In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 04– 10 Aug. 2011, Israeli forces wounded three Palestinians with gunfire, and injured dozens more with tear gas at non-violent demonstrations.One of those injured was a Palestinian woman herding sheep in Gaza. The Israeli troops also killed some of her sheep.
Two Palestinian resistance fighters were wounded by Israeli forces in the east of Gaza City.
Israeli warplanes bombarded a number of civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip. Two bird farms were completely destroyed and a third one was damaged, 500 chickens were killed and a room was destroyed.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 31 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 31 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children. 17 of the detainees were abducted in Hebron.
In just one example of the 31 invasions this week, on Saturday, August 6th, at approximately 22:30, Israeli forces moved into Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets and provoked Palestinian civilians. A number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. A number of civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.
The same night, at approximately 23:20, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, while a ceremony to honor families of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails was being held in the 40 Park. They surrounded the park and attacked the gathering using tear gas canister and sound bombs, claiming that stones were thrown at them while passing near the park. Palestinian civilians were provoked, so they threw stones at Israeli forces. Israeli soldiers immediately fired rubber-coated metal bullet at those civilians. They also chased and beat a number of civilians. Dozens of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation, and Kifah Ahmed Abu ‘Ayash, 24, sustained a facture to the left foot. The windows of a car belonging to Maisara Mahmoud ‘Alaq was broken. Before their withdrawal, Israeli forces abducted 5 Palestinian civilians.
Also this week, Israeli forces abducted 4 Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
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. There are approximately 500 kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without permits issued by Israeli forces. Such permits are extremely difficult to obtain.
Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by Israeli forces in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by Israeli forces.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
On 09 August 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at a Palestinian woman while she was grazing animals in the central Gaza Strip. She was wounded moderately wounded and 8 of her sheep were killed.
On 04 August 2011, two Palestinian resistance fighters were wounded when Israeli forces fired two artillery shells at them in the east of Gaza City.
During the reporting period, Israeli warplanes bombarded a number of targets in the Gaza Strip. They bombarded a number of training sites of Palestinian resistance groups and a border tunnel. They also destroyed two bird farms and damaged a third one, killing at least 500 chickens.
Israel has continued to impose a total siege and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Approximately 80% of Gaza civilians have continued to depend on alimentary aid provided by UNRWA and other relief agencies, rates of families who are living below poverty line have continued to be on the rise and approximately 40% of Gaza’s manpower has continued to suffer from permanent unemployment as a result of shutting down the majority of Gaza’s economic establishments.
Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the exportation of Gaza’s products, especially industrial products, leading to undermining any real chances to rerun economic establishments. The situation has been aggravated especially after making Karm Abu Salem crossing as Gaza sole commercial crossing and the repeated closure of this crossing.
Israeli forces have continued to prolong the implementation of their decision to allow 60 cars into Gaza weekly although more than 11 months have passed since they announced this decision after three years of ban imposed on the delivery of cars to Gaza. As a result, the prices of cars in Gaza have been on the rise and local markets experience serious shortage in spare parts.
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 06 August 2011, 6 Israeli settlers from “Kiryat Arba” settlement, southeast of Hebron, attacked Radhi Bassam al-Ja’bari, 14, and Anas Nafez Qaffiha, 19, when they were near their houses. Israeli soldiers were present in the area, but did not intervene to stop the attack.
On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers stopped Anas ‘Aaref Jaber, 15, and Hamza Mohammed Jaber, 16, near the Ibrahimi Mosque, and beat the latter. They then forced the two children away from the area.
On 09 August 2011, dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces moved into Be’r al-Saba Street in the center for Hebron, and conducted Jewish rituals near what they call “Etna’el Shrine.” Some of the settlers were armed. They left the area later.
On the same day, at least 200 Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, arrived at a historic site atop of al-Fraidees Mount, south of Bethlehem, and conducted some rituals.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
Construction of the Annexation Wall continued this week. 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, confiscating more Palestinian land.
Israeli forces continue to harass and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the annexation wall.
Following the Friday Prayer on 05 August 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 of 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 fire broke out in some olive fields.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 05 August 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 05 August 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. Israeli forces also abducted 3 international human rights defenders.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 05 August 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 fired tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a number of Palestinian civilians 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 International Committee of the Red Cross increase its staff and activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
The PCHR appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel’s respect for human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to demand Israel end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
