In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 30 June– 06 July 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that two Palestinians were killed by an Israeli air strike in the central Gaza Strip. A third Palestinian was wounded in the same attack. In addition, a Palestinian civilian died of a previous wound in the West Bank.Also this week, Israeli warplanes attacked a number of civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip. A store of animal feed was bombarded and a number of civilian facilities were damaged. In addition, Israeli forces continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and Israeli forces abducted 4 international human rights defenders.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians and wounded a third one in the Gaza Strip.
On 05 July 2011, Israeli warplanes fired at least one missile at a number of Palestinian resistance fighters who were at an olive field in the east of al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip, nearly 600 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result, two activists were killed by shrapnel throughout their bodies and a third one was wounded. The Israeli daily Yidiot Aharanot reported on its English website that “the Israeli Air Force targeted a Palestinian terrorist cell to the east of al-Maghazi, while its members were attempting to fire a projectile into Israel, killing two members of the cell and injuring a third one.”
During the reporting period, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip in two separate incidents. In one of these attacks, a Palestinian fishing boat was damaged.
On 05 July 2011, Israeli warplanes fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance near a 1,000-squre-meter store of fodders belonging to Isma’il Helmi al-Najjar in the east of Gaza City. The missile hit the store and damaged it. Three activists were also lightly wounded. Additionally, a nearby tire workshop belonging to the Dughmosh family and a house belonging to Hafez ‘Aashour Dughmosh were damaged.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
In the West Bank, on 01 July 2011, a Palestinian civilian died of wounds he had sustained by Israeli forces last January. According to PCHR’s documentation, on 20 January 2011, the victim, who holds an Israeli identity card, was traveling in his car at Nabi Younis intersection, northeast of Hebron. Without prior warning, Israeli soldiers stationed at a checkpoint in the area fired at him. He was wounded by a bullet to the head. His car also turned upside down. He was seriously wounded, and was evacuated to Hadassa Hospital.
Israeli forces conducted 32 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child.
Israeli forces abducted two Palestinian civilians, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli forces cut 11 olive trees in Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit.
Israeli forces prevented Palestinian farmers from working on their lands near “Sousia” settlement, south of Hebron.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 30 June 2011, Israeli forces cut 11 olive trees in Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit. They claimed that the area is part of public land and is located near the bypass road leading to “Elli Zahav” settlement.
On 01 July 2011, Israeli forces prevented Palestinian farmers and a number of international and Israeli solidarity activists from plowing Palestinian agricultural areas in Wad al-Sweed near “Sousia” settlement to the southeast of Yatta village, south of Hebron. Israeli forces arrived at the area at 11:00 and forced the farmers and activists to leave it. It is worth noting that the land whose area is 60 dunums, and it had been seized by Israeli settlers since 2004. However, the Israeli High Court had recently issued a decision giving the land back to its Palestinian owners.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall in the West Bank. As a result, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also abducted 4 international human rights defenders.
Following the Friday Prayer on 01 July 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 and in solidarity with Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2. They raised the Palestinian, Turkish and Irish national flags. 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, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 01 July 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, 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.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 01 July 2011, Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya. They moved towards the main road of the village, which has been closed by Israeli forces for more than 10 years. They called for reopening the road, which links the village with other Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces intercepted the demonstration and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. They also beat a number of demonstrators. As a result, Murad Mahmoud Eshtaiwi, 40, was injured in the head, and Ramzi Kamel ‘Aqel, 35, sustained bruises to the body. Israeli forces deliberately fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at both sides of the road. As a result, fire broke out in the area and at least 200 beehives belonging to ‘Adnan ‘Abdul Muhdi ‘Ali, 60, and 150 olive trees belong to ‘Ali and to ‘Ali Mohammed Sa’id were burnt.
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 High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel’s respect of the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.
The PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with their legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
