a tract of agricultural land belonging to Ibrahim Mahmoud Kayed. They raised the Israeli flag and set up a tent on the land. They also attacked Kayed's two sons and expelled them from the land: Samer, 30; and Jamal, 20.

· On Saturday afternoon, 27 June 2009, dozens of Israeli settlers attacked several houses in al-Salima and al-Sahla neighborhoods in the south of Hebron, using stones and empty bottles. Palestinian civilians, especially children, were extremely terrified, and the windows of a house belonging to Mohammed 'Abdul Hai al-Muhtasseb were broken.

· At approximately 21:00 on the same day, 4 Israeli settlers who live in houses they had already taken up in previous years in Silwan village, southeast of Jerusalem, attacked Tamara Yousef 'Assila, 28, her baby and a number of other civilians in Baidoun Street. The settlers attempted to prevent the woman from parking her car near her family's house. When her brother, 30-year-old Rami, intervened to protect her, the settlers and their guards attacked him and other civilians in the area using sticks and gun butts. They also opened fire into the air. As a result, at least 10 civilians were injured, 4 of them were evacuated to hospitals:

3. Mohammed Yassin Siam, 35, sustained a fracture to the nose and cuts to the face;

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 Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

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 OPT 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 calls for the immediately implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal.

5. PCHR recommends international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and to urge their governments to bring these people to justice.

6. 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.

7. PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is - not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

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 the facilitation of 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. PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the OPT.

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.

For further information please visit our website (http://www.pchrgaza.org) or contact PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8 2824776 – 2825893).

PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights LTD (non-profit) http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory	No. 26/2009 25 June- 01 July 2009

Khaled Abu Joma's house, which was demolished by Israeli Occupation Forces in Jerusalem on 30 June 2009