Weekly Report of Human Rights Violations

IDF continues to target Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. (PCHR)


Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)
  • 6 Palestinians, including a child, killed by IOF in the West Bank
  • One of those killed was extra-judicially executed
  • Child dies of wounds in the Gaza Strip
  • 7 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded by IOF gunfire.
  • IOF conducted 40 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
  • IOF imprisoned 67 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and 1 women.
  • IOF destroyed a house in Nablus.
  • IOF raid the Beir Nabala municipality building and the Charitable Islamic Society in Beit Ola, and confiscate equipment
  • IOF continue to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank; Israeli PM approves moving a section of the Annexation Wall further into the West Bank, in the Ramallah area;
  • Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem demolished;
  • IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.
  • IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank imprisoned 9 Palestinian civilians, including two children.
  • The Gaza Strip has suffered from shortages in fuels and basic goods.

    Summary

    Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (1-7 February 2007):

    Killing: During the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian child in the northern West Bank town of Tulkarm. They fired one bullet at him when he attempted to escape. They left him bleeding to death. The victim was not armed. According to the child’s family, the child attempted to escape as IOF had repeatedly raided his family home searching for him.

    During the reporting period, 9 Palestinian civilians and a British journalist were wounded by IOF.

    On 26 January 2007, two Palestinian civilians and a British journalist were wounded when IOF used force against a peaceful demonstration organized in Bal’ein village in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall. On 30 January 2007, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded when IOF opened fire at a taxi near Jenin. On 31 January 2007, a woman and a child were wounded by IOF in Nablus.
    In the Gaza Strip, two Palestinian civilians were wounded on 28 January 2007, when IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at them. The two civilians were hunting birds nearly 500 meters away from the border.

    Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted 40 incursions in Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, raiding commercial & residential buildings. IOF imprisoned 67 civilians, including 5 children and one woman. Thus, the total number of West Bank Palestinians imprisoned by IOF since the beginning of 2007 reached 388 prisoners. During an incursion into Nablus, IOF demolished the house belonging to the family of Ala and Hani Oweijan, brothers killed by IOF earlier. In addition, IOF raided the building of the Beir Nabala municipality and the Charitable Islamic Society offices in Beit Ola. Equipment from both institutions was confiscated.

    Annexation Wall: The Israeli Prime Minister approved moving the Annexation Wall near Ramallah 5 kilometers further inside West Bank Territory, to include the settlement of Mode’in Elit on the western side of the Wall. This will move approximately 20,000 Palestinians into enclaves surrounded by the Wall. In addition, the decision increases the length of the Wall by 12 kilometers.
    Destruction of Islamic Holy Sites: IOF bulldozers started to demolish a hill, wooden bridge, and two rooms leading to Magharba gate, one of the gates to Al-Aqsa Mosque. The demolition targets are properties of the Islamic Waqf. PCHR warns against the consequences of IOF attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem. These attacks include passing legislation to annex the city, ethnic cleansing of the city’s Palestinian population, confiscation of Palestinian property, establishing and expanding Jewish settlements, and transgressions against holy sites through demolitions and excavations in Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Centre reminds the international community that similar attacks on the civil, political, and cultural rights led to the eruption of a mass popular uprising in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) at the end of September 2000.

    Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

    Gaza Strip

    IOF have imposed a strict siege on the Gaza Strip. They have closed its border crossings as a form of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians.

    IOF have closed Rafah International Crossing Point since 25 June 2006, even though they do not directly control it. During the reporting period, the crossing was opened for two hours on 6 February 2007 to allow the delegations of Hamas and Fatah to head to Saudi Arabia. During this time, only 300 humanitarian cases traveled both ways of the crossing. Dozens of patients remain waiting on the crossing. IOF have partially reopened commercial crossings, especially al-Mentar (Karni) crossing, but many goods and medical supplies have been lacked in markets in the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, the crossing was opened only for one day. IOF have also continued to close Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have been prevented from traveling through this crossing. IOF have allowed international workers to pass through the crossing. With this closure, only few Palestinian patients have been able to travel to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank. In addition, IOF have continued to prevent Palestinian fishermen from fishing for nearly 8 months.

    West Bank

    IOF have tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have isolated Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. Contrary to Israeli claims, IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. In addition, IOF soldiers positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank imprisoned 7 Palestinian civilians, including two children.

    IOF troops stationed at El-Karama Border Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan prevented the Palestinian Deputy PM and the Minister of Planning from leaving to Saudi Arabia.

    The outcome of crimes committed by IOF since 25 June 2006:

  • 504 Palestinians, 320 of whom are civilians, including 96 children and 30 women, have been killed by IOF. In the Gaza Strip alone, 411 Palestinians, 246 of whom are civilians, including 85 children, 28 women and 4 paramedics, have been killed by IOF.
  • At least 1698 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 364 children, 111 women. In the Gaza Strip alone, 1292 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 351 children, 104 women, 4 paramedics and 7 journalists, have been wounded by the IOF gunfire.
  • At least 329 air-to-surface missiles and hundreds of artillery shells have been fired at Palestinian civilian and military targets in the Gaza Strip.
  • Buildings of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National economy, the office of the Palestinian Prime Minister and a number of educational institutions have been destroyed.
  • The electricity generation plant, providing 45% of the electricity of the Gaza Strip, was destroyed, and electricity networks and transmitters have been repeatedly attacked.
  • 6 bridges linking Gaza City with the central Gaza Strip and a number of roads have been destroyed.
  • Hundreds of donums of agricultural land and dozens of houses have been destroyed.
  • Hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including 10 ministers and 31 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), including the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Secretary, have been imprisoned. Minster of Prisoners’ Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Labor and Second Deputy Speaker of the PLC were released.
  • The Palestinian governmental compound in Nablus has been destroyed.
  • Many families in Rafah, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia have been forced to leave their houses.
  • IOF intelligence has warned some Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip by phone to evacuate their houses, which would be attacked.
  • 73 houses belonging to activists of Palestinian factions have been destroyed by IOF warplanes.
  • IOF have imposed a strict siege on the OPT, and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.

    Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (1 - 7 February 2007)

    1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

    Thursday, 1 February 2007

  • At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Qarawit Bani Hasan, southwest of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and imprisoned 2 Palestinian civilians:
    1. Riziq Khader Rayyan (22); and
    2. Mazen Abdel Hamid Rayyan (23).
  • At approximately the same time, IOF moved into Thannaba Quarter, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Nathmi Mohammad Hamed. The imprisoned the houseowner’s son, Mohammad (20).
  • At approximately the same time, IOF moved into El-Salam Quarter, east of Tulkarm. They raided and searched the house belonging to Abdel Karim Mohammad Abu Hantash, and imprisoned his son Nafith (21).
  • At approximately the same time, IOF moved into El-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and imprisoned 5 civilians, including 3 children, taking them to Kfar Etzion detention centre:
    1. Mohammad Jaber Okal (16);
    2. Samed Mahmoud Abdel Majid Jibril (16);
    3. Zeyad Zuhdi Mahfouth (15);
    4. Mohammad Abdel Latif Abu Sal (23); and
    5. Mohannad Jaber Shehada (24).
  • At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into the town of Taffouh, west of Hebron, and raided and searched a number of houses, and imprisoned five civilians:
    1. Tawfiq Ali Hasan Khamaysa (41), a member of the town council;
    2. Hisham Abdel Qadir El-Tarada (24);
    3. Ibrahim Ahmad Khamaysa (32);
    4. Ahmad Jaber Mahmoud El-Tarada (33); and
    5. Ibrahim Mohammad Khalil El-Tarada (32).
    In addition, IOF delivered summons to 5 others to meet IOF intelligence officers in an intelligence compound south of Hebron. PCHR’s fieldworker learned the identity of four of the summoned civilians:
    1. Yousef Ali El-Tarada;
    2. Mohammad Ahmad El-Tarada;
    3. Hussein Ahmad El-Tarada; and
    4. Khalil Ahmad El-Tarada.
  • In the early morning hours, IOF killed two armed Palestinian activists in Nablus. They resisted an IOF incursion into the city. IOF troops cornered them, and injured them in the exchange of fire. IOF could have imprisoned them, or saved them; however, they were left to bleed to death. PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 2:10, IOF moved into Hitten Street, Khan El-Tujar, eastern market, and Sheikh Mussallam quarter in the old city of Nablus. A number of armed activists resisted the incursion in the Khan El-Tujar area. Two of the activists were cornered in a small area, and were wounded by IOF gunfire. IOF did not allow ambulances to reach the scene; and the activists were left to bleed to death. At approximately 6:10, IOF withdrew from the area. After that ambulances took the bodies of the killed activists to Rafedia hospital. The activists were members of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah,:
    1. Amer Bassam Mohammad Kalabona (21), killed by bullets to the abdomen and back; and
    2. Wa’el Khamis Saleh Awad (21), killed by bullets to the back and hand.

    The ambulance driver and paramedic who went to save the wounded stated,
    “At 2:35 on Thursday, 1 February 2007, we were informed by our officer in the Red Crescent Society in Khillet El-Amoud Quarter in Nablus, that there is an injured person in Khan El-Tujar area in the old city. We went to the area, and tried to enter. However, the Israeli army was blocking the entrances to the old city. We tried to enter to from the market area, which leads to the area where the injured were. However, IOF jeeps in the area prevented us from entering. The soldiers instructed us to get out of the ambulance, and take off our clothes. We obeyed their orders. They ordered us to sit in the middle of the street for half an hour. Then they told us to stand on the sidewalk. After an hour, they allowed us into the area where the injured were reported to be. However, we did not find the injured there.”

  • At 3:00, IOF moved into El-Obedeyya village, east of Bethlehem and arrested Eyad Younis Ahmad Radayda (23) after searching and ransacking his house.
  • At 8:30, IOF troops stationed along the northern border of the Gaza Strip, north of Beit Lahia, fired at Bilal Hilal Ghaben (35) and moderately injured him in the right knee. He was taken to Kamal Odwan Hospital for treatment.

    Friday, 2 February 2007

  • At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Abu Dis, southeast of Ramallah, and arrested 3 civilians after raiding a number of houses. The prisoners are:

    1. Mohammad Jamal Rabi’ (19);
    2. Ma’moun Ibrahim Bader (18); and
    3. Tha’er Ali Wahiesh (18).

  • At approximately 02:40, an IOF infantry force moved into the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah. They surrounded the Modern College building. A resident who saw suspicious movement called the Preventive Security Apparatus. A patrol was dispatched to the area. IOF troops fired instantly when two Preventive Security officers entered the building. They were killed instantly. Israeli forces later announced that they killed two Palestinian security personnel:
    1. Khaldoun Juma Taleb Shuman (30) was killed by bullets to the head; and
    2. Mohammad Atta Abdel Qadir Abu Arab (34) was killed by bullets to the chest.
  • At approximately 12:00, IOF moved into Beit Kahel, northwest of Hebron. They surrounded “El-Rahman” Mosque and searched the worshippers upon their exit. Some were interrogated and beaten. Mohammad Abdel Hamid Salama Atawna (38) was imprisoned.

    Saturday, 3 February 2007
  • At approximately 3:00, IOF moved into the town of Bedia, east of Qalqilia, and imprisoned Zakaria Ibrahim Sarsour (28) after searching and ransacking his house, and forcing his family to stand outside under heavy rain and severe cold.
  • At approximately 13:00, the child Nader Kamal Ahmad (16) from Beit Lahia died of wounds sustained on 21 November 2006 during an IOF incursion into Beit Lahia. He was wounded in the head and totally paralyzed, and died at Wafa Rehabilitation Hospital in Gaza City.

    Sunday, 4 February 2007
  • At approximately 08:00, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, fired at two Palestinian civilians who were hunting birds nearly 500 meters away from the border. The two civilians were wounded:
    1. Adham Tawfiq Tamboura, 21, from Beit Lahia, wounded by a bullet to the feet; and
    2. Mohammed Lutfi al-Kafarna, 21, from Beit Hanoun, wounded by a bullet to the left foot.
  • At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Qalandia refugee camp and imprisoned Mohammad Shehada (26) after he was injured by IOF gunfire when he attempted to run away. The severity of the injury is not known due to the imprisonment.
  • At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Ein Sara Street in Hebron, and erected a checkpoint. They forced passers to stop under the rain, beating some of them, for nearly one and a half hours.
  • At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into the town of Beir Nabala and raided the municipality building. They ransacked the offices, and confiscated computers, the land register, financial records, seals, and checkbooks.

    Monday, 5 February 2007

  • At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into moved into Tulkarm and ransacked the houses of Naser Mohammad Othman and Mujahed Nafeth El-Harith. They threatened Othman’s family to force him to surrender to IOF, who accuse him of being a member of Islamic Jihad.
  • At approximately 1:30, IOF moved into Jenin and arrested five civilians after raiding and searching houses:
    1. Esam Raja Abu El-Heija (20);
    2. Ala Raja Abu El-Heija (22);
    3. Rami Ahmad Lahlouh (19);
    4. Ra’ed Ahmad Lahlouh (22); and
    5. Ammar Fathi Abu Eita (21).
  • At approximately 2:30, IOF moved into the town of Masiela, east of Jenin and arrested four civilians after raiding and searching houses:
    1. Fuad Mohammad Yousef Qasrawi (18);
    2. Esam Aref Abdallah Qasrawi (18);
    3. Tha’er Ezzat Salim Abu El-Rob (19); and
    4. Abdel Rahman Abu El-Rob (19).
  • At approximately 2:00, IOF moved into the village of El-Ebeyat, east of Bethlehem, and arrested Naser Ibrahim Jobran (30) after raiding and searching his house.
  • At approximately 2:00, IOF moved into the town of Orraba, south of Jenin, and arrested Maha Qasem El-Arda (26 year old woman) after raiding and searching her house.
  • At approximately 2:30, IOF moved into El-Bireh and arrested Nader Abdel Jawwad Musallam (25) after raiding and searching his house.
  • At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah, and arrested Eyad El-Nibali (25 year old member of the Military Intelligence apparatus in the PNA) after raiding and searching his house.

    Tuesday, 6 February 2007

  • At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Bethlehem and raided and ransacked the house belonging to Tawfiq Saliba Qinwati in the center of the city. They told him to have his son Jreis (22) surrender himself to the Kfar Etzion detention center south of Bethlehem.
  • At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into the town of Beit Ola, northwest of Hebron. The raided and searched the offices of the Charitable Islamic Society, and confiscated materials. Among the materials were a computer and the register of orphans. It is noted that the society runs a school for 280 orphans, a kindergarten for 300 kids, and a nursery for 20 babies.
  • At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into the town of El-Jarousha, north of Tulkarm, and arrested Ehab Salam Qa’dan (21) after searching and ransacking his house.
  • At approximately 01:45, IOF moved into Nablus and arrested 11 civilians after searching and ransacking houses:
    1. Majdi Bilal Abdel Fattah El-Saqqa (28);
    2. Sharif El-Kharraz (22);
    3. Samer El-Kharraz (19);
    4. Mohammad Ahmad Hassouna (24);
    5. Afif Ahmad Hassouna (18);
    6. Mohammad Yassin (20);
    7. Rami Yassin (22);
    8. Ammar Masrouja (35);
    9. Mohammad Taysir Yassin El-Tiek (30);
    10. Mousa Walid El-Shawwa (32); and
    11. Emad El-Desh’k (35).
  • At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Sourif, southeast of Nablus, and arrested Eyad Mousa Barad’eya (31) and Omar Ali Ahmad El-Qadi (20) after raiding and searching houses.
  • At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into the town of Kufr Qalil and arrested Jawdat Fathi Rashid Mansour (27) after raiding and ransacking houses.
  • At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into the town of Azzoun, east of Qalqilya, and arrested the child Marwan Nidal Hamdallah Shabita (15) during confrontations between youth and the force. Eyewitnesses said that Shabita was a passerby and did not participate in the confrontations.

    Wednesday, 7 February 2007

  • At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm refugee camp and arrested Sa’id Mohammad Rawaz’a (19) after raiding and searching houses, and forcing their inhabitants to stand outside under the rain.
  • At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into the southern quarter of Tulkarm and arrested the child Marwan Monthir El-Madani (17) after raiding and ransacking his house.
  • At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Kufr Qadoom, east of Qalqilya and arrested Shadi Ghazi Obeid (21) after failing to detain Mansour Sobhi Obeid. They raided and ransacked house before making the arrest.
  • At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into the town of Beit Amin, south of Qalqilya and arrested three brothers after raiding and ransacking a number of neighboring houses:
    1. Abdel Salam Salah Omar (25);
    2. Ali Salah Omar (26); and
    3. Izzedeen Salah Omar (30);
  • At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Hebron and arrested Bilal Mohammad Khalil Abdel Aziz (19) after raiding and ransacking his house.
  • At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into the village of Beit Ebba, west of Nablus, and arrested Mustafa Humeidan (23) after raiding and ransacking his house.
  • At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Nablus and raided and ransacked a number of houses. They also arrested two civilians:
    1. Fadel Abu Salem (20); and
    2. Mohammad Ali Hashash (21).

    2. Extra-judicial Executions:

    At approximately 16:30 on the same day, an undercover IOF unit moved into Tulkarm refugee camp using a vehicle with Palestinian license plates. Near the southern entrance of the refugee camp, three civilian-clothed persons and a fourth in military clothes got out of the car. They came near three people standing in the place, and opened fire at them. The child Rafiq Mowafaq Heikal Dumeiri (16) was injured by a bullet in the right thigh. Jaser Nader Ahmad Abu Zugheib (24) was hit by a bullet to the chest and fell on the ground. The attackers dragged Zugheib on the ground, fired 5 more bullets at him from point blank range, and put him a vehicle. He died in the vehicle. Zugheib is an activist in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Fatah. A third Palestinian was seriously injured by a bullet to the chest. He is Amer Mahmoud El-Baraka (25), an activist in Al-Quds Battalions (armed wing of Islamic Jihad). Regular IOF troops arrived at the scene and evacuated the undercover unit. In addition, they abducted the body of the dead and injured activists. A 10-year old bystander was also injured by a bullet in the right leg: Mahmoud Zaki Mohammad Qozah.

    The injured, Rafiq Mowafaq Rafiq D’meiri gave the following statement to PCHR’s fieldworker:
    “At approximately 16:30 on Thursday, 1 February 2007, I was at the southern entrance of Tulkarm refugee camp. I was standing with Jaser Nader Ahmad Abu Zugheib and Amer Mahmoud El-Baraka. We were scheduled to meet because I wanted to buy a computer from Jaser. Amer came with him. As we were speaking, a white Volkswagon minibus with Palestinian license plates stopped near us. Seven people came out of the bus, four were wearing civilian clothes marred by paint. The other three were in military clothes. One of the ones wearing civilian clothes was huge, with a beard, and spoke Arabic. He hit me, and pushed me to the ground. He fired two bullets, one aimed at the ground, and the other aimed at my head. However, I raised my legs, and the bullet hit my thigh. Jaser fired at the minibus with a pistol he had, and then entered an alley. One of them followed him, and fired one shot at him, then dragged him to the street. Then he fired five bullets at Jaser’s chest from a distance of less than half a meter. Jaser was alive when he was dragged. Other soldiers came and carried Yaser to the minibus. The fired another two bullets at his abdomen and leg. Then they asked for our names. We told them. They told us that their task was Jaser and Amer. The pushed me away and I fell to the ground. Some women pulled me away; and I was taken to the governmental hospital in Tulkarm in a taxi.”

    3. Annexation Wall:

    The Israeli PM authorized moving the annexation wall five kilometers further inside the West Bank territory near the settlement of Mode’in Elit. The move aimed to place the settlements of Nilli and Na’aleh to the west of the Wall. The move reinforces PCHR’s position that the purpose of the Wall is annexation, not security, to unilaterally draw the borders of Israel. The move places nearly 20,000 Palestinian civilians in two new enclaves. It is noted that this is the first time that Israel moves the Wall eastward after approving its route.

    In addition, there are plans to pave a new road to connect the settlements of Mode’in Elit, Nilli, and Na’aleh with the settlement of Ofrim. Palestinians will not be allowed to use this road. Two tunnels will be constructed under this road near the villages of Na’lin and Sheqba to ensure that Palestinians are not forced to use the road.

    Excessive use of force:

    At approximately 13:00 on Friday, 2 February 2007, about dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli solidarity activists demonstrated in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah. The demonstrators headed to the Wall section in the area. IOF soldiers positioned near the Wall ordered them back under the excuse that this is a closed military zone. They fired rubber coated bullets, sound bombes and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, and then beat them with batons. Three demonstrators were injured:
    1. Mo’tasem Ibrahim Ahmad Abu Rahma (20), injured by a rubber coated bullet in the back;
    2. Ibrahim Abdel Fattah Ibrahim Bornat (25), injured by a rubber coated bullet in the leg; and
    3. Ashraf Mohammad Jamal El-Khatib (26), injured by a rubber coated bullet in the back;

    Destruction of Islamic Holy Sites in Jerusalem:

    On Tuesday, 6 February 2007, IOF bulldozers started to demolish a hill, a wooden bridge, and two rooms at the foot of the hill, which are property of the Islamic Waqf. The properties lead to the Magharba Gate, one of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque that constitutes an integral part of the mosque. The demolition activities directly threaten Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings. It is noted that the Israeli archeological authority announced that it started the destruction activities to establish a bridge connecting Al-Buraq area with Al-Aqsa Mosque. The destruction is a prelude to erecting support pillars for the bridge on the road leading to Magharba gate. At the same time, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) prevented the Islamic Waqf, which supervises Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, from conducting any renovation activities on the hill, which is a component of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
    PCHR warns against the consequences of IOF attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem. These attacks include passing legislation to annex the city, ethnic cleansing of the city’s Palestinian population, confiscation of Palestinian property, establishing and expanding Jewish settlements, and transgressions against holy sites through demolitions and excavations in Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Centre reminds the international community that similar attacks on the civil, political, and cultural rights led to the eruption of a mass popular uprising in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) at the end of September 2000.

    4. Continued Siege on the OPT

    IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Occupied East Jerusalem.

    Gaza Strip

    IOF have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip. During the reporting period, these crossings were partially reopened to allow the entry of basic foodstuffs, medical supplies and other necessities into the Gaza Strip. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population.

  • Rafah International Crossing Point: Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. IOF have closed Rafah International Crossing Point, even though they do not directly control it. They have prevented European observers working at the crossing point form reaching it. The crossing point has been closed since 25 June 2006.
    During the reporting period, the crossing was opened for two hours from 15:00 - 17:00 on 6 February 2007, allowing about 300 humanitarian cases to cross both ways. In the morning of the same day, the crossing was opened to allow the passage of the Fatah and Hamas delegations to Saudi Arabia.
  • Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: IOF have completely closed Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, which links the Gaza Strip with Israel and the West Bank. Before this latest closure, IOF had prevented Palestinian workers from reaching their work places inside Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing since 12 March 2006. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip had been prevented from traveling through this crossing. IOF have allowed international workers to pass through the crossing. With this closure, few Palestinian patients have been able to travel to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank. IOF have prevented Palestinian female patients aged under 40 from passing through the crossing, even though most of these patients are in serious conditions and suffer from serious diseases. Since the beginning of this year, IOF have allowed only 45 patients to travel to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank through the crossing. IOF have also continued to prevent members of the Palestinian Legislative Council representing Hamas from traveling to the West Bank and Jerusalem.
  • Al-Mentar (Karni) Commercial Crossing: IOF have closed the crossing, which is the main commercial crossing for the Gaza Strip. As a consequence, the economic situation inside the Gaza Strip has further deteriorated and many goods have been lacked in markets.
  • Nahal Ouz Crossing: This crossing is designed for the entry of fuel. IOF allow the entry of limited amounts of domestic gas into the Gaza Strip, which do not meet the needs of its population. They also denied the entry of benzene and gasoline for 3 days.
  • Sofa Crossing: During the reporting period, IOF partially reopened Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah, allowing the entry of aggregate and some food aid. However, IOF have continued to close Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah.

    The closure of border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of movement, education and health.

    IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Following the attack on IOF on 25 June 2006, IOF prevented fishing. Approximately 35,000 people in and around Gaza’s coastal communities rely on the fishing industry, including 2,500 fishermen, 2,500 support staff and their families. Fishermen have been subjected to intensive monitoring by IOF, which use helicopter gunships and gunboats to monitor the fishermen. The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian fishermen to go fishing up to 20 nautical miles away from the Gaza seashore.

    The West Bank

    IOF have imposed a tightened siege on the West Bank. They have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians and imposed curfews on a number of Palestinian communities.

  • Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside and outside Hebron. Thousands of worshippers were prevented from reaching the Ibrahimi mosque throughout the week. On Friday and Saturday, hundreds of Palestinians were forced to stand on long queues on all roads leading to the mosque. Youth were prevented from entry to the mosque, and those allowed to enter underwent very slow search procedures. In the morning of Wednesday, IOF closed the checkpoint on the northern entrance of El-Fawwar refugee camp, under the excuse that they came under fire. Hundreds of vehicles were prevented from passing the checkpoint the city, thus hindering students, employees, and patients from passing through.
    On Wednesday, 7 February 2007, IOF troops stationed at El-Fahs checkpoint between Yatta and Hebron arrested Hussein Mohammad Hussein El-Shawahin (27) as he was on his way to university. He is from Yatta.
  • Tulkarm: IOF continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 1 February 2007, scores of civilians were prevented passage at Ennab checkpoint due to very slow search procedures of vehicles. And on Saturday, 3 February, soldiers at Wadi El-Teen checkpoint hindered the passage of scores of civilians, and forced them to stand for hours at the checkpoint. Many were turned back and denied passage. And on Sunday, 4 February 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint at the Ellar town junction, and closed the main road. They forced travelers out of their cars, made them strip their upper bodies in the rain, and then denied them passage.
  • Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 1 February 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint near Bathan village and prevented the passage of travelers going out of the city. And on Saturday, 3 February 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint on the Bathan road and hindered the movement of travelers by forcing vehicles to undergo slow search procedures.
  • Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 25 January 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Ras village, south of Tulkarm. They prohibited the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the village. On Friday, 26 January 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint at the western entrance of Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. They also prevented civilians aged under 35 from passing through the checkpoint. On Saturday, 27 January 2007, IOF soldiers positioned at Wad al-Teen checkpoint, south of Tulkarm, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilian vehicles and prevented civilians aged under 35 from passing through the checkpoint. On Sunday, 28 January 2007, IOF closed Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, and prohibited the movement of Palestinian civilians through it. On Monday, 29 January 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint at Bal’a intersection, east of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On the same day, IOF closed Ennab checkpoint, east of the town, from 06:00 to 07:30.

    On Monday, 5 February 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint near El-Ras village, and obstructed movement to and from Qalqilya. And on Tuesday, 6 February 2007, IOF erected a checkpoint at the entrance of Shweika Quarter, north of Tulkarm, and subjected vehicles to stringent search using police dogs. All youth between 12-20 years of age were detained for hours at the checkpoint. And on Wednesday, 7 February 2007, IOF troops stationed at Ennab and Wadi El-Teen checkpoints prevented all people under 35 years of age from passing through. Some were on their way to El-Karama border crossing with Jordan. However they were denied entry despite having their visas and other travel documents.

  • Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF soldiers positioned at Tayaseer and El-Hamra checkpoints prevented dozens of Palestinian civilians without permits from entering the Jordan Valley. On Sunday, IOF at Tayaseer checkpoint subjected scores of civilians to humiliating search procedures in very cold weather conditions regardless of age or gender. And on Wednesday, 2007, IOF imposed severe restrictions on movement throughout Jenin; and erected a checkpoints at the entrance of Sanour village, near El-Zawya village, and near El-Far’a refugee camp. And in the afternoon of the same day, IOF closed the entrance of Toubas village, preventing exit and entry from the village.

    At approximately 13:30 on Friday, IOF troops deployed at the checkpoint on the Sanour - Jenin road fired at Basem Ahmad Tayeh Abu Ali (34) from the village of Sieries, south of Jenin. He was hit by a bullet in the buttock. He was attempting to pass through the checkpoint on foot, and did not obey commands to stop. It is noted that he suffers from a mental disorder.

    On Friday, 2 February 2007, IOF troops detained Firas Mahmoud Abu Arra (28) from the town of Oqaba. He was detained at a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Toubas.

    On Saturday, 3 February 2007, IOF detained Mohammad Attallah Sabbah (25) from the village of Birqien, west of Jenin. He was forced out of his car at an IOF checkpoint on the Jenin - Nablus road.

    On Monday, 5 February 2007, IOF troops at Tayaseer checkpoint detained a Palestinian whose identity remains unknown at the time of publication.

    On Wednesday, 7 February 2007, IOF detained Younis Ibrahim El-Soudi (21) from Wadi El-Far’a village. He was detained at a checkpoint between Wadi El-Far’a and El-Far’a refugee camp.

  • Jerusalem: On Thursday, 1 February 2007, IOF troops deployed near Qalandia checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, fired at the child Taha Mohammad Sobhi El-Qeljawi (17), who was a resident of the old city in Jerusalem. He was hit by bullets in the legs, and was left to bleed to death. An IOF spokesman stated that “soldiers fired at the lower extremities of a Palestinian youth trying to cross the Wall.” Palestinian medical sources indicated that the injuries the boys sustained initially were moderate and not life-threatening; however the soldiers left him to bleed in his place.

    On Saturday evening, 3 February 2007, an Israeli border police patrol detained Issam Hussein El-Khatib at a checkpoint at the entrance of El-Ezereyya village, east of Jerusalem.

  • Qalqilya: At approximately 16:00 on Wednesday, 7 February 2007, IOF troops at Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah, detained Mousa Ahmad Aqel (26) from the village of Kufr Qaddoom east of Qalqilya. And in the evening of the same day, IOF detained Ahmad Majdi Sweidan (16) and Salam Saleh Sweidan (17) on the road between Azzoun and Kufr Tholuth villages, east of Qalqilya.
  • Jericho: IOF troops at El-Karama border crossing with Jordan prevented Mohammad Salama from leaving to go to Spain on Saturday, 3 February 2007. He serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the General Union of Palestinian Students. He was on his way to Spain after receiving an invitation fro a number of youth organizations to give lectures, and to coordinate with Spanish counterparts. And on Monday, 5 February 2007, IOF troops stationed at El-Karama Border Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan prevented the Palestinian Deputy PM and the Minister of Planning from leaving to Saudi Arabia. They were forced to wait 7 hours at the crossing before they were told to go back.

    3. Construction of the Annexation Wall
    IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, IOF used force against a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilian in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah.
    1. Jason, 30, a British journalist, hit by a sound bomb to the head;
    2. Muheeb al-Barghouthi, 42, hit by a sound bomb to the head; and
    3. Majdi ‘Abdul Mo’men Abu Rahma, 16, hit by a tear gas canister to the back.

    Recommendations to the International Community

    1. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure Israel’s respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

    2. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel’s respect of the Convention in the OPT and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians

    3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with its legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.

    4. PCHR recommends international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and to urge their governments to bring these people to justice.

    5. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the OPT.

    6. PCHR calls upon the member States of the EU, and all other states, to adopt a voting pattern at the UN bodies, particularly the General Assembly, Security Council and Commission on Human Rights which is keeping with international law.

    7. PCHR demands that the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion be immediately implemented by the international community.

    8. PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented last year, for what it is - not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

    9. In recognition of ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the OPT, including the facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

    10. PCHR appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel’s respect for human rights in the OPT and to end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

    11. In light of the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupying forces on access for international organizations to the OPT, PCHR calls upon European countries to deal with Israeli citizens in a similar manner.

    12. PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace agreement or process must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.

    Related Links

  • PCHR