In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the week of 29 April – 05 May 2010, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that 7 Palestinian civilians, including two children and a journalist, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian mosque in Nablus burned by Israeli settlers (PCHR photo)

In addition, Israeli forces continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank. Israeli forces continued to fire at Palestinian farmers and workers in border areas of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

Israeli forces conducted 23 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 40 civilians, including 8 children, 3 journalists and two human rights defenders, in the West Bank. Israeli troops stationed at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted two Palestinian civilians.

Israeli forces demolished a house in al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. Israeli forces ordered the demolition of a number of civilian facilities in Ethna village, west of Hebron.

Israeli forces have continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem. In this context, on 02 May 2010, dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, took over a house belonging to `Ali Ibrahim Salah in Beit Safafa village, south of Jerusalem. They also engaged in disruptive behavior in the area until 21:00. Israeli troops were deployed to the area in order to protect the settlers. It is worth noting that Salah`s family had been forced to evacuate their home to make room for Israeli settlers the previous week, following an Israeli court ruling issued on 15 December 2009 which ruled the house would have to be within 120 days. The Israeli High Court claimed that the house and the land on which it is built belong to a number of Israeli settlers, headed by Yitzhak Hershkowitz who lives in `Kiryat Arba` settlement and orchestrates a campaign to expel Palestinians from the area to establish a new settlement outpost.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

Israeli forces have continued the construction of the annexation wall inside West Bank territory. Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest of the construction of the Wall and settlement activities. At least 6 Palestinian civilians, including two children and a journalist, were wounded, and others sustained bruises or suffered from tear gas inhalation.

At approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 02 May 2010, Israeli forces moved into Ethna village, west of Hebron. They handed notices to `Abdul Hamid Ahmed Abu Zalata, `Awadh `Abed Rabbu Abu Zalata and Sa`di Mohammed Abu Zalata, ordering the demolition of two animal sheds. They delivered notices to Nihad and Zaher Mohammed Abu Zalata ordering the demolition of two houses belonging to them and currently under construction. Israeli forces claimed that these buildings were erected without licenses. According to locals, these facilities are located more than one kilometer from the annexation wall. Israeli forces also photographed a number of houses in the area.

On Monday morning, 03 May 2010, Israeli troops stationed in the vicinity of the annexation wall to the west of Ethna village, west of Hebron, stopped the only garbage disposal truck belonging to the Municipality of Ethna in the southwest of the village, claiming that it was present in a restricted area. They held and questioned the driver and two workers for 4 hours and confiscated the truck.

At approximately 10:00 on Tuesday, 04 May 2010, Israeli forces moved into the west of al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem, near the annexation wall. They surrounded a 160-square-meter house belonging to `Ali Saleem Mousa, in which 8 people live. They ordered the family to vacate the home with their belongings in 30 minutes, and then demolished the house. Israeli forces claimed that the house had been built without a license. It is worth noting that in 2006 the Israeli High Court overturned the demolition order issued for the house, which is located approximately 150 meters away from the wall.

During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest of the construction of the Wall and settlement activities. At least 6 Palestinian civilians, including two children and a journalist, were wounded, and others sustained bruises or suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Following the Friday Prayer on 30 April 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil`in village, west of Ramallah. The demonstrators moved towards the Wall and attempted to access annexed lands behind it. Immediately, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and some of them sustained bruises. Israeli troops further arrested two staff members of al-Jazeera Satellite Channel and an Irish journalist: Majdi George Bannoura, 40; Nader Helmi Bathri`a, 31; and Tom Donald, 63. They also arrested an unidentified international human rights defender. The detainees were released later.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 30 April 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne`lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall. They clashed with Israeli forces troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli forces troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 30 April 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabil Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, protesting against land confiscation in the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near `Halmish` settlement, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded. Israeli forces also arrested 5 demonstrators, including two children and an Israeli human rights defender.

On Saturday morning, 01 May 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, in protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. They moved towards areas of Palestinian land that are threatened by settlement activities. Israeli troops immediately attacked them, firing tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets. Four Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

On Sunday morning, 02 May 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstrated in Beit Jala, west of Bethlehem, in protest of the construction of sections of the annexation wall in the town. They moved towards the Tunnel Road. Israeli troops closed the area and fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators and journalists who were present in the area. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a journalist and a child, were wounded.

Israeli Settlement Activity:

Israel has continued its settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On 29 April 2010, at least 40 Israeli settlers from `Yits`har` settlement, south of Nablus, stormed the western part of Hawara village, south of the city. They threw stones at the municipal park and at 3 uninhabited houses, damaging them. In the meantime, Israeli forces were patrolling in the streets of the village, providing protection for settlers. On 30 April 2010, a number of Israeli settlers from `Givat Gilad` settlement, which was constructed on lands belonging to Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya, uprooted at least 30 olive trees. On 04 May 2010, at least 40 Israeli settlers from `Yits`har` settlement, south of Nablus, stormed al-Naqar area in the west of Hawara village. They set fire to a tract of agricultural land belonging to Mohammed Taha Dmaidi. As a result, 20 olive trees were burnt.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, on 02 May 2010, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when Israeli forces moved into the northern Gaza Strip and fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting bricks and construction aggregate.

During the reporting period, Israeli gunboats fired at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.

On 04 May 2010, Israeli troops stationed in the vicinity of Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip fired sporadically for two hours at Ahmed `Ouda Abu Shallouf, 42, and Fareed Mohammed Sha`ban, who were stranded at the crossing and protesting their deportation to the Gaza Strip. The two Palestinians demanded that Israeli forces allow them to return to the Israeli town of Be`r al-Saba` in order to join their families there.

On May 5th, at approximately 06:30, an Israeli forces infantry unit moved nearly 250 meters into al-Sayafa area in the northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli troops fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting bricks and stones from a site of the former Israeli settlements `Dogit` and `Elli Sinai`. As a result, `Aayesh As`ad al-Sous, 25, was wounded by a bullet to the right foot and shrapnel to the left foot. Al-Sous was positioned at least 450 meters from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel when he was wounded.

Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over two and a half years. The illegal Israeli-imposed siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

Recommendations to the international community:

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made a number of recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel`s respect for human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to demand Israel end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

The PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

IMEMC