Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT

PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory	No. 44/2007 01 – 07 Nov. 2007
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) 3 Palestinian civilians (2 children and a doctor) were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip. 2 Palestinian civilians, including a woman, were wounded by IOF in the Gaza Strip. IOF conducted 30 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and one into the Gaza Strip. IOF arrested 66 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and 2 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in the West Bank. IOF arrested a Palestinian civilian and damaged the infrastructure in Um al-Nasser village near Beit Lahia. IOF transformed a house in ‘Allar village near Tulkarm into a military site. IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT. IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged. IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property. IOF demolished 2 under-construction houses in Bethlehem. Summary Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (8 – 14 November 2007): Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 3 Palestinian civilians ( 2 children and a doctor) and wounded 2 others, including a woman, in the Gaza Strip. On Friday, 19 November 2007, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Boreij refugee camp, shot dead 2 Palestinian children. On Saturday, 10 November 2007, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza City, fired a surface-to-surface missile at a home-made rocket launcher at Sha’sha’a intersection to the east of Jablaya town. The missile fell near a civilian vehicle, in which Waheed Rabee’ Saleh, 46, a doctor, and his family were traveling. Rabee’ was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body and the vehicle collided with an electricity tower. He was evacuated to Shifa Hospital where he received medical treatment, but he died from his wound on Monday, 12 November 2007. Additionally, a passing civilian wounded. On Tuesday, 13 November 2007, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Deir al-Balah, wounded a Palestinian woman who was on her family’s land. Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, IOF arrested 68 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and 2 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from Hamas. Thus, the number of members of the Palestinian Legislative Council detained by IOF has increased to 45, and the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 2,395. During the reporting period, IOF transformed a house in ‘Allar village, north of Tulkarm, into a military site. In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one incursion into Um al-Nasser village in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, 8 November 2007. During this incursion, at least 15 journalists were trapped under the IOF gunfire for nearly an hour. One of them sustained bruises to the leg as he fell when he was attempting to flee. During this incursion, IOF troops arrested 67 Palestinian civilians and moved them to a military site at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. They then interrogated the detainees and released them in the evening, excluding one. Also during the incursion, IOF troops damaged the infrastructure of the village. 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 nearly 17 months. 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 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. Moreover, 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 further tightened the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip, and the living and economic conditions of Palestinian civilians have further deteriorated. During the reporting period, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “an enemy entity,” which implies imposing more restrictions and measures of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population. On 19 September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “an enemy entity” and accordingly measures of collective punishment against Gaza escalated. Since that time, IOF have limited the goods exported to the Gaza Strip to only 9 basic materials. As a consequence, local markets ran out of many goods, which caused a sharp increase in prices, which mounted to 500% for some goods. Israeli occupation forces have banned the flow of some medicines, furniture, electrical appliances, cows and cigarettes into the Gaza Strip, and have decreased the amounts of some goods allowed into the Gaza Strip, such as fruits, milk and some dairy products. IOF have also continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. West Bank IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. 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 and border crossings in the West Bank arrested at least 5 Palestinian civilians. Settlement Activities: Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, IOF demolished 2 houses in al-Fraidees village, southeast of Bethlehem, and a shop in Hares village, west of Salfit, claiming that they were built without licenses. Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (8 – 14 November 2007) The full report is available online at: html format: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2007/15-11-2007.htm pdf format: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2007/pdf/Weekly%20Report%2045.pdf
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