Weekly Summary of israeli War Crimes

This is a summary of israeli war crimes committed in Palestine for the week ending 12 October 2005. 5mins, english

PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

http://www.pchrgaza.org

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
No. 40/2005

06- 12 Oct. 2005

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

· 4 Palestinians, including 2 children, were killed by IOF.

· IOF conducted 26 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

· Houses were raided and 36 Palestinian civilians were arrested by IOF.

· One house was seized and transformed by IOF into a military site.

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have continued to close Rafah International Crossing Point and Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing; IOF imposed severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip; and IOF arrested 5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

· IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank; IOF established a military post near Qalandiya checkpoint and arrested 19 solidarity activists during a peaceful demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Wall.

· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the OPT; IOF confiscated 60 dunums[1] of Palestinian land in Nablus district for settlement expansion.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law continued in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during the reporting period (6 – 12 October 2005):

Willful Killing: During the reported period, IOF killed 4 Palestinians in two separate incidents in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. On Sunday morning, 9 October 2005, IOF shot dead a Palestinian gunman in Nablus. That evening, IOF shot dead 3 Palestinian civilians, including two children, in the Gaza Strip. The three civilians apparently attempted to enter Israel through the eastern border of the Gaza Strip in order to search for jobs. IOF left the three victims to bleed to death, offering no medical aid. IOF also seriously wounded a Palestinian child in Hebron.

Incursions: IOF conducted 26 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 36 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children. IOF also seized a house and transformed it into a military site.

Restrictions on Movement: Even though IOF have been redeployed around the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government maintains the occupation of the Gaza Strip though controlling all outlets and crossings. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border, the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world, has remained closed for the second consecutive week, as no deal has been reached concerning transportation across it. IOF insist on maintaining control over the movement of persons and goods through the crossing point, and have actually moved equipment from the crossing point to "Kerem Shalom" area on the Egyptian – Israeli border. In the meantime, IOF have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian workers and patients for several weeks. With the closure of Rafah International Crossing Point and Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, the Gaza Strip has been transformed into a big prsion, as IOF maintain control over the airspace and other border crossings in the Gaza Strip. IOF have also imposed severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. On a number of occasions, IOF opened fire against the civilian fishermen in order to enforce the 9-nautical-mile limit imposed on them. The Oslo Accords make provision for Gaza’s sea to be fished up to 20 nautical miles.

In the West Bank, IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Since the beginning of the Ramadan Month, IOF have tightened the siege imposed on East Jerusalem to prevent Palestinian Muslims from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. On Friday morning, 7 October 2005, IOF implemented a military order that was issued last month, according to which the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron would be closed for 6 separate days in October, to allow Jewish settlers to celebrate Jewish occasions. IOF have imposed more restrictions on movement. They have also continued to close a number of the main roads in the northern West Bank despite the evacuation of 4 settlements in the area. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints arrested 5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children.

Annexation Wall: During the reported period, IOF completed the construction of a military post near Qalandiya checkpoint, south of Ramallah. They also established car parks and erected a communication tower. In the meantime, IOF have continued to construct a section of the Wall in the area. Israeli media sources reported that the section of the Wall being built around Jerusalem would annex areas of Palestinian land to be devoted to settlement expansion. IOF fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at demonstrators who were protesting the construction of the Wall in Bal'ein village, west of Ramallah.. They also arrested 19 demonstrators, mostly Israeli solidarity activists.

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 reporting period, IOF issued 3 military orders confiscating areas of Palestinian land, closing other areas of land and prohibiting construction on land in the villages of Sabastia, al-Naqoura and Deir Sharaf, northwest of Nablus. According to these orders, 60 dunums of land would be confiscated to create a buffer zone around "Shavi Shomron" settlement. The creation of the buffer zone would also isolate nearly 100 dunums of Palestinian land.