Five years ago today, massive protests against the ongoing Israeli occupation erupted throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Since that day in September 2000, the systematic and daily violations of the rights of Palestinians in general and of Palestinian children in particular, have intensified profoundly. Children too young to walk or speak have been shot dead, thousands have been injured, still more have looked on horrified as friends and family members have been killed, maimed, arrested, humiliated. Schools and homes have been demolished, hospitals destroyed. A vast array of discriminatory and illegal movement restrictions including closures, curfews, checkpoints and roadblocks have been imposed on the Palestinian residents of the OPT, plunging the Palestinian economy further and further into crisis. Read more about Five years of child rights abuses in Palestine
It all started with an explosion on September 23, at a military rally for the militant Palestinian movement Hamas - its last before declaring an end to all weapon displays in the streets of Gaza. Hamas leaders blamed Israel for the explosion, arguing that it was a bombing by unmanned spy drones targeting leaders in the movement. However, PA officials said that the explosion had actually resulted from a malfunctioning makeshift ‘Qassam’ rocket. On the same night, HAMAS sent 30 rockets into the Israeli town of Sderot. Five Israelis were reported injured in the heaviest rocket attack in more than six months. The Israeli response was fierce. Read more about Israel's 'Sound' Terrorism
Gaza, Al-Watan, September 27, 2005 — Israeli warplanes last night dropped thousands of leaflets directed at residents of the Gaza Strip. This is the the text of the Israeli army statement:”To the residents of the northern Gaza Strip: The terrorist actions originating from your areas are forcing the Israel Defense Forces to respond harshly to those who are subjecting the citizens of the State of Israel to danger….We warn you of the danger of remaining in the areas which are being used to launch terrorist actions and we advise you to leave your homes. We are not responsible for the consequences if you ignore our warning.” Read more about Israeli aircraft drop threatening leaflets on Gaza
Five years since the beginning of the Intifada, Israeli occupation forces escalate attacks on Palestinian civilians and properties in the occupied Palestinian territories. This week, Israeli forces killed 8 Palestinians, four of them were extra-judicially executed in the Gaza Strip. Israel carried out 27 aerial attacks on Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and launched dozens of mock aerial raids that frightened Palestinian civilians, in particular children and damaged their property. Israeli forces invaded a number of Palestinian towns in the West Bank, raiding homes and arrested 311 Palestinians, including three human rights defenders. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
On Thursday at dawn, 29 September 2005, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians in two separate incidents in Jenin. Two of the victims were killed in Bourqin village, while the third was killed in the old town of Jenin. Israeli forces moved into Bourqin, west of Jenin. They surrounded a number of greenhouses. Soon, sounds of explosions and intense gunfire were heard in the area. They moved to the home of Yahia al Shalabi, forced the owner’s son Saher out and took him to the greenhouses and used him as a human shield. Medical teams found two bodies in the area. They were identified as Nidal Khallouf and Samer al Shalabi, Saher’s brother. They were hit by several bullets in the head and chest. Read more about Israeli forces kill three Palestinians in Jenin
Israel continued their increasingly-dangerous attacks on the Gaza Strip, especially over the past three days. These attacks coincided with large scale incursions in the West Bank, during which Israeli occupying forces arrested Palestinian civilians. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli F-16s renewed their aerial bombardment, targeting additional civilian properties in different parts of the Strip. In addition, Israel F-16 fighter jets carried out mock air raids, resulting in a state of fear among civilians. Since September 24, Israel carried out 18 aerial bombardment raids against homes, civilian properties and vehicles carrying Palestinian activists. Read more about Israel continues aerial attacks on Gaza Strip
Palestinian rights still violated in Occupied Territories, UN official saysDespite Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, major violations of human rights continue to result from its occupation of Palestinian territories, construction of barriers and expansion of settlements, according to the United Nations official monitoring that situation in his latest report to the General Assembly. “The wall and settlements seriously undermine the fundamental right of self-determination of the Palestinian people upon which all other rights depend,” writes John Dugard, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967. Read more about Palestinian rights still violated in occupied territories, UN official says
Israeli Occupation Forces have continued their aggression on the Gaza Strip for the third day. On Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 September 2005, IOF launched 10 aerial attacks that extra-judicially killed four Palestinians, injured at least twenty others and destroyed a number of civilian facilities. On Monday morning, 26 September 2005, IOF launched five new aerial attacks throughout the Gaza Strip, which destroyed or damaged a number of houses and workshops and injured three Palestinian civilians, including two women. Israeli F-16 fighter jets have continued to launch side raids throughout the Gaza Strip. In addition, Israel imposed a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. Read more about More Israeli raids as Palestinians bury dead
At the beginning of October 2000 13 Arab citizens were killed and hundreds injured in Israel as a result of being shot by the Israeli police. Although it was known that the direct reason for the death cases and the injuries was the opening of fire by the police, the Ministry of Justice’s Police Investigation Unit (Mahash) did not carry out its duty under the law and failed to conduct any serious investigation into any of the killings. This was in spite of Adalah’s approaches in this regard to the Israeli government’s then-Attorney General (Elyakim Rubinstein) and then-Director of Mahash (Eran Shendar), during October 2000 (on 18 October 2000), and at the beginning of November 2000 (on 5 November 2000) demanding the investigation of the circumstances surrounding the killing of 13 Arab citizens by the police. Read more about Criminal Responsibility: The killing of thirteen Palestinian citizens of Israel in October 2000
22 September 2005, 13:30 — Israel Prison Service (IPS) relieved itself of responsibility for the health care of Palestinian prisoners in its custody and discriminates between them and other prisoners. According to the Israeli law, any prisoner held in Israel is eligible for medical care and the Israeli Prison Service must cover the cost. The IPS’s claim that the law is only for citizens is wrong (it applies to all residents) and is irrelevant, as the prisoners under its custody do not receive their medical care due to this law, but rather as per the IPS Commissionership’s Order. Read more about Palestinian Prisoners must pay for Health
