PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (17 – 23 October 2019)

Summary

During the reporting period, PCHR documented 129 violations of the international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory.

As part of the Israeli violations of the right to life and bodily integrity: on 18 October 2019, Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian civilian at Jbarah military checkpoint, south of Tulkarm, after they fired a barrage of live bullets at him and denied him first aid. IOF claimed that the victim attempted to carry out a stab attack. PCHR’s investigations and eyewitnesses’ statements refuted the Israeli claim and affirmed that the victim did not have a sharp tool with him and that he was en route to deliver olives for his relatives in Israel.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF wounded 100 Palestinian civilians, including 46 children, 2 women and 3 volunteer paramedics on the 79^th Friday of the Great March of Return (GMR). Meanwhile in the West Bank, IOF wounded 10 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a photojournalist: 5 in clashes with IOF in Nablus; 3 near the annexation wall; and 2 in an IOF attack on their vehicle in al-Am’ari refugee camp.

For the past three weeks, shooting incidents escalated against Palestinian civilians attempting to sneak into Israel without permits through the annexation wall, north of the West Bank.

As part of the Israeli incursions and house raids, IOF carried out 63 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions include raids of civilian houses and shootings, enticing fear among civilians, arresting and/or injuring many others. During this week’s incursions, 56 Palestinians were arrested, including 3 children, a woman and a foreign activist.

In the Gaza Strip, 6 shootings were reported against Palestinian fishing boats at sea within the allowed limited area for fishing while 3 shootings were reported against the agricultural lands in eastern Gaza Strip.

Under the settlement expansion activities in the West Bank, PCHR documented 7 settler-attacks against farmers in the olive season in addition to incursions into al-Aqsa Mosque yards under IOF’ protection.

In terms of the Israeli closure policy, the Gaza Strip still suffers the worst closure in the History of the Israeli occupation of the oPt as it has entered the 14^th consecutive year, without any improvement to the movement of persons and goods and ongoing isolation of the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, the West Bank is divided into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the Second Intifada and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilians’ movement is restricted and others are arrested.

Moreover, on 21 October 2019, Israel closed Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing in both directions for Jewish Holidays.

Violation of the right to life and to bodily integrity

Excessive Use of Force against the Great March of Return in the Gaza Strip

IOF continued its excessive use of lethal force against GRM peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

On 18 October 2019, IOF wounded 100 civilians, including 46 children, 2 women and 3 volunteer paramedics in the 79^th Friday titled: “No to Normalization with Israel.” This week witnessed an increase in injuries, particularly children, comparing with last week’s. A young man sustained serious injuries and 36 others were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel in addition to other injuries in the upper body due to direct targeting with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters.

Civilians took part in GRM protests in the five encampments across the Gaza Strip. The protests lasted from 15:00 to 19:00 and involved activities such as speeches and theatrical performances. Hundreds of civilians protested at varied distances from the border fence across the Gaza Strip, where some protestors attempted to throw stones, Molotov Cocktails and firecrackers at IOF, who responded with excessive force.

The incidents were as follows:

Northern Gaza Strip: 24 civilians injured, including 16 children: 6 with live bullets and shrapnel, 13 with rubber bullets and 5 were hit with tear gas canisters.
Gaza City: 23 civilians, including 10 children and a volunteer paramedic were injured: 7 with live bullets and shrapnel; 11 with rubber bullets and 5 with teargas canisters. The wounded paramedic, Shukri Nafeth Esleem (23), was shot with a rubber bullet to the foot.
Central Gaza Strip: 22 civilians, including 9 children, 2 women and a paramedic were injured by IOF: 10 shot with live bullets, 8 hit with teargas canisters and 4 shot with a rubber bullet. The wounded volunteer paramedic ‘Amer Jamal Anwar Abu Jumeizah (30), from Deir al-Balah, was hit with a tear gas canister to the back and he received medical treatment in the field.
Khan Younis: 6 civilians, including 2 children and a paramedic, were wounded, and all of them were transferred to hospitals. Among those wounded, 2 civilians sustained shrapnel wounds, and 3 were shot with rubber bullets. In addition, many civilians sustained superficial rubber bullet wounds and others suffocated due to tear gas inhalation; they received treatment on the spot. The wounded paramedic, Asa’ad Mohammed Abu Ghalwah (30), from Khan Younis, sustained a shrapnel wound to the abdomen.
Rafah: 25 civilians were injured by IOF fire, including 11 children and a young man who sustained serious wounds: 11 were shot with live bullets and shrapnel, 13 were shot with rubber bullets, and one was directly hit with a tear gas canister. Iyad Ibrahim Hussein Zanoun (24), was shot with a live bullet to the back and was deemed in a critical condition.

Excessive use of force against peaceful protests in the West Bank:

At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 18 October 2019, Palestinians from Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, launched their weekly peaceful protest against the closure of their village’s eastern entrance by IOF for the past 15 years in favor of “Kedumim” settlement. The demonstrators chanted national slogans demanding an end to the occupation and protested IOF crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The protestors threw stones at the Israeli soldiers stationed behind sand berms; the latter fired live and rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at protestor. As a result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation. The soldiers also chased the protestors and arrested a 24-year-old Spanish activist.

Shooting and other violations of the right to life and bodily integrity

At approximately 19:20 on Friday, 18 October 2019, Israeli security guards (private companies) stationed at Jubarah military checkpoint, south of Tulkarm, opened fire at Ra’ad Majed Mohammed al-Bahri (25), from Kafer Zebad village, south of the city, claiming that he attempted to carry out a stab attack. As a result, al-Bahri sustained severe wounds and was left to bleed to death by IOF, who banned ambulance crews from reaching al-Bahri and saving his life.

An eyewitness told PCHR’s fieldworker:

“At approximately 19:00 on Friday, 18 October 2019, my family and I were en route from our house in Tulkarm, in the West Bank, to our house in al-Taiba in Israel through Jbara checkpoint. Traffic was normal and few vehicles were driving in front of me when an Israeli security guard heavily opened fire at a young Palestinian man who was on the ground. I heard other drivers, who were closer to the scene, shouting at the security guard – saying that the victim did nothing, and asking why he killed him. The drivers added that perhaps the young man reached into his pocket to get his permit, as he was about 30 meters when the guard fired about 7 live bullets at him. The soldiers ordered the drivers to move away, but none of them responded. After a while, the Palestinian and Israeli ambulances arrived at the area, but the soldiers banned both ambulances to rescue al-Bahri, claiming that he attempted to carry out a stab attack. We stayed in the area for an hour and a half until al-Bahri’s death was pronounced without allowing anyone to resuscitate him.”

Al-Bahri’s brother, Abdul Rahman al-Bahri (30) said:

“We do not know how all this happened. My brother worked with us in olives harvest all day and then we returned home, took a bath and dined. Ra’ad went out to deliver some olives to our cousin who lives in Israel at Jabara checkpoint as is usually done in our area. She told me that Ra’ad threw his personal belongings to her when he delivered her the olives; she called after him several times, but he did not listen to her and walked away towards the checkpoint. At approximately 20:00, we learnt of the incident and that my brother was killed. We did not notice anything strange in my brother’s attitude and did not know if he intended to do such a thing. We agreed that he would deliver olives to our cousin and then return home because we still have more work. He said that when he return, we will continue our work, but he never came back.”

At approximately 04:00 on Thursday, 17 October 2019, dozens of buses carrying settlers under the protection of IOF entered “Joseph’s Tomb” in the eastern side of Nablus to pray. Meanwhile, a number of civilians gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers and settlers. The soldiers responded with live bullets and tear gas canisters at them. Severe confrontations erupted between the soldiers and the civilians and continued until the early morning. As a result, 5 civilians were shot: 3 with live bullets; a child and a photojournalist were shot with rubber bullets. In addition, many others sustained tear gas inhalation. The wounded civilians were identified as:

Mohammed Walid Ibrahim ‘Amoudi (24), from Nablus, was shot with a live bullet to the left leg;
Iyad Husein Khalil Abu Ja’isah (18), from Nablus, was shot with a live bullet to the left leg;
Abdullah Sharif Mustafa Abdul Razeq (24), from Tubas, was shot with a live bullet in the right foot;
Khalil Ayman Mohammed Hashash (16), from Balata refugee camp, was shot with a rubber bullet to the right foot; and
Samer Mustafa Habash (35), a photojournalist from Nablus, was shot with a rubber bullet in the abdomen and he received medical treatment on the spot.

At approximately 05:00 on Thursday as well, an Israeli military vehicle suddenly collided with a Palestinian civilian vehicle driven by 2 civilians at a bystreet near “Haboub” square, after it withdrew from al-Am’ari refugee camp, south of Ramallah. The soldiers directly opened fire at the vehicle, injuring both civilians, from Jerusalem, and totally smashing the vehicle’s glass. A Palestinian ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) that was in the area attempted to transfer the wounded civilians, but the soldiers banned them from reaching them, fired a sound bomb at them and then arrested the 2 civilians. PCHR’s investigations indicated that the 2 civilians were later transferred to a hospital in Israel.
At approximately 06:00 on the same day, IOF stationed at the annexation wall in the West Bank opened fire at Omer Jamal Obeid (23), from ‘Araba village, southwest of Jenin. As a result, Obeid was shot with a live bullet in the left leg while attempting to sneak into Israel through the gate of Thuhor al-‘Abed village, west of Ya’bud village, southwest of Jenin. Obeid was transferred to Khalil Suleiman Governmental Hospital to receive medical treatment.
At approximately 08:30 on the same day, IOF assigned to guard the annexation wall opened fire at Mohammed Ahmed Nawasrah (25), from Fahmah village, southwest of Jenin. As a result, Nawasrah was shot with 2 live bullets in the foot while attempting to sneak into Israel through the gate of Thuhor al-‘Abed village, west of Ya’bud village, southwest of Jenin. Nawasrah was transferred to Khalil Suleiman Governmental Hospital to receive medical treatment.
At approximately 13:00 on the same day, a number of Palestinian civilians gathered in al-Sahel agricultural area and in Tarmas’iyah village, east of Ramallah, and threw stones at Israeli settlers and soldiers, who were protecting the settlers. The soldiers chased the protestors between fields and fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them in an arbitrary manner. As a result, a number of protestors sustained tear gas inhalation. The soldiers also banned press crews from accessing the area and attacked photojournalist Mo’atasem Saqef al-Hait (28) physically and verbally. Furthermore, a military vehicle deliberately collided with the backside of an ambulance for the medical center in the village, denting it.
At approximately 08:10 on Thursday morning, Israeli gunboats stationed in western Jabalia shore in northern Gaza Strip, sporadically opened fire and chased Palestinian-fishing boats sailing within 3 – 5 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
At approximately 08:00 on Friday, 18 October 2019, IOF stationed in eastern Khan Younis border area, opened fire for few minutes; at agricultural lands in eastern Khan Younis; no casualties were reported.
At approximately 02:30 on Saturday, 19 October 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in eastern Jabalia shore, and northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 – 5 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
At approximately 06:10, Israeli gunboats stationed in Western Jabalia shore and northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 – 5 nautical miles. The shooting recurred at approximately 06:40 on the same day. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
At approximately 07:00 on the same day, IOF stationed along the border fence northeast of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of Palestinian civilians. As a result, Mohammed Ayman Mesbah Yusuf (18), from Jabalia, sustained minor wounds after being shot with a live bullet to the left leg. He was transferred to the Indonesian Hospital in Jabalia for treatment.
At approximately 07:30, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, chased and heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
At approximately 06:25 on Sunday, 20 October 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. The shooting continued from time to time until 07:00 on the same day. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.
At approximately 13:30 on Monday, 21 October 2019, IOF stationed at annexation wall, adjacent to al-Naqqar neighborhood, west of Qalqiliyah, fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at a group of Palestinian children claiming that they threw stones at them. As a result, Abdul Rahman Majed Hasan (16) was shot with a live bullet to the left foot.
At approximately 06:00 on Tuesday, 22 October 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in western Jabalia shore in northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire and chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. The shooting recurred at approximately 09:00 on the same day. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives; no casualties were reported.

At approximately 08:30 on Tuesday, 22 October 2019, IOF stationed along the border fence, east of Khan Younis opened fire for few minutes at agricultural lands in eastern Khuza’ah village; no casualties were reported.

Settlement Expansion and settler violence in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem

Israeli Settler Violence

On Thursday, 17 October 2019, the Security Coordinator of “Efrat” settlement with dozens of armed settlers moved into al-Khader village, south of the city. They prevented Palestinian farmers from harvesting olive trees and ordered them to leave and not to come back until the Jewish Holidays end on Tuesday, 22 October 2019. Nader Subeih, a farmer who owns around 50 dunums near the gate to “Efrat” settlement, said that the settlement’s security coordinator known as Dida informed Palestinian farmers not to harvest the olive trees until the Jewish Holidays end. Subeih clarified that the coordinator dictated terms and enforced them at gunpoint; Palestinian farmers are forcibly denied staying at their lands after 16:00, effectively forcing them to start their work by 05:30. Subieh added that he is denied harvesting olive trees because he is only 43 years old, and IOF permits access to civilians above 50 only. Subieh added that the Israeli settlers break into the Palestinian farmers’ lands from time to time and search their belongings, provocatively obstructing their work.
At approximately 11:40 on Friday, 18 October 2019, at least 17 Israeli settlers, from “Beit El” settlement attacked Palestinian farmers with stones and sticks while harvesting olive trees in al-Sha’b area, under the Israeli forces’ protection. As a result, 3 farmers sustained bruises. The farmers were expelled from their lands at gunpoint amidst Israeli forces’ firing sound bombs. The Israeli settlers seized the entire harvest.

At approximately 13:30 on Saturday, 19 October 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Ronim” settlement, threw stones at Palestinian farmers while harvesting olive trees in Karem ‘Eid area, southeast of Nablus. As a result, 2 farmers were hit with stones. The Israeli forces later intervened to secure the settlers and expel the farmers from their lands. The Israeli settlers seized the crops and other tools. The wounded farmers were identified as Presley Dakheel ‘Abed al-‘Aziz ‘Eid (44), who was hit with a stone in his right hand; and his brother Bashar (47), who was hit with a stone in his right shoulder.
At approximately 14:00 on Saturday, 19 October 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Ala” settlement, threw stones at Palestinian farmers while harvesting olive trees in Batisha area and beat them, under the Israeli forces’ protection. The farmers were beaten up and expelled from their lands.
At approximately 07:00 on Sunday, 20 October 2019, at least 40 Israeli settlers raided al-Aqsa Mosque yards in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City on the 7th day of Sukkot Jewish Holiday. Furthermore, Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian young man near al-Rahma Mosque and summoned 6 others for interrogation. The Islamic Endowments (Awqaf) Department in Jerusalem stated that settlers raided the mosque in the early morning via al-Maghareba Gate and performed prayers. The Department pointed out that the Israeli police imposed tightened restrictions on Palestinians while entering the mosque, checked their IDs and detained some of them at the mosque’s gates. During the raid, Israeli police arrested ‘Alaa Monther Najeeb (19) who was near al-Rahma Mosque and handed 6 other Palestinians summonses to refer to al-Qashlah Police Station in the Old City for interrogation. They were identified as Moneer ‘Abdullah al-Basti (24), Ibrahim Moahmed al-Natsha (23), Mohamed Yazan Shareef (21), Ghaith Naser Ghaith (27), Laith Naser Ghaith (24), and Foad Bassam al-Shawish (31). According to the Islamic Endowments Department, at least 2700 settlers raided al-Aqsa Mosque during the Sukkot Jewish Holiday.
At approximately 07:30 on Monday, 21 October 2019, hundreds of Israeli settlers raided al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City on the 8th day of Sukkot Jewish Holiday, and the Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians, including 2 women, near al-Selselah Gate after pushing and beating them.
The Islamic Endowments Department clarified that at least 122 settlers raided the al-Aqsa Mosque in the early morning via al-Maghareba Gate, under the tight protection by IOF. The settlers performed prayers in the mosque’s yards, especially at al-Rahma Gate while the Israeli soldiers were pushing and beating up the Palestinian men and women at the Selselah Gate. Five of them were arrested: ‘Aydah Mohamed al-Sidawi (59), Wa’d Khalil (32), Tarweq Mohamed Da’our (23), Mohamed Foad Abu Shosha (23), and Habeeb Abu Shosha (19).
At approximately 15:00 on Wednesday, 23 October 2019, around 12 settlers, from Halmish Settlement established on the lands of Ramallah’s northwestern villages and under the Israeli occupation forces’ protection attacked and threw stones at the Palestinian farmers who were harvesting olives in al-Ghabt area in the outskirts of Um Safa village, northwest of Ramallah. The Israeli soldiers forced the farmers to leave their lands by pushing them at gunpoint.

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

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