The Palestinian Center For Human Rights in Gaza published its weekly report documenting the Israeli authorities’ violations of human rights and attacks in the occupied Palestinian territories in the period between January 15th and January 2st, 2007. During the period of the report, one Palestinian civilian was killed, 12 were injured and 46 were taken prisoner by Israeli forces.The PCHR reported that on Wednesday morning, February 21st 2007, the Israeli army extra-judicially assassinated a member of the Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, in Jenin, in the northern part of the West Bank.
A PCHR investigation revealed that on Wednesday morning, February 21st, undercover units of the Israeli army using two civilian vehicles, and a number of Israeli soldiers invaded Al Basateen area, west of the northern West Bank city of Jenin. They intercepted the vehicle of Qassem Obaid, 24, and shot him dead after stepping out of their vehicles next to his. Obaid’s brother was taken prisoner by the army on Thursday morning, 15th of February 2007.
Two Palestinians died as troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank obstructed their evacuation to hospitals.
According to the PCHR report Rasheed OmarAdel, 22, a resident of Beit Ameen village near the West Bank city of Qalqilia, died at an Israeli military checkpoint closing the only entrance to Azoun Atma village. Rasheed was being evacuated to hospital when troops obstructed the vehicle transferring him. He was injured on Sunday night during an accident with farm machinery and suffered serious injuries. When a local taxi was transferring to hospital, soldiers stopped the car and prevented it from crossing for one hour; when the Taxi was finally allowed through Omar was already dead.
Also on Wednesday evening, 21st of February 2007, Mowaffaq Erhaimi, 34, from Beit Reema village near Ramallah, died at the Attara checkpoint north of the city after the army denied him passage to the hospital. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 15:30, Erhaimi suffered serious head injuries while working in a construction site in his village. His colleagues called from an ambulance, which evacuated him. When the ambulance arrived at Attara checkpoint, troops searched it and obstructed its passage. At approximately 17:10, the Israeli army allowed the ambulance to pass through the checkpoint, but Erhaimi died before reaching the hospital, the PCHR reported.
In separate attacks, 12 Palestinian civilians including two journalists, five children, in addition to an International solidarity activist, were injured by Israeli military fire during the period of the report.
Israeli troops carried out 40 invasions in the occupied West Bank, and took prisoner 46 residents including seven children. Troops carried out at least five attacks against private Palestinian properties, and attempted to demolish a fence of a West Bank mosque.
One civilian was taken prisoner at an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank during the invasions, and three Palestinian civilians (One man and two children) were injured, the PCHR reported.
Meanwhile, settlers continued their attacks against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank, and attacked several farmers, orchards and neighborhoods. Moreover, the Israeli military bulldozed 12 Palestinian houses in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, and one home in East Jerusalem.
Israeli troops stationed at Al Sawahra checkpoint, on Wadi Al Nar Road, northeast of Bethlehem, blew up a Palestinian vehicle. Soldiers claimed that they suspected that the vehicle carried explosives. Although no explosives were found, the checkpoint remained closed for two hours.
The Israeli attacks against the Palestinian farmers continued as the army confiscated 12 dunams of farmland in the districts of Hebron and Tulkarem.
Israel continued the construction of the illegal Annexation Wall in the Occupied West Bank, and violently attacked a peaceful protest organized by local residents and Israeli and international peace activists in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah. Soldiers violently attacked the peaceful protesters, and fired rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. They violently beat a number of protesters; eight protesters, including four children, one Israeli peace activist, and a journalist were injured.
The Palestinian territories remained under full strict siege imposed by Israel. The Erez Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel remained closed and the army operated it as an International Terminal, barring the Palestinian residents from crossing.
As a result of the strict siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, residents continued to suffer from shortages of food, medical supplies, basic goods and fuel.
Click on link below for full PCHR report.
