PCHR Weekly Report: 6 killed, 22 wounded, 51 abducted by Israeli forces

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) Weekly Report, in the week of the 15th to 21st of November, 6 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, and two terminally ill Palestinians died after being denied exit from Gaza for treatment.  In addition, 22 Palestinians, including 7 children, and a Japanese human rights defender, were wounded by Israeli forces in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Na’el al-Kurdi, 21, who died of cancer after being denied exit from Gaza for treatment

Israeli forces attempted to extrajudicially execute two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, but the attempt failed.  And a siege has remained in place throughout the Palestinian territories, imposed by the Israeli forces who occupy the territory.

 

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

 

Israeli forces conducted 35 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank this week.  During those invasions, troops abducted 51 Palestinian civilians, including a girl, in the West Bank.

 

Israeli troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians, including a child.  Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.  In addition, troops destroyed a road in al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem, and ordered 6 Palestinian civilians in al-Khader village near Bethlehem to stop building their houses.  

 

Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 15 November 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at Hawara and Za’tara checkpoints, south of Nablus, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Such restrictions were escalated on Saturday, 17 November 2007. On Sunday morning, 18 November 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at Za’tara and Hawara checkpoints, south of Nablus, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

 

On 16 November 2007, 4 Palestinian civilians and a Japanese human rights defender were wounded when Israeli forces troops used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders against the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah.

 

On 18 November 2007, Israeli forces destroyed an 800-meter-long main road in al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem, because of its close proximity to the Wall currently being constructed on village land. The road links Khellat al-Samak area with the school of the village.

 

On 20 November 2007, 9 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, were wounded when Israeli forces troops that moved into al-Fara’a refugee camp, south of Tubas, opened fire at children who threw stones at Israeli military vehicles.

 

On 21 November 2007, Israeli forces handed demolition notices to 6 Palestinian civilians from the Salah clan in al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem, ordering stoppage of the construction of their houses, claiming that the construction was taking place without licenses and their sites overlap with the planned path of the Wall in the area.

 

Settler attacks and settlements:

Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.  Israeli settlers attacked a house in Brouqin village near Salfit, and a car near Nablus.

 

Israeli Annexation Wall:

 

Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians to protest the construction of the Wall in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah.

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 16 November 2007, scores of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the Wall. Israeli forces soldiers had placed barbwires in the area to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the Wall. The demonstrators attempted to move forward. Immediately, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, and violently beat them. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians and a Japanese human rights defender were wounded.

 

 

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

 

Six Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces this week in the Gaza Strip.  Israeli forces attempted to extra-judicially execute 2 Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip, but the attempt failed.

 

Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for nearly 17 months. The total siege imposed by Israeli forces 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.

 

During the reporting period, 2 Palestinian patients, including a child, died due to the denial of their access to medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip. Na’el al-Kurdi, 21, died on 17 November 2007 after  Israeli occupation forced denied him access to medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip.  This brings to 10 the number of Gaza patients who died since last August as a result of denying them their medical rights. The victims include 2 women and an infant. Israeli forces have also continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip.

 

At approximately 12:55 on Thursday, 15 November, Israeli troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, northeast of Beit Hanoun, fired a surface-to-surface missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance who were near the southern entrance of the town attempting to launch home-made rockets at Israeli towns. Two members of the resistance were killed and 4 others were wounded. The two victims were identified as Mohammed Sami al-Qeishawi, 22, from Jabalya; and ‘Aa’ed Ibrahim al-Bayari, 20, from Beit Hanoun. Medical sources refused to give names of the wounded. Nearly half an hour later, an Israeli forces aircraft fired a missile at a rocket launcher in the same area, destroying it.

 

At approximately 02:00 on Sunday, 18 November 2007, an Israeli warplane fired 2 missiles at a civilian car, in which a number of members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) were traveling, in al-Fukhari area in the southeast of Khan Yunis. The missiles went astray, and the passengers were able to flee from the car. Soon after, the Israeli warplane fired 2 additional missiles at the car, destroying it. No casualties were reported.

 

On Monday, 19 November, at approximately 23:55, Mohammed Zaki al-Najjar, 20, was on his way back home. He did not notice that Israeli troops were in the area. Israeli forces ordered him to stop. He stopped with his hands up, nearly 7 meters away from them. An Israeli soldier fired at the young men. He was wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen. He fell onto the ground. Israeli forces troops then opened fire at him. He was hit by several bullets and Israeli troops left him bleeding to death. Soon after, members of the Palestinian resistance exchanged fire with Israeli forces troops when they noticed their presence. During the exchange of fire, 2 members of the resistance were wounded.

 

While they were withdrawing from the area, Israeli troops opened fired at houses. As a result, Nidal Mohammed Suleiman al-Najjar, 37, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the head, when he was taking his children to a safer place inside his house. He bled for nearly half an hour before a Palestinian ambulance was able to reach the area and evacuate him to the hospital. At approximately 22:30 on Wednesday, 21 November 2007, medical sources declared that he died from his wound. 

 

Israeli forces have completely closed Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, which links the Gaza Strip with Israel and the West Bank.  Before this latest closure, Israeli forces had prevented Palestinian workers from reaching their work places inside Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.  Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip had been prevented from traveling through this crossing.  Israeli forces had allowed international workers to pass through the crossing.  With this closure, few Palestinian patients have been able to travel to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank.  Israeli forces have also continued to prevent members of the Palestinian Legislative Council representing Hamas from traveling to the West Bank and Jerusalem.

 

For the full report, click the link below.