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Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (04­ 10 February 2016) Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) (04 – 10 February 2016) Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (04­ 10 February 2016) Israeli forces continued to use excessive force in the oPt 2 children were killed in the southern West Bank. 17 Palestinian civilians, including 8 children, were wounded in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli forces conducted 94 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the southern Gaza Strip. 78 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children, were arrested. Twenty­one of them, including 7 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem. Jewish majority efforts continued in occupied East Jerusalem. The Israeli government issued a decision to close and seize houses of 4 Palestinian prisoners from Sour Baher village. Settlement activities continued in the West Bank. 2 agricultural rooms, a water tank and water and electricity networks in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, were demolished. 11 dwellings, 6 livestock tents and 6 barns in the northern and southern Jordan Valley were demolished. 3 residential tents in Sousya village, south of Yatta, were confiscated. 12 residential tents, 6 barns and 6 fodder storehouses in Kherbet Tana, east of Nablus. Israeli forces turned the West Bank into cantons and continued to impose the illegal closure on the Gaza Strip for the 9th Dozens of temporary checkpoints were established in the West Bank and others were re­ established to obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians. 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were arrested at military checkpoints. Summary Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (04 – 10 February 2016). Shooting: Israeli forces have continued to commit crimes, inflicting civilian casualties. They have also continued to use excessive force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the majority of whom were youngsters. Occupied East Jerusalem witnessed similar attacks. During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian children in Halhoul and al­Aroub refugee camp, south of the West Bank, and wounded 17 others, including 8 children. Fifteen of them, including 7 children, were wounded in the West Bank while the 2 others, including a child, were wounded in the Gaza Strip. Concerning the nature of injuries, 11 Palestinians were hit with live bullets and their shrapnel, 5 others were hit with rubber­coated metal bullets and a child was wounded as an Israeli military jeep deliberately ran over him. In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian children, north of Hebron, and wounded 15 others, including 7 children. Nine of them were hit with live bullets and their shrapnel, 5 others were hit with rubber­coated metal bullets and one was run over by a military jeep. On 05 February 2016, in excessive use of lethal force, Israeli forces killed Haitham Sa’da (15) and arrested anther, both are from Halhoul, north of Hebron. Israeli forces claimed that both of them intended to throw a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli military vehicle on Bypass Road (60). An eyewitness said that the area was clam and there were no clashes when the gunfire was heard. On 10 February 2016, Israeli forces killed Omer Madi (16), from al­Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, when Israeli soldiers stationed at a military watchtower on Bypass road (60), opened fire at a number of school boys that threw stones at the soldiers. One of the school boys was killed as a result. Concerning the circumstances during which Palestinian civilians were wounded, 6 civilians, including 2 children, were wounded during peaceful protests organized against the cordon imposed on Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. Moreover, a child was wounded during an Israeli incursion into Salfit and 2 brothers were wounded in Taqou’ village, southeast of Bethlehem. In addition, 4 children were wounded during protests organized in al­Naqqar neighbourhood, near the annexation wall, west of Qalqilya; in the vicinity of “Etamar” settlement, east of Nablus; and at the southern entrance to al­Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. Two other children were wounded during Kufor Qaddoum weekly protest, northeast of Qalqilya. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, during a protest organized near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al­Bureij refugee camp, while another was wounded during a protest organized in the east of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip. Incursions: During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 94 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 9 ones in occupied East Jerusalem and its suburbs. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 78 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children. Twenty­one of them, including 7 children, were arrested in East Jerusalem. During the reporting period, after 3 civilians from Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin, carried out an armed attack in occupied Jerusalem, on 03 February 2016, the Israeli Knesset decided to carry out a military operation in the said village. In view of this decision, the Israeli forces cordoned the village for 3 consecutive days, raided houses and arrested a number of civilians. Moreover, they withdrew permits to enter Israel from the village workers and traders. In the Gaza Strip, on 04 February 2016, Israeli forces moved about 100 meters into al­Shouka village, southeast of Rafah. They levelled and combed lands in the area and withdrew later. Efforts to Create Jewish Majority In the context of collective punishment measures, on 07 February 2016, the Home Frond Command in the Israeli government issued decisions to close and seize houses of 4 Palestinian prisoners from East Jerusalem, whom were accused of killing a settler in September 2015 by throwing stones at his vehicle. Concerning house demolitions and demolition notices, on 08 February 2016, Israeli forces accompanied by municipality vehicles moved into al­Eisawiya village, northeast of occupied Jerusalem. They municipality officers randomly distributed administrative demolition notices to dozens of houses. It should be noted that those houses were built 5­20 years ago and obtained building permits from the Israeli municipality. Restrictions on movement: Israel continued to impose a tight closure of the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has been steadily tightened since June 2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli authorities impose measures to undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 9 consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the world. This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.8 million people. The Israeli authorities have established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy. They also aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports. The Israeli closure raised the rate of poverty to 38.8%, 21.1% of which suffer from extreme poverty. Moreover, the rate of unemployment increased up to 44%, which reflects the unprecedented economic deterioration in the Gaza Strip. Settlement activities: On 04 February 2016, Israeli forces moved into Abu Lemon Nature Reserve, west of Bil’in village, west of Ramallah. Two bulldozers demolished 2 agricultural rooms, a water tank, water and electricity networks and public toilets that were built 4 years ago. It should be noted that this land was returned by Israeli forces to its owners following a decision from the Israeli Supreme Court 5 years ago. On the same day, Israeli forces moved into Thera’a Awad in the northern Jordan Valley. Two bulldozers immediately demolished dwellings and livestock barns belonging to 2 families residing in that area. Moreover, the bulldozers demolished 4 residential tents, 7 livestock tents, 4 livestock barns, 2 kitchens, 2 rest rooms, 2 water tanks and steel partitions. Also on the same day, Israeli forces moved into Sousya village, south of Yatta, southeast of Hebron. They demolished and confiscated 3 residential tents belonging to Nasser Ishraiteh under the pretext of non­licensing. It should be noted that the Israeli authorities demolished 2 residential tents belonging to the same person in the same area on 02 January 2016. On 08 February 2016, Israeli forces handed notices over to the owners of 4 houses in Deir Ballout village, west of Salfit, and owners of 10 residential rooms in Kherbet al­Markaz, southeast of Yatta, southwest of Hebron, to halt construction works under the pretext they are located in area (C) according to Oslo Accords. On 09 February 2016, Israeli forces moved into Kherbet Tana, east of Beit Foreek, east of Nablus. They demolished 12 residential tents, 6 livestock barns and 6 fodder storehouses and confiscated a vehicle belonging to a Palestinian civilian. It should be noted that this is the 4th time these facilities have been demolished between 2014 and 2016 to dismiss its occupants. On 10 February 2016, Israeli forces demolished 3 residential barracks, water and electricity networks and 2 livestock barns, west of al­Jiftlek village, north of Jericho. On the same day, Israeli forces demolished 4 residential tents in the northern Jordan Valley belonging to Kayed al­Salameen.

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