In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 01-06 July 2010, seven civilians, including two children and a journalist, were injured.Israeli forces continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces arrested two solidarity activists.
Israeli forces continued to fire at Palestinian farmers and workers in border areas of the Gaza Strip and fishermen at sea. Two children were injured, one of them at sea and the other while collecting raw construction materials.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the last week, Israeli forces conducted twenty-one incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. In those incursions, Israeli forces abducted twenty-three Palestinian civilians, including seven children.
In an example of one of this week’s incursions, on 01 July 2010, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, firing sound bombs and tear gas canisters at Palestinian houses and at their surroundings. Three civilians, including a child who suffers from leukemia, suffered from tear gas inhalation. Ahmed Khalil Abu Hashem, activist in the Popular Committee against Settlement, told the PCHR fieldworker that the Israeli forces deliberately fired a tear gas canister into a house belonging to Ahmed Mohammed Abu Maria. Three people in the house suffered from gas inhalation as a result and were taken to a medical center for treatment. The child with leukemia was transferred later to a hospital in Hebron because his condition deteriorated.
In another example of this week’s incursions, on Monday July 5th, at approximately 15:00, Israeli forces moved into Kafr Lakef village, east of Qalqilia, where they raided a house belonging to Sami ‘Issa Yousef ‘Assaf. They raided the metal workshop in the house and required the workers to leave the workshop after checking their ID cards. They arrested Mamdouh Bashir Husein Abu al-Madaneya, 21. While withdrawing from the village, the Israeli forces also arrested Medhat, 23, who is the brother of Mamdouh Bashir Husein Abu al-Madaneya. The Israelis transported the two Palestinians to the nearby settlement of ‘ Karni shamron,’ where the police then transported them to ‘Kadomim’ and then to an interrogation center in al-Ramlah. Several hours later, they were transported to Ni’lin checkpoint, west of Ramallah, where they were released.
Israel has continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem. Israeli forces forced a Palestinian civilian to demolish his house.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
At approximately 13:00 on Thursday, 1 July 2010, Israeli Forces, supported by military vehicles and bulldozers, broke into al-Ra’s al-Ahmar area, north of Tamoun village, and ‘Ataouf, southeast of Tubas. There Israeli Forces destroyed thirteen tents and an inhabited ‘hut’. In 6 June 2010, Israeli Forces had distributed notices to the areas’ inhabitants informing them to evacuate the areas. The Israeli Forces claimed that the two areas are closed military areas and should be evacuated. It should be noted that the tents and huts are used as shelters by the Palestinian farmers, who are coming from other areas.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 05 July 2010, the Israeli forces wounded two children and killed a horse in two separate incidents.
At approximately 10:30, Israeli gunboats positioned at sea near the Gaza port, west of Gaza city, fired at Palestinian fishing boats that were sailing approximately two miles off the Gaza shore. ‘Allam Naser Fadel Bakr, 14, from al-Shati refugee camp, was wounded as a result by two bullets in the abdomen. The boat on which ‘Allam and his father and brother were onboard was struck by two bullets in its hull.
At approximately 13:00, Israeli forces positioned on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials. One of the workers, Ahmed Nafez Khader Hamdan, 13, from Beit Hanoun, was wounded by a bullet in the abdomen as a result. Ahmed was approximately 700 meters far from the borders when he was wounded. In addition, the horse that transported Ahmed to the area was killed.
In other firing and bombarding incidents, on 01 July 2010, an Israeli F16 fighter fired a missile at Abu Jarad site near Netsarim intersection in al-Zeitoon neighborhood, east of Gaza city. The site was previously used by the National Security and is currently used by al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas armed wing). The attack caused damages to the gate and the western wall of the site and no casualties were reported.
On 02 July 2010, an Israeli F16 fighter fired a missile at Gaza International Airport, southeast of Rafah. The missile hit the runway and no casualties were reported.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
In the West Bank, Israeli forces used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall and settlement activities. As a result, seven civilians, including two children and a journalist, were wounded. Israeli forces also violently beat a number of demonstrators.
On 02 July 2010, three Palestinian civilians, including two children, sustained shrapnel wounds in a peaceful demonstration in ‘Wadi Rahhal’ village, south of Bethlehem. In the same demonstration, eight demonstrators, including three international solidarity activists suffered from tear gas inhalation and bruises as they were beaten by the Israeli forces.
On 04 July 2010, four demonstrators, including a child and a journalist, sustained wounds in the weekly peaceful demonstration in Beit Jala, west of Bethlehem. A girl also suffered from tear gas inhalation and a number of participants in the demonstration sustained bruises as they were severely beaten by the Israeli forces.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces arrested two international solidarity activists who were participating in a peaceful demonstration in ‘Wadi Rahhal’, south of Bethlehem. The two activists suffered bruises throughout the body after they were severely beaten by the Israeli forces. They were transported to ‘Kfar Etzion’ settlement, south of Bethlehem, where they were held for six hours before being released.
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 international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel’s respect for human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.
In addition, the PCHR called upon the international community to 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.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
