On 13 December 2006, the High Court of Justice rejected the petition filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the human rights organization Bimkom against the section of the separation barrier that severs the Palestinian community a-Ram from East Jerusalem. According to the head of the local council, the community has about 58,000 residents, half of whom hold Israeli identity cards.
This section of the barrier will surround a-Ram on three sides. The barrier’s route will separate a-Ram from its last land reserves, and leaves this area on the Israeli side of the barrier. Read more about High Court approves cutting off a-Ram from East Jerusalem
During the reported period, IOF killed 9 Palestinians, including a child, in the West Bank. On 14 December 2006, IOF shot dead a Palestinian civilian in Kufor al-Dik village, southwest of Nablus, when they chasing a number of children who threw stones at their military vehicles. On 16 December 2006, IOF killed a member of the Palestinian resistance in the old town of Nablus during an exchange of fire. On 19 December 2006, IOF shot dead 13-year-old child near the Annexation Wall in Far’oun village, southwest of Tulkarm. On 20 December 2006, IOF shot dead two members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad) in Seilat al-Harthiya village, west of Jenin. Read more about Weekly Report of Human Rights Violations
More Palestinians have arrived at the Iraq-Syria border after fleeing Baghdad to escape increasing violence, harassment and targeted killings. The latest group, 41 in all, has been stranded on the Iraqi side of the border with Syria since last Saturday. Iraqi border authorities initially refused to allow them to leave Iraq, citing a lack of proper documentation. Some members of the group do not have any travel documents, while others are holding expired ones – all as a result of suspension until further notice by the Iraqi authorities of renewals or issuance of residence permits. Read more about More Palestinians arrive at Iraq-Syria border after fleeing Baghdad
The Israeli-built wall is “a sign of all that is wrong in the human heart”, the Archbishop of Canterbury said today in Bethlehem. Speaking to the town’s civic representatives shortly after walking through the wall, Dr Williams said the wall symbolised “the terrible fear of the other, of the stranger, which keeps us all in one kind of prison or another”, from which God 2,000 years ago came to release people. Dr Williams was speaking on behalf of a delegation of UK church leaders to the town of Christ’s birth, which included the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the moderator of the Free Churches, David Coffey, and the Armenian patriarch of Great Britain, Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian. Read more about Archbishop of Canterbury Condemns Israeli Wall Around Bethlehem
On 19 December 2006, the Haifa Magistrate Court decided to dismiss indictments filed against 41 parents of children who study at the Hewar School for Democratic and Alternative Education, alleging violations of the Compulsory Education Law (1949) for sending their children to study at a school without a license. In the decision, the Court accepted the arguments of Adalah Attorneys Hassan Jabareen and Sawsan Zaher that the indictments were filed in breach of the Compulsory Education Law itself. Read more about Haifa magistrate court dismisses indictments against parents
‘Azzun ‘Atmah, a village with 1,800 residents located southeast of Qalqiliya, lies three kilometers from the Green Line (Israel’s 1967 border). The settlement Sha’are Tikva was built just east of it, on lands belonging to residents of the village. The settlement breaks the territorial contiguity between the village and two neighboring villages, Beit Amin and Sanniriya. On its western border, the settlement Oranit was built. The separation barrier in this area was completed in October 2003. The barrier separates the village from the rest of the West Bank and places it in the “seam zone,” the area between the barrier and the Green Line. Read more about Enclosing the village of 'Azzun 'Atmah
At approximately 01:30 on Wednesday, 20 December 2006, unknown gunmen fired live bullets and RBJ projectiles at a site of the Palestinian Riot Control Police near al-Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City. Earlier, at approximately 00:15, an exchange of fire erupted between members of Fatah movement and those of the Executive Force of the Ministry of Interior, who were on their way to arrest a member of Fatah movement accused of firing at a leader of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in al-Sabra neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Read more about PCHR concerned about continuing violence despite ceasefire
Palestinian armed groups must not endanger Palestinian civilians by encouraging them to gather in and around suspected militants’ homes targeted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Human Rights Watch said today. Calling civilians to a location that the opposing side has identified for attack is at worst human shielding, at best failing to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians from the effects of attack. Both are violations of international humanitarian law. According to media reports, on Saturday the IDF warned Mohammedweil Baroud, a commander in the Popular Resistance Committees, to leave his home in the Jabaliya refugee camp as they planned to destroy it. Read more about Civilians must not be used to shield homes against military attacks
16 December - We regret that our press release below (“OPT: Civilians Must Not Be Used to Shield Homes Against Military Attacks”) gave many readers the impression that we were criticizing civilians for engaging in nonviolent resistance. This was not our intention. It is not the policy of the organization to criticize non-violent resistance or any other form of peaceful protest, including civilians defending their homes. Rather, our focus is on the behavior of public officials and military commanders because they have responsibilities under international law to protect civilians. Read more about HRW retracts statement about "human shields"
Despite assurances given to the EU presidency by Israeli authorities, foreigners continue to be barred from passing through Israeli-controlled access points when their destination is the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). “Arbitrary denials of entry and expulsions have not stopped. No transparent rules or mechanisms are in place so far. Palestinian families, vital service providers and businesses remain vulnerable to arbitrary denials of entry and residency. This is especially hard to accept at a time of major Christian and Muslim traditional festivities when families want to be together more then ever”, said Anita Abdullah, speaking for the Campaign for the Right of Entry to the oPt. Read more about Israel continues to deny entry despite assurances to EU
