Live from the Field:

IOF Isolates the Gaza Strip from the Outside World by Closing Rafah International Crossing Point and Erez Crossing

-         IOF continue to dismantle military outposts from the Gaza Strip and establish new ones in the West Bank

Disengagement (D-Day) Field Report: No. 20

Date: 8^th of September 2005

Time: 09:30 GMT

Location:

Northern West Bank: Nablus

Southern Gaza Strip: Al-Mawasi in Khan Yunis

Northern Gaza Strip: Al-Sayafa

Chronology of Events

IOF have continued to dismantle their military outposts as a prelude to redeploying from the Gaza Strip in the middle of the current month, but at the same time, they have continued to establish new outposts around Palestinian towns and villages in the northern West Bank. On Wednesday morning, 7 September 2005, IOF dismantled a fortified outpost atop the iron wall on the border with Egypt in Rafah.

In a move that aims at isolating the Gaza Strip from the rest of the world, IOF indefinitely closed the Rafah International Crossing Point this morning. The crossing point has been the only outlet of travel for the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip.  As a result hundreds of civilians are denied their rights to education and health. In addition, hundreds are prevented from returning home.

For the sixth consecutive day, IOF have continued to prevent Palestinian students and teachers living in isolated area near the evacuated settlements from going to school.  This measure has negative impacts on the educational process in the OPT.

Closure and restriction of movement

Northern West Bank

IOF started to construct a new military checkpoint on the southwestern entrance of Nablus. According to eyewitnesses, on 6 September 2005, IOF razed a 3,000-square-meter area of land in Beit Wazan village, west of Nablus. Then, they started to transport cement structures to establish an observation outpost in the area. According to sources of the Palestinian Liaison Office, IOF intend to build a permanent checkpoint in the area similar to other checkpoints around Nablus. The new checkpoint is located on the Nablus – Qalqilya road and with its establishment, Nablus will be surrounded by checkpoints on all sides except the Bathan road, where temporary road blocks are set up frequently.

In the meantime, IOF have continued to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement of Palestinian civilians in the northern West Bank. PCHR’s field worker in Nablus reported that IOF continued to close the iron gate on the "Shavi Shomron" crossroads, northwest of Nablus, thus cutting the Nablus – Jenin road.

Northern Gaza Strip: Al-Sayafa

A resident in Al-Se’yafa, which has been under a tightened siege since the beginning of the Intifada, pointed out that the 16 pupils in the area have been suffering greatly since the beginning of the school year. These pupils face difficulties in reaching their school because IOF allow them to exit the area at 07:00 and return at 13:00. The suffering of these pupils can be summed up in the following:

·      Walking nearly 5 kilometers to reach their school and the same distance to return home.

·      Inability to attend all classes, especially for morning-shift pupils who arrive late.

·      Squandering of the school day for afternoon-shift pupils, who attend one or two classes and leave to go home before the gate is closed till next morning.

·      Preventing 3 students over 17 years old from returning home since the beginning of the school year. They were allowed to leave on the first day; but have been prevented from going home since then.

Southern Gaza Strip: Al-Mawasi west of Khan Younis

At approximately 17:00 on Wednesday, 7 September 2005, IOF bulldozed 3 electricity towers in the isolated al-Mawasi area in the west of Khan Yunis. The towers connected the main electricity generator in the area with Tal Zeidan neighborhood. As a result, electricity was cut off from the area. In light of the tight siege and restrictions on movement, a food crisis could emerge.

International Law

Settlements and settlers are illegal under international law.  The Fourth Geneva Convention, the primary document governing the OPT, stipulates in Article 49 that the transfer of the population of the occupying power into the occupied territory is in breach of international law.   The International Court of Justice confirmed in its 2004 judgment that settlements and settlement activity is illegal.

Freedom of movement is a right afforded to Palestinian civilians under the Fourth Geneva Convention as well as under established international treaties on human rights.  Preventing free movement of people and goods interferes with the right to work, the right to health, the right to education, the right not to be held as a prisoner without a free and fair trial. 

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For more information please call: +972 (0)- 8 - 2824776 – 2825893.* 

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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip tel/fax: +972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893

email: pchr@pchrgaza.org      website: www.pchrgaza.org