In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 29 Nov. – 06 Dec. 2017, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights found that Israeli forces continued systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories this week. A Civilian was killed by Israeli settlers in Qasrah village, southeast of Nablus. A child Succumbed to his wounds he sustained in the 2014 Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. 8 civilians, including a child, were wounded in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces wounded 5 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank while wounded 3 civilians, including a child and a woman, in the Gaza Strip. In the Gaze Strip, the Israeli warplanes carried out several airstrikes at military training sites of the Palestinian armed groups. As a result, Palestinian civilians sustained wounds in addition to material damage in the sites. The Israeli forces also continued to chase Palestinian fishermen in the Sea.
In the same context, a civilian sustained a metal bullet wound to the back after Israeli forces moved into Qabatiyah village, southeast of Jenin, to demolish a house belonging to Mohammed Abu al-Rab, who is accused of carrying out a stab attack in Kafer Qasem in Israel on 04 October 2017.
On 04 December 2017, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded when dozens of Israeli settlers gathered at the eastern entrance to Qasrah village, southeast of Nablus, to raid a cave in Ras al-Nakhil Mount. Dozens of Palestinians gathered to prevent the settlers from raiding the cave, so the Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinians. As a result, 2 civilians were wounded.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 75 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank while they conducted 15 incursions into Jerusalem and its suburbs. During those incursions, Israeli forces abducted at least 94 Palestinian civilians, including 20 children and a woman, in the West Bank. Twenty four of them, including 11 children and a woman, were abducted in Jerusalem and its suburbs.
As part of the collective punishment policy applied by the Israeli forces against the Palestinian families of those accused of carrying out attacks against the Israeli forces and/or settlers, early on Friday, 01 December 2017, Israeli forces demolished a house belonging to Mohammed Zeyad Abu al- Rab in Qabatyah, southeast of Jenin. The one-story house established on an area of 140 square meters sheltered 5 individuals, including 3 children. It should be noted that, the Israeli forces accused Mohammed of carrying out a stabbing attack in Kafer Qasem in Israel on 04 October 2017 and killing an Israeli.
As part of the house demolitions, on 05 December 2017, Israeli Municipality bulldozers demolished an under-construction building and a parking in Ras Shehadah area in Shu’fat refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem, under the pretext of building without a licence. The first floor of the building was supposed to be a garage for engineer ‘Essam Mohammed while the building would have sheltered About 50 persons. The residents of the area said that the Israeli forces intend to demolish 3 residential under-construction buildings in the abovementioned neighbourhood near the annexation wall.
On 06 December 2017, Israeli Municipality crews accompanied with the Israeli police moved into Beir Ayoub, Wadi al-Helweh, and al-‘Abasiyah neighborhoods in Silwan village, south of the Jerusalem’s Old City. The municipality crews also fixed demolition order to a number of residential buildings.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, medical sources in the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis announced on 06 December 2017, the death of Mohammed Abu Haddaf (9) from al-Qararah, northeast of the city. Mohammed’s Family said to PCHR’s fieldworker that on 08 August 2014, Mohammed sustained severe wounds after an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a gathering of civilians in Abu Haddaf neighbourhood in the village. As a result, 9 civilians, most of them were children, were killed and wounded. Mohammed was hit with shrapnel throughout his body and in his bone marrow, causing paralysation to Mohammed. His medical health condition was very bad from 2014, when he was wounded, until he died.
In the same context, the border areas with Israeli witnessed protests against the ongoing and unjust Israeli closured against the Gaza population. During those protests, the Israeli forces used force against the protesters. As a result, a child was wounded, east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.
As part of Israeli air strikes, the Israeli warplanes carried out several airstrikes that targeted several military sites affiliated to Palestinian armed groups. As a result, 2 civilians, including a girl, were wounded and a number of roofs of houses and greenhouses sustained material damage.
In the Gaza Strip, as part of targeting fishermen in the sea, PCHR monitored the Israeli naval forces’ escalation against fishermen in the Gaza Sea although it was announced that the Gaza fishermen are allowed to sail to 9 nautical miles instead of 6. This proves that the Israeli forces continue their policy of targeting fishermen in their livelihoods. During the reporting period, Israeli gunboats chased fishing boats and opened fire at them 14 times; 8 of them in the north-western Beit Lahia, 5 of them in the western Sudaniyah area, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, and one in the Gaza City Sea. As a result, 5 fishermen, including a child, were abducted but later released while their boat was confiscated.
As part of targeting the border area, PCHR monitored the Israeli forces firing 10 shells and opening fire along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The Israeli forces carried out one incident in the northern Gaza Strip, 2 incidents in Gaza City, 5 incidents in the central Gaza Strip, and 2 incidents in Khan Yunis.
Israeli settlement activities:
At approximately 11:00 on Thursday, 30 November 2017, a group of armed Israeli settlers moved into Ras al-Nakhil area, east of Qasrah village, southeast of Nablus. A settler opened fire at Mahmoud Ahmed Za’al ‘Oudah (48), who was working in his land. As a result, Mohammed sustained a live bullet wound to the right armpit. The bullet penetrated his heart and exited the left armpit. A number of the village residents rushed to the crime scene and attempted to save Mohammed’s life, but he died. Following that, clashes erupted between the settlers and the outraged residents. Thus, an Israeli force moved into the area to protect the settlers and opened fire at the residents. As a result, Fayez Fathi Darwish (47) was hit with shrapnel to the right knee. He was taken to Rafidiya Hospital in Nablus to receive medical treatment.’Ouda’s dead body was evacuated by an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to one of the City’s hospitals. However, the Israeli forces stationed at Howarah checkpoint at the southern entrance to the city stopped the ambulance. The soldiers called for an Israeli ambulance that came and took the dead body to the Forensic Medicine Institute in Israel for anatomy. At approximately 17:00, a number of settlers protected by the Israeli forces gathered at the entrance to Qasrah eastern village, and provoked the residents. After that, a number of youngsters threw stones and empty bottles at the settlers and soldiers, who immediately opened fire at them. As a result, Amir Mo’tasem Mahmoud ‘Oudah (22) sustained a live bullet wound that settled in the pelvis. Amir was transferred via a PRCS ambulance to Rafidiya Hospital. When the ambulance left the village, the settlers threw stones at it. As a result, the glass of the left window broke down. At approximately 18:30 on Friday, 01 December 2017, the Israeli forces handed ‘Ouda’s dead body to a Palestinian ambulance at the intersection of Jeet village, northeast of Qalqiliyah. ‘Ouda was buried on Saturday, 02 December 2017, in the village cemetery.
As part of the Israeli settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property, on 30 November 2017, Israeli settlers attacked Asma’a Shoyoukhi (53) and her daughter Raghad (17) when they were in al-al-Sharaf neighborhood in Jerusalem’s Old City. As a result, they sustained bruises. Asma’a said to PCHR’s fieldworker that a number of settlers attacked her and her daughter and beat them with belts and a metal pole and verbally insulted them. The Israeli police abducted the abovementioned civilians on claims of attacking settlers. During their detention in al-Qeshlah police station, Asma’a asked the interrogator to check the surveillance cameras in the scene. After checking the cameras, it showed that Asma’a and her daughter are the ones who were attacked by the settlers.
As part of the Israeli settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property, on 30 November 2017, a group of Israeli settlers, some of them were armed, moved into Ras al-Nakhil area, east of Qasrah village, southeast of Nablus. One of them opened fire at a civilian, who was working in his land and shot him dead. Following this crime, the village residents detained the settlers in a cave in the area before the Israeli forces intervened and took them out. On 04 December 2017, a number of settlers gathered at the eastern entrance to the village, in response to calls from settlement organizations to be in the cave. Thus, dozens of the village residents gathered to prevent them from entering the cave. A number of Israeli soldiers stepped out of their vehicles and opened fire at the Palestinian civilians. As a result, 2 civilians were wounded and their wounds were classified as serious.
On 30 November 2017, a group of settlers from so-called ‘pricetag’ groups from “Yitzhar” settlement protected by the Israeli forces attacked the south-eastern outskirts in ‘Asirah al-Qabliyah village, south of Nablus.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
Following Friday Prayer on 01 December 2017, dozens of Palestinian civilians, international human rights defenders and Israelis organized protests in Ni’lin and Bil’in villages, west of Ramallah, al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of the city and Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah; in protest against the annexation wall and settlement activities. Israeli forces forcibly dispersed the protests, firing live and metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. They also chased the protestors into the olive fields and between houses. As a result, many of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by the Israeli soldiers
Following the same Friday prayer, dozens of Palestinians from Kherbet Qalqas, east of Hebron organized a protest at the southern entrance to the village, which has been closed by the Israeli forces for 17 years, restricting the movement of the village residents. Large force of Israeli soldiers arrived at the area. When civilians attempted to move towards the sand barriers which close the road while raising the Palestinian flags and banners, the Israeli soldiers threatened to fire tear gas canisters at them if they did not leave the area that was announced as a closed military zone. Moreover, the Israeli forces detained press crews and prevented them from covering the incident until the end of the protest. However, no other incidents were reported.
At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 01 December 2017, dozens of Palestinian youngsters made their way to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Shuhada’a Cemetery, east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, in protest against the Israeli closure imposed on the Gaza Strip. The youngsters approached the security fence and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence. The soldiers fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, and tear gas canisters at the protestors. As a result, a 16-year-old child from al-Sheja’eya neighborhood was hit with a live bullet that entered and exited the right foot. He was transferred by a PRCS ambulance to the Indonesian Hospital. His injury was classified as moderate.
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. PCHR calls upon the international community to speed up the reconstruction process necessary because of the destruction inflicted by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
The PCHR calls for a prompt intervention to compel the Israeli authorities to lift the closure that obstructs the freedom of movement of goods and 1.8 million civilians that experience unprecedented economic, social, political and cultural hardships due to collective punishment policies and retaliatory action against civilians.
For the full text of the report, click here.
