Weekly Summary of israeli War Crimes

PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

http://www.pchrgaza.org


Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
No. 19/2006

11- 17 May 2006



Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)



· 9 Palestinians killed by IOF in the West Bank.



· 41 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children, were wounded by IOF gunfire.



· IOF continued to shell Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip, especially the northern area.



· IOF conducted 43 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 2 into the Gaza Strip.



· For the first time since their redeployment from the Gaza Strip, IOF razed 20 dunums[1] of agricultural land in al-Qarara village near Khan Yunis.



· 77 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children and a woman, were arrested by IOF.



· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have continued to close border crossings of the Gaza Strip; the north of the West Bank has been separated from the south; and IOF arrested two Palestinian civilians at checkpoints in the West Bank.









Summary



Israeli violations of international law continued in the OPT during the reported period (11-17 May 2006):



Killing: During the reported period, IOF killed 9 Palestinians in the West Bank. On Sunday, 14 May 2006, IOF killed 5 Palestinians, including 2 brothers in Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. One of these Palestinians was killed when he exchanged gunfire with IOF; his brother was killed when he attempted to evacuate him; a third Palestinian was killed when IOF fired shots at stone throwers; and the remaining two Palestinians, who were the target of this attack, were killed when IOF shelled the house where they were hiding in and partially demolished it over them. On the same day, IOF killed a member of the Palestinian General Intelligence Services, while he was guarding the headquarters in Jenin. In Nablus, IOF killed 3 Palestinian militants in two separate incidents. One of these militants was killed by IOF in the old town of Nablus on 12 May 2006, and the other two militants were killed when IOF surrounded a house where they were hiding and opened fire at them. An old Palestinian man also died from a heart attack during the last IOF operation in Nablus.



It is worth noting that IOF have killed 110 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 17 children, since the beginning of this year, in comparison to 84 Palestinian during the same period in 2005. At least 49 of these Palestinians were extra-judicially executed by IOF. This is an indicator of the escalation in Israeli operations in the OPT, despite redeployment of IOF troops from inside the Gaza Strip.



During the reported period, 41 Palestinians, including 13 children, were wounded by IOF gunfire. In the West Bank, 25 Palestinians were wounded by IOF during incursions into Palestinian communities, and 10 others were wounded when IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall. In the Gaza Strip, 4 members of the Palestinian resistance were wounded, when an IOF drone shelled their car. A passing girl was also wounded in the attack. In addition, a farmer was wounded when IOF shelled the northern Gaza Strip.



Incursions: During the reported period, IOF repeatedly moved into Nablus. IOF also conducted 43 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 77 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children and a woman. In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted two incursions into the south and north of the Gaza Strip, during which they razed 20 dunums of agricultural land in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis. These incursions have been the first since the IOF's redeployment from inside the Gaza Strip to the borders, which further proves PCHR's position that the Israeli occupation is still effective in the Gaza Strip.



Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.



IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a large prison. IOF have continued to monitor the movement of Palestinian civilians through Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border. Although IOF have allowed the transportation of food aid from Egypt into the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom commercial crossing, southeast of Rafah, the crossing has not yet been officially opened. IOF have also continued to prevent Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip from reaching their work places in Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. They have continued to prevent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip from traveling to the West Bank. IOF have partially operated al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City. Since the beginning of this year, IOF have closed the crossing for 62 separate days completely and 70 days partially. As a result of the repeated closures of the crossing, the economic conditions in the Gaza Strip have deteriorated. During the reported period, IOF arrested two Palestinian fishermen while they were fishing near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.



IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to separate the north and south of the West Bank. For this purpose, they have closed Za'tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and re-established their presence at 'Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. They have also erected two new checkpoints near Ramallah. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints around Nablus imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank abused a number of Palestinian civilians. During the reported period, IOF positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested two Palestinian civilians.





The full report is available online at:

html format:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2006/18-05-2006.htm

pdf format:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2006/pdf/weekly%20report%2019.pdf








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[1] 1 donum is equal to 1000 square meters.