According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, during the week of 23 - 28 April 2009, 20 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank. A number of these civilians were wounded by Israeli settlers during a joint attack with Israeli forces. Israeli forces have continued to impose a total siege and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Protest of Israeli Annexation Wall (archive photo by Ghassan Bannoura)
Israeli settler attacks:
On 24 April 2009, 12 Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded when Israeli settlers and Israeli forces attacked 'Ourif village, south of Nablus. This joint attack was the second of its kind in the West Bank this April; Israeli forces and Israeli settlers launched a similar attack on Safa village, north of Hebron, on 08 April, in which 9 Palestinian civilians were wounded.
On 26 April 2009, an Israeli settler fired at a Palestinian child in Madama village, south of Nablus. The child was seriously wounded by a gunshot that entered the back and exited the chest.
Israeli forces started to establish a new settlement neighborhood in the al-Sawahra area, southeast of Jerusalem.
Media reports disclosed a plan to connect "Kidar" settlement with "Ma'ale Adomim" settlement and annex 12,000 donums[1] of Palestinian land.
In addition, Israeli forces resumed the establishment of a settler road to the south of Hebron.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the reporting period, 20 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, were wounded by Israeli forces and Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
On April 26th, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when Israeli forces moved into Rantis village, northwest of Ramallah, and opened fire indiscriminately.
Also on the same day, Israeli forces positioned at Tarqoumia crossing, southwest of Hebron, fired at an old Palestinian man, wounding him.
At approximately 09:00 on Friday, 24 April 2009, an Israeli forces soldier positioned at Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus, stole 4,000 NIS (approximately US$ 950) from Mohammed Rafeeq 'Abdul Rahman, 22, from Brouqin village west of Salfit. The soldier held 'Abdul Rahman at the checkpoint for approximately 4 hours and threatened to shoot him when he complaint about stealing the money. 'Abdul Rahman submitted a complaint to Israeli forces, but they claimed that they could not help him. He then attempted to submit a complaint at an Israeli forces police station in Ariel settlement, but Israeli forces guarding the settlement prevented him.
During the reporting period, 5 Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded when Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall.
During the last week, Israeli forces conducted 28 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, Israeli forces abducted 32 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children. Israeli forces positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted 5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children.
Israeli forces halted technical preparations related to a reception site intended for the Pope’s visit. Israeli forces stormed the public yard opposite 'Aaida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. The yard was being readied in advance of the Pope’s intended visit. Israeli forces forced workers to stop technical and construction preparations.
Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip
Israeli forces have closed all Gaza Strip border crossings for more than two years. The Israeli forces 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 priority of the 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies. Israeli forces have prevented the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than two years. Israeli forces 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.
Israeli forces have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social visits.
Poverty has reached approximately 80% and unemployment has increased to approximately 60% in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts intended for water networks and sewage systems. Damages incurred to this sector are estimated at US$ 6 million.
Israeli forces have imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers to the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders protesting the Wall’s construction.
Following the Friday Prayer on 24 April 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the area where Israeli forces were razing land in order to construct a section of the Wall in the village. Immediately, Israeli forces fired at the demonstrators. As a result, 5 Palestinian civilians, including a 17-year old and a 14-year old, were wounded.
Also following the Friday Prayer on 24 April 2009, scores of Palestinian civilians and a number of international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration against the construction of the Wall in al-Ma'sara village, south of Bethlehem. The demonstrators moved towards the Wall, but Israeli forces intercepted them at the entrance to the village. Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also violently beat a number of demonstrators, injuring 4 of them, including a 14-year old child.
Recommendations to the International Community
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made a number of recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention fulfill their legal and moral obligations under Article 1 to ensure Israel's respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The PCHR stated that they believe the conspiracy of silence from the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages it to continue its violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. The PCHR called upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with its l
