PCHR Weekly Report

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. 46/2008 13 - 19 Nov. 2008
A Palestinian man walks near empty cooking gas canisters outside a gas station in the southern Gaza Strip

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Serious Humanitarian Crisis Emerges in the Gaza Strip Due to the Closure of Its Border Crossings

IOF killed 4 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
6 Palestinians, including a child, were wounded by the IOF gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
IOF launched mock air raids against the Gaza Strip.
IOF conducted 30 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and one into the Gaza Strip.
IOF arrested 44 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, in the West Bank.
IOF arrested 15 Palestinian fishermen and 3 international solidarity activist while sailing opposite to the Gaza Strip.
IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
The Gaza Strip is suffering from a serious humanitarian crisis.
IOF troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children.
IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank.
IOF confiscated 22 donums[1] of agricultural land in the south of Hebron.
IOF have continued to take measures aiming at the Judaization of Jerusalem.
IOF demolished 2 houses and confiscated a mobile home in Jerusalem.
IOF have continued to Judaize Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood for the sake of extremist Jewish groups.
IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (13 – 19 November 2008):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 4 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and wounded 6 others, including a child, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

In the Gaza Strip, on 16 November 2008, 4 members of the Palestinian resistance were killed when an IOF aircraft fired a missile at them in al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.

On 17 November 2008, 2 members of the Palestinian resistance were wounded when IOF aircraft fired a missile at them in the west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded by the IOF gunfire. On 6 November 2008, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when IOF troops fired at dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders, who demonstrated in protest to attempts by Israeli settlers to rebuild the evacuated "Homseh" settlement between Nablus and Jenin.

During the reporting period, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, 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 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 44 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 2,184..

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted a limited incursion into the east of Rafah town in the southern Gaza Strip. IOF also launched a series of mock air raids against the Gaza Strip.

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.

Gaza Strip

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 have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for more than two weeks.

West Bank

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 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, at various checkpoints in the West Bank.

Annexation Wall: During the reporting period, IOF issued a military order confiscating 22 donums of agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables belonging to Mohammed Khalil Abu Qbaita in the south of Yatta village, south of Hebron, for the purpose of the construction of a section of the Wall. The confiscated land includes a well and tents, where the owner and his family live.

Judaization of Jerusalem: IOF has recently escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem to force them to leave the city. For the purpose of reporting about violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem, PCHR has decided to add a new section to the Weekly Report. In the past two weeks, IOF threatened to demolish more house in East Jerusalem. They also continued to expel Palestinian civilians from their houses in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, claiming that they were owned by Jews before 1948.

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, dozens of Israeli settlers who had already seized al-Rajabi building in Hebron attacked Palestinian house located near the building and near "Kiryat Arba" settlement. The settlers has seized al-Rajabi building since 11 April 2008. On 18 November 2008, dozens of Israeli settlers from "Yits'har" settlement, south of Nablus, closed the bypass road located to the south of the city and threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles. On 19 November 2008, dozens of Israeli settlers closed the main road near Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, and threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (13 – 19 November 2008)

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

Thursday, 13 November 2008

· 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 04:30, IOF moved into al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. They raided and thoroughly searched a house belonging to Mo'ammar 'Orabi, 35, director of the local Watan Television, but no arrests were reported.

Friday, 14 November 2008

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

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Sa'id Mohammed al-Qaissi, 22.

· 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 11:00, some Palestinian civilians from villages located to the south of Jenin and to the northwest of Nablus and a number of international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration that moved towards "Homesh" settlement, which was evacuated in 2005. IOF troops positioned at the entrance of the settlement fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, Ra'ed Fawzi Za'rour, 38, was injured by shrapnel from a sound bomb to the left leg.

Saturday, 15 November 2008

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Zahiriya village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· 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 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 al-'Obaidiya village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ra'fat Khaled Rabai'a, 23, and arrested him.

Sunday, 16 November 2008

· 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 02:30, IOF moved into Toura village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 'Abdul Ra'ouf 'Abbadi, 19.

· At approximately 08:30, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at 4 members of the Salah al-Din Brigades (the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees) in al-Shoja'eya neighborhood in Gaza City. The four members were instantly killed:

1. Talal Hussein al-'Aaidi, 25, from the Beach camp in Gaza City;

2. Mohammed Hamdallah Hassouna, 22, from the Beach camp in Gaza City;

3. Bassem Baker al-Ghuf, 21, from Gaza City; and

4. Ahmed Raid al-Hilu, 22, from Gaza City.

Monday, 17 November 2008

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Shaweesh, 22.

· Also at approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Northern 'Assira village, north of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

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

1. Mohammed 'Emad Khallouf, 24;

2. Yazan 'Emad Khallouf, 18;

3. Qassam Ibrahim Abu Shadouf, 18; and

4. Tariq Ibrahim Abu Shadouf, 19.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

1. Nadeem Rassem Ekhlil, 17; and

2. Mohammed Ahmed Abu 'Aysah, 18.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Hawouz area in the south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Anas Noah al-Deeb, 19.

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

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-Ma'sara village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 07:45, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance who were near horsemanship club in the west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. Two members were injured by shrapnel throughout the body.

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

· 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 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Fourik village, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 16 Palestinian civilians:

1. Muhannad Yousef Abu Hammad, 20;

2. Mowaffaq Mohammed Abu Shamiya, 19;

3. Ahmed Basheer 'Awadh, 18;

4. Mousa al-'Azza, 21;

5. Waleed al-Wawi, 21;

6. Wassim Ghabboush, 19;

7. Ashraf Mohammed al-Najjar, 21;

8. 'Abdul Qader Mustafa Abu 'Awad, 22;

9. Ahmed Mustafa Abu 'Awad, 20;

10. Yasser Abu 'Awad, 24;

11. Jihad Mahmoud al-Khatib, 22;

12. Anas Nayef al-'Azza, 20;

13. Shareef Mohammed al-Hassaniya, 19;

14. Ashraf Mohammed al-Hassaniya, 22;

15. Muntasser Mustafa al-Majalsa, 19; and

16. Lu'ai Mustafa Abu Shamiya, 22.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 'Odai Mohammed 'Aqel, 16.

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into al-Shouka village, east of Rafah. They opened fire and leveled areas of land. They withdrew from the area nearly 2 hours later.

· At approximately 10:00, IOF naval troops intercepted 3 fishing boats, on board of which were 15 Palestinian fishermen and 3 international solidarity activists. The boats were sailing opposite to the seashore of Nussairat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. IOF naval troops arrested the fishermen and solidarity activists, but released them on the following day morning. Two hours later, 9 IOF gunboats arrived at the area and pulled the fishing boats towards Israel.

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Taqqou' village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched dozens of houses and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

1. Ashraf Tayseer Abu Mfarreh, 18;

2. Mousa Ibrahim Abu Mfarreh, 27;

3. Murad Abu Mfarreh, 21;

4. Mujahed Jebril, 19; and

5. Murad Sami Jebril, 20.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Zawia village, west of Salfit. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

1. 'Abed Mohammed Qassem, 20;

2. 'Abdul Hakim 'Othman, 21;

3. 'Aawdallah Abu Nab'a, 19; and

4. Ahmed 'Abdul 'Azim Abu Nab'a, 20.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Amjad Farroukh, 18, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:55, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

1. Hussam Hassan al-'Aassi, 39;

2. Tha'er Jameel al-Teerawi, 27; and

3. Mohammed Shaker Masha, 25.

2. 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.

Gaza Strip

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. On Monday, 17 November 2008, IOF partially reopened Karm Abu Salem crossing and allowed 15 containers of dairy and frozen products for local traders and 18 containers of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip.

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, and most mills and bakeries have stopped operation.

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
12 November	8 Palestinian public figures were allowed to travel back to the Gaza Strip.
18 November	90 Palestinian patients and 12 journalists 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, 12 November 2008. The closure of Nahal Ouz crossing, which is used for the delivery of fuel supplies, resulted in an 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.

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
12 November	33	28	Nil	Nil	17	1
13 November	22	17	Nil	1	16	1
14 November	1	1	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
15 November	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
16 November	19	19	Nil	Nil	2	Nil
17 November	25	23	Nil	Nil	2	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.

The West Bank

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, 13 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 Friday noon, 14 November 2008, IOF closed "Shavi Shomoron" checkpoint, northwest of Nablus. On Saturday morning, 15 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians. On the same day evening, IOF troops positioned at the 17 checkpoint, north of Nablus, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Sunday morning, 16 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians. On Monday morning, 17 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. On Tuesday morning, 18 November 2008, IOF closed Beit Eiba checkpoint, west of Nablus. According to eyewitnesses, IOF troops arrested a Palestinian child.

On Monday evening, 17 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus, arrested 2 unknown Palestinian children.

On Tuesday morning, 18 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at Beit Eiba checkpoint, west of Nablus, arrested an unknown Palestinian child, claiming that he was carrying explosives.

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 13 November 2008, IOF closed Wad al-Teen checkpoint. On Saturday, 15 November 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at the entrance of Deir al-Ghossoun village, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians. On Sunday, 16 November 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at the entrance of Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilians vehicles. On Monday, 17 November 2008, IOF closed Eannab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, until 09:00.

· Al-Karama International Crossing Point: On Sunday, 16 November 2008, IOF troops positioned at al-Karama International Crossing Point on the Jordanian border arrested Mahmoud Lutfi Abu Khaled, 22, from Bourqin village west of Jenin, when he was traveling to Jordan.

3. Construction of the Annexation Wall

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

· During the reporting period, IOF issued a military order confiscating 22 donums of agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables belonging to Mohammed Khalil Abu Qbaita in the south of Yatta village, south of Hebron, for the purpose of the construction of a section of the Wall. The confiscated land includes a well and tents, where the owner and his family live.

· Following the Friday Prayer on Friday, 14 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, 'Abdul Majid Hisham Nasser, 19, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the thigh.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on Friday, 14 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. As a result, 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded:

1. Yahia al-Ghazzawi Nafe', 35, hit by a tear gas canister to the head; and

2. 'Odai Mahmoud Khawaja, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the chest.

4. Judaization of Jerusalem

IOF has recently escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem to force them to leave the city. For the purpose of reporting about violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem, PCHR has decided to add a new section to the Weekly Report.

· On 5 November 2008, IOF moved into Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem to demolish a house belonging to Manal Maher Zytoun, claiming that it was built without a license. Palestinian civilians in the area attempted to stop the demolition. IOF troops fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at those civilians, and then demolished the 80-square-meter house, where the woman and her five children were living.

· At approximately 03:30 on Sunday, 9 November 208, IOF raided and seized a 75-square-meter house belonging to Fawzia Mohammed al-Kurd in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. IOF had already seized parts of the house in 2001. Although the Israeli High Court ruling on 14 August 2007 ordered the demolition of the house, but allowed the family to appeal against it before 14 November 2008, IOF seized the house before this date. Fourteen Palestinians, including 7 children, were living in the house. IOF did not allow members of the family to vacate any of their belongings and used force to expel them. On Sunday noon, 16 November 2008, IOF stormed the solidarity tent set up by the al-Kurd family near the house and imposed a fine of 430 NIS (approximately US$ 110) on Fawzia al-Kurd. IOF troop stormed the tent on the following two days and imposed more fines on the family. At approximately 10:30 on Wednesday, 19 November 2008, IOF troops tore down the tent. It is worth noting that IOF handed written notices on 6 November 2008 to 8 Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood informing them that their houses would be demolished.

· On Monday noon, 10 November 2008, IOF moved into Wad al-Dam area in Beit Hanina village, north of Jerusalem. They confiscated a mobile home belonging to the family of 'Izziddin Abu Najma, 58. It is worth noting that IOF demolished 2 house belonging to the family in 1996 and 201, claiming that they were built without licenses.

· On Thursday afternoon, 13 November 2008, IOF troops stormed a celebration organized by the Jerusalemite Association for Community Development in Wad al-Jouz neighborhood, and forced the participants, including the Egyptian ambassador and the Spanish cooperation representative, to leave the area.

· On Monday morning, 18 November 208, IOF moved into al-'Eissawia village, northeast of Jerusalem. They demolished a 180-square-meter house belonging to Jamal Daoud Abu Snaina. During the demolition, IOF used force to vacate the family. As a result, 4 women sustained bruises. IOF troops also arrested Muhannad Jamal Abu Snaina and Ahmed Mousa Abu Snaina.

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.

· On Tuesday evening, 18 November 2008, dozens of Israeli settlers from "Yits'har" settlement, south of Nablus, closed the bypass road located to the south of the city and threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· On Wednesday, 19 November 2008, dozens of Israeli settlers who had already seized al-Rajabi building in Hebron attacked Palestinian house located near the building and near "Kiryat Arba" settlement. The settlers has seized al-Rajabi building since 11 April 2008. Former Israeli Defense Minister, Amir Perets ordered the evacuation of the house on 11 April 2006, and the Israeli High Court ordered on 17 November 2008 the evacuation of settlers from the building, but they have continued to seize it.

· On Wednesday evening, 19 November 2008, dozens of Israeli settlers closed the main road near Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, and threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles.

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Recommendations to the International Community

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.

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Public Document

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).

[1] 1 donum is equal to 1,000 square meters.