The city of Nablus and Balata refugee camp have been subject to a large-scale Israeli military operation for the past three days. Three Palestinians, including 2 children, have already been killed during these operations. Another 30 have been injured, some seriously. Severe restrictions on the movement of civilians have also been imposed. On Sunday, February 19th, Israeli forces, supported by armoured vehicles and helicopter gunships, moved into the city of Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces went from house to house in the refugee camp. Over the course of the following two days, Israeli forces sent reinforcements into the city. Read more about Israeli forces launched military attack on Nablus
This week Israeli forces killed two Palestinian civilians, a woman and a disabled young man, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Israeli forces wounded 13 Palestinians, including seven children. Israeli forces conducted incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Houses were raided and 83 Palestinian civilians were arrested by Israeli forces. Ten Palestinian homes were turned into military posts. Israeli forces shelled an apartment building in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Israel continues to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. The eastern part of the West Bank was cut off from the rest. Israeli forces arrested 11 Palestinians, including four children at checkpoints in the West Bank. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
Israel imposes severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the Jordan Valley, the eastern strip of the West Bank, which it has in effect annexed. This is the finding of B’Tselem’s recent research. As a rule, the army forbids the entry of Palestinians to the Jordan Valley, and only allows entry of those Palestinians listed as residents of this area. Severing the Jordan Valley from the rest of the West Bank severely violates the human rights of the Palestinian population. These measures were taken without any government decision or notice to the public. Testimonies given to B’Tselem indicate that the IDF forbids the movement of Palestinians along Route 90, which runs the length of the Jordan Valley. Read more about Research shows that Israel has effectively annexed the Jordan Valley
On 1 February 2006, the Supreme Court of Israel, in a 2 to 1 split decision, accepted a petition submitted by Adalah, ruling illegal the Israeli Knesset’s 2001 vote to strip Member of Knesset Dr. Azmi Bishara of his parliamentary immunity, and dismissed all criminal charges against him. Commenting on the Court’s decision, Adalah’s director Hassan Jabareen stated that, “the Supreme Court’s decision is the culmination of a legal struggle against the authorities’ attempts, mainly by the former Attorney General and the General Security Services, to violate the fundamental right of political representation. This legal triumph, however, is only another step for the Arab minority in its quest to achieve a liberated, dignified and equal existence in the country.” Read more about Supreme Court Dismisses Criminal Charges Against Knesset Member Azmi Bishara
The Israel Defense Forces’ top judicial officer should demonstrate his resolve to combat impunity by immediately ordering thorough and effective criminal investigations into the latest shooting deaths of Palestinian children by Israeli forces during policing operations, Human Rights Watch said today. The Israeli military’s judge advocate general, Brigadier-General Avihai Mandelblit, in December told a gathering of Israeli nongovernmental organizations in Tel Aviv that the number of criminal investigations was increasing under his tenure, which began in July 2004. He asserted that the total number of criminal investigations since September 2000 had now reached 200. Read more about Human Rights Watch: "Israeli military must account for killings of two children"
Adalah, Addameer, Alternative Information Center, Al-Haq, Defence for Children International-Palestine Section, Al Mezan Center For Human Rights, Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling10 February 2006
Human rights groups based in the occupied Palestinian territories are concerned regarding the intensified Israeli campaign of “targeted assassinations” of Palestinian activists. In an open letter to diplomatic missions they stated that the policy of “targeted assassination” “not only circumvents the fundamental right to due process but also risks the further destabilisation of an already volatile political situation.” With ten Palestinians killed in the last five days the human rights groups call on the international community to demand an end to the illegal Israeli practice and to ensure the respect of international humanitarian law. Read more about Human rights groups condemn "targeted assassinations"
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights strongly condemns the kidnapping of the Egyptian diplomat, Husam El-Mousili, in Gaza on 9 February 2006. This crime is another in a series of organized crimes, which have undermined the rule of law in the OPT, particularly since the announcement of the Palestinian Legislative Council election results. Similar crimes were carried out prior to the elections but failed to undermine or delay the elections. On Thursday, 9 February 2006, unidentified gunmen travelling in a “Volkswagen” stopped the car of the Egyptian diplomat, Husam El-Mousili, in Gaza city. They forced him out of the car and took him to an unknown location. Read more about Egyptian Diplomat Kidnapped in Gaza
A Front Line delegation, including Front Lne�s Director, Mary Lawlor, is currently in Gaza launching a report on the situation of human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). The report, which is written in conjunction with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) examines killings, injury, arbitrary detention and arrests of human rights defenders over the past five years caused by both the Israeli military and by forces with links to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The report recommends, among other things, that Israel stops treating human rights defenders as terrorists and lifts the regime of checkpoints, closures and curfews which has imposed a siege across the OPT and prevented defenders from carrying out their work. Read more about Human Rights Defenders in Palestine At Risk
Nadim Melham was shot dead in unclear circumstances by the Israeli police at his home in the Arab village of Arara in northern Israel on January 19. Police say they broke into the Melham family’s home after a tip-off that the youth was a drug dealer and had a stash of guns. They claim he tried to escape and, when cornered, pulled out a gun and cocked the trigger. He was shot in the chest by officers defending themselves, say police. Read more about Justice Ministry delays investigation into police shooting of Arab youth
A debate at Israel’s most high-profile policy-making forum on government plans to destroy up to 30 villages in the Negev that are home to tens of thousands Bedouin Arabs was cancelled at the last minute as protesters outside threatened to draw attention to the discussion. The Herzliya Conference, staged annually at the seaside resort north of Tel Aviv, attracts the country’s leading politicians, diplomats, generals, buisinessmen, academics and journalists under the banner “The balance of national strength and security”. Read more about National Security Council cancels debate on demolition plan for 30 Bedouin Arab villages
