Hebron- Israeli forces attack a demonstration organized in the commemoration of al-Nakbah anniversary in Beit Ummar village on 17 May 2014
Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
- In excessive use of force, Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian children in the West Bank
- 9 civilians, including 3 children and a photojournalist, were wounded.
- Israeli forces continued to open fire in the border areas of the Gaza Strip.
- 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in the northern and southern Gaza Strip.
- 15-dunum fields planted with wheat were burnt in the east of Khan Yunis.
- Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.
- A protester was wounded in Kofur Qaddoum, northeast of Qalqilya.
- Israeli forces conducted 86 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the southern Gaza Strip.
- 39 Palestinian civilians, including 9 children, were arrested.
- The entrance of Jenin Governmental Hospital was destroyed and tear gas canisters were fired inside it.
- 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.
- At least 9 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, were arrested at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
- Israeli navy forces continued targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea.
- Four fishermen were arrested and 4 boats were confiscated in the sea off Rafah shore, in the southern Gaza Strip.
- Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
- The electricity network in Ethna village, west of Hebron, was destroyed.
- Settlers damaged 50 trees throughout the West Bank.
- 7 dunums were levelled and 500 trees were uprooted in Nahalin area, west of Bethlehem.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (15 – 21 May 2014).
Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian children and wounded 12 other civilians, including 3 children and a journalist, in the West Bank. They also wounded 4 civilians in the border areas in the Gaza Strip; a child and 2 workers collecting raw materials as well as a farmer. Israeli naval forces fired at and chased Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip Sea.
In the Gaza Strip, on 17 May 2014, a Palestinian child was wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire at the agricultural lands in the east of ‘Abasan village to the west of the border. The child was collecting grass from an agricultural land near al-Rowwad sport club, which is only 600 meters away from the border.
On 18 May 2014, a worker collecting raw materials was wounded when the Israeli forces stationed in the military watchtowers at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing, northwest of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of workers collecting raw materials in the destroyed industrial zone to the west of the crossing near the border.
On 19 May 2014, a worker collecting raw materials was wounded when the Israeli forces stationed in the military watchtowers at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing, northwest of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of workers collecting raw materials in the destroyed industrial zone to the west of the crossing near the border.
On 21 May 2014, a Palestinian farmer was lightly wounded with a bullet to the head when Israeli forces who moved into the east of al-Qararah village, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire.
On the same day, Israeli forces stationed along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire and fired smoke shells at the agricultural fields to the southeast of Abu Reidah neighbourhood, east of Khza’ah in the east of Khan Yunis. As a result, 15-dunum fields belonging to Abu T’eimah family were on fire. Those fields were planted with wheat and located 350-400 meters away from the border.
In the same context on 16 May 2014, Israeli forces stationed along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza strip, opened fire at a group of young men who were near the aforementioned border in attempt to throw stones at the Israeli soldiers. No injuries were reported.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 19 May 2014, Israeli navy forces arrested 2 fishermen; Ayman (43) and Alaa' Khalil al-Bardaweel (41), from al-Mawasi area, west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. This happened when Israeli gunboats approached about 30 fishing boats sailing about 1 nautical mile off Rafah shore. Israeli navy soldiers opened fire from a close range at 2 fishing boats boarded by the 2 aforementioned fishermen. In addition, they pulled the 2 fishing boats to an unknown destination.
On 20 May 2014, Israeli Navy forces arrested two fishermen; Ramez Sa’adi Mohammed Jom’aah (29) and ‘Emad al-Din Khalil Ahmed Mansour (42) from Tal al-Sultan neighbourhood in the west of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and confiscated their two boats.
On the same day, Israeli gunboats stationed off Khan Yunis shore in the southern Gaza Strip opened fire sporadically in the vicinity of the Palestinian fishing boats and chased fishermen. No injuries were reported as the fishermen were forced to flee away for fear of being injured or arrested or their boats being damaged.
In the West Bank, In excessive use of force, on Thursday, 15 May 2014, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian children and wounded 8 civilians, including a child who was in a serious condition, near “’Ofer” Prison, west of Ramallah.
On 16 May 2014, four civilians, including a child and a journalist, were wounded during a demonstration organized by dozens of Palestinian angry young men in the vicinity of ‘Ofer Prison, southwest of Ramallah, after the funeral procession of two children who were killed by the Israeli soldiers on the preceding day.
On the same day, a 14-year-old child was hit by a rubber-coated bullet to the left eye. As a result, he lost his sight. A 20-year-old civilian was hit by two metal bullets to the left knee and testicles when Israeli forces opened fire at a group of Palestinian young men demonstrating in Bab al-Zawiyah area in the centre of Hebron.
In the same context, Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, a 19-year-old demonstrator was hit by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the waist during Kafer Qaddoum protest, northeast of Qalqilya. Dozens of protestors suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 86 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 39 Palestinians, including 9 children.
On 20 May 2014, Israeli forces moved into Jenin and its refugee camp and raided and searched a number of houses, from which they arrested many civilians. During the incursion, Israeli forces destroyed the entrance of Jenin Governmental Hospital and fired tear gas canisters inside it.
In the Gaza Strip, on 21 May 2014, Israeli forces backed by 4 military bulldozers from the military Kissufim gate moved 200 meters into the east of al-Qararah village, east of Khan Younis. They levelled parts of the area and fired smoke artillery shells, some of which fell in the east of al-Qararah while others fell on al-Kurd hill, east of al-Salqa valley, east of Deir al-Balah. No injuries were reported. At approximately 09:00, they re-deployed along the border fence and after half an hour moved into east of al-Qararah. They levelled parts of the area along the border fence to the south and to the east of ‘Abasan.
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 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 grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7 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.
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 9 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Settlement activities
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, in a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Attacks carried out by Israeli forces
On 19 May 2014, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and a bulldozer moved into al-Ra’s neighborhood, west of Ezna village, west of Hebron. The Israeli soldiers deployed in the area and prevented civilians’ movement. The Israeli bulldozers then removed a 1.5-kilometer-long network that provides the area with electricity.
On the same day, Israeli forces accompanied a vehicle belonging to the construction and organization department in the Israeli Civil Administration and 4 bulldozers moved into the agricultural lands in the vicinity of Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem in Salem Valley area, east of the village. The Israeli bulldozers leveled lands of an area of 7 dunums planted with different kinds of trees under the pretext that those lands were confiscated. The leveling included burying the trees after uprooting them and confiscating some of them. Around 500 trees aged between 10 to 20 years were uprooted. These lands are located in the vicinity of “Daniel” settlement established on the confiscated lands in the village.
Attacks carried out by settlers
On 15 May 2014, settlers from “Bitar ‘Elit” settlement established on Palestinian lands, south of Bethlehem, chopped and smashed branches of 20 grape vineyards and 10 olive trees in addition to a number of apricot trees, which are less than two years old.
On 18 May 2014, settlers from “Sidi Bou’ez” outpost established on the Palestinian lands, south of al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem, stormed the agricultural lands, south of the village, and performed religious rituals near a water spring.
On the same day, a number of settlers stormed an archaeological site in the center of al-Samou’a village and performed their religious rituals. It should be mentioned that the settlers usually roam in the vicinity of the area in the Jewish holidays each year and perform their religious rituals there. They call the aforementioned site “Etshamoa’a”.
On 19 May 2014, a group of settlers from “Rafafa” settlement set fire to lands belonging to the residents of Haris village, northwest of Salfit. As a result, 20 olive, almond, fig and oak trees, which belong to Ma’moun Mohammed Dawoud ‘Abdel Hamid, were damaged in al-Wad al-Shami area. Israeli forces obstructed Palestinian firefighters from extinguishing the fire.
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