Palestine
PCHR Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory No. 27/2008
By PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Jul 5, 2008, 01:43

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) 2 Palestinian children were (killed) by IOF in the West Bank. 8 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a woman, were wounded by the IOF gunfire; 5 of them were wounded in Ne’lin village near Ramallah. IOF conducted 44 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 42 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, in the West Bank. IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. IOF troops harassed a journalist from Gaza at al-Karama International Crossing Point on the Jordanian Border. IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians. Summary Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (26 June – 2 July 2008): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 2 Palestinian children in the West Bank, and wounded 8 civilians, including 2 children and a woman, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, IOF killed 2 Palestinian children and wounded 7 civilians, including 2 children. On 26 June 2008, IOF shot dead a Palestinian child in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. IOF troops moved into the village and opened fire. The child was killed when he was near his house. On 29 June 2008, IOF shot dead a Palestinian child in Tubas town. They set an ambush for a number of Palestinian children who are accustomed to gather in the area to throw stones and Molotov Cocktails at IOF military vehicles. IOF troops fired at the children. One of the children was killed. On 28 June 2008, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded when IOF troops fired at the participants in the funeral procession of a child who had been killed by IOF on the preceding day. On 1 July 2008, 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were wounded when IOF used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. In the Gaza Strip, on 1 July 2008, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip fired at 2 Palestinian women who were cultivating wheat from their land, nearly 500 meters away from the border. A woman was wounded. This attack had been the third of its kind since the Egypt-brokered truce in the Gaza Strip between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel entered into force. Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 44 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 42 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children. Thus, the number of Palestinian civilians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 has mounted to 1,424. Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Gaza Strip IOF have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for more than one year and a half. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the nearly 1.5 million Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. The siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has severely impacted the flow of food, medical supplies and other necessities such as fuel, construction materials and raw materials for various economic sectors. IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip, and subsequently many factories have stopped their industrial activities. Concerning the movement of persons, IOF allow a few Palestinian civilians to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to travel to the West Bank. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. IOF have closed Rafah International Crossing Point, even though they do not directly control it. They have prevented European observers working at the crossing point form reaching it. Even though the Egypt-brokered truce between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel entered into force, no major change has been noticed with regard to the movement of persons and goods through border crossings of the Gaza Strip. The closure of border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of movement, education and health. IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Fishermen have been subjected to intensive monitoring by IOF, which use helicopter gunships and gunboats to monitor the fishermen. The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian fishermen to go fishing up to 20 nautical miles away from the Gaza seashore. West Bank Contrary to Israeli claims of easing restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians, IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to Jerusalem. IOF have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF often violently beat Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city. IOF have also tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians. Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (26 June – 2 July 2008) The full report is available online at: html format: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/03-07-2008.htm

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) 2 Palestinian children were by IOF in the West Bank. 8 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a woman, were wounded by the IOF gunfire; 5 of them were wounded in Ne’lin village near Ramallah. IOF conducted 44 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 42 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, in the West Bank. IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. IOF troops harassed a journalist from Gaza at al-Karama International Crossing Point on the Jordanian Border. IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (26 June – 2 July 2008): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 2 Palestinian children in the West Bank, and wounded 8 civilians, including 2 children and a woman, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, IOF killed 2 Palestinian children and wounded 7 civilians, including 2 children. On 26 June 2008, IOF shot dead a Palestinian child in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. IOF troops moved into the village and opened fire. The child was killed when he was near his house. On 29 June 2008, IOF shot dead a Palestinian child in Tubas town. They set an ambush for a number of Palestinian children who are accustomed to gather in the area to throw stones and Molotov Cocktails at IOF military vehicles. IOF troops fired at the children. One of the children was killed. On 28 June 2008, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded when IOF troops fired at the participants in the funeral procession of a child who had been killed by IOF on the preceding day. On 1 July 2008, 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were wounded when IOF used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. In the Gaza Strip, on 1 July 2008, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip fired at 2 Palestinian women who were cultivating wheat from their land, nearly 500 meters away from the border. A woman was wounded. This attack had been the third of its kind since the Egypt-brokered truce in the Gaza Strip between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel entered into force. Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 44 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 42 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children. Thus, the number of Palestinian civilians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 has mounted to 1,424. Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Gaza Strip IOF have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for more than one year and a half. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the nearly 1.5 million Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. The siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has severely impacted the flow of food, medical supplies and other necessities such as fuel, construction materials and raw materials for various economic sectors. IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip, and subsequently many factories have stopped their industrial activities. Concerning the movement of persons, IOF allow a few Palestinian civilians to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to travel to the West Bank. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. IOF have closed Rafah International Crossing Point, even though they do not directly control it. They have prevented European observers working at the crossing point form reaching it. Even though the Egypt-brokered truce between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel entered into force, no major change has been noticed with regard to the movement of persons and goods through border crossings of the Gaza Strip. The closure of border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of movement, education and health. IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Fishermen have been subjected to intensive monitoring by IOF, which use helicopter gunships and gunboats to monitor the fishermen. The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian fishermen to go fishing up to 20 nautical miles away from the Gaza seashore. West Bank Contrary to Israeli claims of easing restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians, IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to Jerusalem. IOF have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF often violently beat Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city. IOF have also tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians. Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (26 June – 2 July 2008) The full report is available online at: html format: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/03-07-2008.htm

pdf format: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/pdf/weekly%20report%2027.pdf

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