PCHR Weekly Report: 5 Palestinian civilians, 1 international wounded by Israeli forces this week
by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News
According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, during the week of 18 - 24 June 2009, five Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, and an international human rights defender were wounded. Israeli forces conducted 19 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and abducted 22 Palestinian civilians, including two children.
Al Masara villagers stopped by soldiers from reaching their land (PCHR photo)
Israeli forces forced two Palestinian civilians to demolish their homes, and issued demolition orders against several homes. Israeli forces have continued to impose a total siege and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Israeli forces positioned at military checkpoints have continued to harass Palestinian civilians. In addition, Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian farmers tents, injuring three of them.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the reporting period, five Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, and an international human rights defender were wounded when Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 19 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces abducted 22 Palestinian civilians, including two children.
In one of these invasions, on Thursday, 18 June 2009, at approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses. During these house raids, Israeli forces detonated sound bombs inside and around a house belonging to the family of Yahia Nidal al-Aghbar, in which six people live, including a blind father and two children. As a result, a fire broke out and the house was burnt. Israeli forces abducted al-Aghbar. They also abducted Sa'ed Sami Hamdan, 19, from the south of the city.
In another example of the week's invasions, on Monday, 22 June 2009, at approximately 00:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Bireh town. They raided and searched a house belonging to Dr. Miriam Saleh, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council form the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to Hamas. They abducted her son, 21-year-old Salah Mosleh, and confiscated Saleh's mobile phone and some documents.
Israeli forces 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 Israeli forces every week.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
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 has 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 that leads to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by Israeli forces (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 Israeli forces. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.
At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 18 June 2009, Israeli forces, accompanied by a jeep of the so-called Civil Administration, moved into 'Azzoun 'Atma village, which is isolated by the Wall, southeast of Qalqilya. They handed noticed to 'Abdul Mon'em Sa'id Saleh and Ghareeb Ibrahim 'Ali that a shed used for raising animals, an old house and a water tank belonging to them would be demolished. It is worth noting that Israeli forces impose severe restrictions on daily activities of Palestinians who live in areas isolated by the Wall.
Israeli forces continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall. Following the Friday Prayer on 19 June 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest to the construction of the Wall in al-Ma'sara village, south of Bethlehem. Israeli forces positioned at the main entrance of the village near "Efrat" settlement fired tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, and then chased and violently beat a number of demonstrators. As a result, two demonstrators sustained bruises: Yousef Yahia Zawahra, 31; and 'Ali Mousa Berjiya, 25.
At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 20 June 2009, dozens of Palestinian farmers and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered near areas of lands threatened to be confiscated by Israeli forces in Wad Abu al-Reesh area in the north of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators and violently beat a number of them. A number of Israeli settlers also threw stones at the demonstrators and journalists. As a result, a Palestinian farmer, a journalist and an international human rights defender were injured.
Israeli settlement activity:
Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On Saturday morning, 20 June 2009, Palestinian farmers were shocked to have dozens of trees cut on their lands located near "Beit Ain" settlement, north of Hebron. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, Israeli settlers living in the aforementioned settlement uprooted at least 150 trees on lands belonging to Fahed 'Abdullah al-Slaibi and Hammad Jaber al-Slaibi. Such action came following threats vowed by Israeli settlers a week earlier to prevent Palestinian farmers from farming their lands.
At approximately 04:00 on Sunday morning, 21 June 2009, Israeli settlers set fire to a tent, in which three Palestinian farmers were sleeping, in Kherbat Sousia area to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron. The farmers woke up suffering from the inhalation of smoke. When they got out, they saw a number of Israeli settlers running away towards a nearby settlement. The farmers were evacuated to the hospital due to the inhalation of smoke. They were identified as: 'Abdul Rahman Mohammed Nawaj'a, 22; Yahia Khaled Nawaj'a, 21; and Ibrahim Mohammed Nawaj'a, 22.
Judaization of Jerusalem:
On Thursday, 18 June 2009, Israeli forces forced Khaled Sorour Sorour, 45, and his brother Tariq, 43, to demolish a structure added to their house in al-Mukabber village, south of Jerusalem. The family had added this structure to the house in 2003. Three months ago, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem handed a notice to the family ordering the demolition of the house no later than 24 June 2009; otherwise, the municipality would demolish it and force the family to pay the costs and a heavy fine. The area of the added structure was less than 50 square meters distributed into two floors. The family's loss is estimated at more than 35,000 NIS (approximately US$ 8,700).
On the same day, Israeli forces forced Basehir Mahmoud Bashir, 37, from Jabal al-Mukabber village, south of Jerusalem, to demolish a 35-square-meter structure added to his house. The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem had ordered the family to demolish the added structure no later than 21 June 2009; otherwise, the municipality would demolish it and force the family to pay the costs and a heavy fine. The family's loss is estimated at more than 20,000 NIS (approximately US$ 5,000).
At approximately 08:30 on the same day, Israeli forces, accompanied by officials of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem, stormed al-Bustan quarter in Silwan village, south of Jerusalem. They handed ordered of demolition to owners of eight Palestinian houses. According to these orders, the families themselves must demolish their houses or refer to the municipality to appeal against the orders. The orders did not include the owners' names, rather they listed ambiguous numbers. It is worth noting that Israeli forces declared earlier this year that they would demolish 88 Palestinian houses in the quarter to establish what they call "David Town".
On Sunday evening, 21 June 2009, Israeli forces, accompanied by officials of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem, stormed Beit Hanina and Shu'fat villages, north of Jerusalem, and al-'Abbasiya quarter in Silwan village, east of the city. They stuck demolition orders on the walls of several houses in these areas. According to these orders, the families themselves must demolish their houses; otherwise, the municipality would do it and the families must then pay the costs and additional fines.
At approximately 08:00 on Tuesday, 23 June 2009, Israeli forces raids Ras Tamim and al-Maisha quarters in the south of al-'Eissawiya village, east of Jerusalem. They razed at least 500 donums of Palestinian land, claiming that they seek to preserve "the natural beauty of the city." According the owners of these lands, these measures aim at expanding settlement areas near the Hebrew University. Although the owners appealed against orders to raze their lands, Israeli forces razed the land without presenting any written official orders.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces naval troops continued to chase and fire at Palestinian fishers. During the reporting period, they detained two fishers for several hours.
Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli 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.
Israeli forces have continued to prevent 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.
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 are a recommendation that the international community recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is - not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. In recognition of the International Committee of the Red Cross as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
