In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 07– 13 October 2010, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in Hebron. Israeli forces attempted to extra-judicially execute a Palestinian in the Gaza Strip. The targeted person, his friend and two passing children were wounded.Israeli forces continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank. A Palestinian child was wounded by Israeli troops at one of these protests. Israeli forces arrested 3 Palestinian civilians and 4 international human rights defenders.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
In the West Bank, on 08 October 2010, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian fighters affiliated to the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), in Hebron. The two activists were killed in an wide-scale military operation that Israeli forces implemented in a residential neighborhood in the south of Hebron. During this operation, Israeli forces shelled a number of houses claiming that the two fighters were hiding inside them. During the military operation in Hebron on 08 October 2010, Israeli forces held and harassed dozens of Palestinian civilians. They also destroyed 3 apartments, damaged 4 houses, demolished a store, damaged two stores, destroyed a car, and arrested 12 Palestinian civilians.
On 11 October 2010, a Palestinian child was wounded in Silwan village, south of the old town of Jerusalem, when Israeli forces fired at children who demonstrated in protest to the detention of 4 children.
At approximately 17:30 on Monday, 11 October 2010, an Israeli police vehicle chased for no apparent reason a Palestinian civilian vehicle in al-Carmel area to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron. Eleven Palestinian workers were traveling in the civilian vehicle. Israeli police officers stopped the vehicle and ordered the driver, 24-year-old Sa’ed al-Dabdoub, to step down and he did. They then threw stones at him and forced him to lie on the ground. They forced all passengers to step down and lie on the ground. The police officer hit and insulted them. An hour later, the police released the passenger, but kept the driver in custody and confiscated the vehicle, claiming that he transported workers who do not had permits into Israel. Three passengers were injured.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 27 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 33 Palestinian civilians, including 9 children and an old man.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 07 October 2010, Israeli forces attempted to extra-judicially execute a Palestinian in the Gaza Strip, but he survived the attempt as he and another 4 civilians, including two children, were wounded.
Also on Thursday, 07 October 2010, at approximately 00:50, an Israeli warplanes fired a missile at a training site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) to the west of al-Maqqoussi housing project in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in the north of Gaza City. A store in the site was destroyed, windows of neighboring houses were broken and 3 cars were damaged. No casualties were reported.
During the reporting period, two Palestinian youth were wounded when Israeli soldiers stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at them while collecting raw construction materials.
Also during the reporting period, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in two separate incidents in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israeli Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian Civilians and Property:
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On Friday afternoon, 08 October 2010, an Israeli settler traveling in his car chased a number of Palestinian children and attempted to run them down in Silwan village to the south of the old town of Jerusalem. As a result, two children were injured.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 13:00 on Friday, a number of Palestinian children gathered near al-Bustan quarter in Silwan village. An Israeli settler living in a settlement outpost in Wad Hilwa neighborhood, who was traveling fast in his car moved towards the children, so they threw stones at him in an attempt to drive him away from them. Soon, the settler ran two children down: ‘Omran Mansour, 10, who sustained bruises to the shoulder; and Eyad Ghaith, 10, who sustained bruises to the foot. The settlers was identified as Gad David Perry, former commander of Israeli military undercover units in the West Bank.
On Sunday morning, 10 October 2010, bulldozer of the Israeli Ben Ari Company, escorted by Israeli forces, began to level large areas of Palestinian land in Tafouh village, west of Hebron. These areas of land had been confiscated by Israeli forces in 1982. At least 7 donums of land were leveled.
On Sunday noon, 10 October 2010, Israeli settlers who had seized house belonging to Qirsh family in al-Sa’diya quarter in the old town of Jerusalem, vacated the furniture of 5 houses and transported it to a store in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. It should be noted that the Qirsh family had filed a petition at the Israeli District Court two months ago to prevent the settlers from vacating the furniture. However, following another petition filed by Israeli settlers, the court allowed them to vacate the furniture.
Earlier, on Friday, 08 October 2010, two guards of the houses seized by Israeli settlers, in the presence of Israeli police officers, attacked Kamal Mazen Qirsh, 20, when he was checking a water pipeline of his house. When Qirsh attempted to stop the attack, Israeli police officers detained for 3 hours. They also forced him to stay one week away from his house.
On Tuesday morning, 12 October 2010, Israeli settlers from ‘Karmi Tsur’ settlement, north of Hebron, escorted by Israeli forces, leveled areas of land near the settlement for the purpose of expanding the settlement. These areas of land belong to the families of Bahar and Abu Maria. At least 10 donums of land were leveled.
During the reporting period, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers while cultivating olives. Israeli forces also imposed restrictions on access of Palestinian farmers to their olive fields.
At approximately 06:15 on Saturday, 09 October 2010, Israeli forces closed the southern gate of Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya, and prevented Palestinian farmers from reaching their lands to cultivate olives.
At approximately 06:30 on Tuesday, 12 October 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed at the gates of Mas’ha village, northwest of Salfit, prevented Palestinian farmers from reaching their agricultural land to cultivate olives.
During the reporting period, Israeli settlers from ‘Havat Gilad’ settlement, east of Qalqilya, robbed olive crops belonging to Palestinian farmers from Jeet, Ematin and Far’ata villages. In his testimony to PCHR, a Palestinian farmers stated: ‘At 07:00 on Sunday, 10 October 2010, I and other farmers went to our lands near ‘Gilad’ settlement, following Israeli forces’s permission. We found that olive fruits were totally cultivated. I have 170 olive trees in the area, which were totally cultivated.’
Israeli Annexation Wall:
This week, Israeli authorities continued construction of the illegal Annexation Wall in the West Bank. When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the Wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.
At least 65% of the main roads that lead to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by Israeli forces. There are approximately 500 kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit issued by the Israeli forces. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.
Israeli forces continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall. As a result, a Palestinian child was wounded. Dozens of civilians and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. Israeli forces also arrested 4 international human rights defenders and 3 Palestinian civilians. The human rights defenders were released later.
Following the Friday Prayer on 08 October 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the annexation wall. Israeli troops stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli troops.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 08 October 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the Annexation Wall. They clashed with Israeli troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. As a result, several demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 08 October 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near ‘Halmish’ settlement, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, Karim Saleh Ayoub, 13, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head. A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 11:30 on Saturday, 07 October 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which are threatened of confiscation by Israeli forces, near ‘Karmi Tsur’ settlement, south of the village. Israeli forces attacked and fired at the demonstrators. Israeli soldiers arrested 4 international human rights defenders and 3 Palestinian civilians. They released the human rights defenders later, but kept the 3 civilians in custody.
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 international community pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the OPT.
The PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace process or agreement must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
