In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 21– 27 July 2011, Israeli forces conducted 24 incursions into the West Bank and one into the Gaza Strip, abducting 17 Palestinians, including two children.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 24 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 9 Palestinian civilians, including two children.
In one of the attacks this week, on Thursday July 21st, 2011, at approximately 03:30, Israeli forces moved into al-Zahiriya village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Yousef al-Battat, 42, and abducted him together with his sons: Majd, 19; and Haitham, 20. At noon, Israeli forces released Haitham, but kept the father and Majd in custody. According to al-Battat’s wife, Israeli soldiers threw stones at the house and detonated two sound bombs before raiding it. During the house search, they damaged the furniture.
At approximately 11:00 on Friday, 22 July 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque, south of Hebron, abducted Hamza Majed Hijazi, 20, claiming that he attempted to attack a soldier.
In another of the 24 Israeli incursions this week, on Monday, 25 July 2011, at approximately 18:30, Israeli forces moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. A number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, a number of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 23 July 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque, south of Hebron, abducted ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Mahmoud Wazwaz, 23, claiming that he was carrying a sharp tool.
At approximately 14:00 on Sunday, 24 July 2011, Israeli forces abducted Mohammed Maher ‘Amarna, 21, from al-Duhaisha refugee camp south of Bethlehem, after summoning him for interrogation in Kfar Etzion military post, southwest of Bethlehem.
On Wednesday, 27 July 2011, at approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Jenin refugee camp. They stopped near a house belonging to ‘Adnan Ibrahim Naghniya, 43, and threw stones at the house. When Naghniya got out of the house to check what was going on, they abducted him. His house and a car belonging to his neighbor, Muneeb Yahia al-Sa’di, were damaged. Later, Israeli forces raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Bilal Khaled al-Sa’di, 35, and abducted him.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted one limited incursion into the southern Gaza Strip, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land.
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 tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and practically made Karm Abu Salem crossing as the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip although it is not proper for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and operational capacity.
Israeli forces have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the strangulation of the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.
The total closure of al-Mentar ‘Karni’ crossing on 02 March 2011 has created a bitter situation that has seriously affected the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all the economic and commercial establishments in Gaza Commercial Zone were shut off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip in terms of its operational capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision of al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions to totally close Soafa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2009, and Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which was dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010.
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, a Palestinian civilian was wounded and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also abducted 8 Palestinian civilians.
On 26 July 2011, Israeli forces started razing large areas of Palestinian agricultural land in al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem, for the purpose of the construction of a section of the annexation wall. They uprooted dozens of pine and olive trees and leveled areas of land. Israeli forces leveled these areas of land for the purpose of the construction of a section of the annexation wall. Israeli forces had uprooted at least 20 pine and olive trees and had razed a 250-square-meter area of land. It is worth noting that this area has been targeted by intensive Israeli settlement activities.
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, a Palestinian civilian was wounded, dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. Israeli forces also abducted 8 Palestinian civilians.
At approximately 10:30 on Friday, 22 July 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and a number of international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They moved towards the eastern entrance of the village, where Israeli forces establish a checkpoint. When the demonstrators got close to the checkpoint, Israeli soldiers attacked them and fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sounds bombs. As a result, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left foot. Israeli soldiers also abducted 4 Palestinian civilians, including two brothers.
Following the Friday Prayer on 22 July 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 number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 22 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. They clashed with Israeli troops positioned near the annexation wall. Israeli soldiers 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 22 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. Additionally, Israeli forces abducted 4 Palestinian civilians, including a paramedic.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 22 July 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest to the continued closure of the entrance of the village by Israeli forces. Israeli soldiers prevented the demonstrators from getting close to the entrance and attacked them. Baker ‘Adnan ‘Ali, 29, sustained bruises, and a number of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.
On Saturday noon, 23 July 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in Iraq Bourin village, south of Nablus, in protest to the confiscation of their lands and attacks by Israeli settlers. The demonstrators moved towards the east of the village, where Israeli forces had confiscated areas of land. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. A number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. At approximately 16:00, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of the village and declared it a closed military zone.
Israeli Settlement Activities:
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 22 July 2011, at least 8 Israeli settlers from “Esh Kudash” settlement in the southeast of Jaloud village, southeast of Nablus, attacked a Palestinian child who was grazing animals in the area between Qasra and Jaloud villages. When the child saw the settlers, he fled. The settler caught a sheep and slaughtered it. The father and mayor of the village went to the area, where they found a military jeep had arrived. They submitted a complaint concerning the attack.
On 25 July 2011, a number of armed Israeli settlers from “Halmish” settlement, northwest of Ramallah, closed the entrance of the nearby Nabi Saleh village. They attempted to enter the village and threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles. Israeli forces intervened later and evacuated the settlers.
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 call for the immediate implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal.
In addition, the PCHR recommends that international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs, participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and urge their governments to bring the perpetrators to justice.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
