Weekly Summary of israeli War Crimes

This is a weekly summary of israeli war crimes committed in Palestine for the week ending 22 March 2006, 2mins, english

PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

http://www.pchrgaza.org

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

No. 11/2006

16- 22 Mar. 2006

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

· A Palestinian child was killed and a member of the Islamic Jihad was extra-judicially executed by IOF

· IOF continued to shell Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip.

· IOF conducted 31 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and one into the Gaza Strip.

· 58 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, were arrested by IOF.

· 4 houses were demolished by IOF.

· 7 houses were transformed by IOF into military sites.

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; the Gaza Strip has suffered from an economic crisis due to the closure of its border crossings; and IOF arrested 22 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, at checkpoints in the West Bank.

· IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank; IOF resumed the construction of the Wall in Dahiat al-Barid area to the north of Jerusalem; and IOF confiscated 766donums[1] of agricultural land in Bethlehem and Hebron.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law continued in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during the reporting period (16 – 22 March 2006):

Killing: On Friday, 17 March 2006, an IOF undercover unit shot dead a Palestinian child in al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. Israeli soldiers opened fire at a car in which the child was traveling. Following investigations into the killing, IOF admitted that the undercover unit violated instructions of shooting. They claimed that Israeli soldiers ordered the driver to stop, but he did not, so they fired at the tires of the car, killing the child and injuring the driver. On Wednesday morning, 22 March 2006, IOF extra-judicially executed a member of the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, in 'Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, south of Jericho. During the reported period, 7 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were wounded by the IOF gunfire.

Incursions: IOF conducted 31 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and one into the Gaza Strip. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 58 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children. In addition, IOF demolished 4 houses and transformed 7 others 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 large prison. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world, has been partially reopened. IOF have closed all other border crossings of the Gaza Strip. Some basic foodstuffs have run out in the markets of the Gaza Strip. "Kerem Shalom" commercial crossing, southeast of Rafah, has not been operated. It was supposed to be opened on 21 March 2006 to allow the importation of some Egyptian goods, but IOF did not open it. Instead, IOF partially reopened al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City, in response to international pressure. PCHR called upon the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, UN agencies and all international humanitarian organizations, to take effective measures to force Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) to allow the immediate flow of food, especially flour and milk, into the Gaza Strip through al-Mentar (Karni) crossing.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank as they imposed a total siege on the OPT. IOF extended the total closure imposed on the OPT. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 22 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and 3 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF leveled areas of Palestinian land in Dahiat al-Barid area, north of Jerusalem, to complete the construction of a section of the Wall. On 19 March 2006, IOF issued military orders confiscating 766 donums of agricultural land in Bethlehem and Hebron. IOF also used force against peaceful demonstrations organized in the villages of Bal'ein and Beit Siera, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the Wall. Nine Palestinian civilians were injured, and a number of other civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. IOF also arrested an Israeli solidarity activist.

The full report is available online at:

html format:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2006/23-03-2006.htm

pdf format:

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