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Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (18­ 24 June 2015) Thursday, 25 June 2015 00:00 Bethlehem – an Israeli Checkpoint in the City. Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) (18 – 24 June 2015) 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded during peaceful protests. A boy sustained serious wounds in Jerusalem and a child sustained wounds by settlers, east of al­Bireh. Israeli forces opened fire at border areas along the Gaza Strip. 3 civilians, including a child, were wounded in the south of the Gaza Strip. Israeli navy forces continued to open fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip sea, but no casualties were reported. Israeli warplanes targeted an area in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli forces conducted 40 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded by Israeli forces' gunfire, east of Nablus. 37 Palestinian civilians, including 11 children and 6 women, were arrested. 20 of these civilians, including 11 children and 5 women, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem. Israel continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Many checkpoints were established in the West Bank. 12 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were arrested at checkpoints. Israeli forces banned the Deputy Head of Palestinian Journalists Syndicate from traveling via Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. Israeli forces removed grocery and fruit stalls on Bethlehem­Hebron road and confiscated their contents. Settlers cut off 70 fruitful olive trees, south of Nabuls, using chainsaws. Summary Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (18 – 24 June 2015). Shooting: Israeli forces continued to use force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests in the oPt and against civilians approaching the border fence along the Gaza Strip. They also continued to chase and open fire at fishermen sailing within the allowed area in the Gaza Strip sea. In addition, Israeli forces launched an air strike in the northern Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported. During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 9 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, in the West Bank, while a child was wounded as settlers fired at him in al­Bireh. In the West Bank, on 18 June 2015, 2 civilians were wounded in Nablus when Israeli forces moved into the eastern area to protect dozens of settlers, who went to Joseph Tomb to perform Talmudic rituals. On 20 June 2015, a settler from "Psagot" settlement, east of al­Bireh, opened fire at 15­year­old child from al­Tawil Mount area near the aforementioned settlement. As a result, the child sustained 2 bullet wounds to the right leg. Israeli forces continued to use excessive and systematic force against peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights activists in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli policies in the oPt. As a result, 3 civilians were wounded in Kufor Qaddoum protest, northeast of Qalqilya. Moreover, Israeli officers maltreated a Palestinian civilian suffering from epilepsy, from al­Jalazoun refugee camp north of Ramallah. In occupied East Jerusalem, on 21 June 2015, a Palestinian youngster from Sa'ir village, east of Hebron, sustained 6 bullet wounds as he was fired at by an Israeli border guard officer from a close range, after the youngster had stabbed another Israeli soldier in Bab al­Amoud area in Jerusalem. In the Gaza Strip, 3 civilians, including 2 children, were wounded; wounds of one of whom were serious. On 19 June 2015, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence opened fire at 3 civilians, who were 200 meters to the east of al­Fokhari area, southeast of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. On 22 June 2015, 2 children were wounded in the east of Khauza'a village, south of the Gaza Strip, when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence opened fire at 4 children, who were present 30 meters away from the said fence. As a result, 2 children were wounded; one of whom sustained serious wounds. Furthermore, on 23 June 2015, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands, east of Khuza'a village, east of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported. In the context of targeting fishermen, on 23 June 2015, Israeli gunboats stationed off al­Waha resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire sporadically around Palestinian fishing boats. As a result, fishermen were frightened and sailed back to the shore, but no casualties were reported. On 24 June 2015, an Israeli drone fired a missile at an agricultural land belonging to Hamdan family, east of Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip, but neither casualties were reported. Incursions: During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 40 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 5 ones in East Jerusalem. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 37 Palestinians, including 11 children and 6 women. Twenty of these Palestinians, including the 11 children and 5 women, were arrested in East Jerusalem. 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 8 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 Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On 19 June 2015, a group of settlers from "Beit El" settlement threw stones at Palestinian vehicles passing on Ramallah­Nablus road adjacent to the aforementioned settlement. As a result, the glass of a vehicle was smashed. On 21 June 2015, a group of settlers from "Tafouh" settlement between Jama'in and Yasouf settlement, south of Nablus, cut off 70 olive trees with using chainsaws. On 22 June 2015, Israeli forces confiscated and damaged grocery stalls that were established by Beit Ommar residents, north of Hebron, to sell their products. Details 1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip Thursday, 18 June 2015 At approximately 00:30, Israeli forces moved into Far'oun village, south of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Kamel Basel Kamel Abu Shanab (24) and arrested him. At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Nablus to secure dozens of settlers who arrived at Joseph tomb to perform their Talmudic prayers. A number of Palestinian children and boys gathered to throw stones, and the Israeli forces in response fired live bullets, rubber­coated metal bullets and sound bombs at the stone­throwers. As a result, a number of civilians sustained injuries and were taken to Rafidia Surgical Hospital to receive medical treatment. Medical sources described as moderate. A 23­year­old civilian from Nablus was hit by a bullet to the left foot, and a 24­year­old civilian from Balatah refugee camp was hit by a rubber­coated metal bullet to the chest and another bullet to the right thigh. Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Bita village, southeast of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses, from which they arrested 'Omer and 'Alaa' Ahmed 'Awad Hamayel (24). Israeli forces withdrew later taking him to an unknown destination. Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces carried out incursions in the following areas, but no arrests were reported: Sa'ir village, east of Hebron; Yata, south of Hebron; al­Kom village, west of Dura, southwest of Hebron; Bal'ah village, northeast of Tulkarm and Ya'bod village, southwest of Jenin. Friday, 19 June 2015 At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces moved into Deir Abzie' village, west of Ramallah. They deployed in the vicinities of houses, streets and agricultural lands. Accompanied with tracker dogs, they raided and searched a number of facilities and confiscated the digital video recorders (DVRs) of the surveillance cameras. Some of those facilities were identified as Deir Abzigh petrol station; Deir Abzie' Pharmacy; and a house belonging to Bader Mahmoud 'Omer. During the incursion, the Israeli soldiers smashed and broke the door of the store adjacent to Deir Abzie' pharmacy to reach the camera.

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