In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 30 Aug.- 05 Sep. 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces launched a number of air strikes and opened fire at areas in the Gaza Strip. 3 members of the Palestinian resistance were killed and a fourth one was wounded in the central Gaza Strip.In a separate incident, 3 members of the Palestinian resistance were wounded by Israeli air strikes. Two schools and a house were also damaged.
Israeli forces used force to disperse peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. 3 Palestinian civilians, including a woman, were wounded. Israeli forces detained 5 Palestinian protesters, including two women, for several hours.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 05 September 2012, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance. As a result, 3 members were killed and a fourth one was seriously wounded.
On Saturday, 01 September 2012, at approximately 00:00, Israeli helicopter gunships fired two missiles at two training sites of the Palestinian resistance in the northwest of Gaza City. A missile hit a site of the Liberals Movement, while the other one hit Abu Qadous site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas). As a result of the bombardment, 3 members of the Palestinian resistance were wounded by shrapnel throughout their bodies. Additionally, a nearby house and two schools were damaged.
On 03 September 2012, Israeli warplanes bombarded a training site of the Palestinian resistance in al-Nussairat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.
Israeli forces continued to fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. On 03 September 2012, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.
Israeli forces abducted 3 Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip who attempted to enter Israel.
Israel has continued to impose a total closure and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 49 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
Israeli forces abducted 30 Palestinians, including 5 children, during invasions of the West Bank. Israeli forces abducted two girls and two boys at military checkpoints in Hebron.
In one example of this week’s 49 incursions, on September 2nd, at approximately 23:30, Israeli forces moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin, and patrolled in the streets. A number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bobs. As a result, Friyal Mas’oud Abu Bakr, 47, suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces withdrew from the village later, and neither house raids nor abductions were reported.
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 01 September 2012, the Israeli High Court rejected a petition filed by ‘Ali Saleem Mousa, from al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem, to stop the demolition of his house, where 7 people live, a water well and an agricultural room located near an Israeli military observation tower. It should be noted that the Israeli High Court issued on 29 August 2012 a decision to demolish a nearby house belonging to Mousa’s father, in which 17 people live.
On 02 September 2012, Israeli forces moved into Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem, and delivered notices to the Local Council of the village ordering the evacuation and confiscation of 100 dunums of land in Wadi al-Sakran and Khirbat al-Deir areas in the southwest of the village.
On 04 September 2012, Israeli settlers set fire to doors of a monastery in Latron area, west of occupied Jerusalem, and wrote anti-Christian slogans. According to the Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot, the settlers wrote anti-Christian slogans in the context of retaliatory attacks launched by settlers. The settlers wrote slogans insulting the Christ, the name of “Migron” settlement outpost, which was evacuated by an Israeli judicial decision and Nazi slogans in the context of retaliatory attacks known as “Paying the Price.” Monks contacted the Israeli police, which opened an investigation.
On 05 September 2012, a number of Israeli settlers from “Yits’har” settlement, which stands on the lands of Bourin village, south of Nablus, destroyed 20 olives trees.
On the same day, dozens of Israeli settlers from “Carme’il” settlement, south of Hebron, gathered on Khirbat Um al-Khair area to the southeast of Yatta village, and prevented Palestinian shepherds from grazing their animals.
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, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a woman, were wounded. Additionally, Israeli forces detained 5 Palestinian civilians, including two women, for several hours.
Following the Friday Prayer on 31 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 and in commemoration of Rachel Corrie, an American human rights defender who was run down by an Israeli military bulldozer in the Gaza Strip in 2003. 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.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 31 August 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators moved towards areas of the annexation wall. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 31 August 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the center of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to start the weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The protesters walked towards the gate erected by Israeli forces near the entrance of the village and leading to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby ‘Halmish’ settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers who had been extensively deployed in the area and near all the entrances of the village since the morning, began to confront the protesters who wanted to walk towards the affected lands. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a woman, were wounded, and some others suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces detained Mohammed ‘Abdul Karim al-Khatib, 38, a Palestinian activist, for some time. They also abducted 4 Palestinian civilians, including two women, but released them at approximately 23:00 on bail:
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, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, 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.
The PCHR calls upon 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.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
