In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 13-19 January 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 4 others in the Gaza Strip. In addition, 4 civilians, including a child and two international human rights observers, were wounded by Israeli forces in the West Bank.Israeli forces continued to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces abducted 4 Palestinian fishermen, including two children.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
On Sunday, January 16th, at approximately 07:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north of Beit Lahia town fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of ‘Elli Sinai’ used to stand. A worker, Adham Ramadan Subeh, 22, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.
On 18 January 2011, at approximately 14:00, Israeli forces, which had moved into the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip beginning at 08:00, fired 7 artillery shells at a number of Palestinian workers, which were collecting scraps of construction materials in the southeast of Beit Hanoun town, nearly 600 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result, Amjad Sami Ahmed al-Za’anin, 18, who was in the area, was instantly killed. Two workers were also wounded.
On Wednesday, the 19th of January, at approximately 14:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Martyrs Cemetery in the northern Gaza Strip fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials. As a result, Ahmed Nemer al-‘Er, 22, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 300 meters away from the border.
Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces have continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip, causing many Palestinians to resort to collecting and reusing scrap metal and rubble. In addition, Israeli forces have imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip.
Israel 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 attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 54 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 27 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children. Israeli soldiers positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted two Palestinian civilians.
In just one example of the week’s 54 invasions, on Friday January 14th, at approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets and abducted ‘Omar Mahmoud Abu Zaytoun, 16. They also raided an internet café. They held and photographed all those who were in the café. Israeli forces withdrew later.
In the West Bank, on 13 January 2011, an elderly Palestinian civilian was wounded in Qasra village, south of Nablus, when Israeli forces intervened to protect Israeli settlers who attacked a Palestinian farmer.
Israel has continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem. Israeli forces have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
There are approximately 585 permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank.
When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the Wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.
At least 65% of the main roads that lead to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by Israeli forces.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
This week, the construction of 32 housing units in ‘Pisgat Ze’ev’ settlement in Jerusalem was approved by the Israeli government.
On 13 January 2011, a number of Israeli settlers, who re-established their presence in a settlement outpost that had been evacuated by Israeli forces on the previous day attacked Fat’hi Fayez Hassan, who was farming his land in Baslata area to the south of Qasra village, southeast of Nablus. Soon after, Palestinian civilians called on residents of the village to stop the settlers who were on their way to attack the village. Dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered and moved towards the affected area. Immediately, Israeli forces arrived at the area to protect the settlers. They fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at Palestinian civilians and beat a number of them. As a result, an old man was seriously hit by a tear gas canister to the right thigh. Another two civilians were also injured.
On 17 January 2011, Israeli forces moved into Nazlat ‘Eissa village, north of Tulkarm. They handed 7 notices ordering the demolition or construction stoppage of a number of houses, a carpentry shop and a barrack.
On 19 January 2011, Israeli forces handed 5 notices to Palestinian civilians in Sousia area to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron, ordering the dismantlement of tents they live in.
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 in the West Bank. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, an Israeli human rights defender and a Dutch one were wounded. Dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.
Following the Friday Prayer on 14 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a Palestinian child, a Dutch human rights defenders and an Israeli one were wounded: ‘Odai Falah Abu Rahma, 13, hit by a tear gas canister to the left leg; Margret, 21, a Dutch human rights defender, hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot; and Noam, 36, an Israeli human rights defender, hit by a tear gas canister to the right hand.
Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli soldiers.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 14 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against 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, Ya’qoub Mohammed ‘Amira, 20, was hit by a tear gas canister to the head. Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 14 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in commemoration of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, and in protest against land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near ‘Halmish’ settlement, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 12:30 on Saturday noon, 15 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and a number of international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They moved towards closed areas of Palestinian land near ‘Karmi Tsur’ settlement, south of the town. Israeli soldiers attacked the demonstrators and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, Hassan Yousef ‘Alqam, 18, was wounded by shrapnel from a sound bomb, and a number of demonstrators 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 several 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.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
