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

• 6 Palestinians, including a child, were killed by IOF.

• 4 of the victims were extra-judicially executed by IOF in the southern Gaza Strip.

• 13 Palestinians, mostly civilians, plus 4 international and Israeli human rights defenders, were wounded by IOF gunfire.

• IOF conducted 26 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

• IOF arrested 42 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, in the West Bank.

• IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

• Palestinian newspapers have not been allowed into the Gaza Strip for the 2^nd consecutive week.

• IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested at least 11 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.

• IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property.

• An Israeli settlement outpost to the north of Hebron was expanded.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (24 – 30 January 2008):

Shootings: During the reporting period, IOF killed 6 Palestinians, including a child, and injured 13 others. In addition, four international and Israeli human rights defenders were also injured in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF killed 4 Palestinians. In addition, one Palestinian was injured.  

On 25 January, IOF extra-judicially executed 4 members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in 2 separate attacks within a few hours in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. A fifth brigade member was seriously injured.  

In the West Bank, IOF killed 2 Palestinians and wounded 12 others, in addition to injuring 4 international and Israeli human rights defenders.

On 24 January, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 3 others in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. IOF moved into the village in order to arrest the fathers of 2 Palestinians who had been killed the previous day by Israeli settlers, allegedly because the fathers attempted to launch an armed reprisal attack. IOF also injured another two civilians during the funeral procession of one of the Palestinians who was killed by settlers. On 28 January, IOF killed a Palestinian child and injured 5 civilians in Bethlehem. IOF moved into the town in order to arrest an activist of Islamic Jihad. They opened fired indiscriminately. In addition, three Palestinian civilians and 4 international and Israeli human rights defenders were injured when IOF used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in protest at the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 26 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 42 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children. The number of Palestinian civilians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 stands at 253. IOF troops also destroyed a house in Tulkarm.

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

To date, IOF have closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for almost 18 months continuously. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly their 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 of 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. During the reporting period, IOF cut off food and fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip.  

As a result of the Israel's economic and humanitarian stranglehold on the Gaza Strip, on 23 January, hundreds of thousands of Gazans poured crossed the border into Egypt after Palestinian resistance activists blew up entire sections of the fortified border in Rafah. In addition to residents of Gaza crossing into Egypt en masse, hundreds of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who had been stranded in Egypt, due to the enforced closure of Rafah International Crossing Point, also returned home to Gaza. The Egyptian authorities responded positively and with restraint, allowing Palestinian civilians to purchase foods, medicines, and other supplies which are not available in Gaza due to the escalating IOF siege and closure of the Gaza Strip. However, opening the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip did not meet all the basic needs of the civilian population of Gaza. Civilians across the Gaza Strip still suffer from severe shortages, or total unavailability, of many essential items, including domestic fuel and industrial fuel for Gaza's single power plant. In addition, hundreds of students, patients and Gazans living abroad remain in effective limbo; many have been waiting for permission to leave the Gaza Strip legally since June 2007. PCHR has learned that approximately 1,500 Gazans have gathered in the Egyptian town of al-Arish, and have asked the Egyptian authorities to allow them to travel via Cairo to third countries, where they can pursue their work, study or medical treatment. They are currently awaiting an official decision from the Egyptian authorities. PCHR reiterates its position that the chaos on the Rafah border during the past week is an inevitable consequence arising from the IOF siege and closure of the entire Gaza Strip. The IOF have deliberately deprived the entire civilian population of the Gaza Strip of their human right to safe movement and unrestricted travel. In addition, the closure has prevented essential goods and medicines reaching the civilian population. PCHR notes that IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip since June, 2007. Since then, all border crossings into and out of Gaza have been effectively sealed, including the Rafah Crossing.

West Bank

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. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested at least 11 Palestinian civilians, including a child.

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, IOF troops, in cooperation with Israeli settlers, added 5 mobile homes to a settlement outpost located to the west of “Karmi Tsur” settlement, north of Hebron. The mobile homes were placed on a tract of land belonging to Palestinian civilians.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (24 – 30 January 2008)

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

Thursday, 24 January 2008

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Hawouz area in the south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Tariq Nader Ed’ais, 25.

·      Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Yousef al-‘Allami, 22.

·      At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Eyad ‘Adel Riahi, 19.

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

·      Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Deir Estia village, north of Salfit. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

Friday, 25 January 2008

·      At approximately 09:20, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They patrolled in the streets and opened fire at houses. They raided 2 houses belonging to the families of Mohammed Fat’hi Sabarna and Mahmoud Khalil Sabarna and detained their fathers for several hours. Soon, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered and threw stones at IOF military vehicles. Immediately, IOF troops fired at those civilians, wounding 18-year-old Mahmoud Mohammed ‘Awadh, who died on the way to the hospital. According to medical crews, IOF obstructed the evacuation of ‘Awadh to the hospital. Another 2 civilians were also wounded:

1.      Mousa Abu Maria, 19, wounded by shrapnel to the right eye and ear; and

2.      ‘Abdullah Tal’at Selmi, 21, wounded by shrapnel to the head.

It is worth noting that Mohammed Fat’hi Sabarna, 21, and Mahmoud Khalil Sabarna, 20, were killed by Israeli settlers near Kfar Etzion intersection, south of Hebron, allegedly because they attempted to launch an armed attack.

At approximately 15:00, while residents of Beit Ummar village were participating in the funeral procession of Mahmoud ‘Awadh, clashes erupted between them and IOF troops positioned at the eastern entrance of the village. IOF troops fired at Palestinian civilians, wounding Munther Yousef ‘Awadh, 30, with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head.

Saturday, 26 January 2008

·      At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into al-Zayoun suburb, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Faraj Hasan Hdaib, 33, and summoned him fro interrogation.

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

1.      Shadeed Wa’el Swaidan, 20; and

2.      Shadi Suleiman Houli, 18.

·      At approximately 10:30, IOF moved into al-Harayiq neighborhood in the west of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

·      At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Taffouh village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Salah Ezraiqat, 25, and arrested him.

Sunday, 27 January 2008  

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Ebraigheith, and arrested 2 of his sons: Mousa, 22; and ‘Eissa, 26.

·      At approximately 21:20, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at 2 vehicles of the National Security Forces of the dismissed government, which were parking near a site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in ‘Oraiba area in the northwest of Rafah. The two vehicles, 8 nearby houses and a mosque were damaged.

·      At approximately 22:00, IOF raided and searched a number of houses in al-Qazzazin quarter in the old town of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

1.      Sa’id Nidal al-‘Owaiwi, 17;

2.      Tha’er Nidal al-‘Owaiwi, 18; and

3.      Fareed Hmaidan al-‘Owaiwi, 20.

Monday, 28 January 2008

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

1.      Tamer Mahmoud al-Sous, 20;

2.      Majdi Khader Eghbariya, 25;

3.      Bassam ‘Abdullah Abu ‘Obaid, 42; and

4.      Khaled Nabeel Abu ‘Obaid, 30.

·      At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring ‘Askar refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

1.      Mousa ‘Ali Abu Lail, 28; and

2.      Mahmoud Fares al-Shawa, 19.

·      Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Zahiriya village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Salem Mannaa’ and arrested 2 of his sons: Mohammed, 24; and Firas, 28.

·      At approximately 14:50, IOF moved into Ma’ali neighborhood in the center of Bethlehem. They besieged a 3-storey house belonging to ‘Eissa ‘Aabda, 70. They raided a number of neighboring houses and forced their residents out. They threatened to destroy ‘Abada’s house. They forced its residents out. They then called on Mohammed ‘Eissa ‘Aabda, 42, a member of the Islamic Jihad, to get out and surrender. IOF troops opened fire at the house and prevented journalists from reaching the area. As a result of the IOF gunfire, Qussai Suleiman Mohammed al-Afandi, 16, from al-Duhaisha refugee camp, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen. He was evacuated to Beit Jala Hospital, but medical efforts to save his life failed. According to the child’s uncle, the child was on his way to his father’s shop when he was shot. Another 5 civilians were also wounded:

1.      Ibrahim ‘Abdul Qader, 21, wounded by a gunshot to the foot;

2.      Mahmoud Mohammed al-Za’areer, 24, wounded by 2 rubber-coated metal bullets to the neck and the right hand;

3.      Mohammed Lutfi Sa’ad, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the back;

4.      Yousef Sameer Abu Srour, 27, wounded by a gunshot to the left foot; and

5.      Murad ‘Abdul Karim al-Atrash, 19, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the back.

At approximately 17:00, IOF troops started to shell ‘Aabda’s house. They also brought a bulldozer to the area, which started to demolish the fence. At approximately 19:20, IOF arrested Mohammed ‘Eissa ‘Aabda. IOF had already ‘Aabda’s brother Mousa. During this military operation, IOF troops detained a number of journalists in a shop and prevented them from reporting on the operation.

Tuesday, 29 January 2008

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved in Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Lu’ai ‘Abdul Fattah Mustafa, 30, a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces.

·      Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested ‘Ali Yousef Fouda, 22.

·      At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Kufor Qallil village, southeast of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested ‘Odai Nasser Mansour, 16.

·      Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Jamal Mohammed Harb, 28.

·      At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Tour neighborhood in East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

1.      Durgham ‘Omar al-‘Aramin, 17; and

2.      Nidal Mohammed Jaradat, 20.

·      At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

1.      Sa’id Saqer al-Sha’rawi, 31;

2.      ‘Ataa’ Sa’id Abu Rmouz, 17;

3.      ‘Assem Ayoub Seder, 21; and

4.      Mos’ab Rushdi al-Atrash, 20.

·      Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Halhoul town, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Yousef Mazen Hamada, 20.

·      At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Beit Reema village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

1.      Ahmed ‘Eid al-Reemawi, 22; and

2.      Saddam Tayseer al-Reemawi, 19.

·      Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Bireh. They raided and searched a house belonging to Samer Nemer Hassarna, 48, Head of the Academic Council of Rashed Al Maktoum School, and representative of the Qatari Red Crescent in Palestine.

Wednesday, 30 January 2008

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF raided and searched a number of houses in the old town of Hebron. They arrested 2 Palestinian children:

1.      Mahmoud ‘Awni Da’na, 16; and

2.      Mohammed ‘Abdul Samad Jaber, 16.

·      At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Hadaf neighborhood in Jenin. They besieged a house belonging to Hasan ‘Ali al-Sous. They opened fire at the house. They then called on residents of the house through megaphones to get out and they did. IOF troops interrogated mean. They also searched the house. Before leaving the area, IOF troops arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

1.      Ahmed Hasan ‘Ali al-Sous, 23;

2.      Samer Hasan ‘Ali al-Sous, 21;

3.      Salem al-Batal, 25; and

4.      Samer Abu ‘Ali, 30.

2.      Extra-Judicial Executions

During the reporting period, IOF committed 2 extra-judicial executions in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, which killed 4 Palestinians and wounded a fifth one.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR:

·      At approximately 01:00 on Friday, 25 January 2008, an IOF aircraft fired a missiles at a truck of the National Security Forces of the dismissed Palestinian government, in which 2 members of the forces, who are also members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) were traveling, near the Egyptian border south of Rafah. The missile hit the truck and killed the two occupants:

1.      Ibrahim Sameer al-‘Absi, 21; and

2.      Zayed Musleh ‘Abdul ‘Aal, 24.

·      At approximately 05:20 also on Friday, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at a civilian vehicle that was traveling in al-Siamat neighborhood in the north of Rafah. Three members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades were traveling in the vehicle. The two missiles hit the front of the vehicle and killed 2 of its occupants:

1.      Mohammed Fu’ad Abu Harb, 30; and

2.      Sami Mohammed al-Hamaida, 34.

The third one, 32-year-old ‘Abdul Hai ‘Abdul Qader Shaheen, was seriously wounded.

3.      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 close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for nearly 19 months. 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 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. 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 crossing point has been closed since 25 June 2006. Thousands of Palestinian civilians had been stuck at the Egyptian side of the crossing, and 24 of them, including 8 women and a child, had died. The bodies were returned to Gaza through the Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. In addition, thousands of travelers were allowed to return to the Gaza Strip through al-Ojah crossing, 8 kilometers to the east of Rafah International Crossing Point. From there, they were transported to Erez Checkpoint to enter the Gaza Strip.  Hundreds of Palestinian civilians who have residencies in other countries were allowed to travel out of the Gaza Strip the same way. The problem has emerged again as at least 1,500 Palestinians have been stuck at the Egyptian side of Rafah International Crossing Point waiting to be allowed to travel back to the Gaza Strip. IOF have closed all commercial crossings of the Gaza Strip.

As a reaction of the policy of economic and humanitarian stranglehold practiced by IOF against the Gaza Strip, on 23 January 2008, hundreds of thousands of Gazans crossed the border into Egypt when Palestinian resistance activists blew up entire sections of the border fence in Rafah. In addition to residents of Gaza crossing into Egypt en masse, hundreds of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who had been stranded in Egypt, due to the enforced closure of Rafah International Crossing Point, also returned home to Gaza. The Egyptian authorities responded positively and with restraint, allowing Palestinian civilians to purchase foods, medicines, and other supplies which are not available in Gaza due to the escalating IOF siege and closure of the Gaza Strip. However, opening the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip did not meet all the basic needs of the civilian population of Gaza. Civilians across the Gaza Strip still suffer from severe shortages, or total unavailability, of many essential items, including domestic fuel and industrial fuel for Gaza's single power plant. In addition, hundreds of students, patients and Gazans living abroad remain in effective limbo; many have been waiting for permission to leave the Gaza Strip legally since June 2007. PCHR has learned that approximately 1,500 Gazans have gathered in the Egyptian town of al-Arish, and have asked the Egyptian authorities to allow them to travel via Cairo to third countries, where they can pursue their work, study or medical treatment. They are currently awaiting an official decision from the Egyptian authorities. PCHR reiterates its position that the chaos on the Rafah border during the past week is an inevitable consequence arising from the IOF siege and closure of the entire Gaza Strip. The IOF have deliberately deprived the entire civilian population of the Gaza Strip of their human right to safe movement and unrestricted travel. In addition, the closure has prevented essential goods and medicines reaching the civilian population. PCHR notes that IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip since June, 2007. Since then, all border crossings into and out of Gaza have been effectively sealed, including the Rafah Crossing.

IOF has also maintained the effective closure of the Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing between Gaza and Israel, as well as the commercial crossings of al-Mentar, Sofa, and Nahal Ouz. IOF have sporadically opened these crossings in order to facilitate the passage of some food and medical supplies into Gaza. However, these supplies have consistently failed to meet the needs of the 1.5 million citizens of 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.

The West Bank

IOF have imposed a tightened siege on the West Bank. They have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and imposed curfews on a number of Palestinian communities.

·      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 Friday morning, 25 January 2008, the Israeli police and the “Border Guard” prevented Palestinian aged under 45 from entering the Old Town to pray at the al-Aqsa Mosque. For this purpose, they erected several checkpoints throughout Jerusalem.

·      Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside and around the town. On Wednesday, 23 January 2008, IOF erected 2 checkpoints at al-Fahes and Jabal Jouhar intersections in the south of the town. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians and beat a number of them. On the same day evening, IOF erected 2 checkpoints at al-Salam intersection in the north of Hebron and al-Haras intersection in the west of the town. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.  

·      Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 24 January 2008, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints around the city additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Saturday morning, 26 January 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 Sunday morning, 27 January 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians. On Monday morning, 28 January 2008, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints around the city imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 26 January 2008, IOF troops arrested 2 Palestinian civilians near the industrial zone to the west of Qoussin village, west of Nablus:

1.      Mustafa Mohammed ‘Abed Rabbu, 18; and

2.      Ahmed Wasfi Zabada, 19.

·      Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 24 January 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at Far’oun intersection, south of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Friday, 25 January 2008, IOF reinforced their presence at Wad al-Teen checkpoint, south of Tulkarm. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians. On Saturday, 26 January 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at the entrance of Qiffin village, north of Tulkarm, and prohibited the movement to and from the village. On the same day, IOF troops positioned at Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Sunday, 27 January 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at al-Ras intersection, south of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Monday, 28 January 2008, IOF troops positioned at Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposes additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Tuesday noon, 29 January 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at Beit Leed intersection, east of Tulkarm. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians. IOF troops positioned at Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, conducted prolonged and humiliating checking on Palestinian civilians passing through the checkpoint.

·      Ramallah: At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 24 January 2008, IOF troops positioned at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah, arrested 6 Palestinian civilians. They claimed that they found weapons in the vehicle those civilian were traveling in.  

·      Jenin: At approximately 16:30 on Sunday, 27 January 2008, IOF moved into Zabbouba village. They erected a checkpoint at the main entrance of the village. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

1.      Ziad ‘Abdul Rahman Jaradat, 16;

2.      ‘Omar Mohammed al-Zaghal, 23; and

3.      Diaa’ Ahmed ‘Obaidi, 29.

4.     Construction of the Annexation Wall

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 25 January 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, and violently beat them. As a result, 7 demonstrators were wounded:

1.      Farahat Ibrahim Bernat, 29, hit by a sound bomb to the thigh;

2.      Rani ‘Abdul Fattah Bernat, 27, hit by a sound bomb to the thigh;

3.      Ibrahim ‘Abdul Fattah Bernat, 26, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the thigh;

4.      Sarah, an Israeli human rights defender, 30, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the leg;

5.      Shahak, an Israeli human rights defender, 25, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head;

6.      Niko Hero, 23, a Japanese human rights defender, 23, hits by a sound bomb to the head; and

7.      Carlo, 25, a Japanese human rights defender, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head.

IOF troops also arrested 4 demonstrators, including an American human rights defender. The American human rights defender remained in custody for interrogation, while the other 3 demonstrators were released 2 hours later.

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 Thursday, 24 January 2008, IOF troops, in cooperation with Israeli settlers, added 5 mobile homes to a settlement outpost located to the west of “Karmi Tsur” settlement, north of Hebron. The mobile homes were placed on a tract of land belonging to the Abu Yousef clan in Halhoul town, north of Hebron.

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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

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