Sunday 25 January 2015

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory ( 15 - 21 Jan. 2015)

Thursday, 22 January 2015 00:00

Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and 
property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)


FULL REPORT HERE

Israeli forces continued to fire at Palestinian civilians in border areas in the Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian civilian was wounded in the north of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.
A Palestinian civilian and 3 international human rights defenders, including a woman, were wounded during peaceful protests in the West Bank.
2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded during 2 protests in front of Ofer detention facility, southwest of Ramallah.
A Palestinian woman was wounded in Jerusalem and a civilian was wounded in Jenin.

Israeli forces conducted 69 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
76 Palestinian civilians, including 10 children, 3 women and 2 journalists, were arrested.
19 of these Palestinians, including 5 children and 3 women, were arrested in Jerusalem.
 
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.
3 Palestinian civilians was arrested at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

Israeli navy forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.
Israeli navy forces opened fire 4 times at Palestinian fishing boats, but no casualties were reported.
 
Israeli forces continued efforts to create a Jewish demographic majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
Israeli forces demolished an under-construction house in al-'Eisawiya village, and another house in Jabal al-Mukaber village.
A building comprised of 4 apartments in Shu'fat neighbourhood was demolished.
 
Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
2 houses, a storehouse, a barrack, a residential tent and a toilet were demolished south of Hebron.
2 houses were closed in al-Shuhada Street in the center of Hebron.
Settlers levelled an agricultural land, south of Bethlehem, to establish a settlement road.


Summary
 
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (15 – 21 January 2015).
 
Shooting:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child and woman, while wounded 3 international human rights defenders, including a woman. Eight of these civilians were wounded in the West Bank and the ninth one was wounded in the Gaza Strip. In the Gaza Strip also, Israeli navy forces continued to chase and fire at Palestinian fishing boats.
 
In the West Bank, on 15 January 2015, Palestinian civilian was wounded when Israeli forces moved into Jenin refugee camp, raided a number of houses and arrested 4 members of Hamas.
 
On 20 January 2015, a 34-year-old woman sustained a bullet wound to the face when Israeli forces moved into al-'Eisawiya village, north of East Jerusalem.
 
In the same context, Israeli forces continued to use excessive forces against peaceful protests against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. As a result, a Palestinian civilian and 3 international human rights defenders were wounded. Moreover, another Palestinian civilian and a Spanish human rights activist were arrested.
 
Additionally, 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded during a protest organized in front of Ofer detention facility, southwest of Ramallah, against Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property, especially in East Jerusalem.
 
In the Gaza Strip, on 16 January 2015, Israeli forces opened fire at a group of Palestinian youngsters, east of Jabalia in the north of the Gaza Strip, 50 meters away from the border fence. As a result, a 20-year-old civilian sustained a bullet wound to the right and left legs.
 
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip sea, Israeli navy forces opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats 4 times on 17, 18, 20 and 21 January 2015, but no casualties were reported.
 
Incursions:
 
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 69 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 76 Palestinians, including 10 children and 3 women.  Nineteen of these Palestinians, including 5 children and the 3 women, were arrested in Jerusalem. The detainees included and editor at Hona al-Quds network, from Beitounia village, west of Ramallah, and a reporter of al-Aqsa satellite channel, from Hebron.
 
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 8 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. During the reporting period, Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian patient who obtained a permit to travel to the West Bank for medical treatment, while another civilian accompanying his father was arrested while the father was denied travel for medical treatment. 
 
Efforts to create Jewish majority

On 19 January 2015, Israeli forces demolished an under-construction house in al-Eisawiya village, north of East Jerusalem, without prior notice.
 
On 21 January 2015, Israeli forces demolished a house in al-Sal'a neighbourhood, in Jabal al-Mukaber village, southeast of East Jerusalem, under the pretext of not obtaining a construction license.
 
On the same day, bulldozers belonging to the Israeli municipality demolished a building comprised of 4 apartments in Shu'fat neighbourhood, north of East Jerusalem, under the pretext of not obtaining a construction license.

Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property
 
On 19 January 2015, Israeli forces closed 2 houses in al-Shuhada Street, in the center of Hebron, upon a military order. Israeli forces claimed that a Palestinian young man used the 2 houses to throw Molotov cocktails at a military site, 50 meters away from the 2 houses.
 
On the same day, Israeli forces demolished a water well under the pretext of not obtaining a license in area (C), south of Halhoul, north of Hebron. They also seized metal poles and tin-made boards in Khellet al-Warda, east of Hebron.
 
On 20 January 2015, Israeli forces moved into al-Refa'iya area, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. They evacuated 2 houses to be demolished under the pretext of not obtaining construction license. In addition, they demolished a storehouse, barrack, a residential tent and a toilet.
 
On 15 January 2015, a group of settlers levelled an agricultural land in Khellet al-Nahla, south of Bethlehem to establish a settlement road for a settlement outpost.

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