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. 12/2008 13 - 18 March 2008

Fuel Crisis in Gaza Continues

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 seriously escalated in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip, during the reporting period (13 – 18 March 2008):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 4 members of the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip. They also wounded 15 Palestinians, including 4 children, a woman and a mentally disabled person.

In the Gaza Strip, on 15 March 2008, IOF killed 3 activists of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in Gaza City. IOF fired a surface-to-surface missile at the three activists. A woman and a child were also wounded. On the same day, IOF killed an activist of the Palestinian resistance and wounded another one seriously in Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. An IOF aircraft fired a missile at the two activists. On 18 March 2008, IOF attempted to extra-judicially execute 3 activists of the al-Quds Brigades in Beit Lahia town. The three activists and 6 civilian bystanders, including 2 children and a mentally disabled person, were wounded.

In the West Bank, on 14 March 2008, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF during an incursion into Tubas town. On the same day, 2 human rights defenders were wounded when IOF used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 44 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 53 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children. Thus, the number of Palestinian civilians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 has mounted to 695. During the reported period, IOF also raided and searched a number of cultural centers.

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. On Tuesday evening, 18 March 2008, IOF imposed a total closure on the OPT, which will continue until Sunday morning, 23 March 2008.

IOF have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for more than one year and a half. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the nearly 1.5 million Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. The siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has severely impacted the flow of food, medical supplies and other necessities such as fuel, construction materials and raw materials for various economic sectors. IOF have further tightened the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip, and the living and economic conditions of Palestinian civilians have further deteriorated. In September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “a hostile entity,” which implies imposing more restrictions and measures of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population. Since then, IOF have sharply decreased food and fuel supplies allowed into the Gaza Strip. IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip, and subsequently many factories have stopped their industrial activities. Concerning the movement of persons, IOF allow a few Palestinian civilians to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to travel to the West Bank. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. 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.

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. 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 continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to Jerusalem. 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 also tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in 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. IOF imposed a total closure on the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, on 18 March 2008. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at various 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, the Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported that the Israeli government approved the construction of 2,200 housing unit in “Givat Hamatos” settlement neighborhood in East Jerusalem. The Israeli Committee of Planning and Construction preliminarily approved the plan, whose final approval is expected to take two years. “Givat Hamatos” settlement neighborhood was established in 1991 on the lands of the Palestinian Beit Safafa suburb. On 13 March 2008, Israeli settlers living in the center of Hebron attacked Cordoba Elementary School in al-Shuhada Street in the center of the town. They entered the garden of the school pointing their guns at the guards. They also demolished a wall and damaged a number of structures which are being built to expand the school. IOF troops intervened later and violently beat a guard of the school who attempted to stop the settlers.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (13 – 18 March 2008)

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

· At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into the northern part of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Omar ‘Abdul Qader Abu ‘Eisha, 48, and arrested him.

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They opened fire indiscriminately. They raided and searched dozens of houses looking for allegedly wanted Palestinians. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into ‘Attil village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Omar Hassan al-Shahed, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Jabal Jouhar area in the southeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Nasser al-Rujbi, 30, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Abu Snaina neighborhood in Hebron. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to the al-Jamal family, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Khaldoun Mahmoud Fannoun, 19.

· At approximately 01:45, IOF moved into Nablus and neighboring refugee camps. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 17 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:15, IOF moved into al-Shuhada Triangle village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Qalqilya for the second time on the same day. They raided and searched dozens of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 17:00, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya, and imposed a curfew. They IOF withdrew several hours later and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 21:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They stopped and checked dozens of Palestinian civilians.

· Also at approximately 21:30, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mahmous Masharqa, but no arrests were reported.

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

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into ‘Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Tubas town. They opened fire indiscriminately. In the evening, IOF withdrew from the town opening fire. As a result, Nash’at Ibrahim Sawafta, 17, was injured by shrapnel from a sound bomb to the head.

· At approximately 01:00, 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 01:15, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Deir Abu Da’if village, northeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 18:15, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza City, fired a surface-to-surface missile at a number of activists of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad), who were in the east of al-Tuffah neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Three activists were killed:

· At approximately 18:20, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at 2 activists of the Palestinian resistance who were near al-Shaima’ School in the north of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. the two activists were seriously wounded:

1. Mohammed Yousef Hamouda, 20, who died from his wound on the following day morning; and

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Jayous village, north of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested ‘Ammar Barakat Shakhtour, 17.

· At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Tarama village, southeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Taffouh village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses belonging to the Erziqat family and arrested 2 members of the family: Tariq, 21; and Baraa’, 18.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Kufor Qallil village, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

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

· Also at approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched Dura Cultural Center.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children:

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Sameh Khalil Abu ‘Ali, 22.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Bassa area in the west of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Fawaz Mohammed Khalif, 39, who had been wanted for 12 years, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

· 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.

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin. They besieged a house belonging to Fat’hi Mohammed Qtait, 46, the Imam of the old mosque in the village. They demolished the house’s fence and destroyed a car belonging to Qtait’s son. They then searched the house and a number of neighboring houses and arrested Qtait.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Fara’a refugee camp, south of Tubas. They stormed and searched the Disabled Rehabilitation Center, Women’s Activities Center and Salah Khalf Center in the center of the camp, after blowing up their doors. IOF troops confiscated a number of computer sets from the Disabled Rehabilitation Center. No arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Kufor Qallil village, east of Nablus. They besieged a house belonging to the family of Younis Na’im al-Qenni, 25, who is allegedly wanted. They called on residents of the house through megaphones to get out and they did. IOF troop interrogated the family and searched the house. No arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Jericho. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mousa Khalil Ta’amra, 29.

During the reporting period, IOF attempted to extra-judicially execute 3 members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia. The three activists and 6 civilians bystanders, including 2 children and a mentally disabled person, were wounded.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 17:20 on Tuesday, 18 March 2008, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at 3 members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad), who were walking in a densely populated area in Beit Lahia town. The three activists were unarmed. The three activists were wounded:

1. Nidal Haidar Shaqqura, 24, from Beit Lahia, seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body;

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 has also maintained the effective closure of the commercial crossings of al-Mentar (Karni), Sofa, and Nahal Ouz. IOF have sporadically opened these crossings in order to facilitate the passage of some humanitarian aids into Gaza.

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.

· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 13 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints around the city additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Saturday morning, 15 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians. On Sunday morning, 2 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and Beit Eiba checkpoint, west of the city, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians. On Monday morning, 17 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints around the city additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Tuesday morning, 18 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians.

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have continued to prevent Palestinians aged below 35 from passing through checkpoints. On Thursday, 13 March 2008, IOF troops prevented residents of al-Jaroushiya village, north of Tulkarm, from traveling to the town. On Saturday, 15 March 2008, IOF closed Wad al-Teen checkpoint, south of Tulkarm, from 06:00 to 10:00. On Monday, 17 March 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at Bala’a intersection, east of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Bethlehem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday afternoon, 13 March 2008, IOF erected 3 military checkpoints to the south of Bethlehem. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 15:30 on Monday, 17 March 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint in Qaber Hilwa area to the east of Bethlehem. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside and around Hebron. On Thursday afternoon, 13 March 2008, IOF erected a number of checkpoints at intersections inside the town. They stopped, checked, held and interrogated many Palestinian civilians. On Friday evening, 14 March 2008, IOF erected 2 checkpoints at Sabta and al-Tahreer intersections in the west and south of Hebron respectively. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Saturday morning, 17 March 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at Beit ‘Einoun intersection in the east of Hebron. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

At approximately 15:00 on Thursday, 13 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at the northern entrance of al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron, arrested Riadh Ibrahim Ebhais, 32, from Yatta village south of Hebron.

At approximately 12:00 on Monday, 17 March 2008, IOF troops positioned in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron arrested Shihda Maher E’baidu, 19.

· Jenin: On Saturday morning, 15 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at al-Hamra checkpoint in the central Jordan Valley arrested an unknown Palestinian.

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

Following the Friday Prayer on 14 March 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. IOF troops had placed barbwires in the area to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the Wall. The demonstrators attempted to move forward. Immediately, IOF troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a Belgian human rights defender and an Israeli one were each wounded by a rubber coated metal bullet; the former to the head and the latter to the leg.

5. 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.

· The Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported that the Israeli government approved the construction of 2,200 housing unit in “Givat Hamatos” settlement neighborhood in East Jerusalem. The Israeli Committee of Planning and Construction preliminarily approved the plan, whose final approval is expected to take two years. “Givat Hamatos” settlement neighborhood was established in 1991 on the lands of the Palestinian Beit Safafa suburb. Representatives of the Israeli Ministry of Housing and the IOF Civil Administration claimed that 40% of the area of land designed for the construction of those housing unit is state land, whereas 20% is private Jewish-owned land and 40% is private Palestinian-owned land.

· On Thursday morning, 13 March 2008, Israeli settlers living in the center of Hebron attacked Cordoba Elementary School in al-Shuhada Street in the center of the town. According to the director of the school, Ms. Reem al-Shareef, a number of Israeli settlers living in the nearby “Beit Hadasa” settlement outpost resumed their attempts to break into the school. They entered the garden of the school pointing their guns at the guards. They also demolished a wall and damaged a number of structures which are being built to expand the school. IOF troops intervened later and violently beat a guard of the school, Mohammed Edris Zahda, 60, who attempted to stop the settlers. He sustained bruises 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 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).