In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 25 Aug. – 07 Sep. 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that 5 Palestinians, 2 of whom were civilians, were killed by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. In addition, the bodies of 3 workers who were missing in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip that had been bombarded by Israeli warplanes were found.Also, a Palestinian child died of a previous wound in the Gaza Strip. 28 Palestinians, including 13 children, 7 women and an old man, were wounded by Israeli forces the Gaza Strip, and one civilian was wounded in the West Bank.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 5 Palestinians, including two civilians (in the Gaza Strip. A child also died of a previous wound. Additionally, rescue team found the body of 3 Palestinian workers in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip, which had been bombarded by Israeli warplanes. Israeli forces also wounded 28 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children, 7 women and an old man in the Gaza Strip.
In the Gaza Strip, on 25 August 2011, two Palestinian civilians were killed when Israeli warplanes bombarded al-Salama Sports Club in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia. Additionally, 25 civilians, including 11 children and 7 women, were wounded. At approximately 00:05, Israeli warplanes launched a missile on al-Salama Sports Club near Beit Lahia project’s market in the northern Gaza Strip. The attack resulted in the full destruction of the 3-storey building; the first floor includes a gym, the second floor includes the administration offices and a multi-use hall, while the third one includes a football and volleyball field established on a 1,000-square-meter area. Additionally, two Palestinian civilians were killed due to the attack, as they were in the garden of an adjacent house belonging to Abdul Rahman Mohammed al-Masri in the northwestern side of the club. The victims are: Salama Abdul Rahman al-Masri, 18, the son of the house’s owner, who died immediately; and Alaa ‘Adnan Mohammed al-Jakhbeer, 22, from Jabalya, who was accompanying al-Masri. Al-Jakhbeer suffered from a hemorrhage in the pelvis because of shrapnel and was transferred to the hospital, but he died two hours later. Additionally, 25 Palestinian civilians, including 11 children and 7 women, sustained wounds and bruises due to the falling of smashed glass and stones at them. Moreover, extensive damages were caused to al-Huda Children Complex in Beit Lahia to the north of the club. The Complex established on an area of 1600 square meters consists of a kindergarten and a primary school. Dozens of houses surrounding the Club, 3 stores and 3 vehicles were damaged.
On the same day, two Palestinian resistance fighters were killed, when an Israeli warplane bombarded a motorcycle they were traveling on in the northern Gaza Strip.
On the same day, rescue teams found the bodies of 3 Palestinian workers in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip that had been bombarded by Israeli warplanes. At approximately 14:00, civil defense crews found the bodies of ‘Emad Jamal ‘Abdul Raziq Abu Harb, 21, and Mahmoud Rajaa’ Sa’id al-Sibakhi, 20. Two hours later, they found the body of Mohammed Khaled Mohammed Tafish, 22. The victims are all from al-Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah. The three workers were missing when Israeli warplane bombarded a tunnel in al-Brazil neighborhood in the south of Rafah on Wednesday evening, 24 August 2011. As a result of the bombardment, a worker was instantly killed and 3 others and a security officer were wounded, while the above victims were missing.
On 29 August 2011, medical sources declared that a Palestinian child from Beit Lahia town died of a previous wound.
On 6 September 2011, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian resistance fighter and wounded an old man and his two children by an air strike in the southern Gaza Strip.
On 06 September 2011, Israeli warplanes bombarded and destroyed an uninhabited house in the central Gaza Strip.
For approximately 48 months, Israeli forces have continued to deny approximately 700 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails their visitation rights without providing any justification to this measure, which violates the rules of the international humanitarian law.
Israel has continued to impose a total siege and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Over the last week, Israeli forces conducted 68 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 28 Palestinians, including two children and two members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Israeli forces abducted at least 7 Palestinians, including a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property, including burning down a mosque, destroying a hundred olive trees, and wounding Palestinian civilians.
In one incident involving both settlers and soldiers, on Friday, 26 August 2011, at noon, Israeli forces willfully wounded a Palestinian civilian in Qasra village, southeast of Nablus. According to the victim’s brother, Nidal ‘Adli Hassan, 24, following the Friday Prayer, he heard loudspeakers of mosques in the village appealing as Israeli settlers attempted to uproot olive trees in al-Wa’ar area in the south of Qasra village. Immediately, Nidal and his brother, Jamal ‘Adli Hassan, 23, drove their car towards the affected area. When they got as close as to 700 meters from the area, they stopped their car and went to the area on foot. When they arrived at the area, they saw at least 150 villagers being prevented by 9 Israeli soldiers from moving forward. At least 20 Israeli settlers were nearly 20 meters away from the soldiers sitting on a plot belonging to Hilal Yousef Hassan. A young man moved forward and sat on a rock in front of Israeli soldiers telling them that villagers would not leave the area unless the settlers left it. An Israeli soldier pushed him and another one fired a tear gas canister at the villagers. Jamal picked the canister and threw it back towards Israeli soldiers. Immediately, a soldier fired at him from a close range. He was wounded by a bullet to the thighs.
On 25 August 2011, at least 10 Israeli settlers from “Ramat Magharon” settlement, which stands in the southeast of Mikhmas village, southeast of Ramallah, set fire to olive trees in al-Hilwa area in the village. At least 100 olive trees were burnt before villagers were able to extinguish fire.
On 27 August 2011, 7 Israeli settlers from “Ramat Yishai” settlement outpost in Tal Rumaida neighborhood in the center of Hebron attacked a Palestinian civilians when he was in front of his house. They violently beat him in the presence of Israeli soldiers. As a result, he sustained bruises to the upper part of the body.
On 28 August 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Beit Hadassa” settlement outpost in al-Shuhada Street in the center of Hebron attacked a number of Palestinian houses using stones and empty bottles. A number of houses were damaged.
On 30 August 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Shilo” settlement, north of Ramallah, gathered at Nablus-Ramallah road and threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles. No injuries were reported.
On 01 September 2011, Nidal Ahmed ‘Aqel, 48, from Kufor Qaddoum village northeast of Qalqilya, was informed that Israeli settlers attacked his land. When he went to his land, he found that 20 olive trees had been cut.
On 04 September 2011, Israeli forces moved into Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. They handed notices to 3 Palestinian civilians ordering them to stop the construction of their houses allegedly for the lack of licenses.
On 05 September 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Yish Kudesh” settlement near Qasra village, southeast of Nablus, broke windows of the first floor of Thu al-Nourain Mosque in the southwest of the village. They then pushed two tires into the mosque and set fire to them. The mosque was damaged. Before leaving the area, the settlers wrote slogans on walls insulting Prophet Mohammed.
On the same day, Israeli forces and the Israeli police, accompanied by a number of armed Israeli settlers, moved into ‘Ein Jwaiza area in al-Walaja village, west of Bethlehem. They uprooted 88 trees. Israeli forces denied Palestinian civilians access to the area.
On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers attacked ‘Edwan Nemer ‘Edwan, 41, from Zawata village west of Nablus, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, when he was on his way to his work. He was injured.
On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from “Bitar Elite” settlement, west of Bethlehem, pumped waste water into the lands of the nearby Houssan and Nahalin villages. As a result, hundreds of trees were damaged.
On the same day, at least 25 Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, stormed a house garden and agricultural lands belonging to ‘Ata ‘Abdul Jawad Jaber in al-Baq’a area near bypass road #60, east of Hebron. They then attacked Jaber’s house and demanded Israeli forces to expel him. They left the area at approximately 19:00, threatening to come back again.
On 06 September 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Qidoumim” settlement threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles traveling on Qalqilya-Nablus road. As a result, a number of vehicles were damaged.
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.
Following the Friday Prayer on 26 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 to the construction of the annexation wall. They moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court ordered to be returned to their Palestinian owners. The demonstrators also used megaphones to call on Israeli settlers living in “Mitityaho Mizrach” settlement to leave it. 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.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 26 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.
On Friday noon, 26 August 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration near Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. Israeli forces closed the checkpoint and reinforced their presence in the area. They presented the demonstrators from heading to Jerusalem for the Friday Prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque. Consequently, clashes erupted between the two sides, during which Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also abducted Ashraf Ibrahim Abu Rahma, 30, and Bassel Mansour Mansour, 34, but released them at midnight.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 26 August 2011, Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem. They moved towards the western entrance of the village. Israeli forces closed the entrance of the village and prevented the demonstrators from moving forward. Israeli soldiers violently beat an abducted Khaled Mahmoud Zawahra, 9, and Nahmoud ‘Alaa’ al-Din, 24, but released them 20 minutes later. Israeli soldiers also fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Following the Friday Prayer on 02 September 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. They moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court ordered to be returned to their Palestinian owners. The demonstrators also used megaphones to call on Israeli settlers living in “Mitityaho Mizrach” settlement to leave it. 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.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 02 September 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 02 September 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.
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 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.
The PCHR calls upon the European Union to 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 OPT.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
