Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (13 – 19 October 2016).
A new report by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) based in Gaza has monitred the crimes and violations carried out by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against Palestinians during the past week. Crimes include shooting, home demolitions, incusrions, settlement activities, movement restrictions, and more.
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, in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman and wounded 6 others, including 3 children. Two of them were directly targeted and seriously wounded.
In the West Bank, on Sunday, 19 October 2016, Israeli forces shot dead Raheeq Shajee’ Mohammed Yusef (19) while being present near Za’tarah checkpoint, southeast of Nablus, under the pretext of a stabbing attack.
In excessive use of deadly force, on 13 October 2016, Israeli forces fired a tear gas canister right to Mostafa Hassan al-Jamal (12) after moving into Beit Soreek village, northwest of Jerusalem. As a result, the boy suffered concussion.
On 15 October 2016, Israeli forces opened fire at the entrance to al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. As a result, 3 civilians were wounded, including 2 children. One of the children named Fares al-Bayedh (15) was hit with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the forehead, due to which, his wound was classified as serious.
On 16 October 2016, 2 civilians were wounded; one of whom was arrested, after Israeli special forces moved into Qabatiya village, south of Jenin.
In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting the border areas, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at an electricity company crew while attempting to maintain the network that is 300 meters away from the border fence. As a result, they stopped their work and fled.
On 19 October 2016, Israeli forces stationed in the east of al-Ahmar area, east of Bait Hanoun village, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the aforementioned area. As a result, the farmers fled fearing for their lives. However, neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
As part of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Sea, on 13 October 2016, Israeli forces stationed in the sea off al-Waha area, northwest of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the Palestinian fishermen. As a result, the fishermen sailed back to the seaport. The same attack was carried out 4 times during the reporting period in the same area and off al-Sudaniya shore as well. No casualties were reported.
House demolitions on grounds of collective punishment:
On 16 October 2016, Israeli forces sealed a room for prisoner Yunis al-Nadi (19) in his family house in Askar refugee camp, northeast of Nablus. They sealed another room on the roof as well.
On 19 October 2016, Israeli forces sealed the second floor of a house belonging to Abdul Ra’ouf Majdalawi in Balata refugee camp, southeast of Nablus, under the pretext there was a metal workshop in it. This claim was negated by the family.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 98 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 83 Palestinian civilians, including 26 children and 3 women. Forty-eight of them, including 23 children and the 3 women, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted a limited incursion. On 19 October 2016, Israeli forces moved 50 meters into the southeast of Beit Hanoun village. They levelled lands and then redeployed.
Creating jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem:
Israeli forces continued their attacks and carried out over 14 incursions into Palestinian villages and neighbourhoods. They carried out also house raids and practiced maltreatment against civilians.
Moreover, Israeli forces raided the Islamic Orphans’ School in the Old City in East Jerusalem and re-arrested the director of the Ministry of Education in Jerusalem along with 10 students under the pretext the students threw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers who were present at al-Aqsa gates.
Concerning settler attacks, on 13 October 2016, a group of settlers guarded by Israeli forces moved into al-Thawri neighbourhood in East Jerusalem’s Old city. They attacked Palestinian property, attempted to raid some houses and attacked their inhabitants.
The next day, settlers stabbed and attacked Mohammed al-Razem (26), from Silwan village, while he was walking in a street, north of East Jerusalem.
Settlement activities
On 13 October 2016, Israeli forces moved into Kherbet al-Hadidiya in northern Jordan Valley, east of Tubas. They levelled the road leading to the Kherbeh and put a sand barrier at the entrance to that Kherbeh.
On 14 October 2016, a settler set fire to lands in Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya. As a result, 50 olive trees belonging to the heirs of Abdul Mahdi Mohammed Ali were burnt before the Civil Defence crew could extinguish fire.
On 15 October 2016, 2 settlers accompanied by Israeli soldiers coming from “Itmar” settlement, dismissed the family of Fawaz Hanani at gun point. The settlers threw away the olives that family had collected.
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.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces continued to suffocate the Palestinian cities and village by imposing military checkpoints around and/or between them. This created “cantons” isolated from each other that hinders the movement of civilians. Moreover, the Palestinian civilians suffering aggravated because of the annexation wall and checkpoints erected on daily basis to catch Palestinians. During the reporting period, Israeli forces arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, while passing through those checkpoints.
