In its Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 01- 07 December 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that a Palestinian resistance fighter was killed and 3 others were wounded by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip by Israeli troops. In addition, Israeli soldiers attacked non-violent protests in the West Bank, injuring 3 Palestinian civilians and an Israeli human rights defender.In addition, Israeli troops abducted 52 Palestinians, including 8 children, and waged a campaign targeting members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. The Israeli Navy has continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 07 December 2011, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a number of fighters of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in the east of Gaza City. As a result, an fighter was killed and two others were seriously wounded. On the same day, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a 4th fighter in the southeast of Gaza City. He was seriously wounded.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials, at farmers who were working on their lands and at shepherds in the north and south of the Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported. Israeli gunboats also fired at Palestinian fishing boats, but no casualties were reported.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 61 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 43 Palestinians, including 3 children.
Israeli forces waged a campaign of arrests against members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine on the eve of the 44th anniversary of its establishment. The campaign also targeted Hamas, and the troops raided the office of Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in Tulkarem.
On 06 December 2011, Israeli forces deported PLC Member Ahmed Mohammed Attoun, 43, from Jerusalem to Ramallah. PCHR considers that the Israeli decision to deport Attoun amounts to forced displacement. The deportation of protected persons is prohibited under Article 49 of the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. PCHR notes that this measure is part of the continued deportation of PLC members who were elected by the Palestinian people in the elections of 2006.
In one example, on Wednesday 7 December, at approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and abducted 7 Palestinians, including two university professors.
Israeli soldiers abducted 9 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, at various checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli has continued efforts to create a Jewish majority in East Jerusalem. Israeli forces demolished 3 houses and forced two Palestinian civilians to demolish their houses by themselves.
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 03 December 2011, Israeli settlers violently beat an old Palestinian civilian near Nablus. He sustained bruises. They also fired at a Palestinian shepherd, but he was not hurt.
On 05 December 2011, Israeli forces demolished two houses al-Ramadin village, south of Qalqilya, and a factory in ‘Azzoun village, east of the town.
On 07 December 2011, Israeli settlers set fire to the gate of a mosque in Brouqin village. They also burnt a car and a digger in the village.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
In the West Bank, 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, 3 Palestinian civilians and an Israeli human rights defender were wounded and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also abducted 6 civilians, including two journalists and 3 international human rights defenders.
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, and in protest to the establishment of a buffer zone in the Gaza Strip. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians and an Israeli human rights defender were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also abducted a Palestinian demonstrator, two journalists and 3 international human rights defenders.
Following the Friday Prayer on 02 December 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 and support for efforts to achieve national reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah movements. They raised the Palestinian flag and called for ending political division. They then moved towards areas of Palestinian land, which the Israeli High Court ordered to be returned to their Palestinian owners. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. They also targeted the press car of Associated Press. As a result, 3 Palestinian demonstrators and an Israeli human rights defender were wounded when they were hit with high-velocity tear gas canisters. A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on Friday, 02 December 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest to continued closure of the eastern entrance of the village. They moved towards the entrance, but Israeli forces stopped them. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 02 December 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 December 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 and settlement activities. They raised the Palestinian flag, chanted slogans calling for ending the occupation. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near ‘Halmish’ settlement, Israeli soldiers 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 and other sustained bruises. Israeli forces also abducted two Palestinian journalists – one with the Associated Press, and one with Palestine Television, and 3 international human rights defenders.
On Saturday morning, 03 December 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and a number of International human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Khirbat Sousia area to the southeast of Yatta village, south of Hebron, in protest to Israeli attacks in the area. Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, 5 demonstrators, including a Danish human rights defender and a 62-year old woman, were injured.
Israeli forces also abducted Khaled Mohammed al-Hroush, 18, claiming that he attempted to raise the Palestinian flag on an Israeli military jeep.
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 Occupied Palestinian Territories.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
