PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (22 - 27 February 2018)

Israeli forces continued with systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) for the week of 22 – 27 February, 2018.

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian while arresting him when no danger to the soldiers’ life had been posed. 10 shooting incidents targeting the Palestinian fishing boats off the Gaza Strip Shore were also reported.

Shooting:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians, including a fisherman, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They also wounded 41 other civilians, including 9 children and 2 fishermen. In the Gaza Strip as well, the Israeli forces continued to chase Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea and target the border areas.

In the Gaza Strip, on 25 February 2018, Israeli naval killed a Palestinian fisherman and wounded 2 others after opening at a fishing boat sailing within 3 nautical miles and damaging the boat. The two wounded fishermen were arrested and questioned before being released on the same day afternoon. PCHR condemns the ongoing Israeli attacks against the Palestinian fishermen aiming at targeting the livelihoods of fishermen and preventing them from sailing and fishing freely in the Gaza Strip.

As part of targeting the border areas, on 24 February 2018, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence between Israeli and the Gaza Strip, east of Khan Younis, fired flare bombs over the border area, east of al-Qararah, and sporadically opened fire. They later declared they arrested 2 Palestinian civilians who attempted to sneak into Israel.

On 27 February 2018, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at the shepherds forcing them to leave the area fearing for their lives.

Moreover, 24 Palestinian civilians were wounded, including 5 children, after the Israeli forces fired bullets and tear canisters at them directly during protests where the protestors threw stones at the soldiers stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel. These demonstrations are organized in protest against the U. S. President’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and against the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip for the eleventh year.

As part of targeting fishermen in the sea, the Israeli forces continued to escalate their attacks against fishermen in the Gaza Sea, indicating to the on-going Israeli policy of targeting their livelihoods. In addition to the killing of the abovementioned fisherman, PCHR monitored 9 other incidents; 7 in north-western Beit Lahia and 5 others in Western Soudaniyah, west of Jabalia.

In the West Bank, on 23 February 2018, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian from Jericho while arresting him and declared his death only hour after his arrest. According to PCHR’s investigations and eyewitnesses, the Israeli forces moved into Jericho to carry out an arrest campaign. Yassin al-Saradih then rushed to his uncle’s house to know what was going on. The Israeli soldiers immediately started severely and brutally beating him throughout his body using riffles’ butts and feet. In the morning, the Israeli forces declared his death after suffering seizures due to gas inhalation. The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees said quoting the Palestinian Doctor Rayan al-‘Ali who participated in the Anatomy of the body in the Forensic Medicine Institute “Abu Kabir” said that al-Saradih was wounded with a bullet to the lower abdomen.

On 24 February 2018, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli soldiers moved into Salem village, northeast of Nablus, and a number of youngsters gathered to throw stones at the Israeli vehicles. In response, the soldiers opened fire at them wounding the three civilians.

On 24 February 2018, a civilian was wounded after the Israeli forces moved into al-Dheishah refugee camp, south of Bethlehem, to carry out an arrest campaign and a number of civilians protested against them. On the same day, a 15-year-old child was hit with a bullet to the right shoulder when settlers under the Israeli forces’ protection attacked the northern outskirts of Burin village, south of Nablus, and the residents gathered to keep the setters away; thus, the Israeli soldiers opened fire at them.

On 27 February 2018, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when an Israeli police officer opened fire at a Palestinian car at the entrance to al-Laban al-Shaqriqyah, south of Nablus. As a result, the driver was hit with a bullet to his back and then taken to Qablan Medical Centre. He was then referred by an ambulance to Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus where he underwent an urgent surgery and his condition was described as stable.

Moreover, 9 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded after the Israeli soldiers stationed at the entrances to the Palestinian residential areas in the West Bank fired live bullets and tear gas canisters directly at them during protests and stone-throwing. These demonstrations are organized by Palestinian civilians in protest against the American President’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and against the Israeli settlement activities and land confiscations.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 56 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 43 Palestinians, including 10 children and a woman, in the West Bank. Four of them were arrested in Jerusalem and its suburbs. Those incursions occur in light of the cold and rainy weather as the Israeli soldiers force children, women and elderly people to stay outside their houses for hours or locked families in one room, preventing them to move in addition to other acts of harassment and use of police dogs in house raids.

Among those arrested this week was the wounded child Mohammed Fadel al-Tamimi (15) from al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. Mohammed was wounded on 15 December 2017 with a rubber bullet that settled in his head while participating in a peaceful protest at the main entrance to the abovementioned village. The doctors conducted him several complacted and long-hour surgeries to successfully remove the rubber bullet and swallows in the brain, ear, nose and throat. However, doctors had to remove part of the skull and supposed to conduct him a surgery to repair the skull on 05 March 2018. The Israeli forces released Mohammed after questioning him on the same day he was arrested.

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces conducted two limited incursions into east of al-Qararah village, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip and east of al-Salqah Valley village, north of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. The vehicles levelled and combed the lands along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel amidst Israeli sporadic shooting. However, no casualties were reported.

Efforts to Create Jewish Majority in occupied East Jerusalem:

As part of targeting the religious holy sites in the city, the Christian community unanimously declared the closure of the Holy Sepulcher Church in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City until a further notice to protest the decision by the city’s municipality to impose property tax (Arnona) on church-owned properties. The Israeli municipality claimed that the debts on 887 church-owned properties stood at over $190 million, without specifying the time frame that the debts accumulated. This closure is considered the second of its kind in the Church history as the first was on 27 April 1990 when the doors of the Church were closed for 48 hours to protest the “Ateret Cohnim” settlement Members’ seizure of the Hospitality Palace in the Monastery of Saint John, who is King of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, next to the Church after two weeks of the seizure and failure of all efforts to expel them. Christian denomination shares the areas and quarters as identified for each inside the Church according to the Status Quo, which is a decree issued by the Ottoman Empire in 1852 and still applicable. The decree was set to preserve the rights of each sect and religious group in Jerusalem in general and in the Sepulcher Church in particular, and to identify how each sect shall use its area.

As part of restricting the work of Palestinian organizations, on 24 February 2018, the Israeli forces banned organizing a dinner party for journalists working in occupied East Jerusalem that was supposed to be held in Philadelphia Restaurant on al-Zahraa’ Street in the center of the city. They closed the restaurant until the next day morning, preventing the dinner in the restaurant or in any other place under the pretext of being organized by the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. According to the ban decision, this activity is organized by “a terrorist movement” and the ban came upon an order by the Jerusalem Command Chief. The Israeli forces also arrested Director of Eilia Association for Media, Ahmed al-Safadi, and the restaurant’s owner, Zuhair Izheiman, while they handed Shadi Mutawer, Secretary of Fatah Movement in Jerusalem, and ‘Awad al-Salaymah, Member of Fatah Movement in Jerusalem, summonses to interrogate them.

Settlement Activities, Demolitions, and Settlers’ Attacks against Palestinian civilians and their Property:

As part of the Israeli settlers’ attacks against the Palestinian civilians and their property, on 23 February 2018, a group of Israeli settlers from “Bracha” settlement and “’Arousa” outpost established in the northern outskirts of Burin village, south of Nablus. The Israeli settler threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ houses. As a result, the village’s residents gathered and confronted the settlers, but no casualties were reported. The settlers’ attacks recurred in the area on the next day under the protection of the Israeli forces that opened fire at the civilians resulting in the injury of a child with a bullet to the right shoulder.

On 23 February 2018 as well, the settlers threw stones at a Palestinian civilian car near Barqah village, northwest of Nablus. As a result, a civilian was hit with a stone to the head.

Use of Force against Demonstrations in Protest against the U.S. President’s Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel:

Upon calls for demonstrations protesting against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s Presidential Decree to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the U.S. Embassy to it, Palestinian civilians organized protests against the decision throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. As a result, 33 civilians, including 8 children, were wounded. (This number does not include the number of those wounded during the incursions into the West Bank, and targeting fishermen in the Gaza Strip.) It should be mentioned that PCHR keeps the names of wounded persons for fear of arresting them. The demonstrations were as follows:

West Bank:

At approximately 12:40 on Friday, 23 February 2018, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered at the southern entrance to Jericho. They threw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers stationed at military checkpoint established near the abovementioned entrance. The soldiers fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a civilian from ‘Aqabet Jaber refugee camp, south of the city, was hit with a rubber bullet to the thigh.

Following the end of the same Friday prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in the vicinity of Howarah checkpoint at the southern entrance to Nablus. They set fire to tires and put barricades on the street leading to the checkpoint and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers. The soldiers fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 4 civilians, including a child, were wounded. One of them was hit with a live bullet to the right leg and the 3 others were hit with rubber bullets. The wounded civilians were transferred to Rafidiya Hospital in Nablus to receive medical treatment. Doctors classified their injury between moderate and minor.

Following the same Friday prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and International and Israeli human rights defenders organized a protest in front of ‘Ali al-Baka’a Mosque in Hebron and made their way to the Old City Square marking the annual anniversary Massacre of the Ibrahimi Mosque and demanding to open al-Shuhada’a Street. The protestors raised Palestinian flags and chanted national slogans demanding to get the Israeli settlers out of the city. When the participants arrived at the abovementioned area, dozens of Israeli soldiers attacked them and fired 2 sound bombs. The participants dispersed while a number of them threw stones at the soldiers, who chased them to al-Zawiyah Gate area. The soldiers arrested Malek Haroun al-Rajbi (14) and took him to the military checkpoint established at the entrance to al-Shuhada’a Street.

Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians protested at the entrance to Beta village branching from Ramallah – Nablus Street. They set fire to tires, put barricades on the main street and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers stationed at the village entrance. The Israeli soldiers heavily fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protestors. They also arrested Yahiya Sofian Khdair (16). Moreover, few sound bombs and tear gas canister fell on the eastern side of the “Hesbet Beta” Market. As a result, fire broke out in a number of shops and juice stores. The losses were estimated around million and a half shekels. The civil Defense crews were able to extinguish the fire. The people, who have loses, were identified as follows:

Ghaleb Ahmed Ghanem: 1215 large boxes; 900 empty boxes; 8 apple wooden shipping boxes, which cost about NIS 48,000; 1 forklift that cost NIS 50,000; 8 onion wooden shipping boxes; 28 potato boxes; 30 cartoons of dried fig; and 200 empty wooden shipping boxes;

Fawaz al-‘Anbusi: 617 plastic large boxes, which cost about NIS 37,000; 17600 empty boxes that cost about NIS 88,000; 600 empty wooden shipping boxes that cost about NIS 9,000; and 30 vegetables wooden shipping boxes that cost about NIS 38,000;

Fahed ‘Arar Abu al-Mo’taz: a truck used for transferring goods that cost about NIS 150,000; a 160-square-meter barrack; 22 wooden shipping boxes of soft drinks; 6 wooden shipping boxes of juice cartoons; 61 shipping boxes of juice plastic bottles; 1500 snacks cartoons; and 7200 chocolate cartoons; and

Mor’eb Sadqi Hanini: 20 empty large boxes, and 1000 empty boxes.

Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a protest in the center of al-Janiyah village, northwest of Ramallah and made their way to the main entrance to the village. When the protestors approached the abovementioned entrance, Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protestors. As a result, a 16-year-old child, from Ras Karkar village near the abovementioned village, was hit with a live bullet to the right foot. He was transferred via an ambulance belonging to Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah to receive medical treatment. Doctors classified his injury as moderate.

Gaza Strip:

At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 22 February 2018, dozens of Palestinian youngsters made their way to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Burij refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip, in protest against the U.S President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The youngsters set fire to tires and then threw stones at the Israeli soldiers stationed behind sand barriers along the border fence. The Israeli soldier then fired tear gas canisters and live bullets at them. As a result, a Palestinian civilian was hit with a live bullet to the lower limbs (entered and exited) and was then taken via a PRCS’s ambulance to al-Aqsa Hospital in Dir al-Balah. He was then transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, where doctors classified his wounds as moderate.

At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 23 February 2018, dozens of Palestinian youngsters made their way to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel in the northern Gaza Strip. The youngsters approached the security fence and threw stones at Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence. The soldiers stationed in military watchtowers and in their vicinity at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing, northwest of Beit Hanoun village, north of Buret Abu Samrah, north of the abovementioned village, and stationed in the east of the Islamic Cemetery, east of Jabalia, fired live bullets, rubber- coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at the protestors. As a result, 9 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were wounded. Six of them were hit with live bullets while 3 others were hit with rubber bullets. The wounded persons were then taken via a PRCS’s ambulance to the Indonesian and Beit Hanoun Hospitals to receive medical treatment. Doctors there classified their injuries between serious, moderate and minor.

Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in the vicinity of al-Sheja’eya neighborhood intersection, east of Gaza city and then headed to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel (near former Nahel Oz). The protestors threw stones at Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence. The soldiers fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 6 Palestinian civilians were hit with live bullets to the lower limbs.

Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian young men made their way to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel east of Khuza’a and ‘Abasan al-Kabirah and al-Jadidah villages, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, in protest against the U.S President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The clashes continued in the area for hours during which the Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence and sporadically fired live bullets and tear gas canisters. As a result, 3 civilians, including a child, were hit with live bullets to the lower limbs. They were then taken to the European Hospital, southeast of the city, where their wounds were classified as moderate.

At approximately 14:00 on Friday, dozens of Palestinian youngsters made their way to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Burij refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip, in protest against the U.S President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The youngsters set fire to tires and then threw stones at the Israeli soldiers stationed behind sand barriers along the border fence. The Israeli soldier then fired tear gas canisters and live bullets at them. As a result, 5 civilians were hit with live bullets to the lower limbs and then taken via a PRCS’s ambulance to al-Aqsa Hospital in Dir al-Balah. One of the wounded was then taken to European Hospital in Khan Yunis, and his wounds ranged between moderate and minor.

Efforts to Create A Jewish majority

Israeli forces escalated their attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property. They have also continued their raids on al-Aqsa Mosque and denied the Palestinians access to it:

Arrests and Incursions:

At approximately 02:00 on Saturday, 24 February 2018, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Issawiyia village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohamed Dawoud Abu Riyalah (27), arrested his wife Najat Naser Abu Riyalah (21) and then took her to a detention center. Mohamed Abu al-Humus, Member of the Follow-up Committee in the village, said that the Israeli forces arrested Najat to pressurize her husband to surrender to the Israeli authorities. He added that the Israeli forces raided the house to arrest Mohamed, but he was not home. Najat was detained until the morning and later released after her husband surrendered.

Restrictions on Palestinian Organizations

At approximately 17:30 on Saturday, 24 February 2018, Israeli forces accompanied with Israeli Intelligence Officers raided Philadelphia Restaurant on al-Zahra Street in the center of occupied East Jerusalem. The Israeli forces prevented a dinner party for journalists working in the city and closed the restaurant until the next day, 25 February 2018. According to PCHR’s investigations and journalists’ statements, the Israeli forces along with Israeli Intelligence Officers raided and searched Philadelphia Restaurant and then ordered all who were there to leave while a force of Israeli border guard officers stationed at the restaurant entrance and prevented anyone from entering. They then hanged a decision to ban organizing the dinner in this restaurant or in any other place under the pretext of organizing it by the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. According to the ban decision, this activity is organized by “a Terrorist Organization” and the ban came upon an order from the Jerusalem Command Chief. The journalists said that the Israeli forces arrested Ahmed al-Safadi, Director of Elia Association for Media; and Zuhair Izhiman, restaurant’s owner; while handed Shadi Motawar, Secretary of Fatah Movement in East Jerusalem; and ‘Awad al-Salimah, Member of Fatah Movement, summonses for investigation. The Israeli Intelligence Service pushed a journalist Ahmed Jalajel and forced him to leave the restaurant. Moreover, the restaurant’s owner was surprised with the raiding and closure of the restaurant. He also said that, “the economic conditions in Jerusalem is so difficult and today the restaurant is closed until next day morning, so we were prohibited from receiving anyone, noting that we have prepared food, according to the pre-booking.”

Targeting Christian Property in the City

At approximately 12:00 on Sunday, 26 February 2018, the Christian community unanimously declared the closure of the Holy Sepulcher Church in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City until a further notice to protest the decision by the city’s municipality to impose property tax (Arnona) on church-owned properties. The Israeli municipality claimed that the debts on 887 church-owned properties stood at over $190 million, without specifying the time frame that the debts accumulated.

Following this consensus, 2 members of Joudah and Nusseibah Families, who have the keys of the Church and responsible for opening and closing it, closed the door of the Church until a further notice. Meanwhile, Christian tourists resented after arriving in the city to visit the Church and tomb of Jesus Christ and finding the church doors closed. The Ministerial Committee for Legislation in the Knesset expressed its intention to consider a bill that would allow the Israeli authorities to expropriate lands sold by churches since 2010 and the Israeli municipality’s intention to collect the Arnona property tax from the churches.

Following the closure of the Sepulcher Church, the Heads of Churches in the city published a statement condemning the Israeli latest steps intended to take against the church and dubbing the steps as a systematic campaign against the Christian community in the holy land. The statement reads that: ” We are following with great concern the systematic campaign against the churches and the Christian community in the Holy Land, in flagrant violation of the existing status quo.” the Statement continues: ” These actions breach existing agreements and international obligations which guarantee the rights and privileges of the churches, in what seems as an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem.” The statement was signed by Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilus III, Armanian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, and Bishop Francesco Patton.

This closure is considered the second of its kind in the Church history as the first was on 27 April 1990 when the doors of the Church were closed for 48 hours to protest the “Ateret Cohnim” settlement Members’ seizure of the Hospitality Palace in the Monastery of Saint John, who is King of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, next to the Church after two weeks of the seizure and failure of all efforts to expel them. ‘Issa Misleh, Spokesperson of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, said that away from the two closures, the Church doors have been always open and never witnessed any closure, except suspension of prayers in times of war or earthquakes. The East and West Christian community jointly pray and worship in the Sepulcher Church that was established on the Calvary, where Jesus was crucified according to Christians’ beliefs, and includes the holy tomb of Jesus Christ. The Christian faith shares the areas and quarters as identified for each inside the Church according to the Status Quo, which is a decree issued by the Ottoman Empire in 1852 and still applicable. The decree was set to preserve the rights of each sect and religious group in Jerusalem in general and in the Sepulcher Church in particular, and to identify how each sect shall use its area.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher has a Monastery for Catholics, another for Greek Orthodox, a third for the Latin and a fourth for Armenians. As for the Copts, they have a Monastery and Church of St. Anthony (Deir Mar Antonios) established outside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Moreover, Monastery of the Sultan, which is located on the roof of the Church of St. Helen, is for the Ethiopian Orthodox while the Syriac Orthodox performs their prayers according to the Status Quo in Monastery St. Mark, which is a temple for Armenians near the Holy Sepulcher. The decision to close the church until a further notice aims to force the Israeli municipality to withdraw its decision of imposing taxes estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars because of the church’s religious status among the Christians who visit it from all over the world. The property of the Christian church are around 32% of the Old City’s area in East occupied Jerusalem. In addition to the prayer and worship places, this percentage includes about 130 institutions, 10 schools, 4 hospitals and other estates.

Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property

Israeli settlers’ attacks

At approximately 14:00 on Friday, 23 February 2018, a group of Israeli settlers from “Bracha” settlement and “’Arousa” outpost established in the northern outskirts of Bureen village, south of Nablus. The Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ houses. As a result, a group of the village’s residents gathered and confronted the settlers. Clashes erupted between the Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces until the midnight, but no casualties were reported.

At approximately 16:30 on Friday, around 8 Israeli settlers, 2 of them were armed, threw stones at a Palestinian vehicle near Borqa village, northwest of Nablus. ‘Abed ‘Alawnah was driving the vehicle along with his friend ‘Ali Naser Mohamed ‘Alawnah (23). ‘Ali was hit with a stone to the back of his head. ‘Abed and ‘Ali then flee towards Jabi’ village, south of Jenin. ‘Ali was taken to Dr. Zaid Fashashah Clinic in the village and then referred to Dr. Khalil Suliman Hospital in Jenin.

‘Ali ‘Alawnah said to PCHR’s fieldworker that: “At approximately 16:30 on Friday, 23 February 2018, my friend Abed ‘Alawnah and I were returning from Nablus to our village Jabi’ via A’bed’s car. When we approached Burqah village, I asked by friend to park the car because I want to relieve myself, so he stopped the car. I opened the car’s door to step out when surprisingly around 8 Israeli settlers, 2 of them were armed, came out from behind a hill located in “Homesh” settlement and then threw stones at us. As a result, I was hit with a stone to my head and started bleeding. After that, I came back to the car, and my friend drove the car away to Jabi’ village. My friend then took me to Dr. Zaid Fashasha Clinic, where my wounds were redressed and I had 2 stitches. I felt dizzy and pain in my head, so we headed to Jabi’ Medical Center and told them what happened to me. After that, Jabi’ Medical Center demanded a PRCS’s ambulance and then took me to Dr.Khalil Suliman Hospital in Jenin, where I conducted medical examinations and X-ray.”

At approximately 16:00 on Saturday, 24 February 2018, a group of Israeli settlers from “Bracha” settlement and “’Arousa” outpost attacked al-Sab’I Mount area and northern outskirts of Bureen village, south of Nablus, under the Israeli forces protection. The Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ houses, so the village’s residents gathered and threw stones at the Israeli settlers and Israeli forces, who immediately opened fire at them. As a result, a 15-year-old child was hit with a live bullet to the right shoulder and was then taken to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, where his wounds were classified as moderate.

Recommendations to the International Community

PCHR warns of the escalating settlement construction in the West Bank, the attempts to legitimize settlement outposts established on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and the continued summary executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they pose a security threat to the Israeli forces. PCHR reminds the international community that thousands of Palestinian civilians have been rendered homeless and lived in caravans under tragic circumstances due to the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip that has been under a tight closure for almost 11 years. PCHR welcomes the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334, which states that settlements are a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions and calls upon Israel to stop them and not to recognize any demographic change in the oPt since 1967. PCHR hopes this resolution will pave the way for eliminating the settlement crime and bring to justice those responsible for it. PCHR further reiterates that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation in spite of Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan of 2005. PCHR emphasizes that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and international humanitarian law. Israel is bound to apply international human rights law and the law of war, sometimes reciprocally and other times in parallel, in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for the victims.

PCHR calls upon the international community to respect the Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334 and to ensure that Israel respects it as well, in particular point 5 which obliges Israel not to deal with settlements as if they were part of Israel.
PCHR calls upon the ICC this year to open an investigation into Israeli crimes committed in the oPt, particularly the settlement crimes and the 2014 offensive on the Gaza Strip.
PCHR Calls upon the European Union (EU) and all international bodies to boycott settlements and ban working and investing in them in application of their obligations according to international human rights law and international humanitarian law considering settlements as a war crime.
PCHR calls upon the international community 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.
PCHR calls upon the international community and United Nations to take all necessary measures to stop Israeli policies aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem and at voiding Palestine from its original inhabitants through deportations and house demolitions as a collective punishment, which violates international humanitarian law, amounting to a crime against humanity.
PCHR calls upon the international community to condemn summary executions carried out by Israeli forces against Palestinians and to pressurize Israel to stop them.
PCHR calls upon the States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC to work hard to hold Israeli war criminals accountable.
PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligations under article (1) of the Convention to ensure respect for the Conventions under all circumstances, and under articles (146) and (147) to search for and prosecute those responsible for committing grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions to ensure justice and remedy for Palestinian victims, especially in light of the almost complete denial of justice for them before the Israeli judiciary.
PCHR calls upon the international community to speed up the reconstruction process necessary because of the destruction inflicted by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
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.
PCHR calls upon the European Union to apply human rights standards embedded in the EU-Israel Association Agreement and to respect its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights when dealing with Israel.
PCHR calls upon the international community, especially states that import Israeli weapons and military services, to meet their moral and legal responsibility not to allow Israel to use the offensive in Gaza to test new weapons and not accept training services based on the field experience in Gaza in order to avoid turning Palestinian civilians in Gaza into testing objects for Israeli weapons and military tactics.
PCHR calls upon the parties to international human rights instruments, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to pressurize Israel to comply with its provisions in the oPt and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the relevant committees.
PCHR calls upon the EU and international human rights bodies to pressurize the Israeli forces to stop their attacks against Palestinian fishermen and farmers, mainly in the border area.