In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, for the week of 20 – 26 March, 2014, the Israeli military killed a child and an adult, both civilians, as well as a member of a Palestinian armed group, and wounded another 12 Palestinians in Jenin refugee camp.4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in the northern Gaza Strip. 11 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and a paramedic, were wounded in a protest organized against the annexation wall. 6 Palestinian civilians were wounded in other peaceful protests, and an Italian journalist was wounded in Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians and a member of a Palestinian armed group in Jenin refugee camp, in the north of the West Bank. They also wounded 30 Palestinians, including 4 children, a paramedic and a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces who was in plain clothes. They further wounded an Italian journalist.
In the West Bank, on 22 March, 2013, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians and a member of a Palestinian armed group, and wounded 11 civilians and a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Jenin refugee camp, in the north of the West Bank. Israeli forces claimed that they killed 3 Palestinians during an exchange of fire. PCHR’s investigations refute this claim and confirm that 2 civilians were killed and 11 others were wounded, when dozens of civilians attempted to recover the body of the Palestinian who had been already killed, but Israeli forces fired on them.
On 21 March, 2014, an Italian journalist was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet above the left eye, when she was reporting on clashes that erupted between Palestinian children and Israeli forces at the entrance of ‘Aaida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem.
On 23 March, 2014, a Palestinian civilian was hit by a tear gas canister to the chest during an incursion into al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 69 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces abducted at least 46 Palestinians, including 3 children.
A Palestinian boy was wounded during an Israeli incursion into al-Zababda village, southeast of Jenin.
46 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were abducted.
Israeli forces stormed the premises of the Palestinian Civil Defense in Salfit, and abducted 3 civil defense officers.
Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. At least 2 Palestinian civilians were abducted at checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 5 Palestinian civilians, including a child; 4 of them were wounded in access-restricted areas, and the 5th one was wounded when Israeli gunboats fired at Palestinian fishing boats.
In the Gaza Strip, on 21 March, 2014, 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded by Israeli forces in access-restricted areas along the border in the northern Gaza Strip.
On 26 March, 2013, a Palestinian fisherman was wounded when Israeli gunboats opened fire at fishing boats in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Additionally, 2 boats were burnt and a mosque and 3 houses were damaged.
Israeli navy forces continued targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea. A Palestinian fisherman was wounded, 2 fishing boats were burnt and a mosque and 3 houses were damaged at Rafah beach.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Israeli forces confiscated heavy machinery and prevented establishing a road in Jeeb and Bourin villages, in the north of the West Bank.
Israeli settlers attacked farmers and shepherds using sharp tools.
Israeli settlers uprooted and stole 980 olive seedlings in the center and north of the West Bank.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian civilians, along with international and Israeli human rights defenders, during a protest over the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 11 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and a paramedic were wounded. Additionally, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in other peaceful protests.
Following the Friday Prayer, 21 March, 2014, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities.
Demonstrators took the streets raising Palestinian flags and headed to the liberated territories near the annexation wall. Israeli forces had closed all the entrances of the village, since the morning, in order to prevent Palestinian and international activists and journalists from participating in the demonstration. Demonstrators marched adjacent to the cement wall and tried to cross the fence before Israeli forces that were stationed behind the wall, in the western area, and a large number of soldiers deployed along it, fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and skunk water at them and chased them into the olive fields.
As a result, a 16-year-old child sustained a bullet wound to the right foot. Moreover, a number of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli soldiers.
On the same day, dozens of Palestinian civilians organised a peaceful demonstration in the centre of Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. Demonstrators took the streets and headed to the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the gates of the wall with barbed wire and prevented the demonstrators from crossing to the land behind it, before they responded by throwing stones. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, southwest of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. Demonstrators made their way in the streets raising the Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against the occupation and in support of the Palestinian unity resistance, and then headed to the lands which the settlers are trying to rob by force near “Halamish” settlement. Israeli forces closed all the entrances of the village, since the morning, to prevent Palestinian and international activists and journalists from participating in the demonstration. When they arrived at the land, demonstrators were met by live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and skunk water and were chased into the village. As a result, a volunteer paramedic was wounded by 2 rubber-coated metal bullets to the back and the right leg, and a child was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh. Many civilians also suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Following the Friday prayer, Palestinian civilians and international activists organised a peaceful demonstration in the centre of Kufor Qaddoum village, northwest of Qalqilia, and headed towards the eastern entrance of the village, in protest at the continued closure of the entrance, with an iron gate, since the beginning of the Aqsa Intifada (2000). Clashes erupted between the demonstrators and Israeli forces who fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters to prevent them from reaching the aforementioned gate. As a result, 8 civilians, including a 12-year-old child who sustained a bullet wound to the right leg, were wounded. Moreover, a number of demonstrators sustained tear gas inhalation and bruises as they were beaten by Israeli soldiers.
On Friday, 21 March, 2014, dozens of children and young men gathered at the southern entrance of al-Jalazonerefugee camp, north of Ramallah. They were about 300 meters away from the fence of ‘Beit Eil’ settlement. Israeli forces stationed in the area fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters. As a result, a 57-year-old male was hit by a tear gas canister in the forehead and left eye, and a 17-year-old child sustained a bullet wound to the left leg. They were taken to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah, and the first civilian was transferred to Msalam Eye Hospital.
On the same day, dozens of Palestinian young men gathered at the western entrance of Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah on the road between Selwad village and Yabrod village, near Street (60), to throw stones at the aforementioned street. As a result, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them and chased them to the village. As a result, 3 civilians were wounded and taken to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah. The first one (29) sustained a bullet wound to left leg; the second one (34) sutained a bullet wound to the left knee; and the third one (25) sustained a bullet wound to the forehead.
Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian young men gathered near the area of the annexation wall established in the south of the lands of Beit Loqaya village, southwest of Ramallah, to throw stones at Israeli forces stationed behind the wall. As a result, Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them and chased them into the olive fields. As a result, a 19-year-old male was hit by a tear gas canister while a number of the demonstrators sustained gas inhalation and bruises. The wounded received medical treatment on the spot.
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 for the United Nations to confirm that holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the expense of human rights.
The PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the two issues to the UN Security Council, that they might impose sanctions on Israel in order to compel it to remove them.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
