Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
(25 February – 02 March 2016)
- Israeli forces continued to use excessive force in the oPt
- 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were killed in the West Bank.
- 18 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children were wounded in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
- Israeli forces continued to target the border areas along the Gaza Strip, due to which 2 civilians were wounded in the east of Khan Yunis.
- Israeli forces conducted 67 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
- 77 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children, were arrested.
- 10 of them, including 9 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.
- 3 Palestinian civilians were arrested in the southern Gaza Strip while attempting to sneak into Israel to look for work.
- Settlement activities continued in the West Bank.
- 10 commercial and industrial stores were demolished in Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah.
- 4 residential tents, 2 livestock tents, 2 livestock barns in al-Farisiya area in the northern Jordan Valley were demolished.
- A school, 2 caves, 2 barracks, 10 residential tents and 6 livestock barns in Kherbet Tana, east of Nablus, were demolished.
- An underconstruction house in al-Shweika suburb, north of Tulkarm, was demolished.
- Israeli forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.
- 9 fishermen were arrested off al-Sudaniya shore; 8 of whom were released later.
- 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.
- 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were arrested at military checkpoints.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (25 February – 02 March 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. During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, in the West Bank. One of them was killed in Qalandya refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem, another was killed at “Beit Eil” military checkpoint, north of Ramallah, while the 2 others were killed in “Eli” settlement, south of Nablus. Moreover, they wounded 20 civilians, including 3 children. Thirteen of them, including a child, were in the West Bank, and the 7 others, including 2 children, were in the Gaza Strip. Concerning the nature of injuries, 11 civilians were hit with live bullets, 6 were hit with rubber-coated metal bullets and 3 others were hit with sound bombs.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, and wounded 13 others, including a child. Seven of them were hit with live bullets and 6 others were hit with a rubber-coated metal bullet.
Killings committed by Israeli forces in the West Bank were as follows:
On 26 February 2016, in employment of lethal force, Israeli forces stationed at “Beit Eil” military checkpoint known as (DCO), north of al-Bireh, killed Mahmoud Sha’lan (16) holder of an American passport from Deir Dabwan village, northeast of Ramallah, under the pretext of carrying out a stabbing. According to PCHR’s fieldworker, Sha’lan arrived at the abovementioned checkpoint on foot, as he was heading to al-Bireh City. A soldier gestured with his gun to make Sha’lan step back, so he moved 4 steps backwards. The soldier then fired 3 bullets at Sha’lan who fell to the ground. An eyewitness said that the soldier approached Sha’lan and fired 2 other bullets at him at point blank range. As a result, Sha’lan was wounded to the chest and arm and was left bleeding to death.
On 01 March 2016, Israeli forces that moved into Qalandya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, killed Eyad Sajdiya (22) when 2 Israeli soldiers entered the refugee camp with their vehicle and were discovered by young men in the camp. The Palestinian young men burnt the vehicle of the soldiers, who fled, due to which, large Israeli forces moved into the refugee camp to take the 2 soldiers out. However, a number of Palestinian armed men and protestors confronted them. As a result, the abovementioned civilian was killed and 10 others were wounded.
On 02 March 2016, Israeli forces killed Labeeb Azem (17) and Mohammed Zeghlawan (17), both from Qaryout village, southeast of Nablus, after they sneaked into “Eli” settlement in the village. Due to the location and time of the incident, there is no eyewitness to approve or disprove the Israeli narrative mentioned below in the report. However, PCHR believes that Israeli forces could have use less force against the 2 children based on dozens of similar crimes.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 7 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children. Four of them were wounded during their participation in protests organized adjacent to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Beit Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip. In addition, a child was wounded during a similar protest, east of al-Bureij refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip and 2 others were wounded in shooting incidents at border areas, east of Khan Yunis. Four of the wounded persons were hit with live bullets and 3 others were hit with sound bombs.
In the context of targeting border areas along the Gaza Strip, on 26 February 2016, Israeli forces stationed at the said fence, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at3 Palestinian civilians, who were walking in the east of al-Faraheen neighbourhood in Abasan village, 500 meters to the west of the fence. As a result, one of them sustained a bullet wound to the right leg.
Also on the same day, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence, east of Beit Hanoun village, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the said area, but no casualties were reported.
On 28 February 2016, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of Palestinian farmers in their lands. As a result, a farmer sustained a bullet wound to the right leg. It should be noted that the farmers were present about 800 meters away from the fence.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea, on 01 March 2016, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing off al-Sudaniya shore, north of Gaza City. They chased and surrounded 2 fishing boats on board of which were 9 fishermen. Israeli navy soldiers arrested all of them and took them to Ashdod Seaport. On the following day dawn, 01 March 2016, 8 of the 9 fishermen were released and one was kept in custody.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 67 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 6 ones in occupied East Jerusalem and its suburbs. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 77 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children. Ten of them, including 9 children.
In the Gaza Strip, on 27 February 2016, Israeli forces arrested 3 Palestinian civilians, who attempted to sneak into Israel through the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Rafah City, to look for work. They were taken to an unknown destination.
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.
Jewish Majority:
On 26 February 2016, “Ateret Cohanim” organization delivered the heirs of Abdul Majeed al-Rajabi judicial notices to vacate their land in Batn al-Hawa neighbourhood, in Silwan village, south of East Jerusalem, on which 12 apartments are built. The organization claimed that the land belongs to 3 Jews from Yemen, who used to live in that land before 1948. It should be noted that the 12 apartments shelter 93 persons, including 64 children.
On 27 February 2016, officers from the Israeli municipality and police moved into Ein al-Louza neighbourhood, south of East Jerusalem. They photographed the streets and some buildings and then fixed a number of administrative demolition notices to some residential buildings.
Settlement activities:
On 25 February 2016, Israeli bulldozers demolished industrial and commercial facilities and confiscated a mobile house in al-Muhalel in Na’lin village, west of Ramallah. The demolition was carried out against 10 stores.
On 29 February 2016, Israeli bulldozers demolished 4 residential tents, 2 livestock tents and 2 livestock barns in al-Farisiya area, north of Jordan Valley, east of Tubas. It should be noted that these facilities were donated by the Palestine Red Crescent society (PRCS) after a demolition that was carried out in the same area on 11 February 2016.
On 02 March 2016, Israeli forces demolished Kherbet Tana, east of Beit Foreek village, east of Nablus. They demolished the only school in the Kherbeh, 2 caves, 2 barracks, 10 residential tents and 6 livestock tents. The demolished tents and other facilities belong to 12 families consisting of 68 individuals, including 29 children.
On the same day, Israeli forces demolished an underconstruction house in al-Shweika suburb, north of Tulkarm, belonging to Khalil Ahmed Mohammed Ali (44). It is worth noting that the house was 2 kilometres away from the electronic fence, which is part of the annexation wall.
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