Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
www.pchrgaza.org

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory  

• Two Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip as a result of the collapse of a tunnel bombarded by IOF. 
• IOF killed a mentally disabled Palestinian civilian at the entrance to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. 
• 13 Palestinian civilians, including four children and one woman, were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 
• IOF conducted 30 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and one into the Gaza Strip. 
• IOF arrested 25 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and four in the Gaza Strip. 
• IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the oPt and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. 
• IOF troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested four Palestinian civilians, including one child. 
• IOF have continued measures aimed at establishing a Jewish majority in east Jerusalem. 
• IOF ordered the demolition of a number of Palestinian houses. 
• IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. 
• Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers in the north of the West Bank.

Summary
 
Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (29 April – 06 May 2009):
 
Shooting: During the reporting period, three Palestinians were killed and 13 others, including four children and a woman, were wounded in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
 
On 1 May 2009, two Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip when IOF warplanes bombarded a tunnel at the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. On the same day, IOF troops positioned east of Jabalya – along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel – fired at a Palestinian woman who was grazing animals, wounding her.
 
On 2 May 2009, a Palestinian farmer was wounded when IOF troops positioned east of Khan Yunis – along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel – fired at a number of Palestinian farmers.
 
On 3 May 2009, three Palestinian civilians, including a child, were lightly wounded when a missile left by IOF during the latest military offensive on the Gaza Strip exploded near them. On the same day, the ICRC informed the family of  missing 12-year-old Ayman Mohammed Shamiya, from Jabalya refugee camp, that he was detained by IOF. The family was informed that the child was arrested near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, north of Beit Hanoun town, after he had been wounded in the feet. 
 
In the West Bank, on 6 May 2009, IOF shot dead a Palestinian civilian at the entrance of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. They claimed that he attempted to take over the gun of an IOF soldier, so the soldier shot him. According to the victim’s family, he was suffering from mental disorders.
 
During the reporting period, seven Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded when IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall.
 
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 25 Palestinian civilians, including a child.
 
In the Gaza Strip, on 2 May 2009, an IOF infantry unit moved nearly 400 meters into the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip. IOF troops opened fire at houses and agricultural areas. On 3 May 2009, IOF troops arrested three Palestinian civilians attempting to infiltrate into Israel to search for jobs. The three were arrested east of al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip
 
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 continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The IOF siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
 
1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.
The main concern of 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
 
IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than two years.
 
IOF have not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas, since 10 December 2008.
 
The Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to the Gaza Strip.
 
IOF have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israel for medical treatment, trade or social visits.
 
In the Gaza Strip poverty levels are at approximately 80%, while unemployment has reached approximately 60%.
 
IOF have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts intended for water networks and sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector are estimated at US$6 million.
 
IOF have imposed additional access restrictions international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers attempting to reach the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.
 
Living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted.
 
At least 900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been denied family visitation for more than 17 months. 
 
IOF have continued to attack Palestinian fishers along the Gaza Strip coast.
 
West Bank
 
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.
 
IOF have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
 
There are approximately permanent 630 roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition, there are some 60-80 ‘flying’ or temporary checkpoints erected across the West Bank by IOF every week.
 
When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the Wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.
 
At least 65% of the main roads leading to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF (47 out of 72 roads).
 
There are around 500 kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit issued by the IOF. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.
 
IOF continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall.
 
Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by IOF.
 
During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested four Palestinian civilians, including a child.
 
Attempts to Establish a Jewish Majority in Jerusalem: IOF have escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem, in an attempt to force them to leave the city. During the reporting period, IOF handed a copy of a decision issued by the Local Affairs Court of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem to Nabeel Is’haq al-Daissi. The decision ordered al-Daissi to demolish a structure he had added to his house in the Old Town allegedly without a license. During the reporting period, the Local Affairs Court of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem ordered the demolition of a house belonging to Darwish Khalil al-Daissi, 27, in the Old Town, claming that it was built without a license. On 05 May 2009, the time limit given by IOF to ‘Abdul Nasser ‘Aadel Hamdallah to demolish his house in al-Sal’a quarter in al-Mukabber village expired. The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem had already ordered Hamdallah to demolish his 55-square-meter house, claiming that it was built without a license.
 
Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities in violation of international humanitarian law. Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On 29 April 2009, armed Israeli settlers attacked with stones Palestinian civilian vehicles traveling on the main road between Kufor Qaddoum and al-Fundoq villages, northeast of Qalqilya. On 1 May 2009, a number of Israeli settlers from “Gilad” settlement, escorted by IOF troops, attacked Palestinian farmers in Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. They ordered the farmers to leave their lands claiming that that they belong to them. An Israeli settler beat and sprayed gas onto the face of Mohammed Ahmed Abu Baker, 20

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (29 April – 6 May 2009)
 
The full report is available online at:
html format:
www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/
English/2008/07-05-2009.htm
pdf format:
www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/
2008/pdf/weekly%20report%2018-09.pdf
 
Public Document
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