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PCHR Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (23 – 29 June 2016)

 

 

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (23 – 29 June 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 a Palestinian woman in Hebron in the southern area of the West Bank.  Moreover, Israeli forces wounded 43 other civilians, including a woman, in the West Bank as well. In Jerusalem, 40 civilians were wounded in al-Aqsa Mosque while 19 others sustained bruises, including 2 journalists, in al-Aqsa Mosque as well. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces continued targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.

In the West Bank, on 24 June, Israeli forces stationed at the entrance of “Jaf’at Kharsina” settlement, east of Hebron, killed al-Majd ‘Abdullah al=Khdour (18) from Beit ‘Aynoun village, east of the city. The aforementioned was killed when Israeli soldiers heavily opened fire at a “Mazda” car, which al-Majd was driving, with an Israeli yellow registration plate.  Israeli forces then published a video of the incident, calming that al-Majd attempted to drive to the car stop at the aforementioned settlement entrance to carry out a deliberate run-over attack.

On 24 June 2016, a young man from al-Dhishah refugee camp was wounded when Israeli forces moved into al-Doha village, west of Bethlehem.  A number of Palestinian young men gathered to Molotov cocktails at their vehicles.  In response, the Israeli soldiers immediately fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at them, wounding that young man with a bullet to the right foot.

On 25 June 2016, two Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli forces moved into Tulkarm.  A number of Palestinian youngsters gathered to throw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers, who in response fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and live bullets to disperse them.  As a result, two civilians were hit with bullets to the lower parts.  One of them is 22 years old and the other is 25 years old.

In Jerusalem on 26 June 2016, a special forces from the Israeli police raided al-Aqsa Mosque through al-Magharbah Gate to protect settlers.  This happened when dozens of civilians, who were performing prayers “I’tikaf” in the Mosque yards and al-Qebali Mosque.  The Israeli forces fired sound bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets in al-Qebli Msoque.  As a result, 24 civilians were wounded; 7 of whom were transferred to al-Maqased Hospital in the City for medical treatment.  Moreover, 5 of them sustained bullet and sound bombs shrapnel wounds while two were wounded to the heads.  Seventeen other civilians also sustained bruises due to being beaten.

On 27 June 2016, Israeli forces respectively raided al-Aqsa Mosque for the second time and deployed in its yards after closing the doors of al-Qebali Mosque with chains and locked the worshipers inside it.  The Israeli soldiers then vacate whoever was in the yards, especially the one next to al-Qebali Mosque.  They fired rubber-coated metal bullets and sound bombs and pepper-sprayed. This happened to secure and protect the entry of 90 settlers into the Mosque, provoking the worshipers.  According to al-Aqsa clinics, around 35 worshippers were hit with rubber-coated metal bullets and sound bombs shrapnel.

In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea, on 27 June 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Soudaniyah shore, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire in the vicinity of Palestinian fishing boats and chased them.

 

Incursions:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 40 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 5 limited ones in occupied East Jerusalem and its suburbs. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 55 Palestinian civilians, including 18 children.  Twenty-eight of them, including 15 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

During this week, Israeli forces raided al-Aqsa Mosque twice to secure the entry of dozens of settlers while Palestinian worshipers attempted to prevent them.  Israeli forces used force against them, wounding dozens of worshippers in addition to arresting 20 civilians; most of whom were children, at the outside gates.

 

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 (KeremShaloum) 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.

 

 

Details

  1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

 

Thursday, 23 June 2016

 

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (6) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Beteen and Deir Dabwan villages, northeast of Ramallah; Dura, Yatta, Ethna, and Beit ‘Awaa villages in Hebron.

 

Friday, 24 June 2016

 

 

 

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (4) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Deir Abu Mish’al village, northwest of Ramallah; al-Ro’qa and Beit Ummer villages and al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron.

 

Saturday, 25 June 2016

 

 

 

 

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (3) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Sureef and Dier al-‘Asal villages in Hebron; and Hawarah village, south of Nablus.

 

Sunday, 26 June 2016

 

 

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (5) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Bidia village, west of Salfit; Beit Kahel and Shayoukh al ‘Aroub villages and al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron.

 

Monday, 27 June 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (6) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Beit Ummer and Bani Na’iem villages in Hebron; Qufeen  and Nazlah villages, north of Tulkarm; Ertah suburb, south of the city; and Kaful Hares village, north of Salfit.

 

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, 29 June 2016

 

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (3) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Dier Abu Mish’al village, northwest of Ramallah; and al-Hadab village and al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron.

 

 

Demonstrations against the annexation wall and settlement activities

 

 

Note: PCHR keeps the names of the injured persons in the aforementioned demonstrations.

 

Rubber-coated metal bullets are lethal if they hit the head of victim from a close range.

 

  1. Continued closure of the oPt

 

Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza Strip

 

Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets.

 

Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.

 

Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

 

Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices. However, they lately allowed the exportation of some vegetables such as cucumber and tomatoes, furniture and fish.

 

Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel also continued applying the policy of making certain civilian traveling via the crossing interviewed by the Israeli intelligence service to be questioned, blackmailed or arrested.

 

Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, is designated for the movement of goods

 

Date Imports
Category Amount
Tons Number Liters
21 June Various goods 4028
Humanitarian aid 15911
Cooking gas 260,300
Benzene 187,004
DieselDiesel for 364,97138,000
Industrial fuel 300,989
Construction aggregates 12040
Cement 3520
Construction steel 300
22 June Various goods 4235
Humanitarian aid 13861
Cooking gas 278,760
BenzeneBenzene for UNRWA 146,00537,980
DieselDiesel for UNRWA 396,95936,950
Industrial fuel 376,997
Construction aggregates 10800
Cement 3200
Construction steel 600
23 June Various goods 4656
Humanitarian aid 13540
Cooking gas 273,240
Benzene 216,010
DieselDiesel for UNRWA 543,98839,050
Industrial fuel 419,988
Construction aggregates 9520
Cement 3280
Construction steel 540
26 June Various goods 3671
Humanitarian aid 16285
Cooking gas 276,140
Benzene 111,005
Diesel 592,998
Industrial fuel 260,000
Construction aggregates 12640
Cement 2720
Construction steel 600
27 June Various goods 4520
Humanitarian aid 14907
Cooking gas 272,890
Benzene 296,978
Diesel 400,960
Industrial fuel 303,998
Construction aggregates 11760
Cement 3200
Construction steel 390

 

 

Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing, in the north of the Gaza Strip, is designated for the movement of individuals, and links the Gaza Strip with the West Bank.

 

Movement at Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing

21 –27 June 2016

Category 21 June 22 June 23 June 24June 25 June 26 June 27 June
Patients 81 52 62 5 – 107 78
Companions 78 52 51 4 – 92 73
Personal needs 32 44 75 19 – 60 50
Familiesof prisoners – – – – – – 73
Arabs fromIsrael 1 2 6 – – 10 4
Diplomats 17 13 11 – – – 15
International journalists – – – – – – –
International workers 20 22 65 4 – 8 13
Travelersabroad 6 – 3 – – – 61
Business people 250 247 311 9 2 453 299
Business meetings – – – – – – –
Security interviews 5 16 3 – – 4 4
VIPs – – – 1 – – 1
Ambulances to Israel 1 3 1 – – 1 4
Patients’ Companions 1 3 1 – – 1 4

 

Notes:

 

 

Arrest of Patient at Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing, North of the Gaza Strip:

 

 

West Bank

 

Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the reporting period, Israeli forces imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians:

 

 

On Thursday, 23 June 2016, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at al-Aroub refugee camp, the entrance to al-Burj village, and the northern entrance to Hebron.

 

On Friday, 24 June 2016, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the northern entrance to Yatta and the entrance to Beit Ommar village.

 

On Saturday, 25 June 2016, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the northern entrances to Yatta, the entrance to Sa’ir village, and the entrance to Bani Na’im village.

 

On Sunday, 26 June 2016, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the entrance to al-Aroub refugee camp, the entrance to Karza village and the road of Farsh al-Hawa.

 

 

At approximately 17:30 on Thursday, 23 June 2016, Israeli forces redeployed at Attarah checkpoint at the northern entrance to Birziet village, north of Ramallah. They checked the vehicles and ID cards of the passengers and then detained number of civilians causing traffic on the road.

 

On Friday, 24 June 2016, Israeli forces established 3 checkpoints at the entrance to al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, the crossroad of Beit Our al-Fuqa village, southwest of the city and under the bridge of Yabrud village, northeast of the city.

 

 

At approximately 17:45 on Thursday, 23 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah.

 

At approximately 17:10 on Friday, 24 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to the tunnel of Hablah village (the southern entrance to Qalqiliyah). At approximately 21:20

 

On Sunday, 26 June 2016, they established a checkpoint at the entrance to Jeet village, northeast of Qalqiliyah.

 

At approximately 23:00 on Tuesday, 28 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint under the bridge of Azzoun village at the road linking between Qalqiliyah and Tulkarm.

 

At approximately 01:35 on Wednesday, 29 June 2016, they established a similar checkpoint between Azzoun village and Ezbet al-Tabeb village, east of the city.

 

 

On Friday, 24 June 2016, Israeli forces established 2 checkpoints at the northern entrance to Salfit and the northern entrance to Bruqin village, west of the city.

 

At approximately 23:30 on Saturday, 25 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the northern entrance to Salfit.

 

At approximately 21:00 on Tuesday, 28 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to Kafel Hares village, north of Salfit. At approximately 21:50, they established a similar checkpoint at the entrance to Qarawet Bani Hasan village, west of the city.

 

At approximately 20:00 on Friday, 24 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the main road linking between Jenin and Nablus near the crossroad of Jabaa’ village, south of Jenin.

 

At approximately 00:00 on Thursday, 28 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the entrance to ‘Aranah village, north of Jenin.

 

At approximately 21:00 on Friday, 24 June 2016, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the main road linking between Tulkarm and the villages in the north of Tulkarm known as (al-Sha’rawiyah) near the entrance to Qaffin village, north of Tulkarm while established a checkpoint near the entrance to Eastern Baqah village, north of the city.

Arrests at military checkpoints

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Efforts to Create Jewish majority

 

Israeli forces escalated their attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property. They have also continued their raids on al-Aqsa Mosque and denied the Palestinians access to it:

 

Shooting Incidents:

 

It should be noted that the Israeli police close al-Maghrbah Gate during the last 10 days of Ramadan, when Muslims perform night prayers (I’tikaaf). However, they insisted on opening the gate this year to facilitate the settler’s raids in order to provoke the feelings of prayers who were in al-Aqsa mosque. The Islamic Endowments (Waqf) Department demanded the Israeli police not to open the gate, but the latter refused and allowed settlers to raid the mosque. One of al-Aqsa mosque guards confirmed that more than 20 settlers raided the mosque after the Special Forces attacked the worshipers on the abovementioned day.

 

 

Arrests and Incursions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property

 

Israeli Forces Attacks:

 

 

  1. A 50-square-meter caravan belonging to Khalil Sulaiman al-Hathalin (78).
  2. A 50-square-meter caravan belonging to Mo’tasem Sulaiman al-Hathelin (28).

 

Eid al-Hathalin said that the administration employee (Carlos) handed two notices to halt the work and took photos of four other caravans, claiming that they were built near the area where the previous houses were demolished. Therefore, those caravans are under threat of demolition as well without notifying their owners or even allowing them to appeal the decision. It should be mentioned that the Israeli authorities demolished six houses under the pretext of building without a permit in the above mentioned Kherbah. As a result, 32 civilians became homeless, including 7 children.

 

  1. An under-construction house built of concrete comprised of a 190-square-meter ground floor belonging to Suleiman Mahmoud al-‘Adrah.
  2. An inhabited house built of concrete comprised of a 190-square-meter ground floor, a 100-square-meter livestock barrack built of tin plates and a 150-cubic-meter water well belonging to Mousa Ismail al-‘Adrah.
  3. An under construction house built of concrete, and it is a ground floor with an area of 170 square meters belonging to Yusuf Mousa al-Jabarin.
  4. Under-construction Storehouses built of concrete, with an area of 140-square-meters belonging to Jabrin Mohammed Husain al-‘Amour.

 

Recommendations to the International Community

PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation, in spite of Israeli military redeployment outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli forces continued to impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, which have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which Hamas won the majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR stresses that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and the international humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land and the Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply the international human rights law and the law of war sometime reciprocally and other times in parallel in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for victims.

In light of continued arbitrary measures, land confiscation and settlement activities in the West Bank, and the latest 51-day offensive against civilians in the Gaza Strip, PCHR calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of their natural obligation to respect and enforce the international law – to cooperate and act according to the following recommendations:

 

  1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the United Nations 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;
  2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide international protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;
  3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;
  4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human rights instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the concerned committees;
  5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;
  6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war criminals;
  7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;
  8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer the Goldstone Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome Statute;
  9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the expense of human rights;
  10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the two issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel it to remove them;
  11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light of its failure to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at least fulfil its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of hostilities launched by Israel which directly targeted the civilian infrastructure;
  12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European Union to express a clear position towards the annexation wall following the international recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the annexation wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;
  13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violations and crimes against Palestinian civilians;

PCHR REPORT

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