In its Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 04 – 11 May 2016, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces continued systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian woman was killed and 2 others, including a child, were wounded as Israeli warplanes carried out 10 airstrikes. 6 Palestinian civilians, including 2 journalists, were wounded in the West Bank.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces carried out 10 airstrikes and at least 8 shelling incidents against Palestinian armed groups’ sites and agricultural areas in the Gaza Strip’s border area. As a result, a Palestinian woman was killed and 5 others, including a child, were wounded. Six of them, including 2 journalists and a mentally disordered person, were wounded in the West Bank.
In the Gaza Strip, in new killing crime resulting from random shelling and excessive use of force, on 05 May 2016, Israeli forces killed Zana Atiya Mohammed al-Emour (59) and wounded one of her relatives namely Amir al-Emour (16) due to a shelling attack that targeted the land in which they were working in the east of al-Fokhari village, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
On the same day, Khzaima al-Farra (21) sustained shrapnel wounds to the legs while harvesting wheat near a landfill, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, when Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands in al-Fokhari area.
Concerning airstrikes, on 04 May 2016, Israeli warplanes carried out 2 airstrikes in Rafah.
On 05 May 2016, Israeli warplanes carried out 5 airstrikes on Palestinian armed groups’ sites in the northern and southern Gaza Strip. As a result, a civilian and 2 members of armed groups sustained minor wounds.
On 06 May 2016, Israeli warplanes fired a missile at an agricultural land about 800 meters away from the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.
On 07 May 2016, Israeli warplanes carried out 2 airstrikes; only 10 minutes between them, in agricultural lands in Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
In the context of targeting the border area, on 04 May 2016, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence, east of Khan Yunis, fired a number of shells that landed around a field control site in al-Fokhari area, southeast of the city. Moreover, they fired shells at Palestinian armed groups’ outposts in al-Shouka village, east of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.
On 05 May 2016, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence carried out 5 shelling attacks against Palestinian armed groups outposts and agricultural lands in al-Shouka village, east of Rafah; Palestinian armed groups’ watchtowers, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip; and agricultural lands, north of Beit Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip.
On 06 May 2016, Israeli forces fired a number of shells at the eastern part of Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported also.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea, Israeli gunboats stationed in the sea off Beit Lahia shore, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. A gunboat approached a fishing boat and then abducted Uranus al-Sultan (19) and Mohammed al-Sultan (23), both from al-Atatrah neighbourhood in Beit Lahia. Israeli forces confiscated the fishing boat and released the 2 fishermen at 00:30, the following day.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
In the West Bank, on 05 May 2016, Israeli forces wounded Arif Jaradat (22), a mentally disordered person, with a bullet to the left side of the belly while moving into the southwest of Sa’ir village, east of Hebron. The bullet was fired from a distance less than 10 meters while the aforementioned person was shouting at the Israeli soldiers without posing any threat to them. Moreover, there were no confrontations in the area.
Concerning the use of force against peaceful protests, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded during Kufor Qaddoum weekly protest, northeast of Qalqilya. Among the wounded were 2 journalists.
On 07 May 2016, Israeli forces opened fire at a Palestinian civilian from Beit Ommer village, north of Hebron, while attempting to enter East Jerusalem via the annexation wall in Hummos valley area in Sour Baher village to get to his work. As a result, he sustained a bullet wound to the leg and was then transported to al-Hussein Hospital in Beit Jala for medical treatment.
Israeli settlement activities:
In the context of seizure of Palestinian lands and property by settlement organizations, on 09 May 2016, Israeli settlers seized a building in al-Sa’diya neighbourhood in the Old City of East Jerusalem. The 3-storey building is located 200 meters to the north of al-Aqsa mosque. It used to be occupied by Ozbashi family that suddenly left.
On the same day, Israeli forces moved into a 3-dunum plot of land in Shaikh Jarrah area, north of East Jerusalem. They confiscated the land that belongs to Mohammed Abu Ta’ah and handed it over to a settlement organization without a court order although the court has been considering the case. It should be noted that Israeli forces and settlers have been attempting to seize this plot of land for about 30 years. Besides, there has been a case filed before the court for 27 years and no court ruling was issued in this regard. However, the settlers used to move into the land now and them. A month ago, the settlers moved into the land and started construction.
On 09 May 2016, Israeli forces demolished an under-construction house in al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem. They already sent the owner of the house a notification to halt construction works a week ago.
In the same context, on 04 May 2016, 3 settlers, who present in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi mosque in the centre of Hebron, attacked Ra’ed Abu Rmaila (44) when he was going home along with 2 neighbours. As a result, he sustained bruises to the neck and a minor wound to the head. He was then transported to Hebron Governmental Hospital.
On the same day, hundreds of settlers escorted by Israeli forces moved into Kafel Hares village, north of Salfit. They visited religious tombs in the village and performed their rituals on the occasion of the Jewish Passover. The settlers withdrew in the early morning.
On 07 May 2016, a settler from “Ramat Yishai” settlement outpost in Hebron attacked Emad Abu Shamsiya (45), from Tal al-Rumaida neighbourhood. Abu Shamsiya was attacked while filming some settlers attacking Palestinians in the neighbourhood. As a result, his camera was broken.
On 09 May 2016, a group of settlers moved into “Tarsala” settlement, south of Jenin, which was evacuated in 2005. A local source said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the settlers were escorted by Israeli forces. They stayed for a while performing Talmudic rituals and withdrew later.
Israeli attacks against non-violent demonstrations:
Following the Friday prayer, on 06 May 2016, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized protests against the Israeli policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories at the western entrance to Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah, in the vicinity of “Ofer” prison, southwest of the city and at the entrance to al-Jalzoun refugee camp, north of the city. Israeli forces used force to disperse the protestors by firing live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them up.
At approximately 18:00, on the same day, dozens of Palestinian young men gathered in al-Naqar neighbourhood, west of Qalqiliya, and threw stones at Israeli forces stationed at the annexation wall. Israeli forces fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets at the protesters in response. As a result, a 20-year-old male was hit with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left eye and was then taken to Dr. Darwish Nasal Hospital to receive medical treatment. Moreover, Israeli forces abducted Mohammed Abdul Latif Ji’ady (18) and took him to an unknown destination.
At approximately 13:00, on Friday, 06 May 2016, Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized a protest in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliya, and then made their way 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, Israeli forces fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation, while 3 others, including 2 journalists, were wounded. The civilian (50) was hit with a sponge-tipped bullet to the right hand. The two journalists were identified as:
Ahmed Abdul Malek Othman Shawor (29), a reporter at Palestine T.V, was hit with 2 rubber-coated metal bullets to the left hand and leg. Almuthana Samir Abdullah Deek (27), a cameraman at Trans Media Company, was hit with 4 rubber-coated metal bullets. Two of them hit the right leg while the two others hit the left hand.
Following the Friday prayer also, dozens of Palestinians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organised protests against the annexation wall and settlement activities in Bil’in and Nil’in villages, west of Ramallah and al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of city. Israeli forces used force to disperse the protesters by firing live bullets, metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs and chased the protesters into the olive fields and between houses. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and 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 United Nations 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.
In addition, the PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
For the full text of the report, click on this link.
