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 OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes Update for oPt (12 - 18 January 2005) INSIDE: Casualties ▪ Incidents involving ambulances ▪ Curfew ▪ House demolition/Demolition orders\People displaced ▪ Land levelling\Requisitions ▪ Closure\Restrictions on movement ▪Access to schools ▪ Labour movement to Israel ▪ Other incidents and significant reports▪ Appendix 1. Casualties Palestinians: Deaths: 26 Injured: 62 (approximate) Israelis: Deaths: 8 Injured: 27 (approximate) Sources: OCHA FCU, PRCS, UNRWA, WHO, IDF website, Israeli MoFA. 2. Incidents involving ambulances and medical teams West Bank: Denial of access: 0 Delay (30 minutes): 2 Shooting/Damage to Ambulance: 0 • 12 January: The IDF entered the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s (PRCS) Emergency Medical Station in Beit Ummar, Hebron Governorate. According to the PRCS, Israeli soldiers prevented the crew from responding to emergency calls. Gaza: Denial of access: 1 Delay (30 minutes): 0 Shooting/Damage to Ambulance: 2 • 14 January to ongoing: Following the Palestinian attack at Karni crossing on 13 January, no Palestinian patients are permitted through Erez for further treatment in Israel or the West Bank. Exceptions were made in four cases for patients with severe illnesses. Another 10 coordination requests were denied. • 14 January: Warning shots were fired in the area of a MoH ambulance near Erez crossing when it was on the way to evacuate an injured man. No injures or damages were reported. • 15 January: Warning shots were fired in the vicinity of a MoH ambulance in Al Zaitoun area south of Gaza City when it was on the way to evacuate injured people. No injures or damages were reported. • 16 January: A MoH ambulance was denied access on Beach Road. The ambulance was transporting a dead body from the central Gaza area to the north Gaza area. Sources: OCHA FCU, PRCS, Palestinian MoH, 3. Curfews Curfew was reported in the following locations: Date Location Number of days/hours 17 January Al ‘Auja, Jericho Governorate 6 hours 17 January Al 'Agrabaniya, Nablus Governorate 6 Hours Sources: OCHA FCU, Village Councils, UNRWA, Palestinian DCL 4. House demolitions/Demolition orders/People displaced West Bank: • 13 January: The IDF demolished a two-storey house in Qarawat Bani Zeid. A woman and her five children were made homeless. • 17 January: Five houses and six structures were demolished in Al Walaja village west of Bethlehem by the Israeli Border Police. Two of the houses were inhabited; eight people were made homeless and forced to relocate. OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes 12 – 18 January 2005 | 1 Date Location Demolished Partially Damaged destroyed Unknown North Jericho District 3 Bedouin structures 13 January Qarawat Bani Zeid, 1 two-storey house 1 house Ramallah 17 January Al Walaja, Bethlehem 5 houses, 6 structures (mostly animal pens) Total 1 two-storey house, 1 house 5 houses, 3 Bedouin structures and 6 structures Gaza: • No incidents reported. Sources: OCHA FCU, UNRWA 5. Land levelling/Requisitions1 West Bank: • Land levelling near the area of Deir Ballout and Ar Zawiya has been ongoing throughout the week in preparation for construction of the Barrier. • Levelling of land near Kafriat checkpoint in Tulkarm Governorate continued throughout the week in preparation for construction of a new tunnel under Road 57. • Land levelling in the western part of Hebron Governorate, where the Barrier is due to be constructed has continued throughout the week. Contractors are working from Surif to Khirbet ad Deir and from Tarqoumiya down to Beit Awwa. • 9 January: (Not reported previously) Order no. 87/04 was issued for the requisition of 351 dunums (35.1 hectares) of land in northwest Jerusalem Governorate for the construction of the Barrier. The order affects the villages of Qatanna, Al Qubeiba and Beit Anan. Approximately 1.56 dunums (.156 hectares) of Palestinian land will be west of the Barrier. • 11 January: (Not reported previously) The Palestinian DCL received military order no. 2004-7564 1/04 calling for the restriction of construction along a buffer zone on both sides of the Barrier in Kardala and Bardala areas, Tubas Governorate. • 16 January: The IDF released military order T/99/04 to a Palestinian owner of land in Beit Jala. The land requisition order, issued 30 December 2004, covers approximately 0.3 dunums (.03 hectares) for the creation of a security road or other military infrastructure in the area of the Beit Jala DCO checkpoint. • 17 January: The Israeli Border Police began widening a road at the back of the village of Al Walaja, Bethlehem Governorate, connecting the road leading to Cremisan to the Ein Yalow checkpoint. Gaza: • 13 January: Forty-one dunums (4.1 hectares) of land planted with olive trees were levelled in the area east of Al Buraij refugee camp in the Gaza middle zone. Additionally, one hen pen was completely destroyed. • 15 January: Forty dunums (4 hectares) of land planted with citrus and vegetables plants were levelled in Gaza City in the southern area of Al Sheikh Ejlien. Sources: OCHA FCU, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, UNRWA, Palestinian DCL, Village Council 6. Closure2/Restrictions on movement Tulkarm/Qalqiliya/Salfit governorates: • In Tulkarm Governorate, the IDF eased movement restrictions. Although all parts of Kafriat checkpoint remained manned during the week, no restrictions were imposed on Palestinian-plated vehicles, which in general could cross the checkpoint. No restrictions were imposed on Arab-Israelis travelling to Tulkarm town. Flying checkpoints were reported around Sha’raweyah and Attel-Illar Junction. • In Qalqiliya Governorate, no restrictions were imposed on the local population residing in and travelling on the eastern side of the Barrier. The tunnel between Qalqiliya town and Habla remained open the entire week. No restrictions were imposed on Arab-Israelis travelling to Qalqiliya town. • Flying checkpoints at the entrance of Qalqiliya and delays at Azzon Atma checkpoints were reported. In Kuf Thulth, settlers started asphalting a road belonging to Palestinian farmers. At Izbet Tabib village, the IDF closed the open space of the village entrance. No restrictions were imposed on the local populations. • In Salfit District, the movement between the villages continues to be hampered by the existence of road blocks and earth mounds and the restrictions to travel on the main roads. Three road blocks/earth mounds in particular near 1 4 dunums = 1 acre; 10 dunums = 1 hectare 2 For a reference West Bank checkpoint map please check the following link: http://www.reliefweb.int/hic- opt/maps/Closure/mar/checkpoints_july04.pdf OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes 12 – 18 January 2005 | 2 Kafr Dik, Qarawat Bani Hassan and Yasuf severely hamper movement. Flying checkpoints were reported around Bruqin. • 17 January: In Hares village, Israeli soldiers conducted a search campaign. • 18 January: A flying checkpoint was reported between Kufr Ein and Qarawet Bani Zaid. Nablus/Jenin/Tubas governorates: • 16 to 17 January: The IDF set up a flying checkpoint on Road 60 near Al Lubban ash Sharqiya village, Nablus District. All vehicles passing were subject to checks. • 17 January: The IDF closed Hamra checkpoint, Nablus District, preventing access to Palestinians for more than eight hours. • 17 January: The IDF closed Tayasir gate, Tubas District, preventing access to Palestinians for two hours. • 18 January: The IDF opened fire in the direction of pedestrians trying to reach the village of Till, Nablus District, from Nablus city. No injuries were reported. Ramallah/Al Bireh governorates: • 12 to 16 January: Soldiers at Qalandiya checkpoint prevented Palestinians carrying Jerusalem IDs, except those residing in Kafr ‘Aqab, Qalandiya and Samiramees, and driving yellow-plated vehicles, from entering Ramallah through Qalandiya checkpoint. Pedestrians with Jerusalem IDs were randomly checked. The Israeli DCL at Ar Ram reported that there are no new regulations for Jerusalem-ID holders. • 13 January: A checkpoint operated at the main entrance of ‘Abud throughout the day. The checkpoint was lifted around 6pm and replaced by an earth mound, which was removed the following day. • 13 January: A flying checkpoint was set up at Surda on the Ramallah-Bir Zeit Road at around 4.30pm during the rush hour and lifted around 7.30pm. Long delays were reported. • 15 January: Long delays were reported at the Ni’lin checkpoint as vehicles and IDs were being checked during the morning rush hour. • 16 January: A flying checkpoint was again set up at Surda around 3pm and operated until approximately 9pm. The IDF prevented vehicles and pedestrians from passing the checkpoint in either direction for at least one hour Heavy congestion was reported. According to the Palestinian DCL, the IDF had reported a shooting incident at a settler car near Bet El and a “security alert” was in force. Jerusalem/Jericho governorates: • IDF mobile checkpoints function on a daily basis at the entrance to Al ‘Eizariya-Ma’ale Adumim settlement resulting in long lines of cars waiting to pass. • IDF mobile checkpoints at the junctions of Road 1-Road 437 and Al ‘Eizariya-Ma’ale Adumim have stopped Palestinian vehicular movement on Road 1 for several hours every Saturday after Shabath. • Palestinian pedestrian movement from the Abu Dis area to Jerusalem has become increasingly more difficult since Israeli Border Police have been stopping Palestinians daily at the Monastery gate. Access to education, health and other services in East Jerusalem to those Palestinians holding West Bank ID cards is denied by the Israeli Border Police. Jerusalem Barrier: • North: Construction of the Barrier is continuing along Road 60, the main road, between Qalandiya and Ar-Ram checkpoints. Land levelling for the construction of the Barrier is also taking place alongside the road between Hizma and Anata villages.