PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Summary for October 15 – 21, 2020

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to commit crimes and multi-faceted violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including raids into Palestinian cities that are characterized with excessive use of force, assault, abuse and attacks on civilians. This week, IOF attacks rendered five Palestinian civilians wounded in excessive use of force. IOF also continued to create new facts on the ground by maintaining its policy of demolishing, confiscating and razing Palestinian houses and facilities for its settlement expansion schemes. Israeli-settler attacks witnessed an increase against farmers and agricultural lands, as this time of the year marks the olive harvest season.

The publishing of this report coincides with the rapidly deteriorating health condition of on-hunger-strike Palestinian administrative detainee Maher al-Akhras, 49, has been on hunger strike since the first day of his arrest by IOF on 27 July 2020, marking the 87th consecutive day in protest to his detention without charge or trial.

Al-Akhras continues to be held under Administrative Detention, despite his critical health. PCHR renews its call upon the international community to pressure Israel to release al-Akhras, as no legal means can be pursued for this purpose due to the nature of administrative detention which is conducted without charge or trial. PCHR urges the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territory in 1967 to intervene immediately to facilitate his release.

This week, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) documented 178 violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by IOF and settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). It should be noted that the limitations due to the corona virus pandemic, has limited PCHR’s fieldworkers mobility and ability to conduct field documentation; therefore, the information contained in this report are only part of the continued IOF violations.

IOF shooting and violation of right to bodily integrity: Five civilians wounded in IOF excessive use of force in the West Bank, including two children and a journalist. The journalist was shot and wounded due to IOF suppression of a protest in Ramallah, two Palestinians sustained wounds in IOF suppression of Kufur Qaddoum – Qalqilia weekly protest; two children wounded in clashes in Hebron.

In the Gaza Strip, two IOF shootings were reported at agricultural lands and twice at fishing boats eastern and western Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike at a vacant land eastern Deir al-Balah, Central Gaza.

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians: IOF carried out 97 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids of civilian houses and shootings, inciting fear among civilians, and attacking many of them. During this week’s incursions, 95 Palestinians were arrested, including five children.

Collective Punishment Policy: As part of the collective punishment policy adopted by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians accused of carrying out attacks against Israeli soldiers and settlers, IOF sealed Nathmi Asfour’s room; Asfour, from Ya’bad village in Jenin, is imprisoned by Israel under charges of killing a soldier.

Demolitions: PCHR documented 7 violations against Palestinian civilians, including:

Settler-attacks: PCHR fieldworkers documented 2 attacks: 25 olive trees damaged in Qaryut; agricultural lands flooded with wastewater in Nablus.

Israeli closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement: Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip still suffers the worst closure in the history of the Israeli occupation of the oPt as it has entered the fourteenth consecutive year, without any improvement to the movement of persons and goods, humanitarian conditions and bearing catastrophic consequences on all aspects of life.

Meanwhile, IOF continued to divide the West Bank into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the Second Intifada and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilian movement is restricted, and they are subject to arrest.

I. Shooting and other Violations of the Right to Life and Bodily Integrity

• At approximately 18:00 on Thursday, 15 October 2020, IOF stormed the main road of Shu’fat refugee camp, northeast of the occupied East Jerusalem. They deployed between civilians’ houses and stores, positioned on the rooftops of the buildings and forced stores’ owners to close shop. Meanwhile, a group of young men gathered and threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the Israeli soldiers, who responded by firing rubber bullets and teargas canisters at the stone-throwers. The clashes resulted in dozens of civilians suffocating due to tear gas inhalation.
• At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into al-‘Isawiya village, northeast of the occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched several houses in al-Mahmoud neighborhood, and arrested Mohammed Dawoud Mahmoud, 16. Meanwhile, a group of young men gathered at the entrance of the neighborhood and threw stones and empty bottles at IOF vehicles, who responded by firing rubber-coated steel bullets and teargas canisters. The clashes resulted in dozens of civilians suffocating due to tear gas inhalation.
• At approximately 09:00 on Friday, 16 October 2020, villagers from Barqa village, east of Ramallah, organized a peaceful demonstration, attended by Waleed Assaf, the head of the National Commission against the Annexation Wall and Colonies, and a number of foreign solidarity activists. The demonstrators gathered and launched from al-Nour mosque, in the center of the village, heading to the agricultural lands in Ra’s al-‘Aqaba area, northwest of Barqa, adjacent to Bypass (60). The protest was against settlers’ attacks on their lands during the annual olive harvest, as the protestors sang their national slogans calling for ending the occupation and condemning its crimes. As they arrived, they found a group of settlers, protected by the Israeli forces, who attempted to prevent Palestinians from entering their lands for the olive harvest, but the protestors confronted them and managed to access their lands. IOF fired rubber bullets, teargas canisters and sound bombs. The clashes resulted in dozens of protestors suffocating due to teargas inhalation, and four civilians were hit with rubber bullets, including the journalist, Hisham Abu Shaqra, a photographer for Turkish Anadolu Agency, who was hit with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the neck. The injured civilians were taken to Palestine Medical Center in Ramallah. During the clashes, IOF attacked the three journalists; Emad Mohammed Is’eid Khaled Sabarna and Abood Younis, by pushing and assaulting them. The clashes continued until 11:00; the settlers set fire to five perennial olive trees, parts of them were damaged before the villagers succeeded in putting out the fire.



• At approximately 12:30 on Friday, 16 October 2020, IOF stationed at the “northern entrance” established on Kufur Qaddoum lands, north of Qalqilia, suppressed a protest attended by dozens of Palestinian civilians. IOF chased the young men who gathered in the area, clashed with them, and fired rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, two civilians were shot; one of them was shot in his chest, and the other was shot in his lower limbs.
• At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Batn al-Hawa neighborhood in Silwan, south of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, and deployed between civilians’ houses and stores, and started searching civilians and checking their ID cards. Meanwhile, dozens of young men gathered and threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the Israeli soldiers, who responded by firing rubber bullets and teargas canisters at them. The clashes resulted in dozens of civilians suffocating due to tear gas inhalation.
• At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 17 October 2020, a group of Palestinian activists organized a peaceful protest near the bypass road (317), east of Yatta, south of Hebron governorate. The participants raised Palestinian flags and chanted national slogans, until the Israeli forces came and banned the participants to move further. Meanwhile, IOF attacked Suliman Eid al-Hathalin, 70, and took him to their military vehicles, and then to a detention center in “Carmiel” settlement; he was released an hour later.
• At approximately 16:00, a group of young men gathered in Bab al-Zawiya area, in the center of Hebron, where the Israeli soldiers established a military checkpoint on the entrance of al-Shuhada’ closed street. A group of young men gathered and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, who responded by chasing the stone-throwers and firing rubber-coated steel bullets and teargas canisters at them. The clashes continued until approximately 19:00 and resulted in two children sustaining wounds; a 14-year-old was shot in the head, and a 13-year-old was shot in the right leg. The clashes resulted in dozens of civilians suffocating due to tear gas inhalation.
• At approximately 08:25 on Sunday, 18 October 2020, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Sudaniya shore, west of Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip, and in al-Waha area, northwest of Beit Lahia, chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within four nautical miles, opened heavy fire at them causing fear and panic among them and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.
• At approximately 22:00 on Tuesday, 20 October 2020, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Sudaniya shore, west of Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip, and in al-Waha area, northwest of Beit Lahia, chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within four nautical miles, opened fire at them and a number of flare bombs in the sky, causing fear and panic among the Palestinian fishermen and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.
• At approximately 23:00 on Tuesday, 20 October 2020, Israeli warplane fired two missiles at an empty land east of Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah, no injuries were reported.
• At approximately 07:20 on Wednesday, 21 October 2020, IOF stationed inside the ‘border fence’ with Israel, east of Khan Younis, opened fire at agricultural lands east of Khuza’a, and no injuries were reported. At approximately 14:30, IOF opened fire at agricultural lands east of al-Qarara, and no injuries were reported.

 
II. Incursions and Arrests

Thursday, 15 October 2020:

• At approximately 12:35, IOF moved into Sebastia village, northwest of Nablus. They invaded and searched several houses and arrested Ayham Nahed Aqel, 21, and Shahed Arafat Kayed, 20.
• At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Anata village, northeast of the occupied East Jerusalem. They invaded and searched two houses belonging to Ahmed Arafat Hamdan, 19, and Mohammed Khalil Hamdan, 22, and arrested them.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Jabal al-Mawalih area, in the center of Bethlehem. They invaded and searched Mohammed Awwad Awwad’s, 21, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Yitma village, southeast of Nablus. They invaded and searched several houses and arrested Moheeb Lafi Snobar, 21, and Oday Ahmed Snobar, 20.
• At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Ayda refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They invaded and searched two houses belonging to Anas Maher Jouda, 23, and Mo’taz Nazih Badawna, 21, and arrested them.
• At approximately 03:40, IOF moved into Kobar village, north of Ramallah. They invaded and searched two houses belonging to Nobough Najm al-Barghouthi, 33, and Melad Tawfiq Sha’ban, 32 and arrested them.
• At approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Azoun village, east of Qalqilia. They invaded and searched three houses belonging to Montaser Abdullah Zemari, 30, and Esam Rasheed Radwan, 31, and his brother Mohammed, 33, and arrested them.
• Around the same time, IOF moved into Kafl Hares village, north of Salfit. They invaded and searched two houses belonging to Yehya Abdul Fattah al-As’ad, 20, and Salem Mohammed Abu Mas’oud, 23, and arrested them. Meanwhile, IOF raided and searched Abdul Salam Mahmoud Abu Ya’qoub’s, 30, house, by breaking the door of the house.
• At approximately 05:00, IOF moved into al-‘Isawiya village, northeast of the occupied East Jerusalem. They invaded and searched dozens of houses and arrested twelve civilians including four children and took them to al-Maskoubeya police station in West Jerusalem. (Names are available at PCHR).
• During dawn hours, IOF moved into al-Zawiya village, west of Salfit. They invaded and searched Sohaib Ibrahim Shuqair’s house and handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Services.
• At approximately 15:00, IOF arrested Amjad Gharouf and As’ad Ajaj, while documenting the entrance of a Gulf delegation to al-Aqsa Mosque under the Israeli forces’ heavy protection and took them to one of the investigation centers in the occupied city.
• At approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Khalayil al-Lawz area, south of Bethlehem. They invaded and searched Mahmoud Morad Melsh’s, 22, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 17:30, IOF arrested Mohammed Khaled Toffaha, 21, from the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, while present in al-Sultan Suliman street in the occupied city center. IOF took him to an unknown destination.
• IOF carried out four incursions in Tubas and Sebastia in Nablus governorate, Deir Istiya and al-Zawiya villages in Salfit. No arrests were reported.

Friday, 16 October 2020:

• At approximately 01:00, IOF stormed into Beit Owa village, southwest of Dura, southwest of Hebron governorate. They raided and searched Qusai Ghazi al-Shalash’s, 20, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 03:00, IOF stormed al-‘Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched Ashraf Samir Jawabra’s, 22, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 03:40, an Israeli infantry unit stormed al-Jalazonerefugee camp, north of Ramallah. They invaded and searched two houses and arrested Samir Fayez al-Tirawi, 50, and Musallam Yousef Ghawanmah, 20.
• At approximately 06:00, IOF stationed at al-Container military checkpoint, east of Bethlehem, arrested Dawoud Amer, 34, while passing through it. IOF took him to an unknown destination.
• At approximately 08:00, IOF reinforced with several military vehicles moved into al-Mazra’a al-Gharbiya village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched Ibrahim Mohammed Ladadwa’s, 22, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into al-‘Isawiya village, northeast of the occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched Lo’ay Ashraf Mahmoud’s, 17, house and arrested him.
• IOF carried out two incursions in Hebron and Beit Kahel in Hebron governorate. No arrests were reported.

Saturday, 17 October 2020:

• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Dura city, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched two houses, from which they arrested three civilians, including two siblings, taking them to an unknown destination. The arrestees were identified as Jevara Ma’an al-Namoura, 24, Akram, 33, and Kayed, 30, Mohammed al-Fasfous.
• IOF carried out ten incursions in Sebastia and Beit Dajan villages in Nablus; Halhul city and Nuba, Taffuh and Hadab villages in Hebron; and Yatma, Iraq Burin, Urif, and Tell villages in Nablus. No arrests were reported.

Sunday, 18 October 2020:

• At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into al-‘Isawiya village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched Ibrahim Nimer al-Nouri’s house and arrested him.
• At approximately 04:00, IOF moved into al-Tur neighborhood, east of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched Ahmed Khaled Abu al-Hawa’s, 21, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 07:00, IOF stationed at al-Za’im military checkpoint, east of occupied East Jerusalem, arrested Mohammed Murshed Za’aqeeq, 24, from Beit Ummar village in northern Hebron, while passing through the checkpoint.
• At approximately 11:00, IOF arrested Yousef Ashraf Jawabrah, 19, after stopping him at a military checkpoint, at the entrance to Al-Arroub refugee camp in northern Hebron. Jawabrah was taken to a detention center in “Gush Ezion” settlement, south of Bethlehem.
• IOF carried out three incursions in Tarqumiyah in Hebron; al-Jalazonecamp in northern Ramallah .No arrests were reported.

Monday, 19 October 2020

• At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into al-‘Isawiya village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched Adam Yousef ‘Obaid’s, 22, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Saf Street in central Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to a former prisoner ‘Abed al-Hado ‘Aref Hammad and arrested him.
• Around the same time, IOF moved into Deir Jarir village, northeast of Ramallah. They raided and searched Yehia Mosbah ‘Alawi’s, 26, house and handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Service in “Beit El” settlement, north of Al-Bireh.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nur Shams camp, east of Tulkarem. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Ibrahim Rashad Sowan, 21, and Hozaifa ‘Abed al-Naser Ghanem, 20, and arrested them.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Anata village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched Yousef Mohammed Helwa’s, 21, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Al-Eizariya village, east of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Majd Mohammed Mutair, 24, and Fahmi Mohammed ‘Edwan, 21, and arrested them.
• Around the same time, IOF moved into Al-Arroub refugee camp in northern Hebron. They raided and searched four houses, from which they arrested Saleem Mazen Jawabrah, 19, Qusai Sakem al-Badawi, 19, Tamer Samer al-Badawi, 20, and Mohammed Jamal al-Badawi, 21.
• At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to a former prisoner Mohammed Yehia Mutair, 29, and arrested him.
• At approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Hebron, where they raided and searched ‘Abed al-Qader ‘amer Abu ‘Ishah’s, 59, house and no arrests were reported.
• At approximately 07:58, IOF moved into ‘Atouf village in Central Jordan Valley, east of Tammun village, southeast of Tubas, north of the West Bank. IOF stationed in the village’s eastern side, where they prevented ‘Ayid Mostafa ‘Abed al-Razeq Bani ‘Odah from casting his house roof. IOF also detained the workers’ IDs and ordered the mounted-crane truck owner to leave the village.
• At approximately 14:00, IOF arrested two young girls, Fatama Rabah Abu al-Humus, 17 and Sadeen Fadi Mostafa, 17, while present on Salah al-Deen Street in central occupied East Jerusalem. IOF pushed them under the pretext that they did not wear masks and imposed fines of NIS 1500 on them. Both of them were taken to a police station on Salah al-Deen Street. Meanwhile, Palestinian young men gathered in the area to help the two girls and verbal altercation erupted between them and IOF.
• At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Bab Hatta neighborhood, one of al-Aqsa Mosque neighborhoods. They raided and searched Hamza al-Joulani’s, 19, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 17:30, IOF arrested al-Aqsa Mosque guards Saied al-Salimah, 48, and Issa Barakat, 42, from their workplace in the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, taking them to al-Qashla Police Station. They were interrogated for several hours and released later, provided that they will be banned from al-Aqsa Mosque for a week.
• At approximately 18:50, IOF moved into al-‘Isawiya village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched Ameen ‘Obaid’s, 46, house and arrested him along with his son ‘Odai, 20. It should be noted that ‘Odai served 18 months in the Israeli jails, and he was released just hours before the IOF raided his home.
• IOF carried out one incursion in Al-Bireh city. No arrests were reported.

Tuesday, 20 October 2020:

• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nur Shams camp, east of Tulkarem. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Hitham Mer’i Shehada, 34, and Saif Hafzi Abu Lebda, 27, and arrested them.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Hanina village, north of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched Mohammed Abu Subaieh’s, 24, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Nur Shams camp, east of Tulkarem. They raided and searched Nour Waleed Mohammed Musbah’s, 21, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 12:15, IOF stationed at the entrance to Jit village, north of Qalqilia, arrested Khaled ‘Ali Redwan, 26, from Nabi Ilyas village, east of Qalqilia.
• At approximately 15:00, IOF moved into Tulkarem’s eastern neighborhood. They raided and searched a restaurant in the mentioned neighborhood and arrested Amjad Mohammed Ahmed Abu Shanab (45), who is working the restaurant, taking him to an unknown destination.
• Around the same time, IOF stationed near the entrance to Izbat al-Tabib village, east of Qalqilya, arrested three civilians, from Azzun village. The arrestees were identified as Yehia ‘Abed al-Hafiz ‘Ali Edwan, 22, Mohammed Qaher Abu Haniyia, 22, and Majd Radi Ahmed Radi, 24.
• At approximately 17:30, IOF stationed at Tayaseer military checkpoint, east of Tubas, north of the West Bank, arrested Hitham Nedal Qasrawi, 19, from Tubas, while returning from his workplace and passing through the checkpoint.
• IOF carried out three incursions in Tulkarem city and in Deir al-Ghusun and Zeita villages in northern Tulkarem. No arrests were reported.

Wednesday, 21 October 2020:

• At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Aida Camp, north of Bethlehem. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Wesam Yousef Badawna, 20, and Mostafa Ibrahim Qanees, 34, and arrested them.
• At approximately 01:55, IOF moved into Beitunia village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched Ahmed Riyad Shehada’s house and arrested his sons ‘Abed al-Hadi, 22, and Mohammed 26.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Kalandia Camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Mostafa Mohammed Mutair, 20, and Osama Nai’em Hamad, 20, and arrested them.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched Hamza Habes ‘Alami’s, 20, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Beit Ayoub neighborhood in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Mahmoud Mohanad ‘Odah, 15, and Sultan Samer Sarhan, 15, and arrested the two children.
• Around the same time, IOF moved into al-Dawha village, west of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to a former prisoner Anas ‘Adnan Malash, 25, and arrested him.
• At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Kafr Qallil village, southeast of Nablus, north of the West Bank. They raided and searched houses and arrested Thaier Waleed ‘Abed al-Jaleel Ahmed ‘Amer, 40.
• Around the same time, IOF moved into Wadi Abu Freha area, north of Beit Sahour city. They raided and searched Mohammed Ibrahim ‘Abiyat’s, 42, house and arrested him.
• Around the same time, IOF moved into Ash-Shuyukh village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched Marwan Mohammed Hasasnah’s, 28, house and arrested him.
• At approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Isawiya village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched two houses belonging to Nasrallah Mahmoud Mahmoud, 18, and Taj al-Deen Maher Muhaisin, 20, and arrested them.
• At approximately 20:00, Israeli infantry unit moved into Sebastia village, southwest of Nablus, north of the West Bank. They arrested Ramzi Naser al-Haj, 20, ‘Ali Maher Ghazal, 19, and Khaled Nadi ‘Azzam, 20.
• IOF carried out three incursions in Yatta, Surif and Idhna villages in Hebron. No arrests were reported.

Collective Punishment Measures

• As part of the collective punishment policy adopted by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians accused of carrying out attacks against Israeli soldiers or/and settlers, IOF sealed a room belonging to a Palestinian imprisoned by Israel.

  According to PCHR’s fieldworker, at approximately 01:00 on Wednesday, 21 October 2020, IOF accompanied with a truck loaded with plastic pipes filled with water and other materials moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin, northern West Bank. They stationed in the village’s southern neighborhood and surrounded ‘Asfour family 3-storey building that shelters 20 persons, including 8 children. The building is owned by three brothers, including Nathmi Mohammed Yunis ‘Asfour, 49, who is imprisoned by Israel on charges of killing an Israeli soldier in Ya’bad village on 12 May 2020. IOF locked the three families in a room on the ground floor; then soldiers went up to ‘Asfour’s bedroom on the third floor, closed the room and hung a small board on its door written on it: “The room was closed with polyurethane foam (a flammable substance that has an unpleasant odor), upon an order issued by the Israeli military commander.” At approximately 06:30, IOF withdrew, but the family was unable to enter the building due to the foul smell stemming from the substance placed in the room.

Ra’fat ‘Atiyia Mohammed Yunis ‘Asfour (25) stated the following to PCHR’s fieldworker:

“At approximately 01:00 on Wednesday, 21 October 2020, IOF raided our 3-storey house in al-Saliymah neighborhood in Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. The house shelters three siblings and their families. I live on the first floor along with my father ‘Atiya Mohammed Yunis ‘Asfour, my mother, and my brother; while my uncle Rebhi and his family of seven members live on the second floor; and my uncle Nathmi and his family of nine members live on the third floor. IOF detained us in one room located on the first floor. Meanwhile, some soldiers went up to the third floor and entered my uncle’s bedroom, who is a prisoner in Israeli jails, and closed it upon an order issued by the Israeli military commander. My family denies all charges against my uncle Nathmi. IOF stayed in the building until 6:30. After their withdrawal, we headed towards the third floor, but we could not enter the building due to the unpleasant smell emanating from the material placed in the room. I could see a board written on it “Upon a decision issued by the Israeli military commander, the room was closed with polyurethane foam.”

III. Settlement Expansion and Settler Violence in the West Bank

a. Demolition and Confiscation of Civilian Property

• At approximately 14:05 on Thursday, 14 October 2020, IOF stormed Al-Hamma village in Jordan’s northern valleys, southeast of Tubas, north of the West bank. IOF confiscated a bulldozer and a truck, which were beside an agricultural road that was paved in the above-mentioned village. The confiscated bulldozer and the truck that were owned by Obai Mustafa Kamel Thaher, from Ain Al Beida village in Jordan’s northern valleys were taken to “Mehola” settlement in the northern valleys without any confiscation paper. IOF claimed that the confiscation was under the pretext of illegal construction in Area (C).
• On Saturday morning, 17 October 2020, Ayman Mousa Ja’abis started evacuating his commercial shop in al-Salah neighborhood in Jabel Mukaber village, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem in order to self-demolish to implement the Israeli Municipality’s decision under the pretext of illegal construction.

  Ja’abis said that he established his 60-square-meter shop to sell construction materials in 2015. After one week of his construction, Israeli municipality raided the shop and handed Ja’abis the demolition decision. Ja’abis clarified that he headed to the Israeli court to freeze the demolition decision and he hired a lawyer and an engineer to start measures of obtaining the shop. He added that the Israeli municipality rejected giving him a license under the pretext of establishing “The American Road” Project and imposed a fine of NIS 70,000 in addition to the lawyer and the engineer’s fees. Ja’abis emphasized that IOF lately raided his shop and gave 72 hours to demolish it, or the municipality crews will demolish it and then impose him demolition costs. Therefore, he had to self-demolish his shop. Ja’abis said that his shop was his sole source of income for him and his family comprised of 7 individuals and he searched for a small shop in the village and nearby villages, but he failed to find one.

• At approximately 09:00 on Sunday, 18 October 2020, IOF backed by several military construction vehicles, a bulldozer, and 2 diggers, and accompanied with Civil Administration officers stormed al-Fakhit area, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The soldiers deployed in the area while the bulldozers demolished 4 facilities owned by Akram Sari Mohammed Nawajah (45):

1. A tent comprised of shader and built on (20sqm) and used as a store.

2. A residential room built of bricks and tin plate on (30sqm).

3. Barracks build of tin plate and rocks on (130sqm) and used for sheltering 100 sheep.

4. A barn built of shader and rocks on an area of (80sqm).

• At approximately 10:40 on Monday, 19 October 2020, IOF accompanied with Civil Administration officers and a bulldozer stormed Kherbat al-Farisiyah village in Jordan’s northern valleys, east of Tubas. The demolished a barracks built on (100sqm) used for living owned by Radad Hamed Rezeq Daraghmah. The demolition was under the pretext of illegal construction in Area (C). The bulldozer also demolished a water spring that was repaired more than 7 years ago by a group of hydrologists. Demolishing it caused damage to a fish project. IOF also confiscated a vehicle and power engine owned by Daraghmah.
• At approximately 00:00 on Tuesday, 20 October 2020, IOF accompanied with a bulldozer stormed Qalqilia. They demolished a market stall built on (500sqm) owned by Abdulla Abdul Fattah Yasin and Mahdi Redwan Dawoud, under the pretext of illegal construction in “Area C” which is under the IOF’s control. It should be noted that the demolition implemented before the end of the appeal period to the Israeli Supreme Court as no final decision was issued for the demolition. The owners received a demolition notice four months ago and they hired a lawyer who filed a case. However, the submitted appeal received no response.
• On Wednesday, 21 October 2020, IOF demolished a tent in Beit Iksa village, northwest of occupied East Jerusalem and forced its owner to leave it by force. Beit Iksa Village’s Municipality stated that IOF stormed north of the village and demolished a tent owned by Khalil Abu Dahouk and forced him to leave the area along with his sheep. It should be noted that Beit Iksa village faces difficult conditions as IOF established a permanent checkpoint at its entrance and they prevent civilians from entering or leaving it, except under impossible conditions. IOF also deny this village’s resident from communication with other adjacent villages. Beit Iksa village also is subjected to harassments by IOF that seek to isolate it from other villages. IOF allow Beit Iksa village’s residents to live and construct in 700 dunams only of a 7398 dunams of the village. The Israeli the Israeli Civil Administration seize control of most of the village distance and use it to prevents its residents from urban expansion in the village that is surrounded by the annexation wall. IOF also confiscated large areas of Beit Iksa lands for various purposes, such as establishing “Ramot” and “Har Shmuel” Settlements in addition to the annexation wall that isolates the village of its agricultural lands.
• At approximately 09:00, IOF backed by several military SUVs and accompanied with Civil Administration officers and a digger stormed “Tal Al-Samadi” area in Jiftlik village, north of Jericho. They demolished a house built of bricks and tin plates on (40sqm) owned by Hasan Salem Ka’abna under the pretext of illegal construction.

b. Israeli Settlers’ Attacks

• At approximately 06:00 on Saturday, 17 October 2020, Bilal Mohammed Raja went to his land in al-Sahlat area, east of Qaryut village, southeast of Nablus near Shvut Rachel settlement, to harvest the olive. Raja found out that Israeli settlers broke and uprooted 25 olive trees, knowing that these trees were planted 6 years ago.
• On Monday morning, 19 October 2020, a group of setters from “Elon Moreh” settlement established on lands of Salim, Azmut , and Deir al-Hatab villages, northeast of Nablus, pumped waste-water from inside their settlement to civilians’ lands implanted with olive trees in the eastern side of Deir al-Hatab village, coinciding with the time to harvest the olive, which caused great losses for farmers after the trees were contaminated.