Weekly report on israel’s terrorism on Palestinians (14 March – 20 March 2019)

PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations 

Israeli forces continued with systematic crimes, in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

Israeli warplanes launch dozens of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip for five hours. Two million Palestinians have become victims of collective punishment policy amid a tide of incitement at political and military echelons in Israel. Four Palestinian civilians, including 2 women and a child, were wounded, in addition to damaging a wedding hall, an office belonging to the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. Moreover, several houses sustained material damage. Three Palestinian civilians were killed and 12 others were wounded in different incidents in the West Bank. Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protestors in the Gaza Strip.

Shooting:

• During the reporting period, Israeli forces escalated their attacks on the Gaza Strip. In this week, the Israeli forces continued to use lethal force against Palestinian civilians participating in the Return and Breaking Siege March, which broke out in the Gaza Strip on 30 March 2019, where thousands have been killed and wounded. Moreover, Israeli forces continued to target the agricultural lands with artillery shells, tighten the closure for the 13^th year, and chase fishermen in the sea. On Friday dawn, 15 March 2019, the Gaza Strip witnessed the most violent Israeli escalation in months, in which Israeli warplanes carried out dozens of airstrikes on various targets in the Gaza Strip. Two million Palestinians are victims of collective punishment policy amid a tide of incitement at political and military echelons in Israel. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 23 civilians, including 7 children, 2 women, a paramedic, and a journalist. The injury of five of them, including a girl, were reported serious. Sixteen of them were wounded during the 25^th boats rally for breaking the Siege along the Gaza Strip coastline, while 27 others were wounded due to airstrikes and shooting incidents at the border areas. In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed 3 civilians and wounded 12 others in different shooting incidents. Moreover, a child was wounded with a liv bullet by an Israeli settler.

• In the Gaza Strip, on 15 March 2019, Israeli warplanes fired for five hours 52 missiles at 20 military sites located in various locations; some were in densely populated areas throughout the Gaza Strip.  Targets were against civilian facilities, including a wedding hall and an office belonging to the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, which were completely damaged. The Israeli airstrikes resulted in the injury of 4 civilians, including a girl and 2 women. Moreover, two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip lived in a state terror and fear due to the continuous Israeli airstrikes.

• On 19 March 2019, an Israeli drone fired one missile at a group of civilians, east of al-Shawkah village, east of Rafah, and no injurie were reported.

• In excessive use of lethal force against the peaceful protesters in eastern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 16 civilians, including 4 children, a paramedic and a journalist. All of them were wounded during the 25^th boats rally organized on 19 March 2019  for breaking the Siege along the Gaza Strip coastline.

• As part of targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 20 March 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha shore, north of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within one nautical mile and chased them. As a result, fishermen were force to flee for fear of their lives and no casualties or damage to their boats were reported.

• As part of targeting the border areas, on 14 March 2019, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, fired live bullets and flare bombs, east of al-Zanna area, east of Khan Younis. They later declared that they arrested five Palestinian civilians while attempting to sneak through the border fence.

• On 16 March 2019, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, east of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at farmers in the eastern areas. As a result, the farmers were forced to flee fearing for their lives, and no casualties were reported.

• On the same day, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, east of Deir al-Balah, opened fire at Palestinian shepherds.

• On 17 March 2019, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Shawkah village, east of Rafah, opened fire at agricultural lands and no injurie were reported.

• On 19 March 2019, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel opened fire at Khaled ‘Abd al-Ra’ouf Abu Ghanima (21), from al-Sheja’ia neighborhood, east of Gaza City. As a result, Khaled was hit with a live bullet to the chest. According to PCHR’s investigations, Khaled was near the industrial zone (Karni) collecting gravel and stones using his cart to sell them. At approximately 08:30, he arrived at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where his injury was classified as serious.

• On the same day, Israeli soldiers stationed behind sand berms along the border fence with Israel, opened fire at Palestinian civilians, who were 70 meters away, west of the aforementioned border fence, east of al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. As a result, two children were hit with live bullets to the lower limbs and their injuries were classified as moderate.

• On 30 March 2019, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands, east of ‘Abasan and al-Qarrarah villages, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.

• In the West Bank, Israeli forces moved into Nablus to protect hundreds of settlers, who were going to perform their Talmudic prayers in “Joseph Tomb” in Balata al-Balad, east of Nablus. Fifteen minutes after the incursion, an Israeli infantry force covering behind buildings and stores at the entrance to the sub-road to ‘Amman Street opened fire at a Palestinian civilian car carrying two civilians identified as Raed Hashem Mohammad Hamdan (21) and Ziad ‘Emad Mohammad al-Noury (20), both from Nablus.Following that, the Israeli forces claimed that a speeding car opened fire at them on Amman Street, but no causalities were reported.Moreover, in an attempt to hide their crime, the Israeli forces confiscated the DVRs of the surveillance cameras in the nearby shops in the area.

• On 20 March 2019, Israeli forces stationed at al-Nashash military checkpoint, south of Bethlehem, opened fire at a vehicle belonging to ‘Alaa’ Moahmmed Ghyatha (38). As a result, ‘Alaa’ was hit with a live bullet to the abdomen and taken to al-Yamam Hospital and he is in critical condition. Moreover, while civilians were evacuating passengers from the vehicle to relive them, Ahmed Jamal Mahmoud Mahmoud Manassra (26), from Fokin Valley village, west of Bethlehem, was hit with live bullets to the chest, shoulder and hand, immediately causing his death. According to PCHR’s investigations the two crimes were committed in cold blood.

• In the same context, the Israeli forces wounded 12 civilians in different shooting incidents in the West Bank.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 114 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 5 other incursions into Jerusalem and its suburbs. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 51 Palestinians, including 3 children and 2 women, from the West Bank, while 5 other civilians, including a woman, were arrested from Jerusalem and its suburbs.

In this week, Israeli forces imposed a collective punishment policy against over 80 thousand civilians, from Salfit. Following an attack against a site belonging to the Israeli forces at the intersection of “Ariel” settlement, north of Salfit, the Israeli forces declared the area as closed military zone, closed all the villages’ entrances, and prevented the residents from entering and exiting the villages. As a result, the residents were deprived of their right to live, work and movement for several days. The Israeli forces also conducted incursions against residential houses, shops, in addition to mal-treating civilians. Salfit includes around 20 residential compounds.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces backed by five military vehicles, moved around 100 meters into the west of the border fence with Israeli, east of Gaza Valley village (Johr al-Dik). The military vehicles leveled lands adjacent to the border fence. The incursion continued until 14:30 as the Israeli forces redeployed along the border fence.

Israeli authorities continued to create a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.

• As part of the Israeli house demolitions and notices, Israeli Municipality vehicles demolished an under-construction building belonging to al-Razi Private School and then completely demolished it. The building was comprised of 2 floors built on an area of 1000 square meters. The schoolmaster Saleh ‘Alqam said that the demolished building belongs to his wife, who bought a plot of land located few meters away from the school in order to expand it. The school was built years ago, where 1500 students are studying in it. He also said that the building was built last year on an area of 1000 square meters, in addition to other facilities, before issuing the demolition order in last November by the Israeli authorities. Before starting to build the mentioned building, the school administration headed to the Israeli Ministry of Interior and Jerusalem Municipality to get a license, where they told them that the area belongs to UNRWA and the municipality does not get construction licenses.  However, the Municipality issued an order to demolish the building.

• In the same context, the Israeli Civil Administration staff handed a notice to the Palestinian Equestrian Club in Qalandia village, north of occupied East Jerusalem, to stop construction works under the pretext of non-licensing. The journalist Mahmoud ‘Awadallah said that the notice orders the owners of the club, which is built 2 years ago, to stop construction works and gives them until the beginning of next April to license the club.

Israeli Forces continued their settlement activities, and the settlers continued their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property

• As part of house demolitions, on 18 March 2019, Israeli vehicles stationed in Kherbit Um Nir and the digger demolished a water well used to irrigate the crops. The water well belongs to Fareed Za’al al-Jabbour and it was demolished under the pretext of non-licensing.

• On 20 March 2019, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and accompanied with a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration and a digger moved into Kherbit al-Tubah, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, which is classified within al-Masafer area. The Israeli soldiers deployed between civilians’ houses and the digger started to demolish a 50-sqaure-meter house built of bricks. This house belongs to Huda ‘Ali ‘Abed al-Rahman ‘Awad, where she and her 3 children live. The Israeli forces also confiscated a water tank and solar cells from the house.

• As part of Israeli settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property, PCHR’s fieldworkers documented 7 direct attacks were as follows:

• On 15 March 2019, an Israeli settler opened fire at Ahmed ‘Odah Mazar’ah (7) while he was al-Baba Mount Community in al-‘Izariyia village, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem.

• On 17 March 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, under the Israeli forces’ protection, attacked the eastern outskirts of ‘Asirah al-Qabaliyia village, south of Nablus. As a result, two civilians, including a child, were hit with stones to their heads and then taken to Rafidiyia Hospital in Nablus. Moreover, the settlers damaged three windows of ‘Abed al-Rahman Mohamed Ahmed’s house, in addition to damaging the windows and rear lights of a car belonging to Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Salman Makhlouf and the rear lights of his brother Majdi’s car.

• On the same day, dozens of Israeli settlers gathered in the plain of Dir Sharaf village, at the intersection of “Shavei Shamron “settlement, west of Nablus. The settlers threw stones at a vehicle belonging to the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) , broke its windows and attacked its staff.

• On 18 March 2019, Israeli settlers, from “Homesh“ settlement, northwest of Nablus, attacked with stones Palestinian civilians’ vehicles passing on Jenin-Nablus Street. As a result, Rawan Ihssan ‘Atah Ghubariyia (24), was hit with stones to the back, abdomen, right shoulder, and left leg; along with her brother Nizar (30), who was hit with a stick to his back. Both of them are from Kafiret village, south of Jenin.

• On 20 March 2019, a group of Israeli settlers punctured the tires of 17 vehicles belonging to Palestinian civilians in Biter village, west of Bethlehem. They also wrote racist slogans on the vehicles. The village’s residents said that they were surprised with storming the village by the Israeli settlers and damaging 17 vehicles parked in front of their owners’ houses. They also said that the settlers wrote racist slogans on the vehicles and walls such as “ Price tag” “ Go away” “ You have no place on the lands of Israel”.

• On the same day, a group of Israeli settlers, from “ Homish” settlement, northwest of Nablus, threw stones at a house belonging to Fadi Mahmoud Mas’oud Heijah, which is located on Jenin-Nablus Street. As a result, Fadi and his brother Rami’s cars were damaged.

Use of Force against Demonstrations in Protest against the U.S. President’s Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel:

Israeli forces continued its excessive use of lethal force against peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and it was named as “The Great March of Return and Breaking Siege.” The demonstration was in protest against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration to move the U.S. Embassy to it. According to PCHR fieldworkers’ observations, the border area witnessed large participation by Palestinian civilians as the Israeli forces continued to use upon highest military and political echelons excessive force against the peaceful demonstrators, though the demonstration were fully peaceful. The demonstration was as follows during the reporting period:

Gaza Strip:

• At approximately 14:45 on Tuesday, 19 March 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed in the sea and Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel opened fire and fired sound bombs at dozens of Palestinian civilians, who were in the Return Camp along the coastal border, adjacent to “Zikim” military base, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Moreover, they opened fire and fired sound bombs at the boats of the 25th day for the rally of Palestinian boats to sail for Breaking the Siege and another group were swimming in the sea. As a result, 16 civilians, including four children, a paramedic and a journalist, were wounded. Three of them were hit with live bullets and shrapnel, and 13 were directly hit with tear gas canisters. The injury of three of them, including a girl, was reported serious, while the rest of them ranged between minor and moderate. The wounded paramedic, Mustafa Khaled Mustafa al-Masri (20), from Khan Younis, who works as a volunteer paramedic for Rowad al-Salam team, was hit with a tear gas canister to the head. Meanwhile, the wounded journalist, Tha’er Khaled Fehmi Abu Ryash (24), from Beit Lahia, who works as photographer for al-Shamal Online Network, was hit with a tear gas canister to the neck.

Notices and House Demolitions:

• At approximately 11:00 on Tuesday, 19 March 2019, Israeli forces accompanied with the Israeli Municipality staff and 3 military vehicles moved into Sho’fat refugee camp, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem, through its main entrance. The Israeli forces deployed on the main street and surrounded an under-construction building belonging to al-Razi Private School and then completely demolished it. The building was comprised of 2 floors built on an area of 1000 square meters.  The schoolmaster Saleh ‘Alqam said that the demolished building belongs to his wife, who bought a plot of land located few meters away from the school in order to expand it. The school was built years ago, where 1500 students are studying in it. He also said that the building was built last year on an area of 1000 square meters, in addition to other facilities, before issuing the demolition order in last November by the Israeli authorities. ‘Alqam added that before starting to build the mentioned building, the school administration headed to the Israeli Ministry of Interior and Jerusalem Municipality to get a license, where they told them that the area belongs to UNRWA and the municipality does not get construction licenses.  However, the Municipality issued an order to demolish the building. ‘Alqam pointed out that the demolition led to end the school day due to raiding the school and topping its roof. He said that the new building was supposed to be a primary school and kindergarten. About 400 students were enrolled in al-Razi school for the next academic year.

• On Tuesday, the Israeli Civil Administration staff handed a notice to the Palestinian Equestrian Club in Qalandia village, north of occupied East Jerusalem, to stop construction works under the pretext of non-licensing. The journalist Mahmoud ‘Awadallah said that the notice orders the owners of the club, which is built 2 years ago, to stop construction works and gives them until the beginning of next April to license the club. ‘Awadallah said that the club is located in area classified as Area C, where the Israeli authorities refuse to give licenses in it. He also pointed out that the notice was part of the Israeli attack on the village through confiscating lands, preventing construction works and demolishing houses whether in lands classified within the municipality boundaries or the area classified as “C “. Awadallah said that the village faces a real urban crisis as the Israeli authorities only allow civilians to build in the center of the village on an area of 150 dunums.

• Israeli settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property

• At approximately 14:00 on Friday, 15 March 2019, an Israeli settler opened fire at Ahmed ‘Odah Mazar’ah (7) while he was al-Baba Mount Community in al-‘Izariyia village, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem. Dawoud al-Jahaleen, the Secretary of Fatah Movement in ‘Arab al-Jahalin Community, said that the child was hit with a live bullet to the hand by an Israeli settler when he was playing along with other children in the area. Dawoud denied that the child was wounded with suspicious object. He added that the child was taken to an emergency center in Abu Dies village and then to al-Maqased Hospital in al-Tour neighborhood in Jerusalem. It should be noted that “Maaleh Adumim“ is located few meters away from al-Baba Mount Community.

Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property

Israeli forces’ attacks:

• At approximately 10:00 on Monday, 18 March 2019, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and accompanied with a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration and a digger moved into Kherbit Um Nir, south of Yatta. The Israeli vehicles stationed in Kherbit Um Nir and the digger demolished a water well used to irrigate the crops. The water well belongs to Fareed Za’al al-Jabbour and it was demolished under the pretext of non-licensing.

• At approximately 10:00 on Wednesday, 20 March 2019, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and accompanied with a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration and a digger moved into Kherbit al-Tubah, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, which is classified within al-Masafer area. The Israeli soldiers deployed between civilians’ houses and the digger started to demolish a 50-sqaure-meter house built of bricks. This house belongs to Huda ‘Ali ‘Abed al-Rahman ‘Awad, where she and her 3 children live. The Israeli forces also confiscated a water tank and solar cells from the house.

• Around the same time, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and accompanied with a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration and a bulldozer moved into Kherbit al-Halawa, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The Israeli soldiers deployed between civilians’ tents. The bulldozer demolished three tents were as follows:
  • a residential tent built with stone chains, sheds and steel angles and belongs to ‘Ali Mohamed ‘Ali Abu ‘Arram;
  • a 20-sqaure-meter residential tent built with sheds and wood and belongs to Hussain ‘Ali Abu ‘Arram; and
  • a tent built with sheds and used as a mosque.

• At approximately 11:30, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and accompanied with a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration and a digger moved into Kherbit Moghayir al-‘Abeed, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The digger demolished a 60-sqaure-meter residential tent and a 40-squre-meter barrack built of tin plates and used for breeding livestock. The tent and barrack belong to Nuzha Shehadah Makhamrah.

Israeli settlers’ attacks:

• At approximately 14:30 on Sunday, 17 March 2019, following the attack carried out near “Ariel” settlement, south of Salfit, a group of Israeli settlers, from “Yatizhar” settlement moved into the eastern outskirts of ‘Asirat al-Qabaliyia village, south Of Nablus, under the Israeli forces’ protection. The settlers stationed in the vicinity of Bir ‘Asirah area, under Solman Mount, and then threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ houses. As a result, two civilians, including a child, were hit with stones to their heads and then taken to Rafidiyia Hospital in Nablus. Moreover, the settlers damaged three windows of ‘Abed al-Rahman Mohamed Ahmed’s house, in addition to damaging the windows and rear lights of a car belonging to Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Salman Makhlouf and the rear lights of his brother Majdi’s car. The wounded civilians were identified as Nimer Fathi Nekem ‘Asayirah (28), who was hit with a stone to the head; and Jameel Naser Rashid ‘Asayirah (17), who was hit with a stone to the head as well.

• At approximately 19:00, dozens of Israeli settlers gathered in the plain of Dir Sharaf village, at the intersection of “Shavei Shamron “settlement, west of Nablus. The settlers threw stones at a vehicle belonging to the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) , broke its windows and attacked its staff, who left the area and went back to the company in Nablus. The company vehicle was carrying many persons identified as:

• Raied ‘Abed al-Wahad Thulth (46), from Beit Ebah village, west of the city, who sustained wounds to the head;
• Nash’at ‘Adel Suliman Dowikat (62), from Balatet al-Balad village, east of the city, who sustained wounds to the head; and
• Samer Hamdi Abu al-Hayyat (56), from Nablus, who was sitting on the rear seat and sustained wounds throughout his body.

All the wounded persons were then taken to the Arab Specialist Hospital in Nablus.

• On Sunday, dozens of Israeli settlers gathered on Wadi al-Dolb Road, near Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah. The settlers threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ vehicles while passing on the street, causing fear among the vehicles’ passengers.

• At approximately 12:30 on Monday, 18 March 2019, Israeli settlers, from “Homesh“ settlement, northwest of Nablus, attacked with stones Palestinian civilians’ vehicles passing on Jenin-Nablus Street. As a result, Rawan Ihssan ‘Atah Ghubariyia (24), was hit with stones to the back, abdomen, right shoulder, and left leg; along with her brother Nizar (30), who was hit with a stick to his back. Both of them are from Kafiret village, south of Jenin. This incident occurred when Nizar parked on the road side, near the entrance to the mentioned settlement to urinate. When he stopped his car, stepped out of it and hide behind a rock, he was surprised with 2 settlers attacking his car. His sister stepped out of the car and fled towards him. The settlers pursued them and attacked them with stones and sticks. Nizar and Rawan returned to the vehicle and then fled towards Nablus.

• On Wednesday, 20 March 2019, a group of Israeli settlers punctured the tires of 17 vehicles belonging to Palestinian civilians in Biter village, west of Bethlehem. They also wrote racist slogans on the vehicles. The village’s residents said that they were surprised with storming the village by the Israeli settlers and damaging 17 vehicles parked in front of their owners’ houses. They also said that the settlers wrote racist slogans on the vehicles and walls such as “ Price tag” “ Go away” “ You have no place on the lands of Israel”.

• At approximately 22:00 on Wednesday, a group of Israeli settlers, from “ Homish” settlement, northwest of Nablus, threw stones at a house belonging to Fadi Mahmoud Mas’oud Heijah, which is located on Jenin-Nablus Street. As a result, Fadi and his brother Rami’s cars were damaged.
• Recommendations to the International Community

PCHR warns of the escalating settlement construction in the West Bank, the attempts to legitimize settlement outposts established on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and the continued summary executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they pose a security threat to the Israeli forces. PCHR reminds the international community that thousands of Palestinian civilians have been rendered homeless and lived in caravans under tragic circumstances due to the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip that has been under a tight closure for almost 11 years. PCHR welcomes the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334, which states that settlements are a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions and calls upon Israel to stop them and not to recognize any demographic change in the oPt since 1967.  PCHR hopes this resolution will pave the way for eliminating the settlement crime and bring to justice those responsible for it. PCHR further reiterates that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation in spite of Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan of 2005.  PCHR emphasizes that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and international humanitarian law.  Israel is bound to apply international human rights law and the law of war, sometimes reciprocally and other times in parallel, in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for the victims.

1. PCHR calls upon the international community to respect the Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334 and to ensure that Israel respects it as well, in particular point 5 which obliges Israel not to deal with settlements as if they were part of Israel.
2. PCHR calls upon the ICC this year to open an investigation into Israeli crimes committed in the oPt, particularly the settlement crimes and the 2014 offensive on the Gaza Strip.
3. PCHR Calls upon the European Union (EU) and all international bodies to boycott settlements and ban working and investing in them in application of their obligations according to international human rights law and international humanitarian law considering settlements as a war crime.
4. PCHR calls upon the international community to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine.
5. PCHR calls upon the international community and United Nations to take all necessary measures to stop Israeli policies aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem and at voiding Palestine from its original inhabitants through deportations and house demolitions as a collective punishment, which violates international humanitarian law, amounting to a crime against humanity.
6. PCHR calls upon the international community to condemn summary executions carried out by Israeli forces against Palestinians and to pressurize Israel to stop them.
7. PCHR calls upon the States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC to work hard to hold Israeli war criminals accountable.
8. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligations under article (1) of the Convention to ensure respect for the Conventions under all circumstances, and under articles (146) and (147) to search for and prosecute those responsible for committing grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions to ensure justice and remedy for Palestinian victims, especially in light of the almost complete denial of justice for them before the Israeli judiciary.
9. PCHR calls upon the international community to speed up the reconstruction process necessary because of the destruction inflicted by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
10. PCHR calls for a prompt intervention to compel the Israeli authorities to lift the closure that obstructs the freedom of movement of goods and 1.8 million civilians that experience unprecedented economic, social, political and cultural hardships due to collective punishment policies and retaliatory action against civilians.
11. PCHR calls upon the European Union to apply human rights standards embedded in the EU-Israel Association Agreement and to respect its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights when dealing with Israel.
12. PCHR calls upon the international community, especially states that import Israeli weapons and military services, to meet their moral and legal responsibility not to allow Israel to use the offensive in Gaza to test new weapons and not accept training services based on the field experience in Gaza in order to avoid turning Palestinian civilians in Gaza into testing objects for Israeli weapons and military tactics.
13. PCHR calls upon the parties to international human rights instruments, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to pressurize Israel to comply with its provisions in the oPt and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the relevant committees.
14. PCHR calls upon the EU and international human rights bodies to pressurize the Israeli forces to stop their attacks against Palestinian fishermen and farmers, mainly in the border area.

Fully detailed document available at the official website of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR).

, for the week of 14 – 20 March, 2019.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   

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