The Palestinian Center for Human Rights weekly report, from May 4th to May 10th, stated that during the reported period, the Israeli army killed 9 people, injured 24 civilians, arrested 61 civilians including 11 children, invaded the West Bank 38 times, continued to shell the Gaza Strip, and continued its strict siege on the occupied Palestinian territories.
Killing: During the reported period, Israeli forces killed 9 Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. On 5 May 2006, Israeli forces extra-judicially executed 5 Palestinians in Gaza City. On the same day, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian civilian near a checkpoint at the northeastern entrance of Nablus. On 6 May 2006, Israeli forces shot dead another Palestinian civilian in Nablus. On 6 and 7 May 2006, two Palestinian civilians were killed by Israeli forces artillery shelling that targeted the northern Gaza Strip.
During the reported period, 24 Palestinian civilians (14 in the Gaza Strip and 10 in the West Bank), including 7 children and 3 women, were wounded by Israeli forces gunfire. During the reported period, Israeli forces continued to shell Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip. A number of houses and civilian facilities were damaged.
Incursions: During the reported period, Israeli forces carried out repeated incursions into Nablus. Israeli forces conducted a total of 38 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces raided houses and arrested 61 Palestinian civilians, including 11 children. In addition, Israeli forces transformed 8 houses and a school into military sites. Israeli forces used undercover units and trained dogs during these incursions.
Restrictions on Movement: Israeli forces have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.
Israeli forces have continued to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a large prison. Israeli forces have continued to monitor the movement of Palestinian civilians through Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border. Although Israeli forces have allowed the transportation of food aid from Egypt into the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom commercial crossing, southeast of Rafah, the crossing has not yet been officially opened. Israeli forces have also continued to prevent Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip from reaching their work places in Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. They have continued to prevent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip from traveling to the West Bank. Israeli forces have partially operated al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City. As a result of the repeated closures of the crossing, the economic conditions in the Gaza Strip have deteriorated.
Israeli forces have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces have continued to separate the north and south of the West Bank. For this purpose, they have closed Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. They have also erected two new checkpoints near Ramallah. During the reported period, Israeli forces positioned at various checkpoints around Nablus imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank abused a number of Palestinian civilians. During the reported period, Israeli forces at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 9 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.
Annexation Wall: Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, Israeli forces re-closed an outlet in the Wall, which they had recently opened opposite the western entrance of the Dahiat al-Barid area, north of Jerusalem. This section of the Wall has divided al-Ram village into two parts. It has also separated residents of Dahiat al-Barid area and al-Ram village from educational and health institutions located to the west of the Wall. Students and patients must travel first to Qalandya crossing and then travel back to the south. Also during the reported period, Israeli forces accelerated the construction of a section of the Wall around “Ariel” settlement in the north of the West Bank. On 8 May 2006, Israeli security officials pledged before the new Israeli Minister of Justice Haim Ramon to complete 95% of the Wall by the end of this year. These pledges followed discussions by Ramon concerning the construction of the Wall and judicial problems that “obstruct” the construction. It is worth noting that the Israeli High Court has so far considered 53 petitions submitted by Palestinian civilians against the construction of the Wall on their lands. The court has issued rulings that are consistent with the Israeli political decisions in this regard. The court has neglected the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on 9 July 2004, which considered the construction of the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territories illegal and called for its dismantling and the compensation of those who have been affected by its construction. Israeli forces also used force against peaceful demonstrations organized in protest against the construction of the Wall. Two demonstrators and two journalists sustained bruises when they were violently beaten by Israeli soldiers.
Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. During the reported period, Israeli settlers living in “Kiryat Arba” settlement, southeast of Hebron, and other settlement outposts inside the town, launched a series of attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property. As a result, 9 Palestinian children aged between 3 and 12 sustained bruises. One of these children was run down by a settler car. The settlers also burnt out two cars completely and a third car partially.
