In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 17- 23 Nov. 2011, 3 Palestinians, including a media worker, were wounded in a peaceful demonstration in al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.The Israeli Navy has continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip. Israeli naval troops opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the north and the south of the Gaza Strip.

Also this week, Israeli forces opened fire at bird hunters in the north of the Gaza Strip but no casualties were reported.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

Israeli forces conducted 66 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted at least 19 Palestinians, including 4 children.

Israeli forces raided the houses of a number of Palestinians who were released recently from Israeli jails, delivered them notices to appear before the Israeli intelligence and threatened some of them.

Israeli soldiers arrested at least 5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, at a checkpoint in the West Bank.

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 permits issued by Israeli forces. Such permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, on 23 November 2011, Israeli forces positioned in observation towers near Beit Hanoun ‘Erez’ crossing, in the north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at a number of Palestinians who were hunting birds in the ex-settlement of ‘Nissanit’, 300 meters from the border, in the northeast of the Bedouin village, north of the Gaza Strip. The bird hunters were forced to flee but no casualties were reported.

In the latest incident of targeting Palestinian fishermen at sea, on 21 November 2011, Israeli forces gunboats stationed off the northwest of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, opened intensive fire at Palestinian fishing boats. Palestinian fishermen fled the area in fear for their lives. Neither injuries nor damages to fishing boats were reported. Similar incidents took place of Khan Younis on 22 November 2011 and 23 November 2011.

On 22 November, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a training site belonging to the Nasser Saladin Brigades, military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, west of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.

Israel has continued to impose a total closure and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and made Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip although it is not proper for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and operational capacity.

For approximately 52 months, Israeli forces have continued to deny approximately 700 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails their visitation rights without providing any justification violating the rules of the international humanitarian law.

Israeli settlement activities:

Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On Thursday November 17th and Sunday November 20th 2011, Israeli forces sent notices ‘stopping construction’ of 10 houses in ‘Raboud’ village, south of Hebron, under the pretext that they had been built without obtaining a prior permit from Israel. The notices targeted inhabited houses, some of which was built three years ago, others were under construction. The notices set deadlines for 03 December 2011 for the houses’ owners to file challenges with the Israeli courts on the ban on construction of their houses.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall in the West Bank. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a media worker and a Palestinian female solidarity activist, were wounded in a peaceful demonstration in al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. In addition, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli soldiers.

During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the West Bank, and in protest at the establishment of a buffer zone in the Gaza Strip. As a result, three Palestinian civilians were wounded, including a journalist and Palestinian activist, while dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Following the Friday Prayer on 18 November 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. They chanted slogans calling for Palestinian reconciliation, adherence to Palestinian inalienable rights, resistance to the occupation and release of all of the Palestinian prisoners. They then moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court ordered to be returned to their Palestinian owners. When the demonstrators reached Abu Lemon Nature Reserve, they tried to cross the fence adjacent to the wall and shouted at the settlers available at ‘Mattiaho Mzrah’ settlement. Israeli soldiers 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.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 18 November 2011, 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 chanted slogans calling for Palestinian reconciliation, adherence to the Palestinian inalienable rights and resistance to the occupation. They clashed with Israeli troops positioned near the annexation wall. Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Following the Friday Prayer, 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 and settlement activities. They raised the Palestinian flag, chanted slogans calling for ending the occupation. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near ‘Halmish’ settlement, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, three demonstrators, including a journalist and a Palestinian activist, were wounded, while others suffered from tear gas inhalation and sustained bruises.

Majdi Ishtaya, 31, was hit by a tear gas canister in the left foot. He is a journalist in the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Also following the Friday Prayer on 18 November 2011, at approximately 12:00, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northwest of Qalqilya, in protest to continued closure of the eastern entrance of the village by Israeli forces. Israeli forces intercepted the demonstration and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Recommendations to the international community:

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that

For the full text of the report, click on the link below: