Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR): Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Weekly Update February 3 – 9, 2022)

Violation of right to life and bodily integrity

Three Palestinians extra-judicially executed, 7 others wounded, including 2 children and 2 journalists, by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in the West Bank.

On 4 February, 5 Palestinians, including 2 children and 2 journalists, sustained live and rubber-bullet wounds in an IOF attack on a peaceful protest in southern Beita, Nablus. More details available here.

On 8 February, a special Israeli force killed three Palestinians in Nablus, as it opened fire at their vehicle and extra-judicially executed them. The victims are thought to be affiliated with al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and had been chased by IOF for a while. More information available here.

9 February: Palestinians male sustained a rubber-bullet in the head during clashes with IOF in Kafr ‘Aqab, northern occupied East Jerusalem.

Palestinian sustained a bullet wound in the foot during IOF raid into Ein Al Sultan refugee camp, western Jericho.

5 shootings and uses of tear gas grenades were recorded in IOF incursions in the West Bank causing several cases of suffocation due to tear gas inhalation among civilians.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF opened fire 8 times at agricultural lands in access restricted areas, eastern Gaza, mostly in eastern Khan Younis. Also, one IOF shooting was reported on fishing boats mostly in the northern Gaza sea. No injuries were reported.

So far in 2022, IOF attacks killed 5 Palestinians and wounded 47 others, including 8 children and 4 journalists, all in the West Bank.”

Land razing, demolitions, and notices

This week, IOF demolished 2 civilian objects and razed agricultural lands in the West Bank:

On 6 February, IOF razed more than 30 dunums of agricultural lands in Kisan, eastern Bethlehem, under the plans to expand “Ibei HaNahal’ settlement, which is established on Palestinians’ lands.

On 8 February, a 250-cup mineral water tank was destroyed in Furush Beit Dajan, central Jordan valleys.

On 9 February, a 30-meter paved road, cave entrance, and greenhouse were demolished; and a cease-construction notice was served against a power-grid, all in western Hebron.

Since the beginning of 2022, Israeli occupation forces made 21 families homeless, a total of 128 persons, including 23 women and 50 children. This was the outcome of IOF demolition of 27 houses and 3 residential tents. IOF also demolished 11 other civilian objects, and delivered 12 notices of demolition, cease-construction, and evacuation.”

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians

IOF carried out 132 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids of civilian houses and shootings, enticing fear among civilians, and attacking many of them. During this week’s incursions, 50 Palestinians were arrested, including 3 children and a woman. The majority of arrests were in occupied East Jerusalem.

So far in 2022, IOF conducted 697 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, during which 444 Palestinians were arrested, including 35 children and 6 women.”

Settler-attacks on Palestinian civilians and their properties

This week, 7 settler-attacks were reported in the West Bank, resulting in 6 Palestinians sustaining bruises, and the uprooting of 150 olive trees.

3 February: settlers assaulted 3 Palestinians and attempted to steal their grazing cattle in easter ad-Dhahiriya, Hebron. Later, IOF arrested the assaulted Palestinians.

4 February: a Palestinian sustained bruises after a settler assaulted him during an anti-settlement protest in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, occupied East Jerusalem.

Settlers conducted 3 attacks in Salfit: 20 olive trees were uprooted and a beehive damaged in Kufr al-Dik; 40 olive trees uprooted in Yasuf; 30 other olive trees uprooted in Bruqin.

8 February: 2 Palestinians sustained fractures and bruises as settlers launched an attack in Si’ir, northern Hebron. Settlers threw stones at a house in the town.

9 February: settlers uprooted 60 olive trees and launched an attack on a greenhouse in al-Ras area, western Salfit.

So far this year, settlers carried out 21 attacks on Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank.”

Israeli closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement

Israeli occupation maintains its illegal and inhuman 15-year closure on the Gaza Strip. Details available in PCHR’s monthly update on the Gaza crossings.

In the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, IOF continues to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement.

On top of its 108 permanent checkpoints, IOF established 63 temporary military checkpoints this week and arrested 4 Palestinians at those checkpoints. The majority of the checkpoints were in Hebron (31) followed by Bethlehem (11).