PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (02 – 08 May 2019)

Israeli forces continued with systematic crimes, in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), for the week of 02 – 08 May, 2019.

Israeli forces violate the Gaza Strip again: Twenty-three Palestinian civilians; 14 of them were civilians, including 3 children and 3 women, one of them pregnant, were killed. 111 Palestinian civilians, including 27 children and 12 women, were injured. Airstrikes targeted 22 residential houses and buildings, a mosque, 3 workshops, cars, motorbikes and resorts. Israeli forces continue to use extra-judicial execution policy and target media and cultural institutions and relief centers. Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against the peaceful protestors in the Gaza Strip. 99 Palestinian civilians, including 42 children, 5 women, a journalist, and 3 paramedics, were wounded. Two of them sustained serious wounds. Eight Palestinian civilians, including a child and a journalist, were wounded in the West Bank.

Shooting:

• Israeli forces escalated their attacks against the Gaza Strip and continued to carry out intense airstrikes and shelling at border control points and sites belonging to Palestinian armed groups. The Israeli forces also targeted residential buildings in central Gaza neighborhoods in a serious escalation. These attacks resulted in the killing of many civilians. In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces continued to use lethal force against the participants in the peaceful protests organized along the Gaza Strip borders, which witnessed the peaceful protests for the 57^th week along the eastern and northern border area of the Gaza Strip. They also continued to use force as well during the incursions into the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed 23 Palestinian; 14 of them were civilians, including 3 children and 3 women; one of them was pregnant. Some of those from the same family were killed inside their houses. Moreover, 111 Palestinian civilians, including 27 children and 12 women, were wounded. Furthermore, Israeli forces killed 2 members of Palestinian armed groups and wounded 99 civilians, including 42 children, 5 women, a journalist, and 3 paramedics. Two of them sustained serious wounds while participating in the Return March. In addition, a civilian was wounded while collecting metal scarp  and another one was wounded while sneaking into Israel in northern Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, Israeli forces wounded 8 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a journalist, in different shooting incidents.
• In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces intensified their aggression against the Gaza Strip at a high rate for 2 consecutive days during which the Israeli forces carried out intensive bombardment through their warplanes and artillery shells in land and sea, targeting more multi-story buildings and houses in a clear violation against Palestinian civilians. As a result, hundreds of families became homeless and 2 million Palestinians suffered fear and terror. Moreover, the Israeli forces continued using the extrajudicial executions policy, which has been going on in the last years. According to PCHR’s fieldworkers” documentation, Israeli forces killed 23 Palestinian; 14 of them were civilians, including 3 children and 3 women; one of them was pregnant. Some of those from the same family were killed inside their houses. The Israeli bombardment, which continued for 2 days in raw, resulted in the injury of 111 Palestinian civilians, including 27 children and 12 women. The airstrikes targeted 22 residential houses and buildings, a mosque; 3 workshops. The Israeli warplanes further  targeted  dozens of empty lands, cars, motorbikes, resorts, public and private property, training sites, border control points belonging to Palestinian armed groups, in addition to artillery shelling targeting various areas of the eastern Gaza Strip.

• In excessive use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators along the Gaza Strip borders, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians; one of them was with disability, and wounded 99 others, including 42 children, 5 women, a journalist, and 3 paramedics. Two of them sustained serious wounds.

Injuries in the Gaza Strip from 02 to 08 May 2019 According to the Governorate

• As part of targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the sea, the Israeli forces continued to escalate their attacks against the Palestinian fishermen, indicating the on-going Israeli policy to target their livelihoods. During the reporting period, Israeli forces completely closed the sea.

• As part of targeting the border areas, on 03 May 2019, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, northeast of Jabalia, arrested Harb ‘Asaliyah (25) from Jabalia, while attempting to sneak into Israel. Harb was hit with a live bullet to the lower limbs.
• On 07 May 2019, Israeli forces opened fire at  Palestinian civilians, who were collecting metal scrap from al-Rabesh area, east of Beit Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip. As a result, one of them was hit with a live bullet to the left thigh.

• In the West Bank, Israeli forces wounded 8 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a journalist, in different shooting incidents.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 62 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 2 other incursions into Jerusalem and its suburbs. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 39 Palestinians, including 4 children and 2 journalists, from the West Bank, while 9 other civilians, including a child, were arrested from Jerusalem and its suburbs.

Israeli Forces continued their settlement activities, and the settlers continued their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property

• As part of the Israeli house demolitions and notices, on 02 May 2019, Israeli forces moved into Kherbit Um al-Khair, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. Tehy demolished a barn used for breeding around 200 sheep and built with sheds and barbed wires. The barn, which was later confiscated, belongs to Suliman Yamen ‘Eid al-Hathaleen (80). The confiscation came without a prior warning. It should be noted that the Israeli soldiers detained Suliam and attacked him while confiscating the barn.

• As part of settlers’ attacks on Palestinian civilians’ property, on 03 May 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Ytizhar” settlement attacked the western neighborhood of Hawarah village, south of Nablus. The Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians’ vehicles parked in front of their owners’ houses and on streets. They also wrote racist slogans against Arabs and Muslims on the houses walls, vehicles and tombstones; and punctured the tires of 8 vehicles before leaving the area.

• Around the same day, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Ma’ale Shamron“ settlement attacked with sticks and stones the two siblings Islam (28) and ‘Abed al-Ghaffar ‘Abdullah Redwan (24), from ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqiliyia, while weeding Wadi al-Sha’ir land, east of the village.

• Around the same day, dozens of Israeli settlers carried out riots in “Yatizhar” settlement square on Nablus-Ramallah Street, the southern entrance to Nablus. The settlers threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ vehicles while passing through the square, damaging 2 windows at least.

• On 05 May 2019, the guard of “Ariel” industrial settlement attacked the two siblings Mujahed and Tamer Yehia Hussain Shamlawi, from Hares village, northwest of Salfit. The settlement guard pepper-sprayed at Mujahed while the Israeli police arrested Tamer (20).

Israeli Offensive on the Gaza Strip:

Israeli forces escalated their attacks against the Gaza Strip and continued to carry out intense airstrikes and shelling at border control points and sites belonging to Palestinian armed groups. The Israeli forces also targeted residential buildings in central Gaza neighborhoods. These attacks resulted in the killing of 23 Palestinians; 14 of them were civilians, including 3 children one of them was a baby girl, and 3 women; one of them was pregnant. Some of those from the same family were killed inside their houses. Moreover, 111 Palestinian civilians, including 27 children and 12 women, were wounded. According to PCHR’s fieldworkers’ documentation, the Israeli airstrikes began at approximately 09:45 on Saturday, 04 May 2019, in an airstrike on Al-Qarman Street in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, under the pretext of responding to a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip and fell on an open area in the Israeli ”Shaar HaNegev” compound adjacent to the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli forces’ Statement. Following are the most prominent crimes committed during the  Israeli offensive, which caused casualties and property damage.

Use of Force against Demonstrations in Protest against the U.S. President’s Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel:

Israeli forces continued its excessive use of lethal force against peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and it was named as “The Great March of Return and Breaking Siege.” The demonstration was in protest against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration to move the U.S. Embassy to it. According to PCHR fieldworkers’ observations, the border area witnessed large participation by Palestinian civilians as the Israeli forces continued to use upon highest military and political echelons excessive force against the peaceful demonstrators, though the demonstration were fully peaceful. The demonstration was as follows during the reporting period:

Gaza Strip:

• Northern Gaza Strip: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators resulted in the injury of 30 Palestinian civilians, including 20 children and 2 paramedics. Ten of them were hit with live bullets and shrapnel, 5 with rubber bullets and 15 were directly hit with tear gas canisters. The wounded paramedics were identified as Mohammed Sobhi Salamah al-Jadili (35), an ambulance officer at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), was hit with a rubber bullet to the nose, causing its fracture, and Sarah Younis Salem ‘Asaliyah (24), a volunteer paramedic at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, was hit with a rubber bullet to the left leg.

• Gaza City: the Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators resulted in the injury of 29 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, a woman and a paramedic. Twelve of them were hit with live bullets and shrapnel, 12 were hit with rubber bullets and 5 were directly hit with tear gas canister. The wounded paramedic was identified as Mohammed Jamal ‘Essa al-Azbat, who is a volunteer paramedic, was hit with a tear gas canister.

• Central Gaza Strip: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators, which continued until 19:00, resulted in the injury of 21 Palestinian civilians, including 8 children, 2 women, one of them is a journalist. Ten of them were hit with live bullets and their shrapnel and 11 of them were directly hit with tear gas canisters. Doctors classified the injury of Ramzi Rawhi Hasan ‘Abdou (30), from al-Nuseirat, who suffers from speech disorder,. He was taken to al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah and then was transferred to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, due to his serious health condition. At approximately 00:00, medical sources announced his death. The wounded journalist was identified as Safenaz Baker Mahmoud al-Louh (30), from Gaza City, who works at Amad News Agency, was hit with a rubber bullet to the head.

• Khan Younis: The Israeli shooting at the demonstrators, which continued from 16:00 until 19:00, resulted in killing of Ra’ed Khalil Mahmoud Abu Tair (19), from ‘Abasan al-Kabirah, east of Kahn Younis, after being hit with a live bullet to the abdomen at approximately 18:40, during his participation in demonstrations, east of Kahn Younis. Doctors announced is death at approximately 20:30. It should be noted that Ra’ed was hit with a live bullet to the lower limbs during his participation in the March of Return last Friday. Moreover, 13 civilians, including 5 children, were hit with live bullets and tear gas canisters.

• Rafah: The Israeli shooting at the demonstrators, which continued from 16:00 until 18:30, resulted in the injury of 6 civilians, including 2 children. Two of them were hit with live bullets, 4 were directly hit with tear gas canisters and one of them was seriously injured. Moreover, an ambulance belonging to Medical Services was directly hit with a tear gas canister.

West Bank:

• At approximately 10:00 on Friday, 03 May 2019, dozens of Palestinian civilians, Israeli activists and human rights defenders organized a volunteer day to fix the soil road that connects between the west and southeast of Yatta, south of Hebron. The Israeli forces arrived at the area and handed the participants a decision to evacuate the area, claiming that it is a military closed zone. The participants refused to leave the area and continued their work, so the soldiers attacked them and pushed them into the ground. The soldiers arrested 15 foreign activists and 3 civilians from the city and they are namely: Nasser Suleiman al-‘Adrah (40), Tareq Suleiman al-Hathalin (28) and Mohammed Hafeth Hareni (18). The soldiers also arrested Abdul Hafith al-Hashlamoun (45), a photojournalist at Associated Press (AP) Agency and freelance journalist Ahmed al-Bath, from Nablus. The arrestees were taken to the Israeli police center in “Kiryat Arba” settlement, east of Hebron. The police released them after informing them of the decision to deport them of the area for 15 days.
• Following the Friday prayer on 03 May 2019, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered at the entrance to Beit Sera village, west of Ramallah near Israeli watchtower, which is established in the area, to peacefully protest, calling for returning the dead bodies of Amir Daraj and Yusuf ‘Anqawi, who were executed by Israeli soldiers in Kufor Ne’mah village on 04 March 2019. The Israeli forces kept their dead bodies under custody. As soon as the protests arrived at the area, the Israeli soldiers fired live  and rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, journalist Sari Jaradat (29), who works as a reporter at Quds News Agency, was hit with a rubber bullet to the foot. he was transferred via a PRCS ambulance to Palestine Complex in Ramallah to receive medical treatment.

• At approximately 13:30, on the abovementioned Friday, a group of Palestinians organized a peaceful demonstration from the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, into the eastern entrance to the village, which has been closed for15 years in favor of “Kedumim” The protestors there stones at Israeli soldiers stationed behind sand barriers. The soldiers immediately fired rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 7 civilians, including a child, were hit with rubber bullets.

(PCHR keeps the names of the injured civilians.)

Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property

Israeli forces’ attacks:

• At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 02 May 2019, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and accompanied with a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration and a digger moved into Kherbit Um al-Khair, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The Israeli soldiers deployed between civilians’ houses while the Israeli Civil Administration staff demolished a barn used for breeding around 200 sheep and built with sheds and barbed wires. The barn, which was later confiscated, belongs to Suliman Yamen ‘Eid al-Hathaleen (80). The confiscation came without a prior warning. It should be noted that the Israeli soldiers detained Suliam and attacked him while confiscating the barn.

• On Sunday, 05 May 2019, the Israeli authorities notified to stop construction works in two under-construction houses, in addtion to demolishing a barrack used for breeding livestock in al-Walajah village, northwest of Bethlehem. The Israeli authorities also fined the houses and barn’s owners under the pretext of non-licensing.  The activist Ibrahim ‘Awadallah said that the Israeli forces moved into ‘Ain Jowizah area north of al-Walajah village and handed three notices to two under-construction houses belonging to Ahmed Nidal Barghouth and Ahmed Ma’rouf al-Atrash, in addition to a house yard belongs to Yehia Zakaria Abu ‘Ali. ‘Awadallah added that the Israeli forces accompanied with the Israeli Municipality staff moved into Khellet al-Samak area, where they handed ‘Emad al-Dares a notice to demolish his barrack used for breeding livestock, under the pretext of non-licensing. The Israeli Municipality staff also took photos of nearby agricultural lands.

Israeli settlers’ attacks:

• At approximately 02:30 on Friday, 03 May 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Ytizhar” settlement attacked the western neighborhood of Hawarah village, south of Nablus. The Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians’ vehicles parked in front of their owners’ houses and on streets. They also wrote racist slogans against Arabs and Muslims on the houses walls, vehicles and tombstones; and punctured the tires of 8 vehicles before leaving the area. The affected persons were as follows:

1- Rana ‘Adnan Abu Haniyia, puncture her vehicle’s tiers and wrote David Star on her rear left door.

2- ‘Izz al-Deen Ghassan Damidi, puncture his vehicle’s tiers and wrote David Star on his vehicle.

3- ‘Abdullah Mahmoud Salem ‘Odah, puncture his vehicles’ tiers and wrote slogans on the walls of Kantri-Hawarah Park, which belongs to him.

• On Friday, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Ma’ale Shamron“ settlement attacked with sticks and stones the two siblings Islam (28) and ‘Abed al-Ghaffar ‘Abdullah Redwan (24), from ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqiliyia, while weeding Wadi al-Sha’ir land, east of the village. Abed al-Ghaffar ‘Abdullah Redwan said to PCHR’s fieldworker that: “At approximately 17:30 on Friday, 03 May 2019, my brother Islam and I were weeding an agricultural land. Suddenly, around 5 Israeli settlers attacked us with stones and sticks. They then cursed and pursued us. The settlers also shouted at us, so we immediately fled. The settlers could not catch us. After that, an Israeli vehicle arrived and then the Israeli soldiers pursued us. They caught me and detained me in an investigation center until 20:00. I told them that I usually take care of my land and you can refer to the cameras and watch what happened. My brother and I were working in the land without doing anything and the Israeli settlers firstly attacked us.”

• At approximately 18:30 on the same day, dozens of Israeli settlers carried out riots in “ Yatizhar” settlement square on Nablus-Ramallah Street, the southern entrance to Nablus. The settlers threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ vehicles while passing through the square. Among those vehicles were:

1- A vehicle belongs to Sa’ied ‘Abed al-Latif Saied Damdi, from Hawarah village, south of Nablus. His rear window was broken, in addition to smashing the right rear door window.

2- A vehicle belongs to Osama Subhi Buni Minyiah, from ‘Aqraba village, southeast of Nablus. His vehicle’s doors were damaged, in addition to smashing the vehicle’s rear window and the right rear door window.

• On Sunday, 05 May 2019, the guard of “Ariel” industrial settlement attacked the two siblings Mujahed and Tamer Yehia Hussain Shamlawi, from Hares village, northwest of Salfit. The settlement guard pepper-sprayed at Mujahed while the Israeli police arrested Tamer (20). Mujahed and Tamer’s brother Adham said to PCHR’s fieldworker that: “ At approximately 07:30 on Sunday, 05 May 2019, my brother Tamer headed via his car to deliver my father along with my older brother to their work in “Ariel” industrial settlement. When Tamer arrived at the settlement and stopped his car, the settlement guard came and fought with him about where the vehicle was parked. My brother Mujahed stepped out of the car to talk to the guard. The latter pepper-sprayed at Mujahed’s face, so he fell on the ground. Immediately, my brother Tamer get out of the car to help Mujahed. Meanwhile, an Israeli force attacked Tamer, handcuffed him and pushed him to the ground. When Tamer attempted to untie himself, the Israeli police immediately arrested him.”

• Recommendations to the International Community

PCHR warns of the escalating settlement construction in the West Bank, the attempts to legitimize settlement outposts established on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and the continued summary executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they pose a security threat to the Israeli forces. PCHR reminds the international community that thousands of Palestinian civilians have been rendered homeless and lived in caravans under tragic circumstances due to the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip that has been under a tight closure for almost 11 years. PCHR welcomes the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334, which states that settlements are a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions and calls upon Israel to stop them and not to recognize any demographic change in the oPt since 1967.  PCHR hopes this resolution will pave the way for eliminating the settlement crime and bring to justice those responsible for it. PCHR further reiterates that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation in spite of Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan of 2005.  PCHR emphasizes that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and international humanitarian law.  Israel is bound to apply international human rights law and the law of war, sometimes reciprocally and other times in parallel, in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for the victims.

1. PCHR calls upon the international community to respect the Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334 and to ensure that Israel respects it as well, in particular point 5 which obliges Israel not to deal with settlements as if they were part of Israel.
2. PCHR calls upon the ICC this year to open an investigation into Israeli crimes committed in the oPt, particularly the settlement crimes and the 2014 offensive on the Gaza Strip.
3. PCHR Calls upon the European Union (EU) and all international bodies to boycott settlements and ban working and investing in them in application of their obligations according to international human rights law and international humanitarian law considering settlements as a war crime.
4. PCHR calls upon the international community to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine.
5. PCHR calls upon the international community and United Nations to take all necessary measures to stop Israeli policies aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem and at voiding Palestine from its original inhabitants through deportations and house demolitions as a collective punishment, which violates international humanitarian law, amounting to a crime against humanity.
6. PCHR calls upon the international community to condemn summary executions carried out by Israeli forces against Palestinians and to pressurize Israel to stop them.
7. PCHR calls upon the States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC to work hard to hold Israeli war criminals accountable.
8. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligations under article (1) of the Convention to ensure respect for the Conventions under all circumstances, and under articles (146) and (147) to search for and prosecute those responsible for committing grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions to ensure justice and remedy for Palestinian victims, especially in light of the almost complete denial of justice for them before the Israeli judiciary.
9. PCHR calls upon the international community to speed up the reconstruction process necessary because of the destruction inflicted by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
10. PCHR calls for a prompt intervention to compel the Israeli authorities to lift the closure that obstructs the freedom of movement of goods and 1.8 million civilians that experience unprecedented economic, social, political and cultural hardships due to collective punishment policies and retaliatory action against civilians.
11. PCHR calls upon the European Union to apply human rights standards embedded in the EU-Israel Association Agreement and to respect its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights when dealing with Israel.
12. PCHR calls upon the international community, especially states that import Israeli weapons and military services, to meet their moral and legal responsibility not to allow Israel to use the offensive in Gaza to test new weapons and not accept training services based on the field experience in Gaza in order to avoid turning Palestinian civilians in Gaza into testing objects for Israeli weapons and military tactics.
13. PCHR calls upon the parties to international human rights instruments, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to pressurize Israel to comply with its provisions in the oPt and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the relevant committees.
14. PCHR calls upon the EU and international human rights bodies to pressurize the Israeli forces to stop their attacks against Palestinian fishermen and farmers, mainly in the border area.

Fully detailed document available at the official website of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR).

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