20-02-2010,08:55

During the reporting period, IOF killed two Palestinians; a member of the Palestinian resistance who was killed in the Gaza Strip and a civilian who was killed in cold blood in Hebron.  IOF also wounded 5 Palestinians, including 4 children, of them 3 are sisters.  The fifth wounded Palestinian is a member of the Palestinian resistance.

In the Gaza Strip, on 11 February 2010, IOF killed a member of the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, and wounded another one, when a warplane fired one missile at them, near ‘Obeid fuel station in al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.

Also on 11 February 2010, Israeli troops stationed along the Gaza Strip border to the east of Juhor al-Dik village, east of Gaza City, wounded 3 sisters from the al-Tarabin family. They fired artillery shells at the village.  One of the shells landed on the house of Isma’il Suleiman al-Tarabin, 42, and three of his daughters were wounded by shrapnel.

On 14 February 2010, a Palestinian minor was wounded in Gaza Valley village in the central Gaza Strip when he was fired at by Israeli soldiers who stepped out from a military jeep that was patrolling along the border opposite to the village. The wounded minor who is a student in the secondary school told a PCHR fieldworker that he was going on a picnic and as he became 300 meters to the west of the border, the soldiers fired at him.

On 13 February 2010, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Jabalya town in the northern the Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian farmers who were working on their farms located to the east of al-Karama Street (the eastern street).  The farmers were forced to flee in fear for their lives and no casualties or damages were reported.

On 14 February 2010, Israeli gunboats fired at two fishing boats that were sailing opposite to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip.  Four Palestinian fishermen were on board of the fishing boats.  Two gunboats surrounded the Palestinian fishing boats and forced them to sail towards Israel. IOF confiscated the boats and held the fishermen.  At approximately 19:00 on the same day, IOF released two of the held fishermen through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the north of the Gaza Strip, while the other fishermen have remained in custody.

On 17 February 2010, Israeli troops stationed on observation towers at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north of al-Seyafa area, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of Palestinian workers who were collecting bricks and aggregate from destroyed buildings and roads. No casualties were reported.

In the West Bank, on 12 February 2010, IOF willfully killed a Palestinian civilian in Hebron. IOF fired at him from a close range without any warning while he was walking normally on a branch road of al-Shallala Street in the Center of Hebron.  IOF prevented medical personnel who arrived at the scene from attending the victim. They pulled him by force into an armored personnel carried and left.

IOF continued to systematically use excessive force to disperse demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall, settlement activities and attacks of Israeli settlers.  Many demonstrators sustained bruises as they were beaten by IOF, while others suffered from tear gas inhalation.

During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 14 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  IOF arrested 44 Palestinian civilians, including 21 children.  IOF stormed Palestinian houses, frightened Palestinians and damaged contents of houses. In this context, IOF maltreated a number of members of the Jaradat family in Sa'irr village, northeast of Hebron.

During the reporting period, al-Jalazon refugee camp, north of Ramallh, witnessed the largest incursion, during which IOF arrested 20 civilians, including 18 children.  

 

IOF also harassed activists working against the construction of the Annexation Wall and international human rights defenders. IOF arrested two solidarity activists and a cameraman: Janita, 32, an Israeli solidarity activist;  Santa, 27, an Israeli solidarity activist; and ‘Arafa Jamal 'Amira.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 2 limited incursions. On 11 February 2010, IOF moved approximately 400 meters into the east of Juhor al-Dik village in the central Gaza Strip. They stationed in the vicinity of the waste garbage dumping site in the area.  Lorries that transfer garbage to the site were not able to access the site for several hours.

Also on 11 February 2010, a special unit of IOF moved approximately 250 meters into the al-Ghoul family’s land, north west of the evacuated "Dogit" settlement to the northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.  They unit arrested 6 Palestinians who were collecting and breaking rubble from destroyed houses to sell it to brick factories.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege 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.

Zionist violations in Gaza Strip

IOF have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli siege of Gaza, 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.

• IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than two years.

• IOF have not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding few 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.

• IOF have continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the face of Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social visits.

• Poverty and unemployment have sharply mounted in the Gaza Strip.

• IOF have continued to prevent the entry of spare parts form water networks and sewage systems. Losses incurred to this sector is estimated at US$ 6 million.

• IOF have imposed additional restrictions on access of international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers to 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 have sharply mounted.

• Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived for family visitation for more than two years. 

• IOF have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the Gaza Strip coast.

Zionist violations in West Bank

IOF 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.

• IOF 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, 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 IOF 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 IOF (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 the IOF. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

• IOF continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall.

• Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by IOF.

On 11 February 2010, IOF destroyed 6 agricultural wells and 5 neighboring rooms near the Annexation Wall in Ethna village, northwest of Hebron. They also confiscated a number of power generators and water pumps.  These wells and rooms which were destroyed under the pretext of being constructed near the Annexation Wall without licenses belong to the families of al-Tumaizi, al-Jeyyawi and al-'Asoud.

On 17 February 2010, IOF delivered two demolition notifications to two houses' owners. The two houses are under construction and located in al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem.  The two houses are built near the Annexation Wall which is parallel to the bypass street no. 60.

IOF also imposed restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians on both sides of the Annexation Wall in the north of the West Bank. On Monday morning, 15 February 2010, IOF stationed near the gate erected on the Annexation Wall, southeast of Qalqilia, prevented students from ‘Arab al-Ramadin from going to the schools in Habla village, south of Qalqilia.

IOF also imposed restrictions on the movement at the gates of ‘Azzoun ‘Atma village which is isolated by the Wall, southeast of Qalqilia.  The gates are the only exit for the residents of the village, especially after the eastern side of the village was closed with the establishment of “Sheri Tekva” settlement, while the western side of the village was closed after the establishment of “Oranit” settlement. The southern and northern sides of the village are closed by the Annexation Whale in which two electronic gates are erected to allow the movement of locals.  By closing the two gates, the village became completely closed.

During the reporting period, the Israeli Supreme Court upheld a decision taken by the Israeli Central Court to evacuate and demolish three shops in Bab al-‘Amoud area in occupied East Jerusalem.  IOF delivered evacuation and demolition notices to the owners of the affected shops. This decision is in line of the declared intent of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem to close Bab al-‘Amoud area and the market from Bab al-‘Amoud to the al-Buraq Wall for 2-4 years under the pretext of developing the infrastructure of the old town of Jerusalem.  The application of this intent means paralyzing commercial and economic transactions in the old city.  This decision is part of measures taken by IOF in order to create a Jewish majority in Jerusalem.

IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On 17 February 2010, IOF bulldozed a stockyard belonging to Jamal Jamil Suleiman Abu Es’eifan in “Wadi al-Hussain” area in the southeast of Hebron.  The stockyard was built on a 150-square-meter area and was used to raise animals and birds. Abu Es’eifan stated that the stockyard and the animals raised in it were granted to his family by the International Committee of the Red Cross two years and a half ago.