Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (16- 22 January 2014) Thursday, 23 January 2014 00:00 On Wednesday, 22 January 2013, an Israeli drone targeted a civilian car killing a member of an armed group and his cousin. Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) Israeli forces continued to open fire at border areas in the Gaza Strip. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded Israeli forces launched 8 airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. 2 members of an armed group were killed. A member of an armed group and a child were wounded. Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank. 6 Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, were wounded in Bi’lin and Kufor Qadoum weekly protests. 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in a protest organized in Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah. Israeli forces conducted 73 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the Gaza Strip. At least 44 Palestinians, including 10 children and 3 women, were arrested. Of those arrested is Issa Khairy al-Ja'abary (50), Former Ministry of Local Government in the tenth Palestinian government[K1] . Israel has continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. At least 11 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, were arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank. A Palestinian civilian was arrested at the Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli navy forces continued targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea. Israeli naval forces opened fire 3 times at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported. 2 Palestinian fishermen, including a child, were arrested and then released after interrogating them. Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. A barrack for collecting scrap, a workshop for furniture and a house were bulldozed in Hebron. 15 tents, 10 barracks, 3 kitchens, 4 mobile health units and a room were uprooted in the northern Jordan Valley. Summary Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (16 – 22 January 2014). Shooting: During the reporting period, two extra-judicial executions occurred, one Israeli drone killed two men, one being a member of an armed group in the Gaza Strip while another drone wounded another member of an armed group and injured a child who was passing by. Israeli forces also wounded 2 Palestinian civilians in shooting incidents. Israeli forces wounded 9 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a journalist. Six of whom were wounded during weekly protests throughout the West Bank, two were wounded in a protest organized in Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah, and 1 was wounded in Beit Foriq village, east of Nablus. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces carried out 8 airstrikes, 7 shooting and bombing incidents along the border fence and 3 shooting incidents at Palestinian fishing boats took place. In the Gaza Strip, in an extra-judicial execution attempt, at approximately 09:15 on Monday, 22 January 2014, two members of an armed group were killed by Israeli warplanes. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a civilian Citroen car. Ahmed Mohammed Jom'aah Khalil al-Za'anin (21), member of an armed group, and his cousin Mohammed Yousif Ahmed al-Za'anin (22), both from al-Sekah area in Beit Hanoun were inside the car which was parked in front of the house of Ahmed's father. As a result, the car was completely destroyed, and the bodies were maimed completely. According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 09:15 on Sunday, 19 January 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a motorbike that was traveling opposite to al-Malash tower building in the center of al-Saftawi Street in the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabalya. As a result, Ahmed Sa’ad, 22, a member of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad), who was riding the motorbike, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout his body. Additionally, a passing child, 11-year- old Salah Fareed al-Ghuf, was injured by shrapnel to the right foot. On 17 January 2014, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at a demonstration organized by Youth for Intifada Coalition in solidarity with farmers, who do not have access to the agricultural lands near the eastern borders. As a result, two civilians were wounded. On 16 January 2014, Israeli forces carried out 4 airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The first airstrike targeted a vacant land near Ra’ad training site in al-Mahatah Street, northeast of Gaza City. The second one targeted Bader training site while the third one targeted al-Khayalah site. Both sites are to the west of al-Maqousi buildings. The fourth airstrike targeted a vacant land near abu Jarad training site near al-Shuhadaa’ intersection, southeast of the city. Neither of these strikes resulted in casualties or damages. The targeted sites belong to al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas). On 19 January 2014, the Israeli warplanes carried out 2 airstrikes at two training sites of the armed Palestinian groups. The first one was carried out in the northeast of Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip. The second one was carried out in Ermeidah area in Bani Sheila, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. As a result, damages were caused to both sites, no causalities were reported. On 16 January 2014, Israeli vehicles stationed along the border fence, east of the Gaza Strip fired 2 shells at a vacant land, east of al-Zaytoun neighbourhood, east of Gaza City. Neither causalities nor damages were reported. On 17 January 2014, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Shuhadaa’ cemetery, east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and fired dozens of tear gas canisters at a group of young men, who were trying to throw stones at the Israeli soldiers near the aforementioned fence. On the same day, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, north of Abu Samrah farmland, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at a group of young men, who were trying to throw stones at the Israeli soldiers near the aforementioned fence. Neither damages nor injuries were reported. On 19 January 2014, Israeli forces stationed in watchtowers, east of al-Qobtaniyah area, east of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at farmers, shepherds, and bird hunters in the farmlands adjacent to the border fence, civilians were forced to leave the area for fear of being injured. Neither causalities nor damages were reported. On 22 January 2014, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Salqa valley village, east of Deir al-Balah, opened fire in the vicinity of the landfill at the farmlands. Neither causalities nor damages were reported. On the same day, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, east of Khan Younis, opened fire at the agricultural lands, west of the aforementioned border fence from the east of al-Qararah to the east of al-Farahin neighbourhood. The shooting continued for around 1 hour sporadically, and no injuries were reported. On 18 January 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Wahah Resort shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip sporadically opened fire for 20 minutes in the vicinity of the fishing boats, which were sailing 2 miles into the waters. On 19 January 2014, Israeli forces gunboats stationed off al-Wahah Resort shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip sporadically opened fire in the vicinity of the fishing boats, which were sailing 2 miles into the waters. On 20 January 2014, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats while sailing just 2 nautical miles off Beit Lahia shore, in the northern Gaza Strip. An Israeli gunboat surrounded a fishing boat boarded by 2 fishermen, including one child: Yusef Amin Abu Warda (18) and Ahmed Kamal Abu Warda (17), both from Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli officers ordered the fishermen to take their clothes off, jump in the water and sail towards the Israeli gunboat. The fishermen did so and were taken by the gunboat to Ashdod seaport. They were later released. In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 6 protestors, including a journalist, were wounded. Five of whom were wounded in Bil'in weekly protest, 2 were wounded in al-Nabi Saleh weekly protest, 1 was wounded in Ni'lin weekly protest, the journalist was wounded in Qofur Qaddoum weekly protest and 2 were wounded in a protest organized in Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah. On 17 January 2014, dozens of Palestinian boys and civilians gathered at the western entrance of Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah, on the road between Selwad and Yabrod villages near Street 60. They threw stones at the aforementioned street. On 22 January 2014, Israeli forces accompanied by settlers wounded a Palestinian civilian in Beit Foriq, east of Nablus as they fired tear gas canisters and metal rubber-coated bullets at the Palestinian civilians who were trying to distance settlers from their houses.