PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations

According to PCHR investigations, at approximately 13:00 on Friday, 6 August 2021, a peaceful protest took off from Beita village towards Mount Sbaih, where settlers established “Avitar” settlement outpost three months ago. The protestors held Palestinian flags and chanted against the occupation and settlers. Upon their arrival to Mount Sbaih, they found Israeli troops stationed in the area; the soldiers fired at the protest and violent clashes erupted. A group of the protestors threw rocks at soldiers, who continued to fire live and rubber-coated bullets, as well as tear gas and stun grenades, at the protestors. The clashes continued until 15:17 and resulted in the death of a Palestinian civilian; a journalist and a child were wounded as well. The victim was identified as 37-year-old Imad Ali Mahmoud Dweikat from Beita village; he was shot with a live bullet in the chest and died after his arrival to Rafidia Hospital. Additionally, several other Palestinian civilians suffocated due to tear gas inhalation.

Kifah ‘Enad ‘Abed Bani Shamsa said to PCHR’s fieldworker that:

“On 06 August 2021, I performed the Friday prayer in Beita village Park near al-Hawata area and Sbieh Mount, south of Beita village, southeast of Nablus. At approximately 13:30 following the prayer, a number of Palestinians who performed the Friday prayer in the village’s mosque flocked to the area below Sbeih Mount to protest against the establishment of “Avitar” settlement outpost. A group of the villagers and I distributed food and drinks to Palestinians participating in the protest, which developed to clashes with IOF. During the clashes, the army fired sound bombs, teargas canisters and live and rubber bullets at protestors. At approximately 15:10, I withdrew from the area of clashes and headed towards the ambulances parking. When I was four meters away from the parking, I saw my friend Imad Ali Mahmoud Dweikat ( 37) standing under an olive tree, 150 meters away from the clashes. I headed to him and stood next to him. We talked with each other for 5 to 7 minutes. Suddenly, Imad fell beside me on his right side and flipped onto his abdomen. I saw blood come out of his mouth, so I knew that he was injured. I flipped him onto his back and put my hand on his chest to stop the bleeding, noting that I did not hear any gunshots at that time. Afterwards, ambulance officers came, put Imad on a stretcher, got him into the ambulance, and then took him to the field hospital in the village. After that, Imad was transferred to Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus. Few minutes later, he was pronounced dead. The villagers and I headed to the hospital to say goodbye to him.”

PCHR investigations show that the Israeli army’s use of excessive force and snipers to kill in a premeditated and unjustifiable manner. In a matter of a few weeks, the army has killed 6 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, during its attacks on peaceful protests against settlement expansion in Beita. This fact suggests that the army’s conduct is in fact a systemic and political decision that is repeated on more than one occasion, eliminating any base for allegations of a security necessity or real threat.

Aby-Zaytoun’s brother, Ayman, gave the following testimony to PCHR fieldworker:

“A large Israeli occupation force raided the village, as my brother Loay – who is mentally disabled, was getting out of the house. Soldiers shot a tear gas canister at him, causing severe wounds in his face. They arrested him and took him on foot to the center of the village; there were traces of his blood on the ground where he marched. The army put him in a military vehicle that drove into the area adjacent to the annexation wall where an Israeli ambulance arrived and gave him first aid. He was taken to Meir Medical Center. At approximately 19:00, an Israeli ambulance transferred him to a PRCS ambulance, who transported him to Dr. Thabet Thabet hospital, where we were shocked to find out that he was not given any medical care at the Israeli hospital, the blood on his face was not even cleaned. The doctors diagnosed him with retinal damage, fractures in the nose and jaw; he needs surgical intervention.”

The arrestees include one child: Hamza Firas Ghanem (14), his father and uncle, Firas (44) and Eyas (42).

Their brother, Eyad Ghanem, stated that:

“A large number of Israeli forces stormed our 3-storey house and detained all my family in one room on the ground floor, except my father who remained with them while they were searching and damaging the contents of the house. Meanwhile, they went to the first floor where they confiscated 70,000 NIS and some bank checks, as my brother withdrew this amount of money from the bank to finish his house, and they damaged his new bedroom. Then they went to the second floor to Eyas’s apartment and damaged his new bedroom which he brought 2 months ago, and then they arrested my brothers, Eyas and Firas, and my nephew Hamza (14).”

The demolitions included the following:

1. An under-construction house of 2 floors and small room on the roof built on an area of 400sqms in addition to a 160cbms well belonging to Khalil ‘Ali Yasin Thalji, who was supposed to move with his wife and son Mohammed to the house.

2. An under-construction house of 2 floors and small room on the roof built on an area of 400sqms in addition to a 160cbms well belonging to Hayel Mohammed ‘Ali Thalji, who was supposed to move with his wife and 4 children; the eldest is 9 years old, as well as his father and brother.

Moreover, walls of concrete surrounding the 2 houses were demolished as well as a 10-sqm caravan used for storing construction tools. The Civil Administration officer also handed ‘Ali Yasin Thalji a notice to stop construction works in a house he owns with the same specifications near what was demolished, ordering the house’s owner to settle his legal matters and submit a challenge to the Civil Administration until 01 September 2021.

During the demolition, many young men gathered and threw stones at the soldiers stationed in the area while the army randomly fired sound bombs and teargas canisters at the stone-throwers and civilians in the area on the main road. As a result, a number of them suffocated due to teargas inhalation while the Border Guard officers arrested 4 civilians namely Jamal Mohammed ‘Ali; Kamal Mohammed ‘Ali Thalji (42); and Yazan ‘Ahed Hijazi Thalji (25) and released them at 18:00.

‘Ali Ahmed Mahmoud Radaydah, owner of one of the houses demolished, said that he built his house 15 years ago on a land owned by his family on area of 2 dunums and then helped his other 6 brothers build their houses next to each other. Radaydah said that he received a demolition decision of 2 houses 10 years ago; during which many hearings were held at the courts that imposed 2 financial fines of 65,000 and 35,000. Al-Radaydah added that the Israeli court lately issued an administrative decision to demolish all the houses and refused to postpone or freeze the demolitions decisions, giving the family a last chance to self-demolish their houses or the municipality crews will do so and fine them with 100,000 to 200,000 shekels for the demolition costs. Radaydah added that he and his brothers were forced to self-demolish their houses by renting 2 excavators that cost him 30,000 shekels. Al-Radaydah said 46 persons, including 32 children under 15, have become homeless, allegedly for establishing the houses on a green and unorganized land, which the municipality refused to license for construction. Meanwhile, the municipality seeks to implement a new settlement plan in area on 70 dunums and issue prompt construction licenses for settlers.

1.‘Omer ‘Abdel Rahman Zaid al-Kayani in Yabad – An 80sqm butchery only built of cement, one year ago, was demolished; 120sqm stores built of cement and roofed with tinplate were demolished.

2. Mohammed Khaled ‘Atatrah in Yabad – A 300-sqm coffee shop and carwash were demolished.

3. ‘Abdel Fattah Sadeq ‘Abdel Qader al-Sha’er in ‘Arraba – A water tank used for irrigating grapevines on an area of 6 dunums; A shed of steel was also demolished while 6 fruitful grape seedlings planted 6 years ago were

uprooted.

Zaki al-Batmah, Member of Battir Municipality, said that Israeli forces moved into eastern Battir village and levelled a road in Karam Hadidone area. He added that the villagers attempted to confront the army and prevent their vehicles from levelling the road, but clashes broke out; during which the army fired teargas and sound bombs heavily. As a result, tens of civilians suffocated due to teargas inhalation. Al-Batmah said that the army assaulted him and Said Abu Harthiyah, the municipality’s employee, causing them bruises and wounds.

The settlers have recently targeted the village by establishing mobile houses and tents to seize it and building a new settlement outpost; however, the villagers could confront them and removed the tents.

Shadi ‘Odah, the brother of the houses’ owners, said that his 2 brothers built their houses 4 years ago after obtaining a “construction line” license from the Israeli municipality in prelude to obtain the needed legal licenses. ‘Odah added that his 2 brothers received an order to demolish the 2 houses, so the family headed to the Israeli courts, but the judge refused to postpone or freeze the decision. ‘Odah said that the family was surprised with the army’s raiding of the houses in the morning and giving the residents half an hour to evacuate and empty the contents before the demolition. ‘Odah said that the construction of the 2 houses cost them more than 700,000 shekels in addition to 150,000 shekels his brothers paid for the engineers for the licensing procedures. ‘Odah added that the first floor was of 100 sqms where his brother ‘Ali and his wife and 2 kids live while the second floor of 95 sqms shelter his mother and his 2 brothers.

Head of the village council, Khader al-A’araj, said that IOF accompanied with a bulldozer moved into ‘Ein Jweizah area after moving into al-Natouf area from the eastern side of the village via a gate in the annexation wall. They headed to a poultry farm that included a barrack and an agricultural room belonging to Shadi Mousa ‘Abdel Sheikh from Beit Safafa village, south of occupied Jerusalem, and demolished it while the animals ran away. As a result, many of the animals died due to the demolition and the hot weather. Al-A’raj added that the army, 2 weeks ago notified the farm’s owner of an administrative demolition decision. The demolition losses exceeded 400,000 shekels, i.e. USD 121,000, especially that the farm had 300 poultry birds from different types.

It should be noted that the demolition was allegedly for unlicensed construction while regarding the military order, the Israeli authorities referred when issuing this notice to Article (4) of the military order no. (1797) that targets the new buildings and facilities, which were resided less than a month ago, as well as the buildings that have been under-construction for 6 months.

This decision deprives citizen’s right to legally defend his facility or dwelling, and the Israeli authorities started using this order and obtained powers and legal cover from the Israeli Supreme Court, which rejected all petitions and challenges that were applied by human rights organizations to defend the Palestinian houses in addition to authorizing the Civil Administration to implement this decision.

The army, deployed in the area while the vehicles carried out the following demolitions:

1. A 30-sqm agricultural room belonging to Fo’ad Fadel al-‘Amour who received on 27 July 2021 a notice within the 1797 military decision that givens citizens 96 hours to submit their papers needed for licensing the facility.
2. A 200-sqm barrack of tinplate sheltering 400 sheep belonging to Akram Sari Mohammed Abu Sabha.

The Israeli authorities demolished Abu Sabha’s facility without a prior warning as they previously demolished a dwelling, tents and barrack for the same person on 18 October 2020.

Kherbet al-Fakhit is part of Kherab Masafer Yatta village with a population of about 80 people, who depend on agriculture and livestock. Al-Fakhit is bordered to the east by Kherbet al-Majaz, to the west by Kherbet Shaab al-Butm, to the north by Kherbet al-Tabban, and to the south by the Green Line and the Annexation Wall.

Head of the Jab’a village council said that the settlers raided a plot of land belonging to Ref’at Hasan al-Tous in Shaqif al-Dab’a area, southeast of the village, and cut tens of olive trees planted 60 years ago. It should be noted that the army prevent Jab’a village’s farmers from entering their agricultural lands of 40 dunums, which were isolated by the annexation wall in 2005. The army stationed at al-Jab’a crossing and known as “Hala Border Crossing,” which isolates the lands occupied in 1948 from the lands occupied in 1967, allows the lands’ owners from the village to enter their lands twice a year only according to the security coordination. It is once for plowing the land and trimming the trees and the other for harvesting the fruits after the season ends and the fruits are seized by the settlers of “Jab’out” and “Beit ‘Ayem” settlements.

Ahmed Ghazal, Kisan Village Council’s deputy chief, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the settlers moved into an agricultural land rented by Hussein ‘Abdullah al-‘Abyyat and his sons in the western side of the village. Ghazal said that the army prevented the owner of the land and his sons from entering the land where the settlers were levelling it, planting pine and olive trees in large numbers, and establishing electricity poles. Ghazal added that fistfights occurred between settlers and villagers, who tried to prevent settlers from seizing the land, but the army increased their numbers in the area and detained the owner of the land ‘Abyyat and his sons for several hours.

It is noteworthy that Kisan village has been under large-scale settlers’ attacks, including the seizure of its lands in favor of expanding the existing settlements, assaults on the owners of agricultural lands there, preventing them from reaching their lands, and causing damage to their agricultural crops.