18-06-2011,09:21

Shooting:

During the reporting period, a Palestinian died of wounds he had sustained during the wide scale Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. Two Palestinian civilians were also wounded by IOF and settlers in the West Bank.

On 11 June 2011, medical sources at the Israeli Hasharon Hospital declared that Mohammed Sha’ban Mohammed Esleem, 50, from Gaza City, died of wounds he had sustained on 15 January 2009 during the wide scale Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. Esleem had been wounded by shrapnel to the head, the abdomen and the hand. On 24 February 2009, he was transferred to an Egyptian hospital. On 29 May 2011, he was transferred to an Israeli hospital, where he had received medical treatment until his death. It is worth noting that Esleem was wounded inside his house when IOF targeted the late Minister of Interior in the Gaza government, Sa’id Syam. As a result of this attack, 12 Palestinians, including 6 members of the Esleem family, were killed. 

On 10 June 2011, an old Palestinian man was wounded by a bullet to the head by an Israeli settler near Ramallah. 

On 13 June 2011, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF in Salfit. IOF fired at number of Palestinian boys and young men who threw stones at military vehicles.

During the reporting period, IOF used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall in the West Bank. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation.  IOF also arrested 4 Israeli human rights defenders and one Palestinian civilian.

On 11 June 2011, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 50 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 21 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and former Minister of Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs, Wasfi Qabaha.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted a limited incursion into Palestinian areas in the central Gaza Strip, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land.

Restrictions on Movement:

Israel had 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.

Gaza Strip

Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. 

• IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and practically made Karm Abu Salem crossing as the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip although it is not proper for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and operational capacity.

• IOF have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the strangulation of the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.

• The total closure of al-Mentar "Karni" crossing on 02 March 2011 has created a bitter situation that has seriously affected the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all the economic and commercial establishments in Gaza Commercial Zone were shut off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip in terms of its operational capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision of al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions to totally close Soafa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2009, and Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which was dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

• These statistics which were made available to PCHR by the Border and Crossings Department indicate a continued drop in the number of truckloads of Gaza imports and exports.

• IOF have continued to impose total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Stri, 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 in the Gaza Strip.

• The cooking gas crisis which has erupted last November has continued to affect the Gaza Strip. This crisis was created when the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed, on 04 January 2010, Nahal Oz crossing, which used to be dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas supplies to Gaza, and shifted fuel and cooking gas supplies to Karm Abu Salem crossing which is not technically equipped to receive Gaza's needs of fuel.  Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum absorptive capacity, can receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day.

• Approximately 80% of Gaza civilians have continued to depend on alimentary aid provided by UNRWA and other relief agencies, rates of families who are living below poverty line have continued to be on the rise and approximately 40% of Gaza's manpower has continued to suffer from permanent unemployment as a result of shutting down the majority of Gaza's economic establishments.

• IOF have continued to impose a total ban on the exportation of Gaza's products, especially industrial products, leading to undermining any real chances to rerun economic establishments. The situation has been aggravated especially after making Karm Abu Salem crossing as Gaza sole commercial crossing and the repeated closure of this crossing which negatively affected the quantity of Gazan products which were allowed to be exported during last April.

• IOF have continued to prolong the implementation of their decision to allow 60 cars into Gaza weekly although more than 10 months have passed since they announced this decision after three years of ban imposed on the delivery of cars to Gaza. As a result, the prices of cars in Gaza have been on the rise and local markets experience serious shortage in spare parts.

• For approximately four consecutive years, IOF have continued to ban the delivery of construction materials to Gaza. During the reporting period, IOF approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of international organizations.

• Israel has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip. IOF only allow the movement of limited groups amidst severe restrictions, including long hours of waiting in the majority of cases. IOF have also continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and Jerusalem. IOF denied new categories of Gazan patient permission to have access to hospitals via the crossing.

• Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip.

• For approximately 46 months, IOF have continued to deny approximately 710 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails their visitation rights without providing any justification to this measure, which violates the rules of the international humanitarian law

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 in the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

• There are approximately 585 permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank.

• 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 have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, confiscating more Palestinian land.

• At least 65% of the main roads that lead to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF.

• There are approximately 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 permits issued by IOF. Such 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.

Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem: 

On 09 June 2011, a group of Jewish extremists, mostly settlers from “Kiryat Arba” settlement in Hebron, escorted by IOF, broke into the yards of the al-Aqsa Mosque

On 10 June 2011, an Israeli police force stormed the yards of the al-Aqsa Mosque after the Friday Prayer. A number of young men threw stones at the force. Immediately, Israeli police officers fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at them. No casualties.

On Saturday, 11 June 2011, a number of Jewish extremists conducted religious rituals in a Palestinian marker. The Israeli police forced Palestinian civilians to close their shops in the market. 

On Sunday, 12 June 2011, the Israeli authorities started excavation works in al-Sultan Pool in the old town, which is a registered Islamic site. On the same day, officials of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem and the Israeli police chased peddlers in Bab al-Amoud area. They confiscated goods and attacked a number of peddlers.

Settlement Activities:  

Israel has continued its settlement activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. 

On 10 June 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians from Kufor Malek village, northeast of Ramallah, travelled in cars to al-Marj area, nearly 10 kilometers to the east of the village, where 3 Israeli settlers set up a tent. When the Palestinian civilians arrived at the area, one of the settlers opened fire at them. As a result, Yousef Hammad al-Qaq, 66, was wounded by a bullet to the head. Later, IOF arrived at the area and attempted to control the settlers.

On 12 June 2011, IOF moved into Brouqin village, west of Salfit. They handed a notice to Mo’ayad Mohammed Baker, ordering the demolition of an agricultural barrack belonging to him. They also handed another notice to villagers ordering the demolition of a school, and a third one ordering stopping construction of Ali Bin Abi Taleb Mosque allegedly for the lack of licenses.

On the same day, IOF moved into Hares village, north of Salfit. They handed notices ordering the demolition of two barracks used for car washing belonging to ‘Abdullah and Jihad Mohammed Daoud, claiming that they were built without licenses

On 13 June 2011, Israeli settlers from “Ashkilot” settlement to the west of Arab al-Ramadin village, southwest of Hebron, razed and leveled at least 20 dumuns of Palestinian agricultural land isolated by the annexation wall. Israeli settlers seized this area of land a few months ago. 

On 14 June 2011, IOF, accompanied by two bulldozers, moved into Dassayel village, north of Jericho. They demolished 3 barnyards and 10 tents, claiming that they were established without licenses near bypass road #90, which is used by Israeli settlers. A number of Palestinian civilians attempted to stop the demolition, but Israeli soldiers violently beat them. As a result, ‘Ali ‘Ebayat sustained bruises. Three of the demolished tents were inhabited. 

On the same day, IOF, accompanied by two bulldozers, moved into al-Harayiq area, southwest of Hebron. They demolished two water wells belonging to the al-Jamal family. According to Samer ‘Abdul Hamid al-Jamal, IOF handed notices ordering the demolition of 5 water wells, claiming that they were established without licenses, and then demolished two wells. Israeli soldiers used force to drive Palestinian civilians away from the area, including firing tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a number of civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

On the same day, IOF moved into al-Ma’sara village, west of Bethlehem. They handed a notice to Ahmed Zawahra ordering the demolition of a mosque in the east of the village, claiming that it was built without a license. The notice gives Palestinian civilians 13 days to appeal against the order

On the same day, at least 50 Israeli settlers living in settlement outposts in the center of Hebron attacked 5 Palestinian houses in Tal Rumaida neighborhood near the closed al-Shuhada Street. This attack came two days following the Israeli High Court’s rejection of a petition filed by Palestinians to open closed roads in Hebron.

On 15 June 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from “Mitatyahu” settlement, west of Ramallah, set fire to dozens of olive trees in Bel’ein village. IOF restricted the access of Palestinian fire fighters to the area to extinguish fire. In the end, the firefighter were able to extinguish fire.