17 - 23 October, 2002

Israeli forces have perpetrated more human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including willful killings, shelling of, and incursion into Palestinian areas, agricultural land leveling. This week, 7 Palestinian civilians, including a woman and 2 children, were killed by Israeli forces.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces committed more war crimes against Palestinian civilians in the Rafah. On 17 October, Israeli forces shelled Rafah refugee camp, killing 6 Palestinian civilians, including an old woman and 2 children. Furthermore, at least 40 civilians were wounded. On 22 October, Israeli forces moved into al-Salam neighborhood in Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border. They destroyed a house and demolished another; while 14 other houses were damaged.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished a number of houses. On 23 October, Israeli forces demolished 15 Palestinian houses in al-Jiftlek area near Jericho, claiming that they were established without licenses.

On 21 October, medical sources in Hebron declared that 46-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim al-Haimouni died from the wound he sustained when Israeli forces attempted to assassinate an activist of the Islamic Jihad on 10 December 2001. In the failed assassination attempt, two children were killed and 14 other civilians were wounded.

In violation of the international law and humanitarian law which prohibit collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliated against the families of wanted Palestinians and of those who have carried attacks against Israeli targets both inside the Green Line and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In this context, Israeli forces destroyed 5 Palestinian houses this week.

Israeli forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively punishing Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons, violating Palestinian civilians’ economic, social and cultural rights. This week, 3 Palestinian patients died at Israeli military checkpoints and border crossings.

In a step aimed at destroying the Palestinian economy and as the olive picking season starts, Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian farmers in the West Bank, under full protection of Israeli forces. On 21 October, Israeli forces issued a military order that prevented Palestinian farmers from olive-picking, claiming that they are not capable of protecting them, and that some Palestinians may exploit the olive-picking season to carry out attacks against Israeli targets. Israeli forces also razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In a new racist decision, the Israeli Infrastructure Minister Avi Ytam decided to ban digging new wells in Palestinian areas, in an apparent attempt to damage the Palestinian agricultural sector.

Israeli forces continued their retaliatory campaign against families of wanted Palestinians and those who carried out attacks against Israeli targets. Under this context, they demolished 5 houses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively punishing the Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons, violating Palestinian civilians’ economic, social and cultural rights. This week, 3 Palestinian patients died at Israeli military checkpoints and border crossings.

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