In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 22 -29 Nov. 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that during the past week, Israeli Forces killed a Palestinian civilian in the Gaza Strip, while 5 others, including 2 civilians; one of whom is a woman, died of wounds they had sustained in the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Civil Defense crews found the corpses of 2 civilians, including a child, in the rubble of their house that was destroyed by Israeli forces last week. The Israeli Forces also wounded 42 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, in the Gaza Strip this week. In the West Bank, 2 Palestinians civilians were wounded in peaceful protests against the annexation wall and settlement activities.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
The Israeli Forces conducted 81 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 99 Palestinians, including 9 children. Of those who were abducted by the Israeli Forces, there are 6 members of the Palestinians Legislative Council (PLC) and a number of political leaders of the Islamic Jihad.
The Israeli Forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.
At least 6 Palestinians were abducted, including 2 children, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 23 November 2012, the Israeli Forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 18 others, including 3 children. The incident occurred when the Israeli soldiers at the border fence to the east of Khan Yunis opened fire at dozens of Palestinians who raised flags and attempted to cross the border fence. It is worth noting that the Palestinians headed to the border area in light of the cease-fire agreement that was put into effect at approximately 21:00 on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 and was reached by Israel and the Palestinian resistance groups under the auspices of Egypt.
During the reporting period, 5 Palestinians died of wounds they had sustained in the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. On 23 November 2012, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City pronounced 2 Palestinians dead, both members of Palestinian resistance groups.
On 26 November 2012, medical sources declared that Ahmed Ali al-Mashharawi, 18, died of wounds he had sustained during the latest Israeli offensive on Gaza. Al-Mashharawi, who is a civilian, was wounded on 14 November 2012, when an Israeli warplane launched a missile on a house belonging to Ali Nemer Abdul Rahman al-Mashharawi, 54, in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. As a result, the house was completely destroyed, Omar al-Mashharawi, 11 months, and Heba al-Mashharawi (al-Turk), 19, were killed, and 2 other children, including Ahmed, were wounded.
On the same day, medical sources declared that Sabah Mohammed Harb al-Skafi, 41, from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in Gaza City, died of wounds she had sustained when Israeli warplane bombarded a house belonging to the al-Haddad family in al-Sha’af area. Al-Skafi was passing by the house when the attack happened, so she sustained serious injury. She was transferred to an Egyptian hospital for medical treatment, but she passed away.
On 28 November 2012, medical sources in an Egyptian Hospital declared that Mahmoud Sami Sha’th, 21, from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, died of wounds he had sustained on 18 November 2012. Sha’th, a member of an armed group, was wounded when an Israeli warplane targeted him in a car with another member of the group and the taxi driver, who were both killed.
On 22 November 2012, the Civil Defense in Gaza City found the corpse of Mohammed al-Dalu, 29, and his sister Yara, 17, in the rubbles of their family’s house that was destroyed by Israeli warplanes. It should be noted that the said house was bombarded by the Israeli warplanes on 18 November 2012. As a result, 8 members of the family were killed, including 4 children and 4 women. All of them, including a mother and her 4 children, were found in the rubbles of the house. As a result of the attack, many surrounding houses were damaged and 2 members of al-Mzannar family were killed. Thus, the number of the al-Dalu family members who were killed in the attack increased to 10, including 5 children.
On 22 November 2012, 6 Palestinians were wounded when the Israeli Forces at the border fence, east of al-Faraheen area in the southern Gaza Strip opened fire at dozens of Palestinians who headed to the fence. On the same day, another 2 Palestinians were wounded when the Israeli Forces opened fire at dozens of Palestinians who headed to the border area in the east of al-Shouka village, east of Rafah. Their wounds were described as moderate.
On 25 November 2012, a Palestinian child was wounded when the Israeli Forces at the border fence, east of Khan Yunis , opened fire at a group of children who approached the fence in the east of Abassan, east of Khan Yunis.
On 26 November 2012, the Israeli Forces positioned at the border fence in the east of Khan Yunis fired at a group of children, who approached the border fence in the east of Abassan village. As a result, a child sustained minor injury. In addition, on the same day, another 2 Palestinians were wounded when the Israeli Forces positioned at the border fence in the east of Jabalya, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of civilians and famers, who were present near the border fence to challenge the Israeli decision to impose a buffer zone along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
On the same day, Israeli Forces positioned at the border fence north of Um al-Nasser village (the Bedouin village) in the northern Gaza Strip abducted 3 Palestinian civilians from Ezbet Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. The 3 Palestinians approached the border fence and attempted to cut parts of it. Their relatives said that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed to them that their sons were abducted by the Israeli Forces.
On 27 November 2012, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when the Israeli Forces stationed at the border fence in the east of Abu Safiya gate, east of Jabalya, fired bullets and tear gas canisters at a number of civilians and farmers near the border fence. On the same day, another Palestinian civilian was wounded when the Israeli Forces positioned at the border fence to the east of al-Shouka village, east of Rafah, opened fire at dozens of Palestinians near the border area.
On 28 November 2012, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when the Israeli Forces stationed at the border fence to the east of al-Shouka village, east of Rafah, opened fire at dozens of Palestinians in the area. On the same day, another Palestinian civilian was wounded when the Israeli Forces at the border fence in the east of Beit Hanoun opened fire at a group of Palestinian civilians and farmers near the area. Also on the same day, 8 civilians, including 3 children, were wounded when the Israeli Forces fired at dozens of Palestinians who headed to the border fence in the east of al-Bureij and al-Maghazi refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip.
In other shooting incidents, the Israeli Forces stationed along the border fence in the east of Beit Hanoun and Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian civilians and farmers, who headed to the border area to challenge the Israeli decision to impose a 300-meter buffer zone along the borders. It should be noted that hundreds of Palestinian farmers were denied access to their lands in the mentioned area. These farmers decided to go to the border area in light of the announcement of the cease-fire agreement between Israeli and the Palestinian resistance groups.
In the context of targeting fishermen in the Gaza Strip, on 28 November 2012, the Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha resort in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats for about 10 minutes. As a result, fishermen were terrified and fled for fear of being abducted or wounded. Neither casualties nor damage were reported.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
In the West Bank, the Israeli Forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders. As a result, 2 Palestinians were wounded. In addition, dozens of Palestinians suffered from tear gas inhalation and sustained bruises. The Israeli Forces abducted Shamekh Jaghoub, 30, a cameraman of Palestine TV. They confiscated the memory card of the camera and beat him before releasing him later.
Following the Friday Prayer on 23 November 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. The demonstrators gathered in the streets of the village, chanting slogans calling for national unity. The protesters aimed to stress the need to adhere to national principles and the right of return, to resist the occupation and to call for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and made their way towards the wall. They called through megaphones for Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, an 18 year-old sustained a bullet wound in the left leg, and a 22 year-old sustained a bullet wound in the right leg, and a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. Israeli forces abducted journalist Shamekh Jareh Saleh Jagoub 30, a cameraman of Palestine Television. They confiscated the memory card of his camera and investigated with him about the persons he photographed, and beat him before releasing him at approximately 15:00 the same day.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 23 November 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators moved towards areas of the annexation wall. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.
Around the same time on Friday, 23 November 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the Martyrs Square in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The protesters walked towards the gate erected by Israeli forces near the entrance of the village, which leads to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby ‘Halmish’ settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also abducted two Israeli activists and transported them to an unknown destination.
Also following the Friday Prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall. As the protestors moved towards the gate of the village, the Israeli forces closed it to prevent the demonstration from gaining access to the confiscated lands. Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. They also violently beat Hassan Braijiya, coordinator for the Popular Movement against the Wall and Settlement Activities, and threatened him of arrest while videotaping the demonstration.
At approximately 12:30 on the same Friday, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights activists organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest to the continued closure of the eastern entrance of the village, which has been ongoing since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. An Israeli soldier shot a sound bomb at a civilian Subaru 1988 car, owned by Walid Kamel Barham, which caused the rear window to shatter.
Israeli settlement activities:
The Israeli Forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. 1,000 olive seedlings were cut off in Hebron. More than 300 olive trees were cut in the east of Yatta, south of Hebron.
On 28 November 2012, the Israeli Forces supported by 2 military bulldozers moved into Abu ‘Asida area in the west of Beit Oula village, west of Hebron. The Israeli soldiers denied the Palestinian civilians access to the area. Besides, the Israeli bulldozers started demolishing agricultural lands belonging to Suleiman Rabee’, 40. They also cut off about 1,000 olive seedlings belonging to the family of al-Atrash. The Israeli bulldozers then leveled a 20-dunum area of reclaimed land belonging to Mohammed Abdul Fattah Jaber al-Saraheen, 50, from the same village.
On the same day, the Israeli Forces accompanied by military vehicles and a bulldozer moved into Kherbet Um Neer in Sousia area, south of Hebron. The bulldozer started demolishing a tent resided by Isa Mohammed Ahmed al-Jbour, 41, and his family, under the pretext that the area is a military training area.
On 24 November 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Adora’ settlement, west of Hebron, threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles while driving on bypass road #(35) linking the western villages with Hebron. No casualties were reported though.
On the same day, dozens of settlers from ‘Carmiel’ settlement, south of Hebron, cut down more than 300 olive trees that were planted less than 3 years ago. These trees belong to the Awawda family.
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the international community pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
In addition, the 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 process or agreement must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
