Author
Tierra Insurgene / Intifada Al Ard
This is a weekly summary of israeli war crimes committed in Palestine for the week ending 30 Dec 2005. 4:30mins, english
PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
No. 50/2005
22- 28 December 2005
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)
· 3 Palestinians were killed by IOF in Nablus.
· 10 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded by IOF.
· IOF waged at least 15 air strikes on civilian targets in the Gaza Strip and a number of roads and civilian facilities were destroyed.
· IOF conducted 30 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
· Houses were raided and 35 Palestinian civilians, including 10 children and a woman, were arrested by IOF.
· Two houses were transformed by IOF into military sites.
· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; border crossings of the Gaza Strip were partially reopened; IOF imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank; and IOF arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including two children, at checkpoints in the West Bank.
· IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank; IOF razed areas of Palestinian land in Bethlehem and Hebron; IOF confiscated 231 donums[1] of land in Hebron; and IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to the construction of the Wall.
· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the OPT; Israeli settlers started to establish 25 settlement outposts in the West Bank; 100 olive trees were cut in Bourin village near Nablus; and IOF demolished a house in Beit Hanina village near Jerusalem.
Summary
IOF have escalated the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), especially in the Gaza Strip. On Sunday, 25 December 2005, the Israeli government decided to create a buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip, through shelling Palestinian communities in the area, allegedly to prevent launching rockets at Israeli towns. Immediately, IOF aircrafts threw leaflets on the area demanding Palestinian civilians to vacate their houses to avoid being endangered.
Israeli violations of international law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (22 – 28 December 2005):
Killing: On 22 December 2005, IOF besieged an under-construction building in Nablus. They opened fire at the building and killed 3 Palestinian who were hiding inside
Shelling and Shooting: As IOF declared their intention to create a buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip, they waged at least 15 air strikes on civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. A number of civilian facilities and roads were destroyed or damaged. During the reported period, 10 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were wounded by the IOF gunfire.
Incursions: IOF conducted 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 35 Palestinian civilians, including 10 children and a woman. IOF also transformed two houses into military sites. IOF used undercover units and trained dogs during these incursions.
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 big jail. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world, has been partially reopened. The crossing point is operated for 8 hours a day only. IOF have closed Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian workers and traders since 16 December 2005. IOF have also continued to impose severe restrictions at commercial border crossings in the Gaza Strip. In addition, IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing through chasing and firing at Palestinian fishing boats.
IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF tightened the siege imposed on occupied Jerusalem and isolated it from the rest of the West Bank. They also imposed severe restriction on access to the holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem during the Christmas celebrations. IOF also erected more checkpoints at the entrances to Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, including two children. In the same context, a report prepared by James Wolfensohn, the Envoy of the Middle East Quartet, indicated that the number of checkpoints in the West Bank was increasing, although an agreement concluded between the Israeli government and the Palestinian National Authority called for decreasing the number of checkpoints. The report, which covers the period 26 November – 9 December 2005, pointed out that the number of checkpoints increased from 396 to 403.
Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank territory. On 22 December 2005, IOF razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land in the villages of Sourif and al-Jaba'a village, northwest of Hebron. They uprooted at least 200 olive trees. They also razed areas of land in Beit Jala. During the reported period, IOF issued 3 military orders confiscating 231 donums of Palestinian land in the villages of Yatta, al-Zahiriya and al-Sammou', south of Hebron, to establish a fence between the three villages and the Wall. When established, the fence will isolate thousands of donums of Palestinian agricultural land and will force at least 50 families to leave their homes. IOF also used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli solidarity activists in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal'ein village, west of Ramallah. Six demonstrators were injured and 3 others were arrested by IOF.
Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. During the reported period, Israeli settlers cut at least 100 olive trees in Bourin village, south of Nablus. Israeli settler also started to establish 25 settlement outposts in the West Bank. On 26 December 2005, the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing put out tenders to build 228 new housing units in West Bank settlements. On 27 December 2005, IOF demolished a house in Beit Hanina village, north of Jerusalem.
The full report is available online at:
html format:
http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2005/29-12-2005.htm
pdf format:
http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2005/pdf/weekly%20report…
Public Document
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[1] 1 donum is equal to 1000 square meters.
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