In its Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 16 – 29 Aug. 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that a Palestinian woman was seriously wounded by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. 33 Palestinians were abducted, including 10 children.In addition, Israeli forces used force to disperse peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. 11 Palestinian civilians, including a child and an old woman, and 4 journalists were wounded. A Canadian journalist was hit by a tear gas canister and an American human rights defender was injured.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 64 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 24 Palestinians, including 7 children, in the West Bank.
In the West Bank, on 24 August 2012, a Palestinian civilian was injured by shrapnel from a sound bomb while he was inside his house in Hebron, when Israeli forces fired live bullets and sound bombs at Wad al-Hussain area.
Israeli forces abducted 6 Palestinian civilians at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 29 August 2012, a Palestinian woman was seriously wounded when Israeli forces positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire at Palestinian farmers in Wadi al-Salqa village, east of the central Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah.
Israeli troops abducted 9 Palestinians, including 3 children, in the Gaza Strip this week.
Israeli forces continued to fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, PCHR documented 6 attacks in this regard, which did not cause casualties. Israeli forces also abducted a fishermen and his child and confiscated their boat.
On 28 August 2012, Israeli warplanes bombarded a former security site and a training site of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza City, heavily damaging them. Two nearby schools were also damaged.
Israel has continued to impose a total closure and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
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 16 August 2012, the Israeli government issued a decision placing al-Hisba Market in the old town of Hebron under the Hebron settlement council’s control. This decision was a response to a petition filed by human rights organizations and the Israeli Peace Now at the Israeli High Court to evacuate the settlers from shops in the market and return the shops to their Palestinian owners.
On 19 August 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from “Nahla’el” settlement, which stands on the lands of Bitillu village, northwest of Ramallah, broke and burnt 19 olive trees near the settlement belonging.
On 22 August 2012, Palestinian civilians in Shoufa village, northeast of Tulkarm, found an Israeli military order no. 04/79/T signed by the GOC Central Command Nitzan Alon on agricultural areas in the south of the village. According to the order, 7,290 square meters of land would be confiscated.
On the same day, Israeli forces stormed Palestinian agricultural lands located in the west of Flamiya village, northeast of Qalqilya, and delivered a military order confiscating areas of land near “Kokhav Ya’ir” settlement.
On the same day, Israeli forces stormed Shu’ab al-Sair area near “Karmi Tsur” settlement, which stands on the lands of Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, and handed over notices ordering the demolition of two houses apparently to expand the abovementioned settlement.
Also on the same day, Raghad Suleiman Edris, 3, from Hebron, sustained injuries and bruises and fractures to the mouth, the abdomen and the feet, when she was run down by an Israeli settler’s car near the entrance of “Kiryat Arba” settlement, southeast of Hebron.
On 23 August 2012, Israeli forces handed over notices ordering the confiscation of 7-dunums of land in Wad al-Ghrous area, northeast of Hebron. The purpose of such confiscation is to establish a settlement road between “Kharsina” and “Kiryat Arba” settlement.
On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from “Nahla’el” settlement, which stands on the lands of Bitillu village, northwest of Ramallah, broke branches of 83 olive trees near the above settlement.
On 24 August 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from “Halmish” and “Nahla’el” settlements, northwest of Ramallah, uprooted crops belonging to Ramadan Sabri Abu Kamesh and Daoud ‘Abdullah Da’mas. According to Abu Kamesh, the loss is estimated at 70,000 ILS.
On the same day, Israeli settlers from “Rafafa” settlement, which stands on the lands of Deir Estia village, north of Salfit, burnt 10 olive trees and 3 fig trees. Palestinian civilians attempted to extinguish the fire, but Israeli forces did not allow them.
On 25 August 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from “Havat Ma’on” settlement stormed agricultural areas in al-Tawani village, south of Hebron, and uprooted 40 olive trees belonging to the Reb’ei family. They also wrote anti-Arab slogans on walls of water wells in the area.
On 26 August 2012, Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, established a park in Zaher al-‘Ein Masour area near “Daniel” settlement, which stands on the lands of al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. The settlers surrounded a 500-square-meter area of land with barbwire and planted trees. This park is the third of its kind established by Israeli settlers on the lands of al-Khader village.
On 27 August 2012, Israeli forces delivered a notice to Palestinian civilians in al-Tabban village, south of Hebron, ordering removal of solar cells that provide the village of electric power. These cells were established by international organizations to support Palestinian civilians in the village who are threatened by transferred by Israeli forces.
On 28 August 2012, at least 30 Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, stormed Shu’ab Abu Tabeekh area in the east of Sa’ir village, north of Hebron. They attacked Palestinian houses, broke windows and burnt 3 cars belonging to Zain al-Din Mohammed al-Froukh and Hamad ‘Ayash al-Froukh.
On the same day, Israeli settlers from “Mitzbi Ya’ir” settlement in Hebron attacked Ibrahim Mohammed al-‘Odara, 65, when he was in Beer al-‘Ad area in Khirbat Sousia village, south of Hebron. He was injured in the head and the shoulder.
Also on the same day, Israeli forces delivered 27 notices to Palestinian civilians in Khirbat Zanouta area in the west of al-Zahiriya village, south of Hebron, ordering the demolition of their houses, tents and wells, claiming that they were established without licenses.
On 29 August 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from “Beit Eil” settlement, north of Ramallah, burnt a car and wrote anti-Arab slogans on two cars and a house in Dura al-Qare’ village.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to the construction of the annexation wall, settlement activities and other Israeli practices in the West Bank. As a result, 11 Palestinian civilians, including a child and an old woman, were wounded.
Additionally, a Canadian journalist was hit by a tear gas canister and an American human rights defender was injured. Dozens of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Following the Friday Prayer on 17 August 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest to the continued closure of the eastern entrance of the village. Israeli forces moved into the village and dozens of Israeli soldiers stormed the location of the demonstration. They fire tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. Some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli soldiers violently beat Rami Suleiman ‘Ali, 27, Muhannad Khaled Eshtaiwi, 39, and Mohammed Bashar Eshtaiwi, 10. The three civilians sustained bruises. Israeli forces also abducted Qassam Zahi ‘Ali, 18, and ‘Abdullah ‘Awni ‘Ali, 18, but released them on Monday, 20 August 2012, after forcing them to pay a fine of 1,000 ILS. Additionally, Israeli forces held 6 journalists and forced them to sign an oath not to cover the weekly peaceful protests in the village. Israeli forces released the journalists at 15:00 after beating 4 of them.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 17 August 2012, 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 settlement activities. They moved towards areas of the annexation wall. They called through megaphones on Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land. 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.
Following the Friday Prayer on 24 August 2012, 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 settlement activities. They moved towards areas of the annexation wall. They called through megaphones on Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, David Katzenberg, a Canadian journalist, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right hand and leg, and a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
On Saturday noon, 25 August 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration near the security fence of “Karmi Tsur” settlement in the south of Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, in solidarity with Palestinians whose houses were demolished. Israeli forces attacked the demonstrators. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and an American human rights defender were injured.
At approximately 12:00 on Tuesday, 28 August 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and a number of members and leaders of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) organized a peaceful demonstration in Ramallah in protest to the detention of Ibrahim Abu Hajla, Member of the DFLP Political Bureau, and Samer al-‘Eissawi, who were released in the prisoners swap deal last year. The demonstrators moved towards Ofar Prison. Israeli soldiers positioned near the prison fired live and 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.
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 community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace process or agreement must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
