In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 13 – 19 June 2013, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that Israeli forces have continued to open fire at the Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip border area.A Palestinian farmer was wounded in the east of the central Gaza Strip.
In addition, Israeli forces have continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.
2 protesters were wounded during a peaceful protest in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah. A civilian was wounded and 3 vehicles were burnt during the protest of “returning to the destroyed villages” in Ramallah.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the past week, Israeli forces conducted 82 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
32 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were abducted.
Israeli forces harassed a family from al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, and severely attacked a mentally disabled young man.
Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. 6 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were abducted at checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli forces tortured a young man from al-Aroub refugee camp and dumped him at Kfar Etzion intersection, south of Bethlehem.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 14 June 2013, Israeli forces stationed on watchtowers along the border fence, southeast of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at a farmer and wounded him in the thigh.
In the same context, on 13 June 2013, Israeli forces stationed on watchtowers along the border fence, east of Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire at al-Sanati area, northeast of the village. As a result, partial damage was caused to a house belonging to Mohammed Hussein Abu Salah.
As part of the Israeli navy forces’ attacks on Palestinian fishermen, on 18 June 2013, Israeli gunboats stationed off Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats that were sailing within the 6 nautical mile limit. As a result, fishermen were forced to sail backwards fearing arrest or injury.
4 civilians were abducted in the Gaza Strip while attempting to cross the border into Israel.
Israel has continued to impose a total closure on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Israeli navy forces have continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip sea.
Israeli navy forces opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats off Deir al-Balah shore in the central Gaza Strip.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces have continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On Saturday, 15 June 2013, a group of settlers, coming from ‘Havat Gilad’ settlement, which is established on Palestinians’ lands in Fara’ta and Imatin villages, northeast of Qalqilia, set fire to 50 dunums of olive trees. As a result, 300 olive trees were damaged.
On Sunday, 16 June 2013, a group of settlers from ‘Carmiel’ settlement, which is established on Palestinian civilians’ lands east of Yatta, South of Hebron, moved into lands in the area surrounding Kherbat Um al-Khair area and patrolled them. A number of the settlers started planting olive trees in the lands of the Hathaleen family as a prelude to seize it.
On Tuesday, 18 June 2013, a group of settlers from ‘Susya’ settlement, established on Palestinians’ lands in the east of Yatta, south of Hebron, let huge dogs attack farmers and shepherds from Ghaith family while they were working on their lands in between Yatta and al-Samou’ villages.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
In the West Bank, Israeli forces continued the systematic use of excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian, Israeli and international activists against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 2 civilians were wounded during a peaceful protest in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah.
On 15 June 2013, hundreds of Palestinians and international activists organized peaceful protests titled ‘Bridge of Return,’ heading to al-Latroun evacuated villages (Amwas, Beit Nouba and Yalou) that were destroyed by the Israeli forces in 1967. Israeli forces used force to deny the protestors access to these villages. As a result, a 20-year-old civilian was wounded by a bullet to the chest and a bus and 2 other civilian vehicles were burnt.
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 European Union activate Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violation and crimes against Palestinian civilians;
In addition, the PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to international human rights law and humanitarian law instruments.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
