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Israeli Troops Continue
Attacks in the OPT
12 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 4 children, were killed
by Israeli troops
5 of the victims were extra-judicially killed by Israeli troops in
Nablus and Qalqilya
Israeli troops conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian
areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip 30 houses were destroyed and
at least 60 donums[1] of agricultural land were razed in Rafah 147
donums of agricultural land were razed in Deir al-Balah and Beit
Lahia Houses were raided and dozens of Palestinian civilians were
arrested
3 houses were destroyed in the West Bank in the context of
retaliatory measures against families of Palestinian activists
Continued shelling of residential areas and civilian facilities; a
7-year-old Palestinian child was killed and a number of Palestinian
civilians were injured
Construction of the “Annexation wall” in the West Bank has continued
Israeli troops have continued to impose a total siege on the OPTs;
Rafah Terminal was closed and a curfew was imposed on a number of
towns and villages in the West Bank.
Introduction
Israeli occupying troops have launched more attacks against
Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
This week, 12 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 4 children,
were killed by Israeli troops. In addition, a number of Palestinian
civilians were injured by the Israeli gunfire. Human rights
violations perpetrated by Israeli occupying troops included willful
and extra-judicial killings, incursions into Palestinian areas,
indiscriminate shelling, land leveling and total closure imposed on
Palestinian communities.
In the Gaza Strip, on 28 October 2004, a 7-year-old Palestinian
schoolchild was killed when Israeli troops opened fire at
Palestinian residential areas in Khan Yunis. On 3 November 2004, a
Palestinian civilian was killed during an Israeli military incursion
into Rafah.
This week, Israeli troops conducted a series of incursions into
Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip. On 3 November 2004, Israeli
troops demolished 20 houses completely and 3 others partially. They
also demolished 15 shops and 4 sewing factories, and severely
damaged a mosque. During 3 other incursions into Rafah on 28, 29 and
30 October 2004, Israeli troops destroyed 6 houses and razed 60
donums of agricultural land. Rafah town and refugee camp have been
subject to wide scale destruction by Israeli troops in the current
Intifada; 2527 houses have been destroyed, including 1450 ones that
have been completely demolished. This has left 15000 people
homeless. In the central Gaza Strip, Israeli troops razed 129 donums
of agricultural land and destroyed a number animal and bird farms
and uninhabited house. On 3 November 2004, Israeli troops razed 18
donums of agricultural land in Beit Lahia.
In the West Bank, 10 Palestinians, including 3 children, were killed
by Israeli troops. Four of the victims, including 2 children, were
killed in Jenin refugee camp during an Israeli military operation in
Jenin town and refugee camp. Another child was killed by Israeli
troops in 'Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus on 1 November 2004.
The other 5 victims were extra-judicially killed by Israeli troops;
one was killed in Qalqilya and the other 4 were killed in Nablus.
This week, Israeli troops moved into various areas throughout the
West Bank, injured a number of Palestinian civilians, and arrested
dozens of others. They also destroyed 3 houses in Nablus in the
context of retaliatory measures against families of Palestinian
activists. In addition, Israeli settlers continued to attack
Palestinian civilians.
Israeli occupying troops have continued to construct the annexation
wall inside the West Bank territory. This week, Israeli troops
continued to raze areas of agricultural land in Deir al-'Asal
village, southwest of Hebron. On 28 October 2004, the Israeli High
Court issued a temporary injunction stopping uprooting trees in
Burdos village, west of Ramallah, by Israeli troops. Israeli troops
also prevented Palestinian farmers in some areas from reaching their
agricultural land to cultivate olives.
Israeli occupying troops have continued to impose a tightened siege
on the OPT and have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of
Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including
Jerusalem. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops positioned at military
checkpoints imposed restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. Israeli troops have also continued to close most border
crossings of the Gaza Strip. These measures have negative impacts on
the Palestinian economic, social, cultural, political and civil
rights. On 31 October 2004, Israeli troops closed Rafah Terminal on
the Egyptian border.
In the West Bank, Israeli troops have continued to impose a strict
siege on Palestinian communities. Following the bombing that
occurred in Tel Aviv on Monday, 1 November 2004, Israeli troops
closed all entrances of the city. They have also continued to impose
a tightened siege on Hebron for the 9th consecutive week. They have
also imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians and arrested some of them while crossing military
checkpoints. Israeli troops imposed curfews on a number of
Palestinian communities.
Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas and Attacks
on Palestinian
Civilians and Property
Thursday, 28 October
2004
In the early morning,
Israeli troops moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They opened
fire at houses and imposed a curfew. They also seized a number of
houses and transformed them into military sites.
Then, they raided and searched a number of houses. During the hours
of the day, dozens of Palestinian children and young men gathered
and threw stones at Israeli troops. Immediately, Israeli troops
fired at the stone throwers, wounding 2, including a child:
1.Yazan Nasfat Jarrar,
13, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg; and
2.Hilal Nafe' al-Sa'di,
28, wounded by shrapnel in the chest. At approximately 09:40,
Israeli troops positioned on tanks in the vicinity of "al-Nouria"
military post, west of
Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses to the east and
south. A Palestinian child, 7-year-old Rania Eyad Ahmed 'Arram, was
seriously wounded by a live bullet in the neck, as she was about to
leave herb house towards school. The family evacuated her to the
hospital, but she died before arriving at the hospital. The child,
who was wearing a school uniform, was hit by a live bullet when she
was at the door of her house, nearly 150 meters away from the source
of fire. To evacuate her to the hospital, members of the family
were
forced to carry her towards the main road, which is 150 meters away
from the house.
At approximately 13:00, Israeli troops positioned in a military
posts near Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border, south of Rafah,
opened fire at residential areas in the town. A Palestinian
civilian, 33-year-old Yasser Faraj Siam, was wounded by a live
bullet in the right hand, when he was walking in the center of the
town.
At approximately 13:30,
Israeli troops positioned in a military posts in Tal Zo'rob area in
the southwest of Rafah opened fire at Palestinian houses to the
north. A Palestinian child, 16-year-old Shaker Jaber Tabas, was
wounded by a live bullet in the pelvis.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military
vehicles and helicopters, moved nearly 300 meters into al-'Atatra
area in al-Nasser village, north of Rafah. Under the cover of
indiscriminate shelling, they demolished 5 houses completely and a
sixth one partially, rendering 131 people (6 families) homeless.
These houses belonged to the families of Abu Jazar, Abu Gharara and
Abu Naja. Israeli troops
also razed 15 donums of agricultural land destroyed a bird farm
owned by Yasser Mohammed Abu Gharara.
At approximately 16:30,
Israeli troops positioned in military posts in the vicinity of "Kfar
Darom" settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at
Palestinian houses to the west of the aforementioned settlement.
A Palestinian child, 14-year-old Murad Khalil al-Tawashi, was
wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh, when he was near his
house, nearly 150 meters away from the source of fire. At
approximately 16:45, Israeli troops in an Israeli military jeep that
was patrolling in Jenin refugee camp opened fire at 17-year-old
Salah Fadel Abu 'Eita, for no apparent reason when he was near his
house. He was wounded by several live bullets throughout the body.
An ambulance arrived at the area to evacuate him to the hospital,
but more Israeli troops arrived at the area and took the victim out
of the ambulance into an
Israeli ambulance that accompanied them. Late at night, Israeli
military sources declared that the child died from his wound.
Later, his body was handed to the Palestinian side. According to
medical sources, he was hit by several live bullets in the chest,
the abdomen and the right leg.
At approximately 17:45,
Israeli troops moved into Nablus. They opened fire at houses. A
number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at those
troops. Immediately, those troops fired at the children, wounding
12-year-old Hamed Mohammed al-Shaya with 3 rubber-coated metal
bullets in the chest and the left leg and hand.
In the hours of the day, Israeli troops moved into Bethlehem and
the neighboring al-Kahder village and al-Duhaisha refugee camp; and
'Ein Beit al-Maa' refugee camp near Nablus. They raided and
searched a number of houses and arrested 7 Palestinians, including 5
children.
Friday, 29 October 2004
At approximately 00:00, Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy
military vehicles, moved nearly 300 meters into al-'Atatra area in
al-Nasser village, north of Rafah. They raided and searched a
number of houses and transformed them into military sites. They
started to raze areas of Palestinian agricultural land. By the
evening, they had razed 30.5 donums of agricultural land and had
destroyed 3 wells belonging to the families of Duhair, Abu Sunaima,
Abu Jazar and Abu Sitta.
In the hours of the day, dozens of Palestinian children and young
men gathered and threw stones at Israeli troops, which had imposed a
curfew on Jenin refugee camp since the previous day. Immediately,
Israeli troops fired at the stone throwers, wounding 6, including 5
children:
1.Mohammed Ayman Farhati, 17, seriously wounded by 2 live bullets in
the abdomen and the thigh;
2.Islam Saubhi Jabarin, 17, wounded by shrapnel in the left shoulder
and the right foot;
3.Mohammed Ibrahim Abu 'Ali, 21, wounded by 2 live bullets in the
feet;
4.Ramah Mahmoud 'Azab, 17, wounded by a live bullet in the right
hand;
5.Mohammed Ibrahim Naghnaghia, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the face;
and
6.Saleh 'Abdul Fattah Hifnawi, 12, wounded by a live bullet in the
right thigh.
In the hours of day,
Israeli troops moved into 'Ein Beit al-Maa' refugee camp near Nablus;
Jenin refugee camp; and al-'Azza refugee camp and al-Khader village
near Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and
arrested 4 Palestinians, including a girl.
Saturday, 30 October 2004
At approximately 08:00,
Israeli troops positioned atop of Manasra commercial building in al-Basatin
neighborhood in the north of Jenin opened fire at Palestinian
schoolchildren who were entering Hitteen school. One of the
children, 12-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed Kumayel, was instantly killed
by a live bullet in the chest. Another child, 15-year-old 'Ameed
Mohammed 'Aabed, was injured by shrapnel in the right hand.
According to eyewitnesses, the area was completely quiet when
Israeli troops opened fire. Soon after, dozens of schoolchildren
gathered and threw stones at Israeli troops that were patrolling in
the town.
Immediately, Israeli troops opened fire at the children, wounding 3:
1.Mohammed Ahmed Mansour, 17, seriously wounded by a live bullet in
the head;
2.Mohammed 'Anad al-Zain, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the right leg;
and
3.Mohammed Waleed Lahham, 14, wounded by a live bullet in the right
leg.
At approximately 09:00,
Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved into 'Oraiba
area in the northwest of Rafah. Under the cover of indiscriminate
shelling, they razed 15 donums of Palestinian agricultural land and
destroyed a number of irrigation networks and an animal farm
belonging to the families of Dahliz and Abu Taha.
At approximately 19:00, 10 Israeli military vehicles moved into Be'r
Haram al-Rama neighborhood in the northeast of Hebron. They
surrounded a mosque in the area, while Palestinian civilians were
doing the Taraweeh prayer. Israeli troops held the prayers in the
mosque for 3 hours, during which they checked and integrated a
number of the payers. In the meantime, Israeli troops raided at
least 20 houses in the area.
In the hours of the day, Israeli troops moved into Dura village near
Hebron and Jenin refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of
houses and arrested 10 Palestinians.
Sunday, 31 October 2004
At approximately 00:15, Israeli troops surrounded a deserted house
in al-Sa'dia neighborhood in the east of Jenin. They opened fire at
the house and called through megaphones on those who were in the
house to surrender. A number of members of the Palestinian
resistance who were inside the house clashed with Israeli troops.
During these clashes, Israeli troops killed one member of the
resistance, 'Ammar Rajab al-
Sa'di, 28, and arrested 4 other members. Israeli troops kept the
victim's body until 10:00, when they handed the body to a
Palestinian ambulance. According to medical sources, the victim was
hit by several live bullets in the abdomen, the chest and the right
leg.
In the evening, a number of Palestinian children gathered in Jenin
refugee camp and threw stones at Israeli troops that were patrolling
in the camp. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at the children,
wounding 1 and a passing girl:
1.Khadra Mousa Khatib,
17, wounded by a live bullet in the left hand; and
2.Ghassan Khaled Salman, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the right
leg.
At approximately 15:30, Israeli troops positioned in military posts
in the vicinity of "Netzarim" settlement, south of Gaza City, opened
fire at Palestinian houses and agricultural areas to the south. A
Palestinian civilian, Rajab Mohammed Yassin, 52, was seriously
wounded by a live bullet in right side, when he was on his
agricultural land, nearly 300 meters away from the source of fire.
In the hours of the day, Israeli troops raided and searched a number
of houses in Jenin town and refugee camp. They arrested 9
Palestinians, including a child.
Monday, 1 November 2004
At approximately 06:30,
Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved from
the eastern border of the Gaza Strip nearly 700 meters into Gaza
Valley village in the central Gaza Strip. They started to raze
areas of Palestinian agricultural land. by 13:30, they had razed 39
donums of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus belonging
to the families of Zimmu, Abu Sha'ban, al-Safadi and Abu Sa'id.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military
vehicles, moved nearly 300 meters into al-Ja'farawi area in the
southeast of Deir al-Balah. They started to raze areas of
Palestinian agricultural land. By 00:00 on Tuesday, 2 November
2004, they had razed 40 donums of agricultural land planted with
olives, on parts of which a number of greenhouses stood, and
destroyed an animal farm. They also destroyed a 150-square-meter,
2-storey uninhabited house owned by Hassan Mohammed Abu Mughassib.
At approximately 13:30, 3 Israeli military jeeps moved into 'Askar
refugee camp, northeast of Nablus. Israeli troops opened fire at
houses. A number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones
at the jeeps.
Immediately, Israeli troops fired at the stone throwers, seriously
wounding 12-year-old Bashar Sami Zabbara with a live bullet in the
neck. He died on the way to the hospital. Two other children were
wounded:
1.Fadi Ahmed Abu Zir,
12, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot; and
2.Sameh Hussein 'Araishi, 14, wounded by a live bullet in the right
leg.
According to eyewitnesses, the children did not pose any threat to
the Israeli troops.
In the evening, a number of Palestinian children gathered in Jenin
refugee camp and threw stones at Israeli troops that were patrolling
in the camp. Immediately, Israeli troops fired at the children,
wounding 2:
1.Qassem Hussein
Jalqamousi, 17, wounded by shrapnel in the legs; and
2.Ahmed 'Essam Furiahat, 15, wounded by 2 live bullets in the legs.
At approximately 19:30, Israeli troops moved from the annexation
wall into Jayous village, north of Qalqilya.
They stopped and interrogated 2 Palestinian children who were
walking in the west of the village. A verbal quarrel erupted
between the two children and Israeli troops. Immediately, an
Israeli soldier fired at them.
The two were wounded:
1.Ahmed 'Abdul Karim
Shamasna, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the right shoulder; and
2. Mohammed Mahmoud Baida, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the legs.
In the hours of the day, Israeli troops raided and searched a
number of houses in Jenin refugee camp and the neighboring 'Anza
village; al-Kahder village near Bethlehem; Rafat village near Nablus;
and Nour Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm. They arrested 14
Palestinians.
Tuesday, 2 November 2004
After they had
extra-judicially killed 3 Palestinians in Nablus on Monday evening,
1 November 2004, shortly after midnight, Israeli troops raided and
searched the emergency center of Palestine Red Crescent Society in
the city. They also searched a number of ambulances and
interrogated medical crews.
At approximately 01:00, an infantry unit of Israeli troops moved
nearly 400 meters into Palestinian areas to the west of "Kfar Darom"
settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah. Israeli troops raided and
searched 'Atef al-Kurd's house. Then, they held the 8 residnets of
the house in one room and transformed its roof into a military
site. Nearly half an hour later, more Israeli troops were brought
to the area. They started to raze areas of Palestinian agricultural
land. By the morning, they had razed 50 donums of agricultural land
planted with olives, on parts of which a number of greenhouses
stood. They also destroyed 2 bird farms and a number of irrigation
networks and wells. These properties belong to the families of
Bashir, Abu Salim, Abu 'Amra, al-Louh and al-'Attar.
Wednesday, 3 November 2004
In the early morning,
Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved nearly
400 meters into Palestinian areas located to the south of "Dogit"
settlement in the northern Gaza Strip. They razed 18 donums of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, potatoes, figs and
grapes, and destroyed an animal farm owned by Riad Zindah. At
approximately 03:00, Israeli troops raided 2 houses belonging to the
Zindah
family. They held the 15 residents of the two houses in one room
until the evening and confiscated their mobile phones.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli troops, reinforced by heavy military
vehicles and helicopters, moved nearly 300 meters into Block O and
Qeshta neighborhood in the south of Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian
border.
Under the cover indiscriminate gunfire and shelling, they started to
demolish a number of Palestinian houses. By 20:30, they had
demolished 20 houses completely and 3 others partially, rendering
177 people (24 families) homeless. These houses belong to the
families of Abu Hilal, Abu Shamallah and al-Najjar.
Israeli troops also demolished 15 shops and 4 sewing factories, and
severely damaged a mosque. As a result of the indiscriminate
gunfire, a Palestinian civilian, Ra'fat Samir al-Hams, 27, a taxi
driver, was killed by a live bullet in the head, when he was in the
center of the town. Four other civilians were also wounded.
At approximately 20:00,
an undercover unit of Israeli troops, disguised in Palestinian
civilian clothes and traveling in 2 civilian cars that had
Palestinian registration plates, moved into Sabah al-Khair
neighborhood in the north of Jenin. Israeli troops surrounded
Tahseen Abu Tabeekh's house, where public figures were settling a
dispute. Soon, a number of Israeli military jeeps arrived at the
area to support the undercover unit.
Israeli troops cut off electricity from the house and raided it.
Ra'ed Salim Qara'awi, 30, attempted to escape from the house, but
Israeli troops fired at him from a close distance. Israeli troops
transported him to a nearby checkpoint. At approximately 21:30,
Israeli troops phoned the emergency center of Palestine Red Crescent
Society in Jenin to bring an ambulance. Immediately, an ambulance
went to the place, but Israeli
troops held its crew for 30 minutes before delivering the victim's
body. Later, the body was transferred to Dr.Khalil Suleiman
Hospital in Jenin. According to medical sources, the victim was hit
by several live bullets throughout the body. The victim was an
employee at the Arab Bank, and was not wanted by Israeli
troops. Israeli troops also arrested 8 Palestinians from the area.
Extra-Judicial killings
In a continuation of the
policy of extra-judicial killings officially adopted by the Israeli
political and military establishments, this week, IOF committed 2
extra-judicial killings, which left 5 Palestinians dead.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR into the first
execution, at approximately 19:30 on Thursday, 28 October 2004, an
undercover unit of Israeli troops, disguised in Palestinian civilian
clothes and traveling in a civilian car that had a Palestinian
registration plate, moved into Qalqilya. This incursion coincided
with the exit of Palestinian prayers from the mosques following the
Taraweeh prayer. Three persons got out of the car and fired from
guns equipped with silencers at 47-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed Fayed 'Eissa,
who was sitting near a grocer shop nearly 20 meters away from his
house. He was wounded. Then, the undercover unit opened fire at him
and left the area. He was instantly killed. According to medical
sources, the victim was hit by several live bullets throughout the
body. According to investigations conducted by PCHR into the second
execution, at approximately 21:00 on Monday, 1 November 2004, an
undercover unit of Israeli troops disguised in Palestinian civilian
clothes and traveling in a civilian car that had a Palestinian
registration plate, moved into Nablus. The car stopped near 'Abdul
Mugheeth al-Ansari school, and 6-8 persons who were wearing women's
clothes got out of it. Those
persons mounted the stairs of al-Yasamina, which leads to al-Samra
area in the west of the old town. They moved towards 4 Palestinians
who were sitting in the area and fired at them at very close range.
Three of these Palestinians were instantly killed:
1. Majdi Mar'ei, 25;
2. Fadi Sami Nour al-Sarwan, 22; and
3. Jihad 'Omar Abu Salha, 25.
The fourth Palestinian, Fadi Qaffisha, 24, was seriously wounded.
He died from his wound on Tuesday evening, 2 November 2004. The
four victims were members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the
military wing of Fatah movement. Soon, more Israeli troops arrived
on the scene to transport the undercover unit, while an F-16 fighter
jet, a helicopter and a drone were flying over the city.
Majid Mar'ei had survived an assassination attempt carried out by
IOF on 15 September 2004, which left 6 Palestinians dead, including
an 11-year-old child. Israeli military sources claimed that Mar'ei
had been wanted for a long time and that he was responsible for a
number of attacks against Israeli targets.
Collective Punishment against Families of Wanted Palestinians and
Those Who
Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli Targets
In violation of
international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Convention
Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of
1949, article 33 of which prohibits punishing any protected person
for “an offence he or she has not personally committed,” Israeli
forces took retaliatory measures against the families of
Palestinians Israel alleges have ordered, facilitated, or carried
out attacks against Israeli targets.
At approximately 03:00 on Tuesday, 2 November 2004, Israeli troops
moved into 'Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus. They surrounded a
70-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by 'Abdul Qader 'Omar al-Far.
Israeli troops forced the 8 residents of the house out and planted
explosives inside the house. At approximately 04:30, Israeli troops
destroyed the house. The owner's son, 'Aamer, 17, was killed while
carrying out a bombing in Tel Aviv on Monday, 1 November 2004.
At approximately 02:30
on the same day, Israeli troops moved into Beit Fourik village, east
of Nablus. They surrounded a 150-square-meter, 2-storey house owned
by 'Abdul Latif 'Aaref Hanani. They forced the 8 residents of the
house out and planted explosives inside the house. At approximately
05:10, they destroyed the house. The owner's son, Bashar, 28, is
allegedly wanted by Israeli troops.
At approximately 02:45 on the same day, Israeli troops moved into
Roujib village, east of Nablus. They surrounded a 200-square-meter,
3-storey house owned by Ghassan Ahmed al-Ka'bi. They forced the 30
residents of the house out and planted explosives inside the house.
At approximately 05:15, they destroyed the house. The owner's
brother, Hisham, 26, is allegedly wanted by Israeli troops.
Continued Siege on the OPT
This week, Israeli
troops 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 Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
This week, Israeli
troops have continued to impose tightened siege on the Gaza Strip.
They have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip
either partially or completely. These measures violate the
Palestinian economic, social and cultural rights.
Israeli troops have continued to impose a strict siege on al-Mawasi
area in the southern Gaza Strip. They have continued to impose
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and
from the area.
Israeli troops frequently close al-Tuffah checkpoint at the entrance
to the area. They have also continued to prevent female Palestinians
whose ages are between 16 and 25, and males whose ages are between
16 and 30 from crossing al-Tuffah checkpoint when it is open,
without prior coordination.
Israeli troops have also continued to impose a tightened siege on
al-Sayafa area in the northern Gaza Strip. They have also imposed
severe restrictions of the movement of Palestinian farmers. In the
same context, Israeli troops have continued to impose severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians living in al-Ma’ni
area near “Kfar Darom” settlement in the central Gaza Strip.
Israeli troops have continued to close Erez crossing to Palestinians
in the northern Gaza Strip for the 2nd consecutive month. Israeli
occupying troops partially reopened al-Mentar (Karni) commercial
crossing to the east of Gaza City, but they have imposed severe
restrictions on the flow of goods through the two crossing.
As result, the Palestinian market has lacked several basic goods.
Israeli troops partially opened Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah,
and allowed the entry of construction raw materials, but the
crossing has remained closed in the face of Palestinian workers.
Israeli troops have continued to impose severe restrictions on
traveling through Rafah Internation Crossing Point, which has been
the only outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world since 14
February 2001, when Israeli troops destroyed the runway of Gaza
International Airport. On Sunday morning, 31 October 2004,
Israeli troops closed the terminal. The number of Palestinians
allowed to travel through the Crossing daily is very limited. As a
result, many patients who are badly in need for special medical
treatment abroad have not been able to travel. Israeli troops have
continued to prevent Palestinians whose ages are between 16 and 35
from traveling through the Crossing since 16 April 2004, although
they claimed that they cancelled this
prevention on 9 August 2004.
The West Bank
Israeli troops have continued to impose a strict siege on
Palestinian communities. They have also imposed severe restrictions
on the movement of Palestinian civilians.
Jerusalem
On Friday, 29 October
2004, Israeli troops reinforced their presence around East
Jerusalem. According eyewitnesses, Israeli troops imposed severe
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians at the
entrances of the city and near the old town and the al-Aqsa Mosque.
An Israeli helicopter also flew over al- Aqsa Mosque to monitor the
prayers. Israeli troops have continued to prohibit access of
Palestinian civilians
from the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the occupied East Jerusalem to
pray at al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third holiest site for
Muslims.
Ramallah
Israeli troops imposed
more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On
Monday noon, 1November 2004, Israeli troops closed Qalandya
checkpoint, south of the town, and declared it a closed military
zone. They prevented Palestinian civilians from traveling to
Jerusalem. Palestinian civilians were forced to resort to
alternative dirt roads.
Nablus
Israeli troops imposed
more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On
Saturday morning, 30 October 2004, Israeli troops erected a sudden
checkpoint at the entrance to Surra village, southwest of Nablus.
They stopped and searched dozens of Palestinian vehicles. On Monday
morning, Israeli troops closed Hawara checkpoint for several hours,
claiming that they found a suspicious object. In the evening,
Isreali troops positioned at various checkpoints imposed more
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.
Hebron
On Sunday evening, 31
October 2004, Israeli troops imposed a strict curfew on Jabal Jouhar,
Jabal Jales, Wadi al-Nasara, al-Fahes and al-Kassara neighborhoods
in the south of Hebron, near "Kiryat Arba" settlement. They raided
and searched many houses and took Palestinian civilians who are
under 40 to the aforementioned settlement to interrogate them.
While imposing the curfew, Israeli troops fired live bullets and
sound bombs. They also beat a number of families, including the
families of al-Razem and Jaber. The curfew remained effective until
Monday morning, 1 November 2004.
Bethlehem
On Monday morning, 1
November 2004, Israeli troops positioned at the Container
checkpoint, northeast of Bethlehem, imposed severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. They stopped Palestinian
vehicles for several hours. Israeli troops also erected a
checkpoint on Wadi al-anar road, the main road between the north and
south of the West Bank. They stopped and searched Palestinian
vehicles.
Tulkarm
This week, Israeli
troops imposed more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. On Saturday morning, 30 October 2004, they erected a
checkpoint at the entrance to Far'oun village, south of the town.
They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians at various
checkpoints around the town. .
Arrests at Military Checkpoints and Border Crossings
On Friday morning, 29
October 2004, Israeli troops positioned at al-Karama Terminal on the
Jordanian border arrested Jihad 'Abdul Qader Awlad Hamdan, 32, from
Dura village, southwest of Hebron, while he was on his way to Saudi
Arabia.
Curfews
On Monday, 1 November
2004, Israeli troops imposed a curfew on the villages of al-'Eizaria,
Abu Dis and al-Sawahra al-Sharqia near Jerusalem. This curfew
continued until the following day noon.
Settlement Activities and Settlers’ Attacks on Palestinian
Civilians and Properties
Israeli troops have
pursued settlement activities in the OPT and settlers who live in
the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and their properties.
On Thursday, 28 October 2004, Israeli occupation authorities issued
a military order stopping construction at a housing project in the
east of Beit Sahour town in the West Bank. The order included
stopping the construction of an apartment building and a garden.
Israeli occupation authorities claim that the housing project is
located near a settler bypass road in the area, and that the land on
which the project is established
is not within the boundaries of the Municipality of Beit Sahour,
rather it is a part of Jerusalem. The project has construction
licenses since 1994, and the maps of the Municipality of Beit Sahour
show that the land on which the project stands is within the
boundaries of the municipality. It is worth noting that 250 people
(44 families) live in the housing project.
On Friday, 29 October 2004, Israeli occupation authorities issued a
military order confiscating 305 donums of land in Shoufa village,
south of Tulkarm, to be used for military purposes. This land
belongs to the families of Hannoun, Abu al-'Alia and Daroubi.
At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 1 November 2004, a number of
Israeli settlers from "Utaniel" settlement, south of Hebron, threw
stones at Palestinian farmers and international solidarity groups
who were cultivating olives on Palestinian agricultural areas near
the aforementioned settlement to force them to leave the area.
Israeli troops did not intervene to stop this attack. They even held
the head of the committee to defend land attorney Mousa Makhamra,
50, and a farmer for 3 hours.
On Monday evening, a number of settlers from settlements in the
center of Hebron attacked Palestinian civilians and houses near al-Sahla
square near the Ibrahimi mosque in the old town. Israeli troops did
not intervene to stop these attacks.
At approximately 12:00
on Tuesday, 2 November 2004, a car that have an Israeli registration
plate ran down 7-year-old Fidaa' S'oud Khader 'Ouda, from Hawara
village south of Nablus, when she was on her way back home from her
elementary schools. The driver escaped from the area. A
Palestinian taxi driver who was in the area evacuated the child to
the hospital. When he arrived at Hawara checkpoint, Israeli troops
denied
him passage. Nearly half an hour later, an Israeli ambulance
arrived and transported the child to an Israeli hospital.
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 Territories. PCHR believes
the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community
has encouraged Israel to act as a state above law and 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 solidarity groups to participate
in the process of searching for Israeli war criminals and to urge
their governments to bring these war criminals 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
European governments to change their positions towards the
Palestinian cause at UN bodies, particularly the General Assembly,
Security Council and Commission on Human Rights.
7.PCHR welcomes the UN
General Assembly resolution, which referred the issue of the
Separation Wall inside the OPT to International Court of Justice to
give a consultative opinion. There is no doubt that the wall is
illegal, which obligates the international community to take steps
that amount to the level of the expected decision by the court.
8.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 for
facilitating family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli
jails.
9.PCHR appreciates the
efforts of international civil society, including human rights
organizations, bar associations, unions and solidarity groups, 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.
10. In light of the
severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its
occupying forces on access of international solidarity groups to the
OPT, PCHR calls upon European countries to deal the same way with
Israeli citizens.
11.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.
“END”
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