PCHR Weekly Report

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

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (6 - 12 November 2008):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 4 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and wounded 7 others and an international human rights defender in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

On 2 November 2008, 4 members of the Palestinian resistance were killed when IOF aircrafts fired 3 missiles at the east of al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis, as an IOF infantry unit moved into the area and clashes with members of the Palestinian resistance. IOF did not allow ambulances to enter the area while the incursion was still ongoing.

On 6 November 2008, a member of the Palestinian resistance was wounded when an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a resistance group that was about to launch home-made rockets at Israeli towns from Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and an international human rights defender, were wounded by IOF gunfire.

On 9 November 2008, a Palestinian child was wounded in 'Anabta village, east of Tulkarm, when IOF moved into the village and fired at a number of Palestinian civilians who threw stones at military vehicles.

On 11 November 2008, 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded in Hebron during clashes with IOF.

On Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, 4 and 5 November 2008, IOF killed 6 members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), and wounded 5 others in the southern and central Gaza Strip. All victims were hit by missiles fired by IOF aircrafts during Israeli incursions into some areas in the Gaza Strip. IOF also arrested a wounded woman. On Wednesday evening, IOF killed using missiles a member of al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) and wounded 2 civilian bystanders.

During the reporting period, a Palestinian civilian and an international human rights defender were wounded when IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall west of Ramallah.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 31 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 29 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children. Thus, the number of Palestinian civilians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 has mounted to 2,140. IOF also transformed a house in Nablus into a military site.

Restrictions on Movement: 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. During the reporting period, IOF imposed a comprehensive closure on the OPT for the the Jewish Sukkot.

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 Egypt-brokered ‘Tahdiya’ or truce between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel began on 19 June; however, there have been no major changes regarding the movements of civilians and goods through the six Gaza Strip border crossings.

· Rafah International Crossing Point, the only border crossing from the Gaza Strip to the outside world via a country other than Israel, remains closed.

· Health services continue to be severely affected by the siege, with healthcare facilities also registering a 25% drop in clients due to continuing chronic fuel shortages. Critically ill patients are still being denied permits to access vital health services in the West Bank, Israel and abroad. .

· Water facilities, including access to clean drinking water, and the treatment of raw sewage continue to be severely disrupted by fuel shortages. 50-60 million liters of untreated and partially treated sewage are being dumped into the Gaza Strip Mediterranean Sea daily, posing a public health risk.

· Hundreds of Gazan students are currently unable to resume their university studies abroad as they cannot exit the Gaza Strip. In addition, up to 1,200 school leavers are in the process of applying to study at foreign universities, and are dependent on being issued exit permits by the IOF.

· There are at least 900 Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in jails in Israel who have been denied all visitation rights since 6 June 2007.

· Continuing chronic shortages of construction materials, including cement, aggregate and iron, have led to the collapse of the Gaza construction industry. Thousands of construction workers have been laid off, and vital infrastructure projects have been forcibly suspended.

· IOF have repeatedly closed border crossings of the Gaza Strip claiming that home-made rockets were launched at Israeli towns.

· During the reporting period, IOF closed all border crossings of the Gaza Strip.

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 arrested 5 Palestinian civilians at al-Karama International Crossing Point on the Jordanian border.

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. On Friday evening, 7 November 2008, Israeli settlers from “Kiryat Arab” settlement, southeast of Hebron, destroyed an iron fence separating the settlement from a tract of land belonging to Younis 'Abdul Hafiz Da'na. They also threw garbage on the land. On Saturday, 8 November 2008, Israeli settlers from "Kiryat Arba" settlement, southeast of Hebron, attacked 6-year-old Bilal Fadel Da'naThe child was injured in the head.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (6 – 12 November 2008)

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 'Aaida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Rantis village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Adeeb Fareed Wahdan, 40, and arrested him.

· At approximately 09:55, a number of Palestinian farmers, accompanied by 5 members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), were farming a tract of agricultural land located nearly 150 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis. Soon, 4 IOF military jeeps crossed the border and IOF troops fired warning shots into the air and then directly at the farmers and solidarity activists. According to Ms. Fidaa' Qishta, ISM Coordinator in the Gaza Strip, she and 4 international members of ISM were accompanying a number of Palestinian farmers who were planting their land, a number of IOF military jeeps arrived and IOF troops fired warning shots into the air and then at us. The farmers fled from the area, while the international solidarity activists stayed and raised their hands to show IOF troops that they were unarmed. The military jeeps withdrew from the area later.

· At approximately 10:00, an IOF undercover unit moved into Qalqilya traveling in a civilian vehicle with a Palestinian registration plate. The vehicle stopped near a shop of electrical appliances in the center of the town. Four members got out of it and pointed their guns at the owner of the shop, 23-year-old Mohammed Yousef Abu Khadija. Soon after, IOF military vehicles arrived at the area. IOF troops arrested Abu Khadija.

· At approximately 12:00, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They forced Palestinian civilians to close shops and leave the vicinity of the sports club. At approximately 17:30, IOF withdrew from the village and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 12:50, an IOF undercover unit moved into Khillat al-'Aamoud neighborhood in the southwest of Nablus, traveling in 2 civilian vehicles, one of which was transporting furniture. IOF troops got out of the two vehicles and stormed al-Kharraz supermarket. They arrested the owner, Mohammed Ziad al-Kharraz, 42.

· At approximately 13:05, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance who were about to launch home-made rockets at Israeli tows from the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip. An activist was moderately wounded.

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya, and imposed a curfew. They chased Palestinian civilians in the streets. A number of civilians sustained bruises as they fell down while running away from IOF troops.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Kamal 'Abdul Rahman Da'ma, looking for his son, 'Abdullah. They threatened to kill 'Abdullah if he does not surrender to them.

· At approximately 01:30, 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 02:00, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 18:00, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into Khuza'a village, east of Khan Yunis. They leveled areas of land. At approximately 09:00, IOF blew up a bomb that had been planted in the area. During this incursion, armed clashes broke out between IOF troops and members of the Palestinian resistance, but no casualties were reported. IOF withdrew from the area at approximately 11:00.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 16-year-old Mahmoud Ibrahim 'Eissa.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Dar Salah village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Khaled 'Aziz Salah, 27.

· At approximately 12:00, IOF moved into al-'Obaidiya village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses, a shop belonging to Ameen al-'Eissawi and a restaurant belonging to Hisham Radaida. They summoned Saber Hassasna for interrogation.

· At approximately 20:00, IOF moved into 'Anabta village, east of Tulkarm. They opened fire indiscriminately. A number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at IOF military vehicles. Immediately, IOF troops fired at the children wounding 15-year-old Mohammed Tayseer 'Abdul Dayem with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right thigh.

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Nidal Jouda al-Natsha, 27.

· Also at approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Tarqoumia village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Yasser Mahmoud al-Rajoub, 56.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Yatta village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Isma'il Ahmed 'Aabed, 29.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mahmoud Mohammed Salah, 22.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Shawawra village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 'Aadel Ibrahim Salem, 36.

· At approximately 00:30, 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 08:00, IOF moved into al-'Araqa village, west of Jenin. They erected a number of checkpoints and stopped and checked Palestinian civilians, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 11:00, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of Palestinian farmers and 5 international solidarity activists who were in al-Fukhari area, nearly 150 meters away from the border. No casualties were reported.

· At noon, 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded by bullets and 4 others sustained bruises when IOF troops opened fire in the center of Hebron to disperse Palestinian civilians who organized a demonstration to commemorate the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, IOF prevented a demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and school children from moving forward in the center of Hebron. A number of demonstrators threw stones at IOF. Immediately, IOF troops fired at the demonstrators wounding 4 of them:

1. 'Emad Khaled 'Aashour, 28, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right thigh;

2. 'Aadel Mohammed al-Ja'bari, 38, wounded by 2 rubber-coated metal bullets to the abdomen and the right leg;

3. Bassam Karim Sa'fin, 25, wounded by 2 rubber-coated metal bullets to the back and the right hand; and

4. Mo'tassem Fawaz Abu 'Eisha, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left foot.

· At approximately 14:00, an IOF undercover unit moved into Jenin refugee camp traveling in a civilian vehicle with a Palestinian registration plate. The vehicle stopped in Tal'at al-Khubez area. Three masked gunmen got out of it and kidnapped Mahmoud 'Ali 'Amarna, 39, when he was near his house. Soon after, 4 IOF military vehicles moved into the camp to secure the withdrawal of the undercover unit.

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into al-Shawawra village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Amjad Mahmoud al-Khatib, 23, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Maithaloun village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Kufor Ra'ei village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 10:00, an IOF infantry unit moved nearly 200 meters into the east of al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis. IOF troops clashed with 4 members of the Palestinian resistance who were in the area. IOF sent reinforcements into the area and more members of the Palestinian resistance were involved in the clashes. At approximately 11:30, IOF aircrafts fired 3 missiles at the area of clashes. A number of houses were damaged. IOF did not allow ambulances to enter the area until 12:30. Medical crews then found bodies of 4 members of the Palestinian resistance who were killed by gunshots and shrapnel. They were identified as:

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.

IOF have continued to impose a siege on the 1.5 million civilians of the Gaza Strip. The border crossings of the Strip have been closed for more than two years as part of IOF’s collective punishment policy, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of civilians and goods. As a result, the territory is unable to secure its basic needs of food, medicine, and other supplies, pushing the poverty rate above 80%.

The continued Israeli ban on fuel supplies required for civilian life in the Gaza Strip has led to the paralysis of the educational sector. Healthcare facilities have registered a drop in clients due to the transport crisis, and hundreds of healthcare professionals have been unable to reach their work places.

The tightened siege has led to the collapse of the Gaza Strip economic sectors. Most production facilities have ceased to operate due to the siege and restriction on movement of goods and individuals.

During the reporting period, IOF continued to close Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah, and Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of the town.

During the reporting period, IOF closed al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City, and did not allow the entry of grains. As a result, the Gaza Strip's warehouses ran out of wheat; their daily needs of wheat and flour are estimated at 500 tons. Mr. Ziad al-Farra, Director-General of the Palestinian Mills Company in Khan Yunis, stated that the company would stop its flour production within 24 hours due to stopping the delivery of its wheat supplies since Tuesday, 4 November 2008. Al-Farra added that the company used to get approximately 500 tons of wheat every day before IOF closed the crossing, and it has not received any quantities of wheat for 6 days. He explained they had approximately 600 tons of wheat in their warehouses, a quantity which is hardly enough for two days. He also said that there are concerns that the company may not be able to fulfill its contracted to supply 300 tons of flour to UNRWA daily.

Sabri Abu Ghali, a wheat supplier, stated that during the last month, commercial crossings had been opened last month for wheat supplies for 5 days only, which deepened the wheat crisis and resulted in the consumption of limited quantities of wheat in the Gaza Strip's warehouses. He confirmed that three out of the Gaza Strip's mills have suspended their production of flour, and that the other two mills are expected to close, if they were not supplied with wheat.

With regard to Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, the Egyptian authorities started to open it limitedly for some patients. During the reporting period, the movement at the crossing point was as shown in the following table:

Date	Details
5 November	361 Palestinians, including patients and students, were allowed to travel to Egypt, and 205 others were allowed to travel back to the Gaza Strip.
6 November	636 Palestinians, including patients and students, were allowed to travel to Egypt, and 147 others were allowed to travel back to the Gaza Strip.

Concerning the movement at Nahal Ouz crossing, east of Gaza City, IOF have closed the crossing since Wednesday, 5 November 2008. The closure of Nahal Ouz crossing, which is used for the delivery of fuel supplies, resulted in n acute shortage of the energy fuel required for the operation Gaza' power plant that generates approximately one third of Gaza Strip's daily needs of electricity. Engineer Hassan al-Nabih, Deputy Director General in the Palestinian Energy Authority, told PCHR that one of the electricity generation turbines in the power plant was stopped due to the shortage of fuel supplies. As a consequence, the productivity of the plant had dropped from 70 to 50 megawatts. Eng. al-Nabih added that the plant would be completely stopped if not replenished with fuel. He explained that the fuel supplied to the power plant, which is estimated at 2.5 million liters per week, is promptly consumed, and hence the plant has no reserves. On Monday, 10 November 2008, Gaza's power plant was put off at 18:30 when fuel ran out from the plant. As a result, many neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip, especially in Gaza City, where approximately 570,000 people live, were rendered in complete darkness. The Gaza Electricity Distribution Company was forced to reschedule the distribution of electricity to various areas in the Gaza Strip to confront the electricity deficit resulted by the stoppage of operation of the power plant. The Gaza Strip depends on three main resources for its electricity supplies: Gaza's power plant that provides 67-70 megawatts (34% of needs), Israel that sells to Gaza approximately 120 megawatts (58.5% of needs) and 17.5 megawatts which are imported from Egypt. On Tuesday, 11 November 2008, IOF allowed the delivery of 427,410 liters of energy fuel that fulfill the plant's needs for a single day, which means that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip would continue.

IOF allow a very limited number of seriously ill patients and staff of international organizations to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. IOF have also prevented families of at least 900 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails from visiting them since 6 June 2007. During the reporting period, the movement at Erez crossing was as shown in the following table:

Date	Patients	Companions	Businessmen	International Journalists	International workers	Travelers abroad
6 November	16	15	Nil	2	27	Nil
7 November	11	10	Nil	1	4	Nil
8 November	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
9 November	40	36	Nil	2	1	6
10 November	39	30	Nil	1	8	Nil
11 November	5	5	Nil	Nil	4	Nil

The closure of border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of movement, education and health. IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Following the attack on IOF on 25 June 2006, IOF prevented fishing. Approximately 35,000 people in and around Gaza’s coastal communities rely on the fishing industry, including 2,500 fishermen, 2,500 support staff and their families. Fishermen have been subjected to intensive monitoring by IOF, which use helicopter gunships and gunboats to monitor the fishermen. The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian fishermen to go fishing up to 20 nautical miles away from the Gaza seashore.

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.

On Tuesday evening, 11 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at the container checkpoint, east of Jerusalem, arrested Mahmoud Mousa Zuraiq, 21, from Bethlehem.

· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 6 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints at the entrances of Nablus imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and conducted prolonged checking on them. On Saturday morning, 8 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians. On Sunday morning, 9 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints at the entrances of Nablus imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and conducted prolonged checking on them. On Monday morning, 10 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara and Hawara checkpoints, south of Nablus, and Beit Eiba checkpoint, west of the city, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians.

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 7 November 2008, IOF closed Wad al-Teen checkpoint from 13:30 until 14:00. On Friday, 7 November 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at the northern entrance of ‘Attil village, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians. On Saturday, 8 November 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at the entrance of Far'oun village, south of Tulkarm. They banned the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the village from 06:00 until 10:00. On Sunday, 9 November 2008, IOF closed Wad al-Teen checkpoint, south of Tulkarm, from 07:00 to 11:00.

· Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. During the reporting period, in response to the national campaign launched by a number of institutions in Hebron to lift the siege imposed on the Old Town, IOF prevented several international and local solidarity delegations and officials from visiting the old town. They also declared the Ibrahimi Mosque and its vicinity a closed military zone. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on Thursday morning, 6 November 2008, IOF prevented the Egyptian and Tunisian ambassadors and a number of Palestinian officials from entering the Old Town. On the same day and the following day, IOF prevented a number of Palestinian officials and Christian clerks and a French solidarity delegation from entering the old town and held them for some times. Also on Thursday, IOF closed the main entrance to Arab al-Ramadin village, southwest of Hebron, with sand barriers. IOF had already closed 2 branch entrances to the village, thus adding more restrictions on the movement of approximately 5,000 Palestinians living in the village.

At approximately 12:30 on Thursday, 9 November 2008, IOF troops positioned in the vicinity of the Ibrahim Mosque arrested 3 Palestinian university students from Bethlehem district when they attempted to visit the Ibrahimi Mosque: 'Abdullah Salem Thawabta, 20; 'Aaref Zaidan Thawabta, 22; and Mohammed Tayseer Shakarna, 23.

· Bethlehem: On Thursday noon, 6 November 2008, IOF arrested Ayoub Hassan 'Ebayat, 18, from al-'Ebayat village east of Bethlehem, while he was grazing animals near bypass road #60.

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

· Following the Friday Prayer on Friday, 7 November 2008, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the area where IOF were razing land to construct a section of the Wall in the village. Immediately, IOF troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a journalist and an international human rights defender were wounded:

1. Mustafa 'Abdul Raziq al-Khawaja, 21, a journalist, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left hand; and

2. Aaida, 22, an international human rights defender, hit by a tear gas canister to the left hand.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on Friday, 7 November 2008, scores of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the Wall. The demonstrators moved towards the Wall. Immediately, IOF troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

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.

· On Friday evening, 7 November 2008, Israeli settlers from “Kiryat Arab” settlement, southeast of Hebron, destroyed an iron fence separating the settlement from a tract of land belonging to Younis 'Abdul Hafiz Da'na. They also threw garbage on the land.

· At approximately 09:50 on Saturday, 8 November 2008, 4 Israeli settlers from "Kiryat Arba" settlement, southeast of Hebron, attacked 6-year-old Bilal Fadel Da'na, when he was on his way back home after buying sweets from a nearby shop in Wad al-Nassara neighborhood. The child was injured in the head. The settlers let the child go when his grandfather intervened and called on passing people to intervene. IOF troops were present in the area, but did not intervene to stop the attack.

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 last year, 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. 45/2008 06 - 12 Nov. 2008
Palestinian children use gas lamps during a power cut in Gaza City