Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (29 Jan.- 03 Feb. 2016)
Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
(28 January – 03 February 2016)
- Israeli forces continued to use excessive force in the oPt
- 5 Palestinian civilians were killed, 3 of whom were killed in occupied Jerusalem in one incident.
- 20 Palestinian civilians, including an Israeli human rights activist and 2 children, were wounded in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
- Israeli forces continued to open fire at areas along the Gaza Strip borders, but no casualties were reported.
- Israeli forces conducted 81 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the southern Gaza Strip.
- 101 Palestinian civilians, including 24 children, were arrested. 35 of them, including 15 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.
- Israeli forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip sea.
- 4 fishermen were arrested and their 2 fishing boats were confiscated off Gaza Valley shore.
- Jewish majority efforts continued in occupied East Jerusalem.
- 2 under-construction houses in Sour Baher and Silwan villages were demolished.
- Al-Quds (Abu Dees) University was raided and all belongings of the university student unions were confiscated.
- Settlement activities continued in the West Bank.
- 3 residential tents in Deir Ammar village, northwest of Ramallah, were demolished.
- Israeli forces turned the West Bank into cantons and continued to impose the illegal closure on the Gaza Strip for the 9th
- Dozens of temporary checkpoints were established in the West Bank and others were re-established to obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians.
- 18 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were arrested at military checkpoints.
- A student was arrested at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing, north of the Gaza Strip.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (28 January – 03 February 2016).
Shooting:
Israeli forces have continued to commit crimes, inflicting civilian casualties. They have also continued to use excessive force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the majority of whom were youngsters. Occupied East Jerusalem witnessed similar attacks. During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 5 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, 3 of whom were killed in occupied East Jerusalem in one incident. Moreover, they wounded 10 civilians, including an Israeli human rights activist and 2 children. Six civilians, including a child were wounded in the Gaza Strip while the remaining others were wounded in the West Bank. Concerning the nature of injuries, 12 civilians were hit with live bullets, 11 others were hit with rubber-coated metal bullets and one was hit with a sound bomb to the face.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed 5 Palestinian civilians and wounded 14 others, including a child and an Israeli human rights activist. Nine of them were hit with live bullets, 4 others were hit with rubber-coated metal bullets and one was hit with a sound bomb to the face.
In the West Bank, killings committed by Israeli forces were as follows:
On 31 January 2016, Israeli forces stationed at “Beit Eil” military checkpoint, north of al-Bireh, killed Amjad Sokari (35), from Jama’in village, south of Nablus, after he opened fire at the Israeli soldiers stationed at the abovementioned checkpoint and wounded 3 of them.
On 01 February 2016, Israeli forces killed Ahmed Touba (18), from Kufor Jamal village, northeast of Qalqilya, while attempting to sneak through the annexation wall into Israel in pursuit of work.
On 03 February 2016, Israeli Border Guard officers opened fire at 3 Palestinian civilians under the pretext they carried out a stabbing and shooting attack against Israeli soldiers at al-Amoud (Damascus) Gate in the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem. As a result, the 3 Palestinians were killed with several bullets throughout their bodies. The killed were identified as Ahmed Zakarnah (20), from Jenin; Ahmed Abu al-Rub (20); and Mohammed Kmail (19), both are from Qabatya village, southeast of the city.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child during a protest organized near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip. Three of them were hit with live bullets and the 3 others were hit with rubber-coated metal bullets.
As part of Israeli attacks along the border area in the Gaza Strip, on 28 January 2016, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis, opened fire at agricultural lands, east of al-Qararah village, to the west of the border fence. However, no casualties were reported.
On 29 January 2016, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza Valley village, opened fire at Palestinian shepherds, who were in their lands adjacent to the fence. However, no casualties were reported.
In the context of Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea, on 30 January 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed off the northwest of Beit Lahia village, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. However, neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
On 01 February 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed off the shores of Deir al-Balah and al-Nusairat refugee camps, in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at about 50 fishing boats sailing within 5 nautical miles. However, neither casualties nor material damage were reported as well.
On 3 February 2016, Israeli gunboats chased while opening fire 2 fishing boats sailing within 5 nautical miles off Gaza Valley shore. On board of the 2 boats were Mohammed al-Sa’idi (24) and his brother Mahmoud (22), Sayed al-Sa’idi (31) and Jehad Kaskeen (20). The Israeli navy forces obliged the aforementioned fishermen to take their clothes off, jump in the water and swim towards the Israeli gunboats. Moreover, they took them to Ashdod Seaport and kept the 2 fishing boats under the Israeli custody. In the evening, Israeli forces released 3 fishermen and kept Mahmoud al-Sa’idi in detention.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 81 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 10 ones in occupied East Jerusalem and its suburbs. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 101 Palestinian civilians, including 24 children. Thirty-five of them, including 15 children, were arrested in East Jerusalem.
In the Gaza Strip, on 03 February 2016, Israeli forces conducted a limited incursion in the southern Gaza Strip. They moved about 100 meters to the east of al-Fokhari village, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. Then then levelled lands for few hours and withdrew later.
Efforts to create Jewish Majority
In the context of house demolitions and demolition notices issued on grounds of non-licensing construction works, on 02 February 2016, vehicles belonging to the Israeli municipality demolished a house belonging to Eyad Abu Mahameed in Hommos valley in Sour Baher village, south of occupied East Jerusalem, under the pretext that he did not obtain a building permit in advance from the Israeli municipality. It should be noted that the aforementioned person should have moved in on the abovementioned day.
On the same day, on 29 January 2016, vehicles belonging to the Israeli municipality demolished a house belonging to Yehya Mohsen in Silwan village, south of the Old City under the pretext of not obtaining a building permit. It should be noted that Yehya was planning to move in soon.
On 29 January 2016, an Israeli large force raided al-Quds (Abu Dees) University, east of occupied Jerusalem. They raided the rooms of the student unions after detaining the security officers. They then damaged the rooms’ contents and confiscated a number of PC sets.
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 9 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.
Settlement activities:
On 31 January 2016, Israeli forces accompanied by Civil Administration and a truck-mounted crane moved into al-Shaikh area adjacent to Beit Ommer village, north of Hebron. They stationed around an underconstruction house belonging to Osama al-Alami, where the Civil Administration officers confiscated some of the construction steel, a concrete mixer and 5 concrete block containers estimated at NIS 13,000. Moreover, the Civil Administration officer handed a notice over to the house owner to halt construction works.
On 01 February 2016, Israeli forces demolished 3 shelters made of cloth, tin plates and wood and a livestock barn in Ein Ayoub area in Deir Ammar village, northwest of Ramallah, rending 17 members, including 11 children, homeless. These shelters belong to the families of brothers Sayyah, Abdullah and Ahmed Mousa Jahaleen.
In the Same context, on Tuesday, 01 February 2016, settlers opened fire towards a house belonging to Mohammed Abu Zaid, from Deir Estya village, northwest of Salfit. It should be noted that the house is located on the outskirts of the village and is surrounded with a number of settlements and settlement outposts
Uprooted Palestinian 
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