According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights’ Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, during the week of 04 – 10 February 2010, 7 Palestinian civilians, including two journalists and a child, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank.
According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights’ Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, during the week of 04 – 10 February 2010, 7 Palestinian civilians, including two journalists and a child, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank.
In addition, Israeli forces launched aerial, naval and land attacks on Palestinian civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, Israeli forces conducted 22 incursions into Palestinian communities, and abducted 32 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children and a woman, as well as two international human rights defenders in the West Bank. Israeli forces also detained 4 Palestinian fishermen from the Gaza Strip for several hours.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the last week, Israeli forces wounded 7 Palestinian civilians, including two journalists and a child, in the West Bank.
On 06 February 2010, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli forces fired at dozens of civilians who gathered at the entrance of ‘Iraq Bourin village, south of Nablus, to prevent Israeli settlers from entering the village.
On 08 February 2010, two Palestinian journalists were wounded while they were covering clashes between Israeli forces and dozens of Palestinian children in Shu’fat refugee camp near East Jerusalem. On the following day, a child was wounded in the camp.
On 09 February 2010, a Palestinian shepherd was wounded by an Israeli settlement guard in ‘Iraq Bourin village, south of Nablus.
On 10 February 2010, following the identification of a Palestinian who stabbed an Israeli soldier near Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, Israeli forces moved into al-Kheljan village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, including the home belonging to the family of this Palestinian, Mahmoud al-Khatib. They ordered the family to vacate the house in order to demolish it. Israeli forces withdrew from the village at night after having abducted 6 Palestinian civilians, including al-Khatib’s four brothers.
On 10 February 2010, Israeli forces prevented a number of Palestinian farmers from Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, as well as international solidarity activists, from planting areas of land which are under threat of being confiscated, as they are near ‘Karmi Tsur’ settlement to the southwest of the village. Israeli troops fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters. However, the farmers and solidarity activists were able to plant about 500 olive trees.
Also on 10 February 2010, Israeli forces moved into ‘Esh al-Ghurab area in the southeast of Beit Sahour, east of Bethlehem. They leveled areas of land which served as an Israeli military post 5 years ago. According to Israeli media sources, Israeli forces planned to construct an observation tower in the area.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 22 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 32 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children and a woman, and two international human rights defenders.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces carried out a wide-scale military campaign against Shu’fat refugee camp near East Jerusalem. During this campaign, 3 Palestinian civilians (a child and two journalists) were wounded, and at least 60 others were abducted.
Also this week, Israeli forces stormed the office of the Stop the Wall Campaign in Ramallah.
Israeli troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted 7 Palestinian civilians, including two children.
Israeli forces leveled areas of land in Beit Sahour town to construct an observation tower.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces launched a series of aerial, naval and land attacks on Palestinian civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. They also detained 4 fishermen for several hours and confiscated two fishing boats. Furthermore, they bombarded Gaza International Airport.
Israeli forces have continued to impose a total siege and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip over two and a half years. The illegal Israeli-imposed siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.
The main concern of 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
Israel has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for the past two and a half years.
Israeli settlement activity:
Israel has continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 04 February 2010, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Rafafa’ settlement, northwest of Salfit, razed an area of Palestinian agricultural land, seized areas of land and placed mobile homes in Deir Estia and Hares villages. They razed at least 50 donums of agricultural land planted with olives and fenced off a 24-donum area of land.
In the same context, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Adi Ad’ settlement placed 4 mobile homes on Sha’ab Mountain, to the east of Jaloud village, southeast of Nablus, to establish a new settlement outpost.
On 05 February 2010, Israeli settlers from ‘Kiryat Arba’ and ‘Kharsina’ settlements attacked Palestinian civilians and property in al-Baq’a area in the southeast of Hebron. They uprooted at least 80 grape vines from a field belonging to the Jaber family to the east of bypass road #60.
On 06 February 2010, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Brakha’ settlement, south of Nablus, escorted by Israeli forces, stormed ‘Iraq Bourin village. Dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered and attempted to prevent the settlers from entering the village. Immediately, Israeli forces fired at these civilians. As a result, 3 civilians were wounded.
On 09 February 2010, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Brakha’ settlement, south of Nablus, attacked a Palestinian shepherd in ‘Iraq Bourin village to the south of the settlement. A settlement guard also fired at the shepherd, wounding him.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest of the construction of the Wall.
Following the Friday Prayer on 05 February 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the Wall and threw stones at Israeli forces troops positioned in the area. Immediately, Israeli forces troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and some of them sustained bruises.
Also at noon on Friday, 05 February 2010, Israeli forces moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. They fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters in an attempt to prevent Palestinian civilians from organizing a peaceful protest. Dozens of civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also at noon on Friday, Israeli forces moved into Deir Nizam village, northwest of Ramallah. They fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters in an attempt to prevent Palestinian civilians from organizing a peaceful protest. Dozens of civilians 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 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 Occupied Palestinian Territories.
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:
