According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)'s Weekly Report, during the week of 30 April- 07 May 2008, 9 Palestinians, including a woman, were killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. 3 of the victims were extra-judicially executed by Israeli forces. 35 Palestinians, including 6 children and a woman, were injured by Israeli forces.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 43 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and five into the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces confiscated the contents of a sewing workshop of the Islamic Charity in Hebron and ordered its closure for 3 years. Israeli forces issued notices to six Palestinian civilians in Beit ‘Awa village, south of Hebron, that their houses will be demolished.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 43 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces abducted 100 Palestinian civilians, including 15 children. The number of Palestinian civilians abducted by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 stands at 1,151. 2 Palestinian civilians were abducted by Israeli forces at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Contrary to Israeli claims to have eased restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians, Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, have been denied access to Jerusalem, including occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli forces have established numerous checkpoints around and inside East Jerusalem.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. For this purpose, during the reporting period, Israeli forces handed notices to six Palestinian civilians in Beit ‘Awa village, southwest of Hebron, that their houses, which are located 450-1,000 meters away from the Annexation Wall, will be demolished.
Israeli forces claimed that the houses were built without licenses, and gave the owners until 24 May to appeal against the demolition decision.
Israeli settler attacks:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the Occupied Palestinian Terrirories have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in violation of international human rights law. During the reporting period, Israeli forces revealed a plan to expand “Har Brakha” settlement, south of Nablus. The plan includes the construction of several housing units on 229 donums of land belonging to Bourin village, which is a Palestinian village. Israeli settlers also continued to attack Palestinian civilians and their property.
On 2 May, at least 15 armed Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian family in the al-Teera area west of Ramallah. At approximately 15:00, at least 15 armed Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian family in al-Teera area in the west of Ramallah. According to Bassem al-Khaldi, 46, Head of the United Nations Special Coordinator Office in the OPT (UNSCO), he, his wife, their two children and Na’ima al-Sheikh Ali, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and her child were in a barbeque trip in al-Teera area in the west of Ramallah. At least 15 Israeli settlers apparently coming from “Yad Ta’ir” settlement, nearly 2 kilometers away from the area, attacked them with stones. Al-Khaldi’s child, 10-year-old Karam, was hit by a stone to the chest, and al-Sheikh Ali was hit by a stone to the foot. The settlers also beat al-Khaldi’s wife, 40-year-old E’tidal, on her back with sticks.
On the same day, Israeli settlers armed with stones and batons also attacked a number of Palestinian civilians in Tawani village, south of Hebron. A number of international solidarity activists arrived at the area to protect the civilians. However, more Israeli settlers arrived in the area and also attacked the solidarity activists. One Palestinian civilian and two international solidarity activists subsequently sustained bruises.
On 3 May, a number of Israeli settlers from “Yits’har” settlement, south of Nablus, attacked a house belonging to Jamal Yousef Saleh in the southeast of ‘Assira village, south of Nablus. The settlers set fired to agricultural areas and threw stones at the house. A number of local villagers came to the area to support Saleh and assist him in extinguishing the fire. The settlers also beat the locals who came to his assistance.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
On 30 April 2008, Israeli forces extra-judicially executed 2 al-Quds Brigades activists (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) and wounded a third, as well as three civilian bystanders, including 2 children, in Rafah town in the southern Gaza Strip. An Israeli forces aircraft fired missiles at a workshop in Rafah, whilst the activists were inside the workshop.
On 1 May, Israeli forces extra-judicially executed an activist from the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in Rafah. An Israeli forces aircraft fired a missile at the activist whilst he was walking in the street. A nearby child was also injured.
On 4 May, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 5 others during an incursion into Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza.
On 6 May, Israeli forces killed a ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades activist, and wounded a second in Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli forces fired a surface-to-surface missile at the activists.
On 7 May, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman and a Palestinian resistance activist, and wounded 4 civilians, including 2 children, during an incursion into ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis.
Israeli forces used dozens of Palestinian civilians, including children and women, as human shields during military operations in ‘Abassan village in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces razed 484 donums[1] of agricultural land and destroyed 5 greenhouses, 9 bird farms and 23 houses in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than one year and a half. The Israeli forces imposed siege has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and has violated the human, economic and social rights of the approximately 1.5 million Palestinian civilian population, particularly their rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. The siege has also paralyzed the Gazan economy.
Some of the effects of the siege include:
Streets across the Gaza Strip are empty, and daily life has almost been paralyzed.
· Two weeks ago UNRWA was forced to suspend food aid to at least 650,000 Palestinian refugees living in the Gaza Strip because of fuel shortages.
· Livings conditions of the civilian populations have continued to deteriorate.
· Hundreds of patients have been denied access to medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip.
· Many university and school students have not been able to reach their educational institutions due to overwhelming demand for public transport.
· Only 15% of public transport is operating, due to lack of fuel.
Recommendations to the International community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli violations this week, the PCHR made a number of recommendations to the international community. Among these recommendations were that any political settlement must be based on international human rights law and humanitarian law. The Center stated that if a settlement is made on any other basis, it will only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace agreement or process must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.
For the full report, click on the link below:
