Ramallah – A Palestinian house burnt by Israeli settlers
November 21, 2013
Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians
and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
Israeli forces launched 8 air strikes on the Gaza
Strip.
3,500 chicks and 15 sheep died in Israeli raids on poultry
and sheep farms in Khan Yunis.
Israeli forces have continued to open fire at the
border areas in the Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.
8 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, were
wounded in the southeast of Nablus.
Israeli forces have continued to use excessive force
against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.
7 Palestinian civilians were wounded in
protests in Kofur Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilia, and Bil'in village,
west of Ramallah.
Israeli forces conducted 56 incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the Gaza Strip.
At
least 58 Palestinians, including 11
children and a mother of 2 children, were arrested.
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 10 Palestinian civilians, including 3
children, were arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.
A patient from Rafah was arrested at Beit Hanoun
(Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israeli navy forces have continued targeting
Palestinian fishermen in the sea.
Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian fishing
boats, arrested fishermen and confiscated fishing boats.
Israeli has continued efforts to create a Jewish demographic
majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
Israeli authorities approved the scheme of the
(National Park) on the lands of al-Tour and al-'Eisawiya villages.
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 erased 100 olive trees in Ya'bad
village, southwest of Jenin.
Israeli settlers set fire to 2 vehicles in Fara'ta
village, northeast of Qalqilia.
219 olive trees were uprooted and damaged in the
northern and southern West Bank.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and
international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period
(14 – 20 November 2013).
Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 15
Palestinian civilians, including 8 children, in the West Bank. 7 of these civilians were wounded during
peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians and international
activists against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement
activities in the West Bank. The other 8 ones were wounded during clashes between
Israeli forces and Palestinians who protested against uprooting their trees by Israeli
settlers. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli warplanes bombarded different areas, while
the gunboats continued to attack fishing boats in the sea.
In the West Bank, 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. As a result, 7 civilians,
including 2 children, were wounded.
On 18 November 2013, 8 Palestinian civilians,
including 6 children, were wounded when they protested in Qasra village,
southeast of Nablus, as settlers uprooted 38 olive seedlings from Palestinian
lands. Israeli forces arrived and fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and
rubber-coated metal bullets at the Palestinians.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli warplanes launched 8 air
strikes against a number of targets throughout the Gaza Strip. On 14 November
2013, Israeli warplanes raided an open land in the east of Beit Hanoun, north
of the Gaza Strip, and another open land, east of al-Zaitoun neighbourhood in
the east of Gaza City.
On 19 November 2013, Israeli warplanes launched 6 air
strikes as follows: the first was on a poultry and sheep farm, southeast of
Khan Yunis. The second raid was on the area that witnessed the tunnel
bombardment last month, 250 meters away from the border fence, northeast of
Khan Yunis. The third raid was on an agricultural land, east of Khan Yunis,
while the fourth one was carried out on Hettin training site of the Palestinian
armed groups, in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes attacked the
abovementioned training site twice later.
On 19 November 2013, Israeli military vehicles
stationed along the border fence shelled an agricultural land, east of
al-Zaitoun neighbourhood in Gaza City. Neither casualties nor material damage
were reported.
In the context of targeting fishermen in the sea,
Israeli gunboats stationed in the sea opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats twice.
The first attack took place on 16 November 2013, but neither casualties nor
material damage were reported. On 17 November 2013, Israeli gunboats stationed
off al-Waha Resort shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip
opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats sailing nearly 1.5 nautical miles
in the sea. An Israeli gunboat
surrounded a boat boarding 2 fishermen; 'Ammar As’ad 'Abdel Malek al-Sultan
(21) and Muhsin Akram Diab Zayed (24) from al-Salatin neighbourhood in Beit
Lahia. Israeli naval soldiers forced
fishermen to jump into the water and swim towards the Israeli gunboat while the
two fishermen were pulling 10 fishing nets, 1,000 meters long in total, from
water. The two fishermen were terrified
due to the continued firing at them. The
Israeli soldiers then confiscated their fishing boat and items and took the
fishermen to Ashdod Port, where they were arrested and questioned. At Israeli forces released the two fishermen on
the following day via Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted
at least 56 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During
these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 58 Palestinians, including 11
children and a mother of 2 of them. The mother and her 11-year-old child were
arrested to force her other 17-year-old child surrender to the Israeli forces.
However, Israeli forces have not released the mother and her 11-year-old child
so far.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted an
incursion into the southern Gaza Strip on 19 November 2013, during which they
levelled areas of Palestinian land.
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 10 civilians, including 3 children, in
the West Bank and one civilian in the Gaza Strip.
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 Thursday
morning, 14 November 2013, Israeli forces, backed with heavy military
bulldozers, leveled farmlands, south of Ya’abod village near the main bypass
road, which leads to "Movedtan" settlement established on Palestinian lands
between Jenin and the northern villages of Tulakrm, southwest of Jenin.
On the same
day, 4 Israeli settlers sneaked into a house belonging to the family of Khaled
'Abdel Rahman Mahmoud Dar Khalil in Sanjal village, north of Ramallah. The settlers poured an incendiary material
inside the house balcony, which was closed by glass, put it on fire, and wrote
a slogan in Hebrew on the outside wall.
Also on the
same day, a group of settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, raided one of the
ancient archaeological areas, west of al-Samou’a village, south of Hebron, and
perform religious rituals.
Also on the
same day, a group of settlers from "Eddy 'Aad" settlement, which is established
on the east of Turmos’ayah lands, north of Ramallah, uprooted 75 seedlings in
the al-Sabiha agricultural area, east of the village and 3 kilometers away from
the aforementioned settlement.
On 15 November
2013, dozens of settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, obstructed the movement
at the entrance of Beit Ummar village, and uprooted 75 seedlings in al-Sbihah
agricultural area, east of the village.
On 17 Nove,ebr
2013, a number of settlers from "Afijal" settlement established on Palestinian
lands, east of Yata, south of Hebron, cut 106 olive trees belonging to Mos’if
family in Mo’in valley, east of Yata, with handsaws.
On 18 November
2013, Israeli forces confiscated 120 square meters of construction bricks of
al-Dirat village, northeast of Yata, south of Hebron, under the pretext of
building a mosque without a construction permit.
On the same
day, civilians were surprised in Qasrah village, southeast of Nablus, with
settlers uprooting 38 olive seedlings and tried to demolish an agricultural
room belonging to 'Ali 'Abdel Hamid Hassan, but they could not.
On 19 November
2013, 3 settlers infiltrated from "Hafa Gel’ad" settlement to Fer’etah village,
northeast of Qalqilya, and set a truck and vehicle belonging to Bahjat Mohammed
Mahmoud Soliman, on fire.
Efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East
Jerusalem
On Thursday, 14 November 2013, the
Israeli district planning and construction committee approved "The National
Park" plan to be located on part of the lands of al-Tur and al-Issawiya
villages in East Jerusalem. According to
information available at PCHR, this plan will confiscate 740 dunums of the
Palestinian lands in the two aforementioned villages resulting in depriving
their residents of the urban expansion towards these lands.
Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period
(14 – 20 November 2013)
1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks
on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Thursday, 14 November 2013
At approximately 00:00, Israeli forces moved into Beer
al-Basha village, south of Jenin. They raided a house belonging to the family
of Hussein Sharif Ghawadra (16), who is accused of killing an Israeli soldier
near a central bus station in al-'Afoula in Israel on Wednesday, 13 November
2013. Israeli forces arrested 3 brothers of the aforementioned person: Tawfiq
(27), 'Arafat (25) and Mo'tasem (21). They also raided a house belonging to the
family of Jamil Mohammed Ghawadra (16) and arrested him as well. Israeli forces
withdrew taking the 4 arrested persons to an unknown destination.
At approximately 00:30, Israeli forces moved into
al-Jalama village, north of Jenin. They patrolled the streets and raided a
house belonging to the family of Abdullah Khaled Yaseen (27). They arrested him
and took him to an unknown destination.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Daheriya village, south of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and deployed
between the houses. They also raided a number of houses from which they
arrested 10 civilians, including 4 brothers:
1. Osama Mohammed al-Najjar (32);
2. Ra'ed Mohammed al-Najjar (28);
3. Alaa' Mohammed al-Najjar (28);
4. Adel Mohammed al-Najjar (35);
5. Riyadh Mohammed al-Battat (28);
6. Madin Shehda al-Ka'bi (33);
7. Ibrahim al-Janazra (26);
8. Mohammed Ali Wreidat (33);
9. Fayez Khaled Raba' (29); and
10. Mohye Mohammed al-Battat (26).
Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Awwa village, southwest of Doura, southwest of Hebron. They raided a number of
houses from which they arrested 4 civilians, including 2 brothers:
1. Lo'ai Samir Issa Masalma (21);
2. Odai Samir Issa Masalma (20);
3. Yusef Samir Hassan Masalma (22); and
4. Mahmoud Issa Maslama (20).
At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into the
south of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and raided a house belonging to the
family of Ali Mohammed al-Bakri (23). They arrested the aforementioned person
and took him to an unknown destination.
At approximately 14:30, Israeli forces bombarded an
open land in Bouret Abu Ghazala, east of Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza
Strip. As a result, the bombardment caused a big crater in the land and
terrified the area residents. Neither casualties nor material damage were
reported. It should be noted the targeted land is 2,500 meters away from the
border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Also at approximately 15:00, Israeli forces launched a
missile at an open land in the east of al-Zaitoun neighbourhood, east of Gaza
City. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into
al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin. They raided a house belonging to the
family of Ahed Mahmoud Abu al-Haija (18). They arrested him and took him to an
unknown destination.
Also around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into al-Raj'i woodland around al-Aqaba village,
south of Doura, southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the lands, where dome boys
gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers, who fired
sound bombs and tear gas canisters in response. As a result, a number of boys
suffered tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 16:45, Israeli forces moved into
al-Nabi Saleh village, east of Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for some
time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.
At approximately 16:50, Israeli forces moved into
al-Funduq village, east of Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets and raided a
house belonging to the family of Salah Mohammed Taiyem (27). They arrested the
aforementioned person and took him to an unknown destination.
At approximately 17:30, Israeli forces moved into
Qalqilia. They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither
house raids nor arrests were reported.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and deployed
between houses. A number of boys gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at
Israeli soldiers, who fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and rubber-coated
metal bullets in response. As a result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas
inhalation. Israeli forces withdrew later.
Friday, 15 November 2013
At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into the
southern area of Hebron. They patrolled
the streets and raided a house belonging to the family of Qaher Najeh Abu
Qbeita (29). They arrested the aforementioned person and withdrew later.
Around the same
time, Israeli forces moved into al-Shyoukh village, north of Hebron. They
patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. neither house raids nor
arrests were reported.
Also at approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into
Doura, southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some time and
withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli forces moved into the
eastern Barta'a village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of
stores and confiscated meat and eggs under the pretext they do not carry legal
stamps and were sold to Palestinians in Israel. Israeli forces arrested Ahmed
Mohammed Abu al-Halawa, whose store was raided, and took him to an unknown
destination.
At approximately 11:00, Israeli forces moved into Deir
Samet village, west of Doura, southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the streets
and deployed between the houses. Israeli forces withdrew later and no arrests
were reported.
At approximately 14:00, Israeli forces moved into
al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to the
family of Mohammed Mahmoud Abu Dawood (65) and stationed on top of the house.
Mohammed and his family tried to prevented Israeli soldiers from going
upstairs, but he and his family were attacked. Israeli soldiers fired sound
bombs at the family and attacked them again in front of the house. As a result,
some of the family members sustained bruises and were taken to Hebron Hospital
to receive medical treatment.
Mohammed Abu Dawood (65) said to PCHR's fieldworker:
"At
approximately 14:15 on Friday, 15 November 2013, I was on the third floor of my
3-storey house. I heard violent knocking on the door leading to the roof. I
went downstairs to the door and found 4 Israeli soldiers, including an officer
who hit the door with his gun. I realized that the main door of the house was
open. I asked them what they were doing. One of them asked me to give them the
key, but I refused because a few day earlier some Israeli soldiers went up to
the roof and damaged the solar power boards. The officer hit the door again, so
I shouted asking them to stop, but in vain. My sons Yusef (25), Ibrahim (25),
daughter Amani (20) and my two wives Nazmiya (58) and Zainab (60) came. A
quarrel erupted between me and the soldiers. Ibrahim stood in the middle to
prevent them from attacking me. A soldier held a sound bomb and hit it on
Ibrahim's head and then threw it towards Yusef, whose head was injured. Ibrahim
got away, as he was bleeding. In the meantime, I stepped back, but a soldier
who was one step higher than me, so he strongly kicked me in the left side of
my chest. Yusef carried me to a close balcony as I suffered difficulty in
breathing. I heard him calling out relatives downstairs to bring an ambulance.
After a while, my sons took me outdoor waiting for the ambulance. There were
Israeli soldiers out there, in addition to my brother Ibrahim (50) and his
sons. My two wives and daughters stayed inside and closed the door. The Israeli
soldiers approached and started hitting the door with their gun butts. I tried
to prevent them from doing so, but a soldier broke the glass of the door. My
nephew Mohammed came to get me away fearing that I would be attacked again, but
2 soldiers pulled him back, pushed him to the ground and attacked him. My sons
and brother came to help him. In the meanwhile, a soldier stood on the door's
step, held his gun crosswise and jumped over them. They all fell to the ground.
The soldiers took each one of them and attacked him individually. Once an
ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) arrived, the Israeli
soldiers left. I was taken with 3 members of my family to Hebron Hospital.
Following medical check-up, it was found that I had a fracture in my rib cage,
my son Ibrahim sustained a wound in the left side of his head, my nephew Fadi
sustained a fracture in the nose and my son Ahmed sustained bruises in the
belly. A few minutes later, my brother Ibrahim and my son Yusef arrived were
also admitted to the hospital. My brother sustained a fracture in his left hand
and my son Yusef had pain in his left side of his head. Half an hour later, my
wife Nazmiya was admitted to the hospital. She had pain in the chest. I learnt
later that Israeli soldiers had pushed her while going downstairs. We left the
hospital in the evening."
Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Qalqilya.
They patrolled the streets for some time and withdrew later. At approximately
16:00, Israeli forces withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.
At approximately 15:00, Israeli forces moved into Bab
al-Zawiya area, in the centre if Hebron, and deployed between the houses. A
number of boys gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers,
who fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets in response.
As a result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 16:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit
Ummar village, north of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and stationed at the
entrance of al-Tarabiqa neighbourhood. A number of boys gathered and threw
stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers who fired sound bombs and tear gas
canisters in response. As a result, Morshed Mohammed Awad and his children
suffered tear gas inhalation, as a gas canisters fell near their store. Moreover,
a number of Israeli soldiers went on top of a house belonging to the family of
Mohammed Abdul Hamid al-'Alami. They randomly fired sound bombs, as a result, Mofeed
Khaled Alqam suffered tear gas inhalation as a gas canister fell near his store
as well. Israeli forces withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were
reported.
Saturday, 16 November 2013
At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Deir
Samet village, southwest of Doura, southwest of Hebron. They stationed in the
centre of the village and deployed between the houses. They also raided 3
houses belonging to al-Hroub family. Israeli forces handed 4 civilians summonses
to refer to the Israeli intelligence service in "Gosh Etzion"
settlement, south of Bethelehem. The summoned persons were:
1. Ahmed Ouda al-Hroub (50);
2. Nayef Ahmed al-Hroub (30);
3. Farid Ouda al-Hroub (45); and
4. Mohammed Salim al-Hroub (27).
Israeli
forces withdrew later and no arrests were reported.
At
approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Um al-Amad area, east of Yatta,
south of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and raided a house belonging to the
family of Khaled Hussein Jabareen (26). They arrested the aforementioned person
and took him to an unknown destination.
Around the
same time, Israeli forces moved into Ezbet al-Tabeeb village, east of Qalqilya.
They raided a house belonging to the family of Tha'er B