Monday 17 November 2014

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (06- 12 November 2014)

Settlers set fire to a mosque in al-Mugheer village, northeast of Ramallah

Thursday, 13 November 2014 00:00

FULL REPORT Here

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian in al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.

5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded during Israeli incursions, and one of them was arrested.
A Palestinian civilian was wounded by settlement guards after he ran down and stabbed Israeli soldiers, south of Bethlehem.
 
Israeli forces continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.

3 protestors, including an international human rights activist, were wounded in Bil'in weekly protest, west of Ramallah.
17 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, were wounded during other peaceful protests.
 
Israeli forces conducted 45 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 2 limited ones in the Gaza Strip.

80 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children, were arrested
51 of those civilians, including 11 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli government approved demolition of houses belonging to families of those accused of running down and stabbing Israeli soldiers and settlers.
 
Israeli navy forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.

Israeli navy forces opened fire three times at Palestinian fishing boats in the north and south of the Gaza Strip.
2 fishermen were wounded and 2 boats were burnt off Rafah shore.

Israel 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 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a woman, were arrested at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

Dozens of dunums[1] of land in Bruqin village, west of Salfit, were levelled to expand "Ariel" industrial zone.
Fire was set to Othman Ben Affan Mosque in al-Mogheer village, northeast of Ramallah.
Settlers attempted to seize an uninhabited residential building in Selwan village, south of occupied Jerusalem.

Summary
 
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (06 - 12 November 2014).
 
In a serious development, during the reporting period, Israeli forces allowed dozens of thousands of settlers and extremist settler groups headed by Israeli ministers and members of the Knesset into the al-Aqsa Mosque's yards to perform Talmudic prayers. The Israeli government also threatens to divide the mosque like the division of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron since Baruch Goldstein committed a massacre on 25 February 1994, when 29 Palestinian worshipers were killed. PCHR confirms the legal status of East Jerusalem as an occupied city and stresses that such decisions and measures are part of the Israeli government's schemes to fully creating a Jewish demographic majority in the city.
 
Moreover, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued instructions to the Israeli security services to take a series of measures against whom he called "terrorists", including the demolition of houses of those who run down and stab Israeli settlers and soldiers. During the reporting period, PCHR fieldworkers documented a number of raids carried out by Israeli forces against houses belonging to Palestinians accused of being involved in running down Israeli settlers and soldiers. Israeli engineers recorded coordinates of the houses to be demolished.
 
Shooting:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian in al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They wounded 26 civilians, including 10 children, in the West Bank. Five of these civilians were wounded during Israeli incursions, including 3 children, and one of them was arrested. Moreover, 3 civilians, including an international human rights activist, were wounded in Bil'in weekly protest, west of Ramallah, while 17 others, including 7 children, were wounded in other peaceful protests.  A civilian was also wounded by settlement guards as he ran down and stabbed Israeli soldiers at "Kfar Etzion" settlement, south of Bethlehem. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli navy forces opened fire 3 times at Palestinian fishing boats. As a result, 2 fishermen were wounded and 2 boats were burnt.
 
In the West Bank, in excessive use of force, on 11 November 2014, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian in al-'Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.
 
On 09 November 2014, a Palestinian civilian was wounded during an Israeli incursion in Saida village, northeast of Tulkarm.
 
On 10 November 2014, guards of "Gosh Etzion" settlement opened fire at a Palestinian civilian, who drove his car into a bus station, south of occupied Jerusalem, and stabbed 3 settlers there. As a result, the Palestinian civilian was wounded from a close range and was then taken to Hadassah Hospital for medical treatment.
 
On 11 November 2014, a 17-year-old civilian sustained a bullet wound to the right thigh when Israeli forces moved into Mothallath al-Aqaba, south of Doura, southwest of Hebron. Israeli forces also arrested the boy.
 
On the same day, 2 Palestinian children sustained bullet wounds when Israeli forces moved into Beit Foreek village, east of Nablus.
 
Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful protests 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, 3 protestors were wounded, including 22-year-old Camellia who sustained a bullet wound to the left leg during Bil'in weekly protest, west of Ramallah. Moreover, a 33-year-old civilian sustained a bullet wound to the back, while a 19-year-old one sustained a bullet wound to the right arm.
 
In the same context, 17 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, were wounded during other protests against Israeli soldiers' and settlers' practices in al-Aqsa mosque. On 06 November 2014, 3 students at Bir Zeit University were wounded during a protest in the vicinity of Ofer detention facility, southwest of Ramallah. On 07 November 2014, 3 civilians were wounded in a similar protest around Ofer detention facility as well, while 3 others, including 2 children, were wounded in a protest around Qalandia checkpoint, north of Jerusalem. Moreover, a child was wounded during a protest at Hawwara checkpoint at the southern entrance of Nablus. On 11 November 2014, 7 Palestinian civilians were wounded during protests marking the 10th anniversary of the death of Yasser Arafat. In the vicinity of Ofer detention facility, 3 civilians, including 2 children, were wounded. In addition, 2 others, including a child, were wounded in Jabal al-Taweel area adjacent to "Psagot" settlement in al-Bireh. Two other civilians, including a child, were wounded in a protest around Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah.
 
On 12 November 2014, a Palestinian civilian sustained 3 bullet wounds when Israeli forces moved into Beitounya village, west of Ramallah.
 
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli navy forces opened fire 3 times at fishermen. On 09 November 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off Rafah shore opened fire at a fishing boat sailing within 200 meters near the naval borders between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. As a result, the boat was burnt and 2 fishermen on board sustained shrapnel wounds. On the same day, Israeli gunboats opened fire at a fishing boat sailing within 800 meters off the fishermen harbour in Rafah. As a result, the boat was burnt and no casualties were reported.
 
On 11 November 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Sudanya shore, west of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles. Fishermen sailed back leaving their fishing nets behind, but no casualties were reported.
 
Incursions:
 
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 45 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 80 Palestinians, including 13 children.  Fifty-one of these civlians, including 11 children, were arrested in Jerusalem.
 
In the Gaza Strip, on 10 November 2014, Israeli forces moved about 200 meters into the east of al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. On 11 November 2014, Israeli forces moved into the east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. In the 2 incursions, Israeli forces levelled lands along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel and withdrew later.
 
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 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 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 (Kerem Shaloum) 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.
 
 
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.

Settlement activities
 
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, in a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
 
Attacks carried out by Israeli forces
 
On Sunday, 09 November 2014, Israeli bulldozers expanded "Ariel" settlement and added lands from Brouqin village, west of Salfit, to the Israeli industrial area.
 
On the same day, Israeli forces moved into Iqbat Hassna, north of al-Khader area, south of Bethlehem. They handed Sami and Samih Mahmoud al-Shouli notices to destroy their houses under the pretext of not having a construction permit.
 
On Monday, 10 November 2014, Israeli forces moved into Ma’in village, near Yatta, south of Hebron. They handed 4 notices to stop construction of 3 houses in the pretext of not having a construction permit:
 
Around the same time, Israeli Construction and Organization Department in the Israeli Civilian Administration handed Saed Shinran and Ihsan Shinran two notices to destroy two tents in which they live with their families in the pretext of not having a construction permit.
 
On the same day, Israeli soldiers handed 4 ntoices to destroy 4 houses under the pretext of not having a construction permit in area “C” in Hijja area, in Qalqilya.
 
Attacks carried out by settlers
 
On Thursday, 07 November 2014, Israeli settlers moved into the eastern area of Nablus and headed to Joseph Tomb. Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into the city and stationed in the eastern side area to secure the settlers.
 
On Sunday, 09 November 2014, dozens of settlers from “Adoura” settlement which is established on confiscated lands, west of Hebron threw stones at Palestinian vehicles passing across bypass road (60). As a result, a vehicle was damaged.
 
On Monday, 10 November 2014, Israeli settlers moved from "Arail" settlement near al-Samera intersection and tried to attack the Palestinian workers who were waiting at the intersection for Palestinian vehicles heading towards their villages. Israeli forces arrived at the area and prevented the settlers from attacking the workers.
 
On the evening of the aforementioned day, dozens of settlers gathered near Howara checkpoint and attacked Palestinian vehicles and stone saws, and then destroyed the blocks that were prepared for construction purposes.
 
On the same day, Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian civilian and his wife while traveling from Nablus to Talfit village.
 
On Wednesday, 12 November 2014, fire was set into Othaman Bin Affan Mosque in the western neighborhood of al-Mughir village, north of Ramallah.
Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (06 – 10 November 2014)

  1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   
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