| PCHR | |
| Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory | No. 50/2009 16- 22 Dec. 2009 |
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Israeli Occupation Forces Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Continue to Impose a Total Closure on the Gaza Strip
Summary
Israeli violations of international law, and international humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (16 – 22 December 2009):
Shooting: During the reporting period, Israeli occupation forces used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders, to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.
Incursions: During the reporting period, Israeli occupation forces conducted at least 20 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces arrested 23, including 7 children. During the reporting period, Israeli troops stationed in the center and south of Hebron attacked members of the Abu Haikal family in Tal al-Rumaida neighborhood. Five members of the family were injured, and Israeli occupation forces arrested 4 others.
In the Gaza Strip, on 10 December 2009, Israeli occupation forces moved into al-Sikka Street in the north of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip. They arrested two Palestinian children, as they were collecting stones and iron from destroyed buildings, approximately 500 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Israeli forces violently beat and interrogated the two children, and released them at approximately 21:30 on the same day.
Restrictions on Movement: Israel has continued to impose a tightened closure on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
Israel has continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two and a half years. The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.
The main concern of 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.
Israel has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than two years.
Israel has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas, since 10 December 2008.
The Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to the Gaza Strip.
Israel has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israel for medical treatment, trade or social visits.
Poverty and unemployment rates stand at approximately 80% and 60% respectively in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector are estimated at US$ 6 million.
Israel has imposed access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.
Living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of poverty and unemployment are among the highest in the world.
At least 900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been denied family visitation rights for more than two and a half years.
Israeli occupation forces have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.
West Bank
Israeli occupation forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.
Israeli occupation forces have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
There are approximately permanent 630 roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition, there are some 60-80 'flying' or temporary checkpoints erected across the West Bank by Israeli forces every week.
When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the Wall has already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.
At least 65% of the main roads that leads to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by occupation forces (47 out of 72 roads).
There are around 500 kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit issued by Israeli occupation forces. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.
Israeli occupation forces continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall.
Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by occupation forces in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets. Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem: On 17 December 2009, officials from the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem and Ministry of Interior handed demolition notices to owners of 9 houses in Jabal al-Mukabber neighborhood in the south of Jerusalem. They also posted an order to demolish the neighborhood mosque within 10 days.
On the same day, Israeli occupation forces attacked and violently beat Palestinian civilians participating in a public gathering at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. Three children and one woman sustained bruises. The gathering marked the conclusion of celebrations for Jerusalem as the capital of Arab culture in 2009. Israeli forces also arrested 6 Palestinian civilians; they were released on the following day. Israeli forces also surrounded the French Cultural Center in Saladin Street. They checked identity cards of people entering and exiting the center, claiming that they were searching for persons responsible fore releasing balloons with the colors of the Palestinian flag. Additionally, Israeli forces handed notices to 6 schools ordering them not to participate in these celebrations.
Settlement Activities: Israel has continued settlement activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On 16 December 2009, Israeli settlers from "Shilo" settlement, north of Ramallah, attacked a number of Palestinian farms who were working on their lands. According to eyewitnesses, dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli occupation forces, attacked the farmers and prevented them from farming their lands. Israeli forces then forced the farmers away from the area.
On 19 December 2009, dozens of Israeli settlers from "Shilo" settlement, north of Ramallah, gathered at the entrance of the settlement on the Nablus-Ramallah road and threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles traveling on the road. Israeli troops were present in the area and did not intervene to stop the attack.
On the same day, an Israeli settler from the "Gush Etzion" settlement bloc, southwest of Bethlehem, fired at 5 Palestinian farmers who were working on their lands in Safa village, north of Hebron. Israeli troops arrived at the area, but did not intervene to stop the settler. It is worth noting that Israeli settlers attempt to seize more areas of Palestinian land in the village to be annexed to nearby Israeli settlements.
Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (16 – 22 December 2009) The full report is available online at: html format: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/23-12-2009.htm pdf format: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/pdf/weekly%20report%2050-09.pdf
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