In its Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 20– 26 May 2010, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that two Palestinian militants were killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip this week, while 30 Palestinian civilians, including 9 children and 6 women, were injured and dozens of civilian facilities were destroyed or damaged. Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 26 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces abducted 35 Palestinian civilians, including 11 children. They also abducted 14 civilians, including 11 international and Israeli human rights defenders, during peaceful demonstrations against the construction of the Annexation Wall and settlement activities.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces ordered the expulsion of Sheikh Mohammed Abu Tair, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, from Jerusalem by 19 June 2010.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
On 22 May 2010, in the Gaza Strip, two Palestinian militants were killed during an exchange of fire with Israeli troops stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, to the east of Khan Yunis.
During the reporting period, 5 Palestinian workers, including a child, who were collecting bricks and construction aggregate were wounded by Israeli troops stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
During the reporting period, Israeli warplanes bombarded civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. A number of civilian facilities were destroyed or damaged and 30 Palestinian civilians, including 9 children and 6 women, were injured or shocked.
Israeli gunboats also fired at Palestinian fishing boats sailing along the beach in the Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.
Also in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted two incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land and demolished a house and a bird farm.
Israeli forces razed a 2-donum[1] area of agricultural land and demolished a house and a bird farm in Khan Yunis.
Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for 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 primary concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 24 May 2010, Israeli forces issued a military order confiscating large areas of Palestinian agricultural land in Hebron to establish ‘a secure road for settlers’ linking the ‘Kiryat Arba’ settlement and the Ibrahimi Mosque. The road is expected to be at least 1,300 meters long. The order gave those adversely affected one week to appeal against it.
At approximately 09:00 on Friday, 21 May 2010, at least 200 Israeli settlers from the ‘Avni Hefetz’ settlement, to the east of Kufor al-Labad village, and from the ‘Ennab’ settlement to the west of the village, east of Tulkarm, stormed ‘Izbat al-Hafassi area near the village while Palestinian civilians were farming their lands. The settlers expelled the Palestinian civilians from their lands and conducted religious rituals. They also raised Israeli flags and uprooted a number of olive trees belonging to Sa’id Hussein Jab’eiti.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities. At least 3 Palestinian civilians, including a disabled child, were injured, and dozens of others suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also abducted 11 international and Israeli solidarity activists and 3 Palestinian civilians.
Following the Friday Prayer on 21 May 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah. The demonstrators moved towards the Wall and attempted to cross it towards the annexed lands. Immediately, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, 14-year-old Tariq ‘Adnan Abu Rahma was hit by a tear gas canister to the foot. Dozens of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli troops also abducted 3 Israelis: Israel Portman, 62, a journalist; Tal Sabira, 26; and Hamoutal Artwa, 32.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 21 May 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli 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 forces troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli forces troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and other sustained bruises.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 21 May 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabil Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest to land confiscation in Wad al-Raya area between Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam villages. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near ‘Halmish’ settlement, Israeli troop fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were injured.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 21 May 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem, in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall. The demonstrators included Dr. ‘Aziz al-Dwaik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and a number of deputies, in addition to a number of international and Israeli solidarity activists. The demonstrators moved towards the western entrance of the village. Israeli troops fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators and beat a number of them. As a result, Hassan Ahmed Braijiya, 40; and Jawad Zawahra, 25, sustained bruises.
On Sunday morning, 23 May 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli solidarity activists organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Jala town. They moved towards areas of Palestinian land in the north and northwest area of the town in protest to land leveling being carried out there by Israeli forces for the purpose of the construction of a section of the Annexation Wall. Israeli troops attacked the demonstrators and dispersed them. A number of civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli troops also abducted 8 international and Israeli solidarity activists, but released them in the evening.
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. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The 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:
