U N I T E D N A T I O N S N A T I O N S U N I E S OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS P.O. Box 38712, East Jerusalem Phone: (+972) 2-582 9962 / 582 5853, Fax: (+972) 2-582 5841 [email protected], www.ochaopt.org Protection of Civilians - Weekly Briefing Notes 8 – 14 June 2005 Protection – Deaths and injuries ▪ Shelter and Property – People displaced, House demolitions, Demolition orders ▪ Natural Resources - Land levelling, Requisitions, Tree Uprooting ▪ Restrictions on Medical Assistance - Incidents involving safety and movement of ambulances, medical teams, humanitarian organisations ▪ Access and Movement for Civilians - Curfews, Access to education, Access to employment, Closures/Movement restrictions ▪ Additional Protection Issues Of note this week: • 8 June: The IDF issued five demolition orders for lack of a building permit for tents, barracks and animal pens in the Bedouin area of Hathaleen, Dkika, in south Hebron. The demolition orders cover 12 structures housing five families (60 persons) and some 600 sheep (see section 2). • 12 June: Israeli Border Police fired teargas canisters and shock grenades inside the compound of UNRWA Shufat elementary school, East Jerusalem. Several students suffered from gas inhalation (see section 5). • During the week, a total of 56 homemade rockets, mortar shells and antitank missiles were fired from different locations in the Gaza Strip toward Israeli settlements and nearby Israeli towns, IDF installations and Karni. IAF aircrafts fired missiles on two occasions at Palestinian militants preparing to launch rockets and attack Israeli targets. No injuries were reported (see section 6). 1. Physical Protection1 Casualties 30 20 Palestinians Israelis 10 Internationals 0 Total Children Women Injuries Deaths Deaths Deaths Palestinians 25 1 0 0 Israelis 3 0 0 0 Internationals 3 0 0 0 Selected Incidents: • 8 June: A Palestinian minor stabbed and injured an Israeli policeman in West Jerusalem. The Palestinian was arrested. • 8 June: A Palestinian worker from Khan Younis, the Gaza Strip, died of the wounds he suffered 7 June as a result of mortar and homemade rocket attacks fired toward Gani Tal settlement. 1 One Palestinian fatality was due to Palestinian militant attacks. OCHA Protection of Civilians/Weekly Briefing Notes 8 – 14 June 2005 | 1 • 8 June: Five homemade rockets were fired toward Neveh Dekalim settlement, the Gaza Strip. One IDF soldier was injured. • 9 June: A 14-year-old Palestinian was injured due to open fire in the Oraibah area, north Rafah in the Gaza Strip, from the IDF outpost near Morag settlement. • 9 and 10 June: A total of 13 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier were injured during demonstrations against the construction of the Barrier in Marda, Salfit. Two Israelis and one international activist were detained. In addition, 25 Palestinians suffered from gas inhalation (These injuries are not included in the above total). On 10 June, four Palestinians and two international activists were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets during a demonstration against the Barrier construction in Bil’in, Ramallah. • 12 June: A Palestinian was injured when the IDF opened fire in Seida village, Tulkarm, during a search campaign. • 12 June: A 56-year-old Palestinian man from Khirbet Jubara, Tulkarm, died at Kafriat checkpoint in a private car while waiting to cross the checkpoint on his way to the hospital (This death is not included in the above total). • Additional reports: These reports are also not included in the above casualty total: on 10 June, a Palestinian died of injuries he suffered on 29 May when a bomb he was preparing went off in Shejayeh quarter in Gaza City; on 12 June, a Palestinian woman was injured when a bomb went off in her house in Khan Younis; and on 13 June, a Palestinian was seriously injured and later announced dead as a result of an explosion in a house in Beach Camp in Gaza city. 2. Shelter and Property • 8 June: The IDF issued five demolition orders for lack of a building permit for tents, barracks and animal pens in the Bedouin area of Hathaleen, Dkika, in south Hebron. The demolition orders cover 12 structures housing five families (60 persons) and some 600 sheep. 3. Natural Resources Land levelling/Requisitions/Tree Uprooting2 Nablus and Tubas Governorates: • No incidents to report. Jenin Governorate: • 12 June: The IDF levelled approximately 1 dunum (0.1 hectare) of Palestinian land near Mevo Dotan settlement. Tulkarm Governorate: • Ongoing incidents: - Land levelling and construction of a tunnel, by Israeli contractors, continue on Road 57 near Kafriat checkpoint to connect Tulkarm city with the villages to the south. Qalqiliya Governorate: • Ongoing incidents: - The IDF continued levelling land northeast of Jayyus village to construct a new road that connects Jayyus with Falamya Barrier gate. Salfit Governorate: • Ongoing incidents: - Israeli contractors continued levelling land north of Salfit city, south of Marda village around Ari’el settlement and near Az Zawiya village, for Barrier construction. Ramallah / Al Bireh Governorate: • Ongoing incidents: -Land levelling for Barrier construction continues between Budrus to south of al Midya, and between Kharbatha Bani Harith, Bil’in and Saffa villages (all west Ramallah). Land levelling for Barrier construction also continues between Beituniya and Beit ‘Ur al Fauqa, between At Tira and Beit Duqqu and south of Beit Liqya. Hebron Governorate: • Ongoing incidents: - Land levelling for Barrier construction is ongoing along the southern section of the Green Line, east of Shani settlement, and on the western side of Idhna. 2 4 dunums = 1 acre; 10 dunums = 1 hectare OCHA Protection of Civilians/Weekly Briefing Notes 8 – 14 June 2005 | 2 Bethlehem Governorate: • 8 June: In Khallet an Nu’man, the Barrier contractor started to work on a new security road located between the bypass road and the village. • 9 June: Fifty-nine peach trees and 340 grape vines belonging to three Palestinian farmers from Khallet Zakariya were cut down on agricultural land adjacent to Alon Shvut settlement. The owners of the land filed a complaint with the Israeli Police. • Ongoing incidents: - Construction of the Barrier is ongoing in Khallet an Nu’man. On 25 May, contractors opened an alternative road for the resident Palestinian community, who continue to find it too steep for regular vehicular access. - Construction on the bypass road in the southern part of Bethlehem Governorate has reached Tko’a settlement. The northern section, Za’tara-Beit Sahur, has been paved, while work is ongoing in the southern section toward the settlement of Tko’a. - Land levelling and construction are taking place in the settlements of Efrat (in the northern outposts), Neve Daniel, Har Gilo and Betar Illit B in Bethlehem District. Jerusalem Governorate: • Ongoing incidents: - The IDF continued levelling land between Har Adar settlement and Beit Surik. Levelling also continues in the area between Qatanna and Kharayib Umm al Lahim villages and between Beit Ijza and Biddu villages. - Construction of the Barrier continued along Road 60 between Qalandiya and Ar-Ram checkpoints. Land levelling to construct a new checkpoint/terminal located south of the current checkpoint is ongoing. - Construction and land levelling continued east and west of Qalandiya checkpoint for construction of DCL offices, a parking lot and a road. - Land levelling and construction of the Barrier continued alongside the road between Jaba’, Hizma and Anata. - Land levelling is ongoing near the Coptic housing project and in Wadi Ayyad near Neve Yaakov settlement, as well as on the northern side of ‘Anata town. - Barrier construction is ongoing on the eastern and southern sides of the village and in Sheikh Sa’d. Jericho Governorate: • No incidents to report. The Gaza Strip: • No incidents to report. 4. Restrictions on Medical Assistance West Bank: • 9 June: A PRCS ambulance went to Tal Al Rabea’a, Tulkarm, to attend to an injured person. When the team reached the scene, Israeli soldiers were standing next to the injured person. The crew administered emergency treatment but was not allowed by the soldiers to transport the injured to a hospital. The soldiers told the PRCS team to follow them and transport the injured to Al Kafriyat checkpoint south of Tulkarm where an Israeli ambulance was waiting. The injured was transferred to the Israeli ambulance and taken to an unknown location. • 11 June: In Bethlehem, Israeli settlers threw stones at a PRCS ambulance transporting a patient. The ambulance was damaged. The Gaza Strip: Date Location Denial Delay Shooting/Damage to Ambulance 8 June 2005 Erez 1 0 10 June 2005 Al Mawassi 2 0 Total Incidents this week 0 3 0 • 8 June: A Ministry of Health (MoH) ambulance transporting the body of a dead Palestinian and on its way back from Israel to the Gaza Strip was delayed for about 10 hours at Erez crossing. The ambulance driver was taken by the IDF and interrogated. • 8 June: The MoH was informed by Palestinian patients from the Gaza Strip that the Israeli authorities were informing them that they would not be allowed into Israel before 10am, starting 8 June. 5. Access and Movement for Civilians OCHA Protection of Civilians/Weekly Briefing Notes 8 – 14 June 2005 | 3 a) Curfew Date Location / Governorate Duration 7 and 8 June 2005 Marda, Qalqiliya 2 days Total Week 1 b) Access to Education West Bank: • 12 June: Israeli Border Police fired teargas canisters and shock grenades inside the compound of UNRWA Shufat elementary school, East Jerusalem.