In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 09 – 15 February 2017, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that one Palestinian died from previously inflicted wounds, 4 Palestinians were wounded, and 51, including 4 children, were abducted by Israeli forces this week.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
In the West Bank, On 10 February 2017, the family of Mohammed ‘Amer Jallad (23) from Tulkarm received the news of his death in Belinison Hospital in Petah Tikva in Israel after succumbing to his wounds. According to PCHR’s investigations, on 09 November 2016, Israeli soldiers who were patrolling in the streets of Huwwara village, south of Nablus, opened fire at the aforementioned civilian. As a result, he was hit with a bullet to the back and another to the right hand. The Israeli forces claimed that Jallad attempted to stab an Israeli soldier before being shot. After Jallad was wounded and abducted, he stayed in Belinison Hospital in Petah Tikva until he died.
On the same day noon, Nidal Ishtaya (48), a photojournalist in the Xinhua – China News Agency, and Ayman al-Nobani (32), a reporter in the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), were both wounded while covering the weekly protest in Kafr Qodoum, northeast of Qalqilya.
On the same day in the afternoon, Israeli forces wounded two Palestinian civilians from Madma village, south of Nablus when a number of civilians hurried to rescue volunteer journalist in B’Tselem Center, Ahmed Ziyadah (26). The latter was abducted and beaten up by the Israeli soldiers when he was taking photos of the lands seized and planted with grapes by settlers, south of his village.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 17:00, journalist Ahmed Abdul Ghani Salim Ziyadah (26) from Madama, south of Nablus, was taking photos of the lands seized and planted with vineyards by Israeli settlers, south of his village. The Israeli soldiers from “Yitzhar” settlement moved into the area and stopped him as three soldiers heavily beat and kicked his head, though Ahmed showed them his press card in addition to his volunteer card for the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, B’Tselem. They then abducted him and handcuffed him while he was lying on the ground. Ahmed’s brothers and residents of the village heard the news, so they rushed to the place to save him. His brother Mahmoud (25) was the first to arrive, and when he attempted to approach him, the soldiers drove him out. When he was moving back, a soldier fired a metal bullet directly to his left foot, wounding his knee. A civilian car took him to nearby Burin village, from which he was transferred via a PRCS ambulance to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus. Following that, the Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters at the crowd to force them to leave the area. As a result, Mohammed Na’im Mohammed Nassar (35) was hit with a tear gas canister to the head after which he was as well transferred to Rafidia Hospital. The Israeli forces then abducted the abovementioned journalist and took him to an unknown destination.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 60 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces abducted at least 51 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children. Nine of them were abducted in occupied Jerusalem.
In the context of house demolitions and notices, On 12 February 2017, the family of ‘Amamr Qara’in self-demolish their store in Silwan village, south of occupied Jerusalem’s Old City, implementing the Israeli Municipality’s decision and avoiding to pay financial fines. The 12-square-meter store was built of bricks and cardboard sheets two years ago.
On 14 February 2017, the Israeli authorities demolished a house in al-‘Issawiyah village, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, belonging to the family of Saleh Turk. The house used to shelter a family of 11 members, including 6 children.
On the same day, the Israeli authorities demolished an under-construction house comprised of two apartments in al-‘Issawiyah village as well belonging to Hasan Yasin Mustafa in addition to a sheep barn in the same area. The demolition was under the pretext of building without a license.
On 15 February 2017, Israeli forces accompanied with Israeli Municipality crews and bulldozers moved into the area adjacent to the annexation wall, which separates Hezma village from Jerusalem. The Israeli bulldozers immediately demolished two under-construction houses, part of an inhabited house and a shop under the pretext of building without a license.
In the same context, the Israeli municipality handed 17 families in Silwan village, south of Jerusalem’s Old City, administrative and judicial house demolition notices and orders. Those houses are located in the neighbourhoods of al-Bustan, ‘Ein al-Lozah and Wadi Helweh. Those families were identified as al-Roweidi, al-Qadi, al-Shaloudi, al-‘Abasi, Hamdan and Qara’in, and their members are around 120, most of whom were children and women.
At approximately 22:00 on Monday, 13 February 2017, Palestinian civilians in Abu Marzouq neighbourhoods in al-Hariah Valley area, south of Hebron, found Mohammed Mahmoud Amr (70), from the abovementioned neighbourhood with his head and face covered in blood after Israeli soldiers attacked him. A PRCS ambulance transferred him to the Governmental Hospital in the neighbourhood. He underwent medical tests and later transferred to al-Ahli Hospital in the city where he was admitted to the intensive care unit due to bleeding in the brain. Ma’moun, Mohammed’s son, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that his father suffers from memory loss after he had suffered several strokes. He added that his father was lost in the evening and the family was informed that Mohammed was seen near al-Karantina area where there were Israeli soldiers. When Ma’moun headed to the area, he saw a speeding military jeep leaving the area after which Mohammed’s family knew he is staying in the abovementioned hospital.
Bilal Abu Salimiyah (22) said to PCHR’s fieldworker that:
“While I was on my way back home at approximately 22:00, I saw an Israeli military jeep stopping about 15 meters away from the western side of my house. When I approached the jeep, an Israeli soldier ordered me to leave the area, so I returned home and went up to the second floor of the house. I looked through the window to see what was going on. Two soldiers moved something out of the jeep and then left. After that, I quickly went to the area and saw a white-bearded old man wearing light clothes and trembling from the cold as his forehead was covered with blood. Another man and I arrived at the area and tried to speak to the old man, but he did not respond. I then called an ambulance that later arrived and transferred him to the hospital. I later found out that the old man’s name was Mohammed Amr and he suffers from memory loss.”
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea, on 12 February 2017, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats and chased them. The shooting recurred on 14 February 2017, but neither causalities nor damages were reported.
On the same day, the Israeli gunboats opened fire at the fishing boats sailing off Rafah shore, south of the Gaza Strip. Neither casualties nor damages were reported.
In the context of targeting border areas, on 15 February 2017, Israeli forces sporadically opened fire at the border area, north of Beit Hanoun village in the northern Gaza Strip. Neither casualties nor damages were reported.
Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices. However, they lately allowed the exportation of some vegetables such as cucumber and tomatoes, furniture and fish.
Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel also continued applying the policy of making certain civilian traveling via the crossing interviewed by the Israeli intelligence service to be questioned, blackmailed or abducted.
Israel settlement activities:
In the context of settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property, on 10 February 2017, Israeli settlers seized an uninhabited estate in Wadi Helweh neighbourhood in Silwan village. The estate is comprised of a residential room, store and yard.
On Friday, 10 February 2017, an Israeli settler seized an uninhabited facility in Wady Helweh neighborhood in Silwan village, south of occupied Jerusalem’s Old City. The facility is comprised of a residential room, store and yard. Eyewitnesses said that a group of Israeli settlers accompanied with Israeli forces moved into Hosh Qara’een area in Wady Helweh using searchlights and completely surrounded the the area. They then seized a residential room, yard and stores used for grazing livestock. After that, the Israeli settlers changed the facility’s locks after seizing and surrounding it with metal fence. It should be noted that the residential room was built on an area of 30 square meters, and the yard was built on an area of 50 square meters, while the store, which was used for grazing livestock, was built on an area of 200 square meters. The abovementioned facility belongs to ‘Ezat Salah (76).
At approximately 12:30 on Saturday, 11 February 2017, a security officer of “Ro’iya” settlement, Moshe Sevan, stopped a car belonging to Nasir Mohamed Abed Bani ‘Oda, from Tamoun village, southeast of Tubasto in al-Hadidiya area in the Northern Jordan Valley. The car was on its way out of al-Hadidiya area, where the abovementioned officer stopped it and then called an Israeli patrol to come. The Israeli patrol then arrived at the area and obliged the vehicle’s owner to return to al-Hadidiya area, load 4 rolls of plastic water pipes and then come back. After that, the Israeli patrol took the vehicle to “Ro’iya” settlement, where they detained it and released its owner without giving him any documents proving the confiscation of his vehicle.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
Israeli troops engaged in the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall
Following the Friday prayer on 10 February 2017, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful protest in the eastern Mosque in Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, and then headed to the eastern entrance of the village in protest against closing that entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada with an iron gate. When the protesters approached the entrance, the Israeli forces fired live and metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, Nedal Shafiq Taher Ehstiyah (48), journalist at Xinhua Chinese News Agency, sustained a metal bullet wound to the left foot as he was directly shot while covering the protest along with a group of journalists. He was transferred to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus. Moreover, Ayman Amin al-Nubani (32), a reporter at Wafa News Agency, was hit with a metal bullet to the right shoulder and received medical treatment at the spot.
Following the Friday prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized demonstrations in Bil’in and Nil’in villages, west of Ramallah and al-Nabi Saleh, northwest of the city, and Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, protesting 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 protesters into olive fields and between houses. As a result, many of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them up.
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. Among these were a recommendation that the international community and the United Nations 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.
In addition, the PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide international protection to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially the Gaza Strip
For the full text of the report, click here.
