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

· 9 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank.

· 7 of these civilians, including 3 journalists, were wounded when IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations protesting the construction of the Annexation Wall.

· IOF conducted 22 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

· IOF arrested 34 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, in the West Bank.

· IOF stormed houses of a number of activists against the construction of the Annexation Wall. 

· 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 military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians, including a journalist.

· IOF have continued measures aimed at creating a Jewish majority in Jerusalem.

· IOF forced a Palestinian civilian to demolish a house and two barracks of animals belonging to him.

· Earth split-ups were reported in Silwan village due to Israeli excavations.

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

· IOF demolished a house to the northeast of Jerusalem.

· Israeli settlers uprooted 70 olive trees in Hebron.

· Israeli settlers burnt two cars and a tractor in Eamatin village near Qalqilya.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (14 – 20 January 2010):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF wounded 9 Palestinian civilians, including two children and 3 journalists, in the West Bank. 

Seven Palestinian civilians, including 3 journalists, were wounded when IOF also used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders, in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.

On 16 January 2010, a child was wounded in Yatta village, south of Hebron, when he played with an old bomb left by IOF in the area. 

On 19 January 2010, a child was wounded when IOF moved into Jenin refugee camp in the northern Weat Bank and fired at a number of children who demonstrated in the area.  

Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were also wounded by Israeli troops stationed at military checkpoints. 

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 22 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  IOF arrested 34, including 4 children. IOF also stormed houses of activists against the construction of the Annexation Wall.    

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 Israeli 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.

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

· IOF have not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding few 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.

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

· Poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted in the Gaza Strip.

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

· IOF have imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers to 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 have sharply mounted.

· Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived for family visitation for more than two years. 

· IOF have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.

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.

Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Majority in Jerusalem: On 14 January 2010, IOF forced Haoroun Zakaria Burqan, 39, to demolish his 45-square-meter house and a two barracks of animals. The house, in which 8 individuals used to live, was built 5 years ago. IOF ordered the demolition of the house 3 years ago and imposed a fine of 5,000 NIS (approximately US$ 1,250). 

During the reporting period, IOF continued excavations in the old town of Jerusalem. According to residents of Silwan village and the old town, an earth split-up was seen in Wadi Hilwa area on the main road between Silwan village and the old town on Monaday, 18 January 2010. The split-up made a crater whose depth is more than 10 meters. The split-up took place in a tunnel that was being dug by IOF to link between Silwan and "Givati" settlement.

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.

On 14 January 2010, a number of Israeli settlers from "Gilad" settlement, northeast of Qalqilya, burnt two cars and a tractor belonging to Palestinian civilians from Ematin village, east of Qalqilya. 

On the same day, Israeli settlers living in "Havat Ma'oun" settlement outpost to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron, uprooted 70 olive trees in the east of al-Twana village. 

On 19 January 2010, IOF demolished a house in Jaba' village, northeast of Jerusalem, claiming that it was built without a license.

On the same day, Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, moved into 'Awarta village, south of Nablus. They headed to al-'Eizairat area, which they claimed to be sacred, where they performed prayers until the following day morning. When the settlers and IOF left the village, Palestinian civilians found that the cemetery of the village was desecrated and that 3 grave stones were destroyed. They also found hostile phrases in Arabic and Russian.  

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (14 – 20 January 2010)

The full report is available PDF format.