Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (26 June- 01 July 2015)

Friday, 3 July 2015

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (26 June- 01 July 2015)

Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

(25 June – 01 July 2015)

Thursday, 02 July 2015 00:00

FULL REPORT

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian at al-Hamra checkpoint in the Jordan Valley.
A Palestinian civilian was wounded at Qalandia checkpoint, north of Jerusalem.

Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.
A Palestinian child sustained wounds during Kufor Qaddoum weekly protest, northeast of Qalqilya.

Israeli forces opened fire at border areas along the Gaza Strip and no casualties were reported.

Israeli forces conducted 41 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the Gaza Strip.
33 Palestinian civilians, including 10 children, were wounded in the West Bank.
11 of these civilians, including 7 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

Israel continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Many checkpoints were established in the West Bank.
6 Palestinian civilians, including 2 women, were arrested at checkpoints.

Israeli navy forces continued to open fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip Sea.

Israeli forces continued efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
A house belonging to the al-Jamal family in Jabal al-Mukaber neighbourhood was shut down on the ground of collective punishment.
The Israeli municipality decided to plant 200 dunums of al-Eisawiya lands in order to confiscate them.

Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Israeli forces issued demolition notices for houses south of Hebron.
3 Palestinian civilians sustained wounds and bruises in 3 separate attacks by Israeli settlers.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (25 June – 01 July 2015).

Shooting:
In the west Bank, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian at al-Hamra checkpoint in the Jordan Valley and wounded 2 others, including a child. Additionally, Israeli forces continued to use force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests in the oPt and against civilians approaching the border fence along the Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, on 26 June 2015, Israeli forces stationed at al-Hamra checkpoint, south of Tubas, killed a Palestinian civilian from al-Ouja village, north of Jericho. They claimed that an armed Palestinian in a vehicle fired at Israeli soldiers stationed at the said checkpoint, but no casualties were reported. However, Israeli soldiers fired in response and seriously wounded him, due to which he died.

On 30 June 2015, Israeli forces stationed at Qalandia checkpoint, north of East Jerusalem, opened fire at a Palestinian civilian who cries out "Allah Akbar" while being near the checkpoint. As a result, he sustained 5 bullet wounds throughout his body.

Israeli forces continued to use excessive and systematic use of force against peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights activists in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli policies in the oPt. As a result, a 14-year-old child sustained a bullet wound to the right thigh in Kufor Qaddoum protest, northeast of Qalqilya.

In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting border areas, on 25 June 2015, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Jabalia, opened fire sporadically at the cemetery area, but no casualties were reported. On 01 July 2015, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence opened fire at agricultural lands, east of al-Maghazai refugee camp, but no casualties were reported either.

As part of targeting fishermen, Israeli gunboats stationed off Deir al-Balah shore, in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles, but no casualties were reported.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 41 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 6 ones in East Jerusalem. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 33 Palestinians, including 10 children. Eleven of these civilians, including the 7 children, were arrested in East Jerusalem.

In the Gaza Strip, on 01 July 2015, Israeli forces conducted a limited incursion into the east of al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. They levelled lands along the border fence and withdrew few hours later.

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. The Israeli closure raised the rate of poverty to 38.8%, 21.1% of which suffer from extreme poverty. Moreover, the rate of unemployment increased up to 44%, which reflects the unprecedented economic deterioration in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli efforts to create a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem
In the context of collective punishment policies, on Wednesday morning, 01 July 2015, Israeli forces locked with metal boards the windows and doors of a house belonging to the family of Odai Abu al-Jamal in al-Mukaber Mount village, southeast of East Jerusalem, after evacuating the family.
Settlement activities

Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On 24 June 2015, Israeli forces issued notices to halt construction works and to demolish civilian objects in Kherbet Janaba, east of Yatta south of Hebron.

On 27 June 2015, 3 Israeli settlers from "Mitzpe Yair" settlement, east of Yatta south of Hebron, attacked a 53-year-old Palestinian civilian with stones and tried to physically attack him. As a result, he sustained wounds to the head and pain in the back.

On 27 June 2015, a number of settlers beat and insulted a 31-year-old Palestinian civilian while driving his car on Beit Hanina new road, north of East Jerusalem. As a result, he sustained bruises and wounds.

On 30 June 2015, 4 masked settlers from "Dulip" settlement, northwest of Ramallah, sprayed pepper spray over the face of a 60-year-old Palestinian civilian and attacked him with sticks, sharp tools and stones.

On the same day, a group of settlers wrote racist slogans against Arabs on the walls of a number of houses in Beit Safafa village, south of East Jerusalem. The slogans included: "Arabs should be slaughtered".