PCHR Weekly Report

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

On the 1^st Anniversary of Israel's Offensive on the Gaza Strip, No Israeli War Criminals Have Been Held Accountable

The publication of this report coincides with the first anniversary of Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip (27 December 2008 – 18 January 2009). Over the course of the offensive, Israeli occupation forces killed 1,419 Palestinians, and wounded over 5,300. The vast majority of those killed were civilians entitled to full protection and immunity from attack under international humanitarian law (1,167 protected persons, 82.2%); 326 were children, and 111 were women. This figure includes the 251 non-combatant civilian police officers killed during the offensive.

Today the Gaza Strip has been subject to 931 days of continuous illegal closure. This form of collective punishment, which indiscriminately affects each and every one of Gaza’s 1.5 million inhabitants, has resulted in a man-made and completely preventable humanitarian crisis. Over 80% of Gazan’s now depend on food aid, 80,000m³ of sewage is pumped into the sea every day, power cuts are frequent, and patients continue to die as they are denied access to necessary medical treatment.

Over the course of 42 years of occupation, Israeli occupation forces have consistently violated international law. These violations have been well documented and reported, yet despite a significant level of media and political attention, the international community has continued to grant Israel impunity, a fact recently illustrated by the international reaction to the publication of the Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (the "Goldstone Report"). This impunity, which has been a consistent feature of the occupation, has resulted in continuous and escalating violations of international law, and the denial and violation of Palestinian civilians fundamental human rights.

PCHR stress the urgent need for accountability. All those who violate international law must be investigated, tried and prosecuted in accordance with international standards. Victims’ rights to the equal protection of the law and an effective judicial remedy must be upheld.

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (23 – 29 December 2009):

Shooting: On Saturday morning, 26 December 2009, Israeli occupation forces killed 6 Palestinians in two separate attacks in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces employed excessive lethal force and killed 3 Palestinians, while in Nablus Israeli undercover units extra-judicially executed 3 members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (the armed wing of Fatah movement). The three victims in Nablus had been granted amnesty, in coordination with the Palestinian National Authority, and had been allowed to move freely and live normally. Israeli occupation forces claimed that undercover units fired at the three victims "as they refused to surrender." However, investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) conclude that the three victims were executed in cold blood.

During the reporting period, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a woman, were wounded by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. A fifth Palestinian civilian was wounded by Israeli settlers. Israeli occupation forces also used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders, to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.

Incursions: During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 28 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli occupation forces arrested 26, including 8 children.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces conducted two limited incursions into the Gaza Strip, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land.

Restrictions on Movement: Israel has continued to impose a tightened closure 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

· Living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of poverty and unemployment are among the highest in the world.

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

· Israeli occupation forces have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.

Israeli occupation forces 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.

· Israeli occupation forces 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, and 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 Israeli forces 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 Israeli occupation forces (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 Israeli occupation forces. 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 Israeli forces in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets.

Settlement Activities: Israel has continued settlement activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law and Israeli settlers living have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

During the reporting period, the Israeli government published invitations for bids to build hundreds of housing units in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem. The Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot reported on Monday, 28 December 2009, that the plan includes the construction of 692 housing units: 377 in "Neve Yacob"; 198 in "Pisgat Ze'ev" and 117 in "Har Homa" settlements.

On 23 December 2009, Israeli occupation forces moved into Qasra village, southeast of Nablus. They closed the eastern entrance of the village, and an Israeli bulldozer demolished a fuel station and a grocery shop. Israeli forces claimed that Palestinian children had thrown stones at Israeli vehicles from the station.

On 24 December 2009, Israeli occupation forces notified Yasser Mohammed Eslaimiya, from Ethna village west of Hebron that a small house and a well belonging to him in the west of the village would be demolished.

Following the death of an Israeli settler on the Nablus-Tulkarm road on 24 December 2009, Israeli settlers launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property.

On 27 December 2009, an Israeli settler fired at a Palestinian woman while she was grazing sheep to the south of Hebron. She was not hurt, but she fainted. The Israeli police arrived at the area and took the woman to a police station to question her.

On 29 December 2009, a number of Israeli settlers fired at a Palestinian shepherd while he was grazing sheep to the south of Hebron. He was wounded by a bullet to the shoulder.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (23 – 29 December 2009)

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

· At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupation forces 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, Israeli occupation forces moved into 'Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 01:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into 'Arrana village, northeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Beit Diqqu village, northwest of Jerusalem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians, including 1 child:

· At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Nour Bassam Faqqousa, 22.

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

· Also at approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Tayseer al-Wadi, 19.

· At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into Ethna village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and summoned one Palestinian civilian for interrogation.

· Also at approximately 01:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into Kufor Ne'ma village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ashraf Ghaleb Zaidan, 19.

· At approximately 03:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Majdi Jameel al-Aqhash, 28.

· At approximately 03:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into al-Far'a refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ahmed Zuhair Sawalma, 17.

· Also at approximately 03:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into 'Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 03:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into Fahma village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 00:30, Israeli troops stationed at observation towards along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinians who got close to the border. The Israeli gunfire lasted for approximately 20 minutes, after which an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at the Palestinians. As a result, 3 Palestinians were killed:

The victims are all from al-Nasser village (the Bedouin Village) to the north of Beit Lahia. They were unarmed and were apparently attempting to infiltrate into Israel to search for jobs. A fourth Palestinian survived the attack. Israeli occupation forces did not allow medical crews to enter the area to evacuate the bodies until approximately 15:00. Eventually, medical crews were allowed to enter the area and evacuate the bodies at approximately 16:15.

· At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into al-'Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses. They turned a house belonging to Muhannad Abu al-Khaizaran into a military site. They violently beat Abu al-Khaizaran. He sustained bruises.

· At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Rummana village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into al-Taybeh village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 07:00, a number of Palestinian youth gathered in Kshaika Street in Ras al-Ein neighborhood in the southeast of Nablus. They threw stones at Israeli troops that had moved into the city and besieged Sobjeh apartment building to extra-judicially execute 'Anan Suleiman Sobeh, 36. Israeli troops fired at the stone throwers wounding two of them, including a child:

2. Fadi 'Essam al-Kharraz, 19, hit by a tear gas canister to the back and shrapnel to the right leg.

· At approximately 23:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Beita village, southeast of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian children:

· At approximately 00:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Sourif village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Beit 'Awa village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupation forces moved into Jalqamous village, east of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 10:45, Israeli occupation forces moved into 150 meters into the north of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip. They leveled area of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.

· At approximately 11:00, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to al-Sudaniya area in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. A fisherman, 23-year-old Mohammed 'Othman Baker, was wounded by shrapnel to the face.

· At approximately 00:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Bal'ein village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian children:

· At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

On Saturday morning, 26 December 2009, Israeli undercover units extra-judicially executed 3 members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (the armed wing of Fatah movement) in Nablus. The three victims had been granted amnesty, in coordination with the Palestinian National Authority, and had been allowed to freely move and live normally. Israeli occupation forces claimed that undercover unit fired at the three victims "as they refused to surrender." However, investigations conducted by PCHR conclude that the three victims were executed in cold blood.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 02:00 on Saturday, 26 December 2009, IOF, including undercover units, moved into Nablus. They positioned themselves near al-Nasser Mosque in the old town, where they surrounded and opened fire at a house belonging to the family of Nader 'Abdul Jabbar Mohammed al-Sarkaji, 40. Using megaphones, they ordered al-Sarkaji out of the house. As soon as he opened the door, Israeli troops opened fired at him. He was hit by a gunshot to the forehead and fell down. Soon after, Israeli occupation forces fired at him from a very close range. He was killed by 6 gunshots to the head, the chest, the left forearm, the pelvis and the left leg. His wife, 32-year-old Tahani Farouq Ja'ara, was wounded by shrapnel to the leg.

At the same time, other Israeli units besieged a house belonging to the family of Ghassan Fat'hi Abu Sharekh, 38, near Qaderi fish market in the old town. Through megaphones they ordered residents of the house to get out. All the inhabitants left the building, Ghassan was the last to leave. Once he appeared, Israeli occupation forces opened fire at him. He was killed by 7 gunshots to the neck, the chest, the abdomen, the back and the left leg.

At approximately 02:30, Israeli occupation forces besieged Sobeh 5-storey apartment building in Kshaika Street in Ras al-'Ein neighborhood in the southeast of Nablus. They called through megaphones on 'Anan Suleiman Mustafa Sobeh, 36, who lives on the second floor to get out and surrender to them. They opened fire at the building. At approximately 08:00, Israeli occupation forces withdrew from the area, and residents of the area found 'Anan's body on the roof of a car washing yard near the building. He was hit by several gunshots to the chest, the right shoulder, the neck and the lower jaw.

Israeli occupation forces have continued to impose a tightened closure of the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Occupied East Jerusalem.

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

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

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