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. 35/2008 21 - 27 August 2008

Settlement activities continued in the West Bank

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

9 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, and an Israeli human rights defender, were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank.
The 9 civilians were all wounded when IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized in protest at the construction of the Annexation Wall in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah.
IOF used a foul smelling liquid against the demonstrators.
IOF conducted 53 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
IOF arrested 48 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children.
IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested at least one Palestinian civilian.
IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property.
IOF confiscated an area of land in Hebron to establish a settler road.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (21 – 27 August 2008):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF wounded 9 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, and an Israeli human rights defender in Ne’lin village near Ramallah the West Bank. IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall. IOF also used a liquid with a disgusting smell against the demonstrators.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 53 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 48 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children. Since the beginning of the year, 1,837 Palestinian civilians have been arrested by IOF in the West Bank.

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.

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 litres of untreated and partially treated sewage are being dumped into the Gaza Strip Mediterranean Sea daily, posing a public health risk. T

· Approximately 400 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.

· Since the Tahdiya came into force, IOF have repeatedly closed the border crossings to the Gaza Strip, claiming home-made rockets have been launched at Israeli towns.

· Civilians across the Gaza Strip continue to be affected by serious electricity power cuts.

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 600 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 kilometres around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kms of the Wall has already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.

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

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

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

· During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at a checkpoint near Nablus arrested a Palestinian civilian.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (21 – 27 August 2008)

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

Thursday, 21 August

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Isma’il Akram al-Shaf’ei, 30.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

1. Hussein Wadee’ Qar’ani, 34;

2. Anas Fawzi ‘Adawi, 21;

3. Khalil Bashar al-Hanbali, 21;

4. Sultan ‘Adnan Abu Sirriya, 20.

· Also at approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Souther al-Mazra’a village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children:

1. Mohammed ‘Awadh Shraitah, 17;

2. Mahmoud Yousef Bayoudh, 17;

3. Qassem Mohammed Shraitah, 18.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested ‘Ersan Mahmoud Qraini, 23.

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Beit Reema village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Oula village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

1. Kamal Ibrahim al-Sarahin, 30;

2. Ziad Mahmoud Sabbah, 25;

3. Ashraf Isma’il al-‘Adam, 31;

4. Munther Sadiq al-‘Adam, 32;

5. Mahmoud Ibrahim Saleem, 34.

· At approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Beit ‘Awa village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Isma’il ‘Abdul Qader al-Swaiti, who is allegedly wanted by them. No arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:15, IOF moved into al-Koum village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

1. Sa’id ‘Atallah ‘Amira, 22;

2. ‘Abdullah ‘Abdul Karim, 17.

· At approximately 14:00, an IOF undercover unit moved into Kufor Qallil village, east of Nablus, traveling in 2 civilian vehicles with Palestinian registration plates. The two vehicles stopped near a house belonging to Waleed ‘Abdul Jaleel ‘Aamer at the entrance of the village. A number of persons wearing civilian clothes got out of the two vehicles and broke into the house. They kidnapped Muntasser Waleed ‘Aamer, 22m a member of the Abu ‘Ali Mustafa Brigades (the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine), and Nasseer Bassel ‘Aamer, 19, a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (an armed wing of Fatah movement). Soon after, 6 IOF military vehicles moved into the village to secure the withdrawal of the undercover unit. Later, IOF declared that they arrested 2 wanted Palestinians from Kufor Qallil village.

Friday, 22 August

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

1. Amjad Mohammed Siraj, 22;

2. Mahmoud Ibrahim al-Nabali, 24;

3. ‘Alaa’ Isma’il Taraira, 25;

4. E’tiraf al-Reemawi, 23.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Duhaisha refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

1. ‘Aamer Sami al-Hajajra, 28;

2. Nidal Na’im Abu ‘Aker, 38;

3. ‘Adnan Na’im ‘Abdullah, 35.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Shawawra village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

1. Mahmoud Khalil Thawabta, 21;

2. Ahmed ‘Abdul Latif Thawabta, 23;

3. Mohammed Yousef Thawabta, 21.

· At approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’ refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Northern ‘Assira village, north of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

Saturday, 23 August

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Silwad village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested ‘Abdullah Isma’il Hamed, 35.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Shawawra village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

1. Mohammed Suleiman Dar’awi, 23;

2. Ibrahim Mahmoud Abu al-Hour, 22.

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Ramallah and al-Bireh. They patrolled in the streets and withdrew later.

Sunday, 24 August

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Shawawra village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and summoned Ibrahim al-Dar’awi for interrogation.

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

· At approximately 06:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm town and refugee camp. They patrolled the streets and withdrew later.

Monday, 25 August

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

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed Baraka and arrested his 2 sons: Ahmed, 23; and Diaa’. 21.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into al-Jdaida village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Tha’er Hamdan Abu Khader, but no arrests were reported.

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

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Ramallah and al-Bireh towns. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Deir Salah village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians

1. Mohammed ‘Azmi Salah, 25;

2. Taleb Mohammed Salem, 22;

3. Ghaleb Mohammed Salem, 20.

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

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

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tubas town. They patrolled the streets and withdrew later.

· Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tammoun village, southeast of Tubas. They patrolled in the streets and withdrew later.

· Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Fara’a refugee camp, south of Tubas. They patrolled in the streets and withdrew later.

Tuesday, 26 August

· At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Sourif village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Shareef ‘Ali ‘Edwan, 28, and arrested him.

· 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 02:30, IOF moved into al-Duhaisha refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Ahmed Tawfiq Tayeh, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 03:00, 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 04:00, IOF moved into ‘Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

Wednesday, 27 August

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Tahseen Hamada Abu ‘Eisha, 40.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Oula village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ibrahim ‘Ali al-Saraheen, 27.

· 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.

· Also at approximately 01:30, 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 01:30, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, 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.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into al-‘Araqa village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

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

· At approximately 20:00, IOF moved into al-Koum village, west of Hebron. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians following the Dawn Prayer. They arrested 3 cvivilians:

1. Ibrahim Mahmoud al-Rjoub, 30;

2. Saddam ‘Abdul Qader al-Rajoub, 18;

3. ‘Abdul Hamid Mohammed al-Rajoub, 19.

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

As previously noted, 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%.

Concerning the movement at Nahal Ouz crossing, east of Gaza City, the amounts of permitted fuel have been decreased, which may cause a new major fuel crisis. During the reporting period, IOF allowed the entry of the following amounts of fuels:

Date	Benzene	Diesel	Cooking Gas	Energy Fuel
21 August 2008	38,000 liters	167,900 liters	146,200 tons	362,000 liters
22 August 2008	38,000 liters	182,760 liters	182,760 tons	125,400 liters
24 August 2008	Nil	255,400 liters	279,180 tons	553,820 liters
25 August 2008	Nil	298,400 liters	336,920 tons	759,820 liters

IOF allow a very limited number of seriously ill patients and staff of international organizations to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.

On Sunday and Monday, 24 and 25 August 2008, IOF partially reopened al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing and allowed the entry of 9,250 tons of aggregate.

Regarding movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, during the reporting period, it was as shown in the table below:

Date	Details
20 August 2008	Closed
21 August 2008	38 containers of goods were allowed into the Gaza Strip
22 August 2008	45 containers of goods were allowed into the Gaza Strip
23 August 2008	Closed
24 August 2008	74 containers of goods were allowed into the Gaza Strip
25 August 2008	77 containers of goods were allowed into the Gaza Strip
26 August 2008	Closed

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

Date	Details
22 August 2008	6 patients who had received medical treatment abroad traveled back to the Gaza Strip
25 August 2008	A senior delegation from Islamic Jihad traveled to Egypt to hold talks with Egyptian officials
26 August 2008	6 patients who had received medical treatment abroad traveled back to the Gaza Strip

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. Approximately 35,000 people in and around Gaza’s coastal communities rely on the fishing industry, including 3,500 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 and harass the fishermen. The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian fishermen to fish up to 20 nautical miles from the Gaza coastline.

The West Bank

As previously noted, IOF have imposed a tightened siege on the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 21 August, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints around Nablus imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city. On Saturday morning, 23 August, IOF troops positioned at Za’atara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking of Palestinian civilians. On Sunday morning, 24 August, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking of Palestinian civilians. On Monday morning, 25 August, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking of Palestinia