According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, during the week of 03- 09 Dec 2009, one Palestinian civilian was wounded by Israeli forces in the West Bank. Israeli forces conducted 23 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and one into the Gaza Strip, during which they abducted 36 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and one woman.
According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, during the week of 03- 09 Dec 2009, one Palestinian civilian was wounded by Israeli forces in the West Bank. Israeli forces conducted 23 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and one into the Gaza Strip, during which they abducted 36 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and one woman.
Also this week, Israeli forces stole money and jewelry from a house in Sa’ir village near Hebron. Israeli naval troops have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip. Israel has continued to impose a total siege and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Israeli troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted 4 Palestinian civilians.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 23 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces abducted 36, including 5 children and one woman.
On 07 December 2009, Israeli forces stormed a house in Sa’I village, northeast of Hebron. They violently beat the owner and damaged the house. When Israeli forces left the house, the family discovered that money and some jewelry were stolen. On 08 December 2009, Israeli forces stormed an apartment building in Nablus and blew up the doors of 6 flats, the door of the elevator and some windows. They also abducted a Palestinian from the building.
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Israeli forces forced Daoud Ahmed al-‘Alami to demolish a part of his house in al-Sawana quarters in al-Tour village near Jerusalem. The house is comprised of a wooden room established in 1980. In 1999, al-‘Alami reconstructed the room. Five years later, the Israeli police and officials from the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem came to the house and photographed the room. In 2006, the Israeli municipal court ordered the demolition of the room and imposed a fine of 11,000 NIS on al-‘Alami.
On 03 December 2009, a number of Israeli settlers stormed the house of Rifqa ‘Abdullah al-Kurd, 89, in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Al-Kurd’s son, Nabeel, has lived in the house together with his wife and three children since 1956. The family is one of 68 Jerusalemite families living in 28 houses in the area threatened with house confiscation. A Jewish settlement society claimed ownership of the land on which the house stand, and an Israeli court ordered the closure of the house in 2001, claiming that it had been built without a license. The court also ordered al-Kurd to hand in the keys of the house and decided to consider a complaint against her for allegedly attacking one of the police officers who came to implement the court ruling. It is worth noting that Ridqa al-Kurd suffers from several diseases that makes her unable to walk. However, Israeli forces have continued to summon her to court in an attempt to prevent her from confronting the police when confiscating the house.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
Israeli troops positioned at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing abducted a Palestinian civilian who was on his way to Jerusalem to receive medical treatment.
A shortage of cooking gas has emerged in the Gaza Strip. Israel has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas, since 10 December 2008.
The Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to the Gaza Strip.
Israel has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social visits.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israel has continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 04 December 2009, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Yits’har’ settlement, south of Nablus, stormed two houses in Southern ‘Assira village.
On December 2009, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Efrat’ settlement cut and burnt at least 50 olive trees in Um Salamouna village, south of Bethlehem. This attack was launched by settlers one week after the trees were planted by Palestinian civilians and official bodies.
On 07 December 2009, Israeli settlers from ‘Sham’a’ settlement, south of Hebron, escorted by Israeli troops, blocked the main road leading to al-Sammou’ village with stones.
During the reporting period, a number of Israeli settlers stormed Ard al-Sammar area in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. They cut tires of 19 vehicles belonging to Palestinian families, stuck racist statements on vehicles and wrote threats directed against Arabs on the walls.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
During the reporting period, one Palestinian civilian was wounded when Israeli forces used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.
Following the Friday Prayer on 04 December 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Bil’in village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the Wall and following altercations threw stones at Israeli troops positioned in the area. Immediately, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 04 December 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest to 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, Nasser Hassan Khawaja, 21, was wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen, and dozens of others demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 04 December 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem. Israeli troops closed the entrance of the village and attacked the demonstrators. They fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators and violently beat a number of them. As a result, Rami Mohammed Braijiya, 24, sustained bruises throughout the body, and was abducted by Israeli troops.
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 European Union activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. The PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is – not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
