Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (28 August – 03 September 2014).Israeli attacks in the West Bank & Gaza:
Shootings:
In the Gaza Strip, although 9 days have passed following the Egyptian-brokered truce agreement between the Palestinian resistance groups and Israel, the catastrophic consequences of the 51-day Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip have been present. During the reporting period, a number of wounded persons died of wounds they sustained during the offensive.
During the reporting period, a Palestinian baby died because of tear gas inhalation in occupied Jerusalem, as Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters to disperse the Palestinian protesters in al-Tour Mountain, east of the city. Moreover, 2 civilians, including a woman and a child, died of wounds they sustained during the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, while hundreds of wounded Palestinians have been receiving medical treatment in hospitals in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and other hospitals abroad for the seriousness of their wounds. In the meanwhile, Israeli forces violated the truce several times by opening fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within the allowed fishing area and arresting a number of fishermen.
A Palestinian baby died in Jerusalem because of tear gas inhalation when Israeli forces were dispersing Palestinian protesters in al-Tour Mountain, east of the city, while 4 other civilians, including a woman and a child, died of wounds they sustained during the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, 10 Palestinian civilians were wounded in the West Bank, including 3 children, and old woman and a journalist. Wounds of some of them were described as serious.
In the West Bank, a baby, Hanadi Abu Sbeitan, from al-Tour neighbourhood in occupied east Jerusalem died on Thursday, 28 August 2014, because of tear gas inhalation, when Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at her family’s house on 26 August 2014.
On 29 August 2014, a 17-year-old male sustained 2 bullet wounds to the left leg when Israeli forces opened fire at a number of boys in Daher al-Baragheesh area, east of Beit Ommar, north of Hebron. The boys threw stones at Israeli soldiers, who opened fire in response.
On 01 September 2014, a 40-year-old man sustained a bullet wound to the belly, and a 78-year-old elderly woman suffered tear gas inhalation, when Israeli forces moved into al-Far’ah refugee camp. The woman was taken to Tubas Turkish Hospital for the seriousness of her health condition.
On 31 August 2014, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets at Mohammed Abdul Majid Sonoqrot (16), east of the Old City in East Jerusalem. Sonoqrot sustained a bullet wound to the head and his wound was serious. His father said that an Israeli soldier targeted his son and fired at him from a close range during the Israeli incursion into the said area.
On 02 September 2014, Israeli forces stationed at “Eyal” checkpoint, north of Qalqilya, opened fire at a jeep with an Israeli registration plate driving through the checkpoint. As a result, 2 civilians, who had no permits to enter Israel, were wounded. The wound of one of them was serious. The 2 persons were arrested and taken to Israeli hospitals for medical treatment.
On 03 September 2014, a Palestinian adult and a child were wounded when Israeli forces moved into Nablus, as a group of youngsters gathered and threw stones at Israeli soldiers. The Israeli forces surrounded a 3-storey house and shelled a wall in the building, while opened fire at the second floor. Israeli forces claimed there was a wanted person hiding in the building, but it was proved untrue.
Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, a reporter of Palestine TV was hit by a tear gas canister to the right side while covering Bil’in weekly protest, west of Ramallah. Many other civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and 2 international solidarity activists were arrested in the same protest.
In the Gaza Strip, medical sources in Palestine Hospital in Egypt declared that Wedad Abu Zaid died on 29 August 2014 because of wounds she sustained during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip on 29 July 2014.
On 01 September 2014, medical sources pronounced Basem ‘Ajour (60) dead of wounds he sustained during the Israeli offensive on 25 August 2014.
On the same day, medical sources pronounced Zeyad al-Rifi (13) dead of wounds he sustained on 21 August 2014 in an attack in al-Nafaq area.
On 03 September 2013, medical sources in Egypt pronounced Nasser Abu Marahil (40) dead of wounds he sustained on 25 July 2014 in al-Nusairat area.
In the context of chasing Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 02 September 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off Rafah shore in the southern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats, while gunboats stationed off al-Sudaniya shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats for the second time. Neither arrests nor material damage were reported.
On 01 September 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha resort opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. They arrested 2 fishermen and confiscated their fishing boat and net. There has been no information so far about the destination to which they were taken so far.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 77 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 60 Palestinians, including 5 children. Fourteen of these civilians were arrested in Jerusalem.
On 03 September 2014, Israeli forces moved into Nablus. They surrounded a 3-storey building that is rented by a charitable society and a sport club. They shelled a wall in the building and opened fire at the second floor under the pretext there was a wanted person hiding inside, but there was no body in. A few hours later, Israeli forces moved into the city and raided al-Zahra’ building in al-Ma’ajeen neighbourhood. They raided an apartment belonging to Ahmed Ali Ahmed Ali Ahmed (75), Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for the Change and Reform Bloc. They bombed the apartment’s door and those of other apartments under the pretext of looking for Ahmed.
Restrictions on movement:
Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has been steadily tightened since June 2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli authorities impose measures to undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 7 consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the world. This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7 million people. The Israeli authorities have established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy. They also aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports.
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.
As part of using military checkpoints and border crossings as traps to arrest Palestinian civilians under the pretext they are wanted, Israeli forces arrested 9 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and a woman, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Efforts to create Jewish majority:
On 28 August 2014, Israeli forces bulldozed 5 residential barracks and 3 animal barracks belonging to Saidi and al-Jahalin families. They also destroyed a cow shed belonging to Muahmmed Abu al-Hawa in Zaim village, east of Jerusalem after Civil Administration staffs and Israeli forces raided the aforementioned village. The affected families confirmed that the lands in question belong to them and that they have lived in them since the 1950s.
On 03 September 2014, Israeli forces accompanied by bulldozers and the Israeli municipality’s staff moved into Beit Hanina neighborhood, north of Jerusalem. They surrounded residential buildings belonging to Izz Abu Nijma, and started bulldozing under the pretext of not having a construction license.
The Israeli construction and planning committee approved the construction of a religious school in al-Sheikh Jarah neighborhood in Jerusalem. The committee had approved the plan last February. According to the construction plan (68858), a building of 12 floors will be built on an area of 1.9 dunums out of 4 dunums. The building will include a religious school, residential rooms, and gymnasiums. 1The project is located behind Nasif gas station and al-Hayat medical center. The land was confiscated in the 1980s allegedly because it was absentees’ property.
Settlement activities:
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, in a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Attacks carried out by Israeli forces
On 31 August 2014, Israeli forces backed by several military vehicles and a vehicle for the construction and organization department in the Israeli Civil Administration, raided the western area of Surif village, west of Hebron. The Civil Administration officers distributed notices claiming the confiscation of 3,799 dunums of Surif village and the villages of Bethlehem (al-Jaba’a, Nahlin, and Wadi Fokin) after dividing them to 10 squares, according to the notices which were signed by the official of the government and the absentees’ properties in Judea and Samaria.
On the same day, Israeli forces backed by 3 military vehicles moved into al-Rahwa area, west of al-Zahrya village, west of Hebron. Israeli forces deployed in the area while the bulldozer destroyed a number of houses under the pretext of having no construction permit to build in the areas classified as “C” according to the 1993 Oslo Accord.
On 02 September 2014, Israeli forces, backed by several military vehicles, a vehicle of the construction and organization department in the Israeli Civil Administration, 2 bulldozers, a GCB bulldozer and a digger, moved into Haram al-Rama in the eastern area in Hebron. They surrounded al-Rahma factory for dairies, which is part of al-Rayyan cow farm which is one of the branches of the Islamic Philanthropist Society in Hebron. Israeli soldiers deployed in the area while the bulldozers started destroying the 350m2 factory and the 7-dunum farm under the pretext of having no construction permit to build in the areas classified as “C” according to the 1993 Oslo Accord.
On the same day, Israeli forces bulldozed a 70-square-meter, tin-made barrack which was used as a carwash. Later, they bulldozed another 40-square-meter tin barrack which was used as a pottery factory.
On 03 September 2014, Israeli forces demolished 2 residential tents in al-Rakheem valley, south of Yatta, south of Hebron.
Attacks carried out by Settlers
On 28 August 2014, Israeli settlers from ”Beit Ain” settlement which is established on confiscated lands west of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, smashed the branches of 30 olive and almond trees belonging to Abdel Hamid Bright (78) in Abu Rish area.
On 28 August 2014, 2 Israeli extremists attacked Ziad Musa al-Qawasmi (48), a Palestinian taxi driver when he was driving in one of the streets in Jerusalem.
On 31 August 2014, 3 settlers tried to kidnap Ahlam Awad Muhei Awadallah (26) when she was returning to her house in Shufat. Her husband, Muahmmed Awadallah told PCHR that 3 extremist settlers were driving a Mitsubishi car. The stopped the car near her when she was walking towards her house in al-Sahel neighborhood in Shufat. They verbally attacked her and tried to grab her and pull her into the car. They failed to do as residents of the area intervened.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
During the reporting period, Israeli soldiers used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, Ali Dar Ali (30), a reporter of Palestine TV, was hit by a gas canister to the right side while covering Bil’in weekly protest, west of Ramallah. Besides, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers. Israeli forces arrested 2 international solidarity activists during the said protest.
In the same context, an 18-year-old male was hit by a gas canister to the left side of his chest during a peaceful protest that was organized on Friday, 29 August 2014, at the western entrance of Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah, condemning the Israeli attacks in the oPt.
(PCHR keeps the names of the wounded in fear of being arrested by the Israeli forces within its policy to oppress the peaceful protests and prevent Palestinian civilians from participating).
Demonstrations against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activity
· Following the Friday Prayer on 29 August 2014, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators took the streets raising the Palestinian flags and headed to the liberated territories near the annexation wall. Early in the morning, Israeli forces closed all entrances to the city to prevent Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders from participating in the protests. Protestors marched by the annexation wall and tried to cross the fence. Israeli soldiers stationed behind the wall, in the western area, and a large number of soldiers deployed along it, fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and waste water at them and chased them into the olive fields. As a result, Ali Dar Ali, a reporter of Palestine TV, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right side. In addition, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers. Moreover, Israeli forces arrested 2 international solidarity activists, whom were not identified. They were taken to an unknown destination.
· At the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in Nil’in village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities and in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. The demonstrators made their way towards the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the wall gate with barbwire and, when the demonstrators attempted to access the lands behind the barbwire, they were stopped by Israeli soldier. The demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli soldier who responded with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullet, sound bombs, tear gas canisters, and waste water at them and chased them into the village. As a result, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
· Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, southwest of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators made their way in the streets raising the Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against the occupation and in support of the Palestinian unity resistance, and then they headed to the lands that the settlers are trying to rob by force near “Halmish” settlement. Israeli forces had closed all the entrances of the village since the morning to prevent Palestinian and international activists and journalists from participating in the demonstration. When they arrived at the aforementioned land, demonstrators were met by live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and skunk water and were chased into the village. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
· At approximately 13:20 on the same day, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international activists organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest at the closure of the eastern entrance of the village with a metal gate since the beginning of the second Intifada. Protestors threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, and sound bombs in response. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Other Demonstrations
· On Friday afternoon, 29 August 2014, dozens of Palestinian young men gathered at the western entrance of Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah on the road between Selwad village and Yabrod village near Street (60) to throw stones at the aforementioned street. Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the civilians, and chased them into the village. As a result, an 18-year-old Palestinian was hit by a gas canister to the left side of his chest. He was taken to Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah to receive the necessary medical treatment. Moreover, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Continued closure of the oPt:
Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets.
Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.
The total closure of al-Mentar (‘Karni’) crossing since 02 March 2011 has seriously affected the economy of the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all economic and commercial establishments in the Gaza Commercial Zone were shut off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip, in terms of its capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision to close al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions resulting in the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip in the beginning of 2009, and the Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which were dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010.
Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.
The cooking gas crisis has fluctuated for 9 months due to the closure of Karm Abu Salem for security claims. According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli authorities only allow an average of 98 tons of cooking gas into Gaza per day. This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, which is 200 tons per day of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip during winter. The crisis has unprecedentedly aggravated for around six weeks due to cold weather and overconsumption in addition to the power outage and using gas as an alternative in many instances of electricity. The lack of diesel and benzene led to the aggravation of the crisis as a result of using the gas cylinder for cars or as an alternative for benzene to run generators. As a result, the demand for gas further increased.
For almost 6 consecutive years, Israeli forces have continued to prevent the delivery of construction materials to the Gaza Strip. Two years ago, Israeli forces approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of international organizations in the Gaza Strip. On 17 September 2013, they allowed the entry of limited quantities of construction materials for the private sector. However, on 13 October 2013, they re-banned it claiming that these materials are used for constructing tunnels. Last week, Israeli forces allowed the entry of construction materials only for UNRWA and UNDP projects. As a result, construction works have completely stopped impacting all sectors related to construction and an increase in unemployment levels.
Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices.
Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel denied permission to access hospitals via the crossing for new categories of patients from the Gaza Strip.
West Bank
Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the reporting period, Israeli forces imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians:
· Hebron: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 08:00 on Thursday, 28 August 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the northern entrance of Hebron. At approximately 15:00, a similar checkpoint was established at the entrance of al-Aroub refugee camp, north of the city. Both checkpoints were removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 15:00 on Saturday, 30 August 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Kahel village, north of Hebron. The checkpoint was removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 07:00 on Monday, 01 September 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Bani Na’im village, south of Hebron. At approximately 08:00, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Raiheya village, south of the city and another checkpoint at the entrance of Nouba village, west of the city, at approximately 15:00. All checkpoints were removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 07:00 on Tuesday, 02 September 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the northern entrance of Hebron. At approximately 07:30, a similar checkpoint was established the road connecting Doura with its western villages, southwest of the city. Both checkpoints were removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 06:30 on Wednesday, 03 September 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kharsa village, south of Doura, southwest of Hebron. The checkpoint was removed later, and no arrests were reported.
· Ramallah: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 21:30 on Thursday, 28 August 2014, Israeli forces re-established their presence at the northern entrance of Birzait village, north of Ramallah. The checkpoint was removed later, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 09:30 on Friday, 29 August 2014, another checkpoint was established at the entrance of al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. At approximately 10:00, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ni’lin village, west of the city. At approximately 20:00, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Senjel village, north of Ramallah. Around the same time, Israeli forces established a checkpoint under a bridge in Yabroud village, northeast of the city. The checkpoints were removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 18:30 on Saturday, 30 August 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit ‘Our al-Foqa village, southwest of Ramallah. Around the same time, they established a similar checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Abu Mesh’el village, northwest of the city. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 09:30 on Sunday, 31 August 2014, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the entrance of Aboud village, northwest of Ramallah, and the entrance of Deir Abu Mesh’el village. At approximately 20:30, they established a similar checkpoint at the entrance of Termis’ya village, north of the city. All the checkpoints were removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 11:00 on Monday, 01 September 2014, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the entrance of Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, and under the bridge of Kherbatha al-Mesbah village, southwest of the city. At approximately 17:00, they established a checkpoint near the entrance of Beit ‘Our al-Fouqa village, southwest of Ramallah. The checkpoints were removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 20:30 on Tuesday, 02 September 2014, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the entrance of Beit ‘Our al-Fouqa village, southwest of Ramallah, and under the bridge of ‘Ein Yabroud village, northeast of the city. At approximately 22:00, Israeli forces established a checkpoint near the entrance of Beit Luqia village, west of Ramallah. The checkpoints were removed, and no arrests were reported.
· Jericho: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:30 on Friday, 29 August 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Fasayel village, north of Jericho. At approximately 20:00, they established a similar checkpoint at the entrance of al-Zbaidat village, north of the city. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 20:30 on Saturday, 30 September 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint near the southern entrance of Jericho. The checkpoint was removed later, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 20:00 on Sunday, 31 August 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Nowai’ma village, north of Jericho. The checkpoint was removed later, and no arrests were reported.
· Tulkarm: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 28 August 2014, Israeli forces stationed at Enab checkpoint on Tulkarm-Nablus road, east of Tulkarm, imposed more restrictions, but no arrests were reported. At approximately 19:30, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on Tulkarm-Nablus road, east of Tulkarm. The checkpoint was removed, and no arrests were reported. At approximately22:30, Israeli forces stationed at Enab checkpoint redeployed around the checkpoint and imposed more restrictions on the Palestinian civilians.
At approximately 19:30 on Sunday, 31 August 2014, Israeli forces stationed Enab checkpoint on Tulkarm-Nablus road, east of Tulkarm, imposed more restrictions, but no arrests were reported.
At approximately 07:00 on Monday, 01 September 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on Tulkarm-Nablus road near the intersection leading to Bazarya village, east of Tulkarm. The checkpoint was removed, and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 13:30 on Tuesday, 02 September 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the road connecting Tulkarm with its northern villages. The checkpoint was removed later, and no arrests were reported.
· Jenin: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 28 August 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kfeirat village, southwest of Jenin. A similar checkpoint was established at the entrance of Ya’bad village, southwest of the city. At approximately 09:30, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin. The checkpoints were removed later and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 11:00 on Monday, 01 September 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance of Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. The checkpoint was removed, and no arrests were reported.
· Salfit: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:30 on Thursday, 28 August 2014, Israeli forces established a checkpoint between Kufol Hares and Hares villages, north of Salfit. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 20:35 on Saturday, 30 August 2014, Israeli infantry units were present on Kufol Hares and Hares villages’ road. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.
At approximately 00:50 on Sunday, 31 August 2014, Israeli forces were present at the eastern entrance of Deir Ballout village, west of Salfit. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.
Arrests and Maltreatment at Military Checkpoints
· At approximately 12:00 on Thursday, 28 August 2014, Israeli forces arrested Fida’ Mohammed Khader Suleiman (22), from Beit ‘Our al-Tahta village, southwest of Ramallah, near streets (443), which is adjacent to the village. No reasons were revealed behind the arrest. Her family said they learned that Fida’ was taken to Hasharon prison in Israel.
· At approximately 11:00 on Saturday, 29 August 2014, Israeli forces stationed on the gates of the Ibrahimi mosque, in the center of the Old City in Hebron, arrested Halah Jaber (19) under the pretext she did not listen to the Israeli soldiers’ orders. She was taken to “Kiryat Arba” settlement, but released later.
· On Sunday morning, 31 August 2014, Israeli forces arrested Yousef Ali Breigith (18), from Beit Ommar village, north of Hebron. Yousef was arrested at the entrance of al-Aroub refugee camp and then taken to an unknown destination.
· At approximately 16:00, on the same day, Israeli forces deployed behind the annexation wall, west of Ethna village, west of Hebron, arrested Badawi Abu Zalatah (16) and Kazem al-Najjar (17). The 2 children were taken to an unknown destination.
· At approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 02 September 2014, Israeli forces stationed at the entrance of “Gosh Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem, arrested Jawad Riyadh Mahmoud Breigith (29) and Mefleh Ra’ed Ahmed ‘Adi (19) while heading to an interview with the Israeli intelligence service upon summonses handed to them previously.
· At approximately 19:15 on Monday, 01 September 2014, Israeli forces arrested Hussein Yasser Sultan (28), from Hares village, north of Salfit, and took him to an unknown destination.
· At approximately 16:00 on Tuesday, 02 September 2014, Israeli forces arrested Yazeed Mohammed Abdullah Taha (16), from Deir Mesh’el village, northwest of Ramallah, at a checkpoint established at the entrance of “Halmish” settlement, northwest of the city.
Recommendations to the International Community:
PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation, in spite of Israeli military redeployment outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli forces continued to impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, which have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which Hamas won the majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR stresses that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and the international humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land and the Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply the international human rights law and the law of war sometime reciprocally and other times in parallel in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for victims.
In light of continued arbitrary measures, land confiscation and settlement activities in the West Bank, and the continued aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip, PCHR calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of their natural obligation to respect and enforce the international law – to cooperate and act according to the following recommendations:
1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the United Nations to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination, through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine;
2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide international protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;
3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;
4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human rights instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the concerned committees;
5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;
6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war criminals;
7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;
8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer the Goldstone Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome Statute;
9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the expense of human rights;
10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the two issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel it to remove them;
11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light of its failure to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at least fulfil its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of hostilities launched by Israel which directly targeted the civilian infrastructure;
12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European Union to express a clear position towards the annexation wall following the international recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the annexation wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;
13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to 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 violations and crimes against Palestinian civilians;
14. 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.
Complete document, with details on Israeli violations in occupied East Jerusalem, at the official PCHR website, via link below.
