According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights’ Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, during the week of 30 Dec 2009- 05 Jan. 2010, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian resistance fighter in the Gaza Strip. 6 Palestinians, including a child, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes bombarded areas in the Gaza Strip.Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 17 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank this week. During those incursions, Israeli forces abducted 23 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, in the West Bank. In one example of this week’s invasions, on Thursday, 31 December 2009, at approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and abducted 5 Palestinian civilians, including a child.
In the West Bank, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded when Israeli forces used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.
Israeli troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted 5 Palestinian civilians, including two children.
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces troops positioned at an iron gate established on Nablus-Tulkarm road have continued to conduct prolonged checks on Palestinian civilians, especially in the morning. Israeli troops positioned at Shavi Shomron checkpoint on the Nablus-Jenin road, and at Za’tara checkpoint, south of the city, have also continued to restrict the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces have continued to close Shavi Shomron checkpoint on the Nablus-Jenin road since 10 December 2009. The road is vital for the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from Nablus. On Saturday morning, 02 January 2010, Israeli forces erected a checkpoint at Salem-‘Azmout intersection, east of Nablus. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At the same time, Israeli forces erected a checkpoint nearly 500 meters to the north of Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 18:00 on the same day, Israeli forces closed Hawara checkpoint after dozens of Israeli settlers had demonstrated in the area. On Sunday morning, 03 January 2010, Israeli troops stationed at Hawara checkpoint imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Monday evening, 04 January 2010, Israeli forces closed the main entrance of Qaryout village, south of Nablus.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed one Palestinian resistance fighter and wounded 3 others in the Gaza Strip.
In the Gaza Strip, on 05 January 2010, Israeli warplanes fired two missiles at a number of Palestinian resistance activists, killing one of them and wounding another 3.
During the reporting period, Israeli warplanes bombarded several areas in the Gaza Strip, and Israeli naval troops fired at Palestinian fishermen and fishing boats.
Israel has continued to impose a total siege and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip over two and a half years. The illegal Israeli-imposed siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.
The main concern of 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies. Israel has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for the past two and a half years.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israel has continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
The Israeli government approved the first stage of the construction of a new settlement neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
On 31 December 2009, Israeli forces demolished two barracks for sheep and horses in al-Bwaira area, northeast of Hebron. They Israeli forces claimed that the two barracks, located nearly 30 meters from an Israeli settlement outpost, were established without a permit. On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Nouvim’ and ‘Yakir’ settlements razed areas of Palestinian land near ‘Ya’ir’ settlement outpost in Qarawat Bani Hassan village, northwest of Salfit.
On 01 January 2010, Israeli forces troops stationed in the vicinity of ‘Kharsina’ settlement, northeast of Hebron, prevented dozens of activists and volunteers from planting trees in areas of land threatened by confiscation through Israeli forces. The area was declared a closed military zone and Israeli forces confiscated trees and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the activists and volunteers. No casualties or arrests were reported. On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Yakir’ settlement, northwest of Salfit, attacked a car in which two Palestinian civilians were traveling. The front window of the car was smashed and the two civilians were injured.
On 04 January 2010, Israeli forces ordered the demolition of 3 barracks and two agricultural stores in al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. On the same day, the committee of organization and construction in the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem approved the first stage of a new settlement neighborhood near a Jewish school in the Mount of Olives area. The first stage includes the construction of 4 buildings that would include 24 housing units. This settlement project aims at creating a settlement contiguity between Mount Scopus and the Mount of Olives. It would result in the old city of Jerusalem being completely surrounded by Israeli settlements. It is worth noting that when the Jewish school was established 20 years ago, the then Israeli Prime Minister Isaac Shamir promised to turn the area into a settlement neighborhood.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall.
Following the Friday Prayer on 01 January 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah. The demonstrators moved towards the Wall and some threw stones at Israeli forces troops positioned in the area. Immediately, Israeli forces troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and Ashraf Yasser Abu Rahma, 27, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right hand.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 01 January 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall. They clashed with Israeli troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. Two civilians, including a child, were wounded: Mo’taz Salah Khawaja, 10, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head; and Jom’a Hussein Khawaja, 21, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right shoulder. Dozens of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation, and Israeli forces abducted ‘Abdul Raziq Hassan. 17.
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made a number of recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal, be immediately enforced.
In addition, the PCHR recommends that international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs, participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and urge their governments to bring the perpetrators to justice.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
