Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (23 – 29 June 2016)
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Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (23 – 29 June 2016) Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) (23 – 29 June 2016) Israeli forces continued to use excessive force in the oPt A Palestinian woman was killed in the West Bank under the pretext of carrying out a runover attack. 3 civilians were wounded during incursions. 40 civilians, including a woman, sustained bullet and shrapnel wounds while 19 others sustained bruises in alAqsa Mosque. Israeli forces conducted 40 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 5 in Jerusalem. AlAqsa Mosque was raided to protect dozens of settlers who entered to perform Talmudic prayers. 55 civilians, including 18 children, were arrested. 28 of them, including 15 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem. Israeli forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea. Israeli forces continued to open fire at Palestinian fishing boats, causing damages to one of them. Israeli forces continued settlement activities in the West Bank. More demolition notices were issued in the southern side of Hebron. 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. 4 Palestinian civilians were arrested at military checkpoints in the West Bank. A patient’s companion was arrested at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing. Summary Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (23 – 29 June 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. During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman in Hebron in the southern area of the West Bank. Moreover, Israeli forces wounded 43 other civilians, including a woman, in the West Bank as well. In Jerusalem, 40 civilians were wounded in alAqsa Mosque while 19 others sustained bruises, including 2 journalists, in al Aqsa Mosque as well. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces continued targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea. In the West Bank, on 24 June, Israeli forces stationed at the entrance of “Jaf’at Kharsina” settlement, east of Hebron, killed alMajd ‘Abdullah al=Khdour (18) from Beit ‘Aynoun village, east of the city. The aforementioned was killed when Israeli soldiers heavily opened fire at a “Mazda” car, which alMajd was driving, with an Israeli yellow registration plate. Israeli forces then published a video of the incident, calming that alMajd attempted to drive to the car stop at the aforementioned settlement entrance to carry out a deliberate runover attack. On 24 June 2016, a young man from alDhishah refugee camp was wounded when Israeli forces moved into alDoha village, west of Bethlehem. A number of Palestinian young men gathered to Molotov cocktails at their vehicles. In response, the Israeli soldiers immediately fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at them, wounding that young man with a bullet to the right foot. On 25 June 2016, two Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli forces moved into Tulkarm. A number of Palestinian youngsters gathered to throw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers, who in response fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and live bullets to disperse them. As a result, two civilians were hit with bullets to the lower parts. One of them is 22 years old and the other is 25 years old. In Jerusalem on 26 June 2016, a special forces from the Israeli police raided alAqsa Mosque through alMagharbah Gate to protect settlers. This happened when dozens of civilians, who were performing prayers “I’tikaf” in the Mosque yards and alQebali Mosque. The Israeli forces fired sound bombs and rubbercoated metal bullets in alQebli Msoque. As a result, 24 civilians were wounded; 7 of whom were transferred to alMaqased Hospital in the City for medical treatment. Moreover, 5 of them sustained bullet and sound bombs shrapnel wounds while two were wounded to the heads. Seventeen other civilians also sustained bruises due to being beaten. On 27 June 2016, Israeli forces respectively raided alAqsa Mosque for the second time and deployed in its yards after closing the doors of alQebali Mosque with chains and locked the worshipers inside it. The Israeli soldiers then vacate whoever was in the yards, especially the one next to alQebali Mosque. They fired rubbercoated metal bullets and sound bombs and pepper sprayed. This happened to secure and protect the entry of 90 settlers into the Mosque, provoking the worshipers. According to alAqsa clinics, around 35 worshippers were hit with rubbercoated metal bullets and sound bombs shrapnel. In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea, on 27 June 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed off alSoudaniyah shore, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire in the vicinity of Palestinian fishing boats and chased them. Incursions: During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 40 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 5 limited ones in occupied East Jerusalem and its suburbs. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 55 Palestinian civilians, including 18 children. Twentyeight of them, including 15 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem. During this week, Israeli forces raided alAqsa Mosque twice to secure the entry of dozens of settlers while Palestinian worshipers attempted to prevent them. Israeli forces used force against them, wounding dozens of worshippers in addition to arresting 20 civilians; most of whom were children, at the outside gates. 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 (KeremShaloum) 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. Details 1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip Thursday, 23 June 2016 At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces accompanied with military vehicles moved into the southern area of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohamed Akram al Ja’bari (24) and arrested him. Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (6) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Beteen and Deir Dabwan villages, northeast of Ramallah; Dura, Yatta, Ethna, and Beit ‘Awaa villages in Hebron. Friday, 24 June 2016 At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces accompanied with military vehicles moved into alDoha village, west of Bethlehem. They raided and searched houses and shops in Daghash neighborhood, and confiscated video recordings of the shops’ surveillance cameras. They then headed to alEskan Street near Zaid Bin Thabit Mosque when a number of youngsters gathered and threw Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles. Israeli forces fired live bullets and tear gas canisters in response. As a result, a Palestinian civilian, from alDahisha refugee camp, was hit with a live bullet to the right leg. He was then taken to Beit Jalah Hospital to receive medical treatment. Moreover, Israeli forces arrested Ahmed Khadir Masalmah (16) and took him to an unknown destination. At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces accompanied with military vehicles moved into Yatta village, south of Hebron, and stationed in alHilah area. They surrounded a house belonging to Mohamed “Mousa ‘Aid” Makhamrah, whose son, Khalid (21), was accused of carrying out a shooting attack in Tel Aviv on 08 June 2016, and killing 4 Israelis. It should be noted that Khalid is so far under the Israeli arrest. In the meantime, a number of Palestinian Young men gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers, who indiscriminately fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, many civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces later withdrew, and no arrests were reported. At approximately 05:00, Israeli forces moved into alAm’ary refugee camp in alBireh. They raided and searched a house belonging to Qusai Nidal Mu’ala (17) and arrested him. At approximately 14:40, Israeli forces stationed in “Givat Kharsina “settlement, east of Hebron, heavily opened fire at a civilian vehicle with an Israeli registration plate.