search... Thursday, 10 October 2013 HOME ABOUT US PUBLICATIONS Press Releases NEWS IN FOCUS NARRATIVES Home PUBLICATIONS Reports Weekly Reports Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (03- 09 October 2013) LINKS New Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (03- 09 October 2013) Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (03- 09 October 2013) Thursday, 10 October 2013 00:00 Ramallah – Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian child in Bitounia Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in the northern and central West Bank. Israeli forces opened fire in the northern Gaza Strip, but neither casualties nor material damage were reported. Israeli forces have continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank. 4 Palestinian civilians, including a reporter of Palestine TV were wounded during Bil'in weekly protest. Dozens of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces conducted 51 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 3 limited ones in the Gaza Strip. At least 41 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, were arrested in the West Bank. Israeli forces maltreated a family in Hebron and attacked a number of civilians in Burin village, south of Nablus. 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 6 Palestinian civilians were arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank. Israeli forces have continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. Israeli forces issued notices to demolish houses. Israeli settlers damaged 189 olive trees in the West Bank. Summary Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (03 – 09 October 2013). Shooting: During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 7 Palestinian civilians, including a child, in the West Bank. Four of them, including reporter of Palestine TV, During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 7 Palestinian civilians, including a child, in the West Bank. Four of them, including reporter of Palestine TV, were wounded during Bil'in weekly protest, west of Ramallah, while the 5th one was wounded when Israeli forces moved into al-Bireh town in the centre of the West Bank. The child was wounded when Israeli forces moved into Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus, and fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters into Beit Dajan high school for girls. The 7th person was wounded when Israeli forces moved into Jenin. During the reporting period, Israeli forces continued the systematic use of excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian, Israeli and international activists against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 4 civilians, including a journalist, were wounded during Bil'in weekly protest, dozens suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. On 05 October 2013, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when Israeli forces moved into al-Bireh. Some boys gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers who fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response. As a result, the civilian was wounded by a bullet to the back of his head and others suffered tear gas inhalation. On 08 October 2013, a child was hit by a sound bomb in the hand when Israeli forces moved into Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus. Israeli forces stationed around the village's school and fired sound bombs into the school yards. On the same day, a civilian (23) was hit by a gas canister in the left leg when Israeli forces moved into Jenin. (PCHR keep the names of the Palestinian wounded persons and apologizes for not publishing the names fearing for Israeli forces would arrest them in the context of their policy to oppress peaceful protests). In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence opened fire thrice in the northern Gaza Strip. On 07 October 2013, Israeli forces stationed north of the landfill, north of Beit Hanoun, opened fire at open area. On 08 October 2013, Israeli forces stationed in the east of Beit Hanoun opened fire at open area as well. On 09 October 2013, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian farmers. As a result, the farmers fled fearing of being wounded. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported. Incursions: During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 51 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 41 Palestinians, including 6 children. On 04 October 2013, Israeli forces moved into Khellet Hadour in the centre of the Old Town of Hebron. They raided and searched a 5-storey building belonging to al-Syouri family. They damaged its contents and doors and kept its occupants outdoors for 5 hours. On 05 October 2013, Israeli forces moved into Burin village, south of Nablus. They raided a house belonging to the family of Murad Ma'rouf Najjar and attacked him and his wife. They also attacked Walid 'Eid and his daughter and son. During which, a gas canister was fired into a neighbouring house. As a result, the garret of the house and part of the furniture caught fire. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces carried out 3 limited incursions. Two incursions were carried out on 03 October 2013 in the central and southern Gaza Strip. They levelled lands along the border fence and withdrew later. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported. On 07 October 2013, Israeli forces moved about 200 meters into the north of Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip. They levelled lands along the border fence firing sporadic fire. Famers escaped fearing of being wounded. Restrictions on movement: Israel continued to impose a tightened 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 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 7 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 a grave violation of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7 million people. The Israeli authorities has 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 that has been aggravating for years due to the shortage of imports. They also aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports. Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem. As part of using military checkpoints and border crossings as traps to arrest Palestinian civilians under the pretext they are wanted, Israeli forces arrested at least 6 civilians. 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 03 October 2013, Israeli forces handed residents of Kherbet Safi al-Fouqa, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, a notice to halt work in solar power cells that would provide the Palestinian families living in that area with power. The notice was given to them under the pretext the solar power cells were being installed without a prior permit from the Israeli Civil Administration. It should be noted this area is threatened to be evacuated, as it is located in area (918), which is a military training zone according to the Israeli Ministry of Defence. On the same day, a group of Israeli settlers from "Mitzpe Yair" settlement, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, damaged 45 olive trees in Khellet 'Azeiwah, near Kherbet Qweiwis, east of Hebron. On 04 October 2013, Israeli settlers attacked a vehicle belonging to Abdul Rahman Awad, from Jama'in village, southwest of Nablus, while the vehicle was parking in Hara'eq al-'Awil area. On 05 October 2013, Israeli forces handed the family of Ayman Jamil Mahdawi (28) in Shweika suburb, north of Tulkarm, a notice to halt construction works in their 150-square-meter house under the pretext it is close to the annexation wall. On the same day also, settlers from "Shavei Shomron" settlement damaged 120 olive trees and stole the olives from Deir Sharaf village, northwest of Nablus. The trees belong to Yasser Abdul Rahman Faqha, Sedqi Abdul Ghani Faqha, Mostafa Mer'i Faqha and Mostafa Ibrahim Faqha. On the same day, a group of settlers from "Beit Eil" settlement, attacked Palestinian houses in the agricultural area, south of Doura al-Qare', northeast of Ramallah. They also threw stones at the houses. On 06 October 2013, a group of settlers from "Niria" settlement, northwest of Ramallah, damaged 12 fruitful olive trees in al-Nabi 'Anir area, north of the village.