Weekly report on human rights violations

Construction on Israel’s Apartheid Wall continues without any obstacles (Helga Tawil)


Israeli occupying forces have perpetrated more violations of human rights against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). Human rights violations perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces included willful and extra-judicial executions, incursions into Palestinian areas, indiscriminate shelling and house demolitions. This week, 17 Palestinians, 14 of whom are civilians, including 6 children, and a man suffering from a cognitive disorder, were killed by Israeli troops.

In the Gaza Strip, this week, 9 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, were killed by Israeli troops. Israeli occupying forces continued their offensive on the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. This week, 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were killed by Israeli troops. At least 1300 donums of agricultural land have been razed in the town since the beginning of the Israeli offensive. The five other Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were killed by Israeli troops in other parts of the Gaza Strip. Four of the victims were killed by indiscriminate shelling.

Also this week, Israeli troops conducted 6 military incursions into Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip, during which they demolished 16 houses, leaving 235 people (43 families) homeless, and 16 shops in Rafah. They also razed 28 donums of Palestinian agricultural land in Khan Yunis, and arrested 5 Palestinians in Khan Yunis and Gaza City. Israeli helicopter gunships destroyed 2 workshops in Gaza City and Jabalya town, and damaged neighboring civilian properties. On 7 July 2004, Israeli helicopter gunships attacked a civilian car in Gaza City, apparently targeting a number of activists of Hamas movement, who survived the attack. Three passing civilians, including a 5-year-old child, were injured.

In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians. Six Palestinians, 3 of whom are civilians, including a university lecturer and his son, were killed by Israeli troops. Five of the victims were in Nablus, while the fifth one was killed in Jenin. Israeli troops also arrested dozens of Palestinians throughout the West Bank. In addition, they destroyed 2 houses belonging to families of Palestinian activists.

In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial execution officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments in violation of international law and humanitarian law, on Wednesday morning, 7 July 2004, Israeli occupying forces committed another extra-judicial execution in the West Bank, which left ‘Essam ‘Ali Sa’id Mahamid, 30 dead. He was from Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. Israeli troops also killed a Palestinian worker having chased the car in which he and other workers traveled inside Israel.

Israeli occupying forces have continued construction of the annexation wall inside the West Bank, even though the Israeli High Court issued a decision instructing these forces to change the course of the “Annexation Wall” around Jerusalem. They razed more areas of Palestinian agricultural land around Jerusalem and demolished 3 houses in Arab al-Ramadin village, south of Hebron for the purpose of the construction of the wall.

Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPTs and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have continued to close most border crossing. A number of these crossing were partially reopened, but under severe restrictions. They imposed severe restrictions on traveling through Rafah Terminal. In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a strict siege on Palestinian communities. They have also imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and closed some checkpoints. This week, they closed Tarqoumia crossing on the border with Israel, southwest of Hebron. They also closed al-Karama Terminal on the Jordanian border for several hours.

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Related Links

  • BY TOPIC: Human Rights
  • Palestinian Center for Human Rights