In its weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 13- 19 Dec 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that a Palestinian civilian died of wounds he had sustained in the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. In addition, Israeli Forces also wounded 10 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 5 Palestinian civilians were wounded in the Gaza Strip, 4 of whom were wounded at the border area, while the fifth was wounded in the sea. Three Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded in the West Bank. At least 33 Palestinian civilians were abducted in the West Bank. 4 children from the Gaza Strip were abducted while attempting to cross the border into Israel.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
During the reporting period, a Palestinian civilian receiving medical treatment at an Egyptian hospital died of wounds he had sustained in the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
In the Gaza Strip, on 18 December 2012, medical sources in the Arab National Bank Hospital in Cairo – Egypt pronounced Salem Ahmed Salem Bin Sa’id, 19, from al-Mussaddar village in the central Gaza Strip, dead because of wounds he sustained on 17 November 2012 during the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. The aforementioned person was wounded when an Israeli warplane targeted a group of persons in a small room on a piece of land near his father’s house. His father and another person were killed and 6 others sustained wounds; 2 of whom sustained serious wounds, including the abovementioned person who was pronounced dead. It should be noted that Bin Sa’id was a civilian.
On 13 December 2012, 5 Palestinian civilians were wounded in the Gaza Strip. A boy was seriously wounded when the Israeli Forces stationed along the border fence, east of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at him. The boy was collecting pieces of aluminum and iron from the landfill in the east of Juhor al-Deek village.
On 14 December 2012, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded in two separate shooting incidents. The first one was wounded when the Israeli Forces stationed along the border fence in the southern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of persons, who were about 200 meters to the west of the border fence. The second person was wounded when the Israeli Forces stationed along the border fence in the east of Abu Safiya gate in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of persons and farmers, who were 150 meters away from the fence.
On 16 December 2012, a Palestinian farmer was seriously wounded when the Israeli Forces stationed along the border fence in the southern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of Palestinians, who were working on their lands in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis, near the border fence.
On 17 December 2012, a Palestinian fisherman was wounded when the Israeli gunboats stationed in the Gazan waters opened fire at a fishing boat belonging to Mos’ad Baker, 38. Baker and his nephew Mohammed Tareq Abdul Razeq Baker, 20, were on board the boat 7 nautical miles off Wadi Gaza shore. As a result, Mos’ad was wounded by a bullet to the left thigh and transported to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon inside Israel. Moreover, his nephew Mohammed was abducted and questioned and their boat no. 12935 was confiscated.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 15 December 2012, Israeli gunboats positioned off al-Waha resort in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishermen who were sailing 6 nautical miles off the shore.
On 16 and 17 December 2012, the Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishermen in the same area., but neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
During the reporting period, on 18 December 2012, the Israeli Forces moved nearly 100 meters into the southern Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of land along the border fence. At approximately 11:00, the Israeli Forces moved back to the border.
On 17 December 2012, the Israeli Forces positioned along the border fence in the central Gaza Strip abducted 4 Palestinian children, who attempted to cross the borders between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
In the West Bank, on 13 December 2012, a Palestinian boy was wounded when the Israeli Forces moved into a number of neighborhoods in Hebron. They opened fire some boys protesting against them. The boy was seriously wounded while he was going back home from his work.
On 16 December 2012, a Palestinian boy was wounded when the Israeli Forces opened fire at a number of boys who gathered at the eastern entrance of Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem, and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers.
On 17 December 2012, a Palestinian boy from Madama village, south of Nablus, was wounded in the left leg when the Israeli Forces fired at him, when he hurried to rescue his brother, who was grazing the sheep and was attacked by the settlers and in the presence of the Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli Forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. At least 4 Palestinian children were abducted at checkpoints in the West Bank.
During the reporting period, the Israeli forces conducted at least 35 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, the Israeli forces abducted at least 33 Palestinians.
Israeli attacks against non-violent demonstrations:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, a 16 year-old boy sustained a gunshot to the right hand and an 18 year-old boy sustained a gunshot to his back in Bil’ein village; and Hamza Ahmed Abu-Hashem, 14, sustained bruises after being pushed by an Israeli soldier off a high wall; and Ahmed Abu-Hashem, 46 in Beit Ummar. A number of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.
Following the Friday Prayer on 14 December 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, titled: ‘Against the Israeli willful killing policy; and Israeli leaders’ orders to fire live bullets at demonstrators.’ Administrative Detention and In Solidarity with Prisoners on Hunger Strike.’ The demonstrators gathered in the streets of the village, chanting slogans calling for national unity. The protesters aimed to stress the need to adhere to national principles and the right of return, to resist the occupation and to call for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and made their way towards the wall. They called through megaphones for 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, two civilians sustained gunshot wounds, a 16-year-old boy sustained a gunshot to the right hand and an 18-year-old boy sustained a gunshot to his back. Also dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 14 December 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 at 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 and others sustained bruises.
Around the same time on Friday, 14 December 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the Martyrs Square in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities, titled: ‘Commemoration of Our Martyrs and the Commencement of Popular Resistance in Nabi Saleh.’ The protesters walked towards the gate erected by Israeli forces near the entrance of the village, which leads to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby ‘Halmish’ settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.
Also following the Friday Prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall, titled: ‘In Solidarity with the Prisoners on Hunger Strike.’ As the protestors moved towards the gate of the village, the Israeli forces closed it to prevent the demonstration from gaining access to the confiscated land and attacked the participants; as a result, Mahmoud Zawahra (25), coordinator of the Popular Resistance against the Wall and the Settlement Activity, sustained bruises.
At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 15 December 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians, farmers and international activists gathered in Sho’ab al-Batama area, east of Yatta, in protest to the Israeli forces’ policy of confiscating farmlands, denying civilians’ access to their lands and the destruction policy. The Israeli soldiers raided the area, and declared it a closed military zone to keep the demonstrators away.
At approximately 11:00 Saturday, 15 December 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders, gathered in the Center of Bait Ummar village, north of Hebron, for the weekly peaceful demonstration organized against the settlement expansion policy, the wall and the arrest of children. The demonstrators headed towards Thaher Jalis area near ‘Kermi Tsour’ settlement north of the village. A group of Israeli soldiers surrounded the demonstrators and started a hand fight with them, bruising a number of them. They were identified as: Hamza Ahmed Abu-Hashem, 14, who sustained bruises after being pushed by an Israeli soldier off a high wall; and Ahmed Abu-Hashem, 46.
Israeli settlement activities:
The Israeli Forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 14 December 2012, the Israeli Forces handed a notice to Mahmoud Shehada Makhamra, 63, from Ma’in area, south of Hebron, ordering the demolition his 2-storey house. The house is built on 170-square-meter area of land and resided by 10 individuals.
On 14 December 2012, a group of settlers from ‘Beitar Elite’ and ‘Navi Daniel’ settlements, south of Bethlehem, uprooted 200 olive trees belonging to Ahmed Hussein Salah, 70, from al-Khader village.
On 17 December 2012, the Israeli Forces denied the Palestinian farmers from Hribet al-Nabi village access to their lands and dismissed them from the lands under the pretext that they are under the Israeli control, so the farmers have to obtain the Israeli approval from the concerned authorities in advance.
On 17 December 2012, a group of settlers from ‘Beit Hagai’ settlement, south of Hebron, attacked Palestinian lands in al-Raihiya village, south of Hebron, in an attempt to seize these lands and cut the trees.
On the same day, a security officer from an outpost at Emmanuel settlement abducted Mahmoud Farid Mohammed Bashir, 34, while he was on his land. Bashir was grazing sheep when he was abducted. The security officer held him for an hour on the land near the settlement outpost. He was handcuffed under the pretext that he approached the barbwire fence around the said settlement. Bashir was released at approximately 11:30.
On the same day, a group of settlers from ‘Kiryat Arba’ settlement attacked lands in Jales area, south of Hebron. They attempted to uproot and cut off olive trees in the area near the security fence of the said settlement.
On 18 December 2012, the Israeli Forces submitted notices to 3 Palestinians from Tarousa village, southwest of Hebron, ordering demolitions of 4 houses under the pretext that the houses are located in areas under the Israeli security control.
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli violation this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the European Union 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. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is – not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
