Weekly report on israel’s terrorism against the State of Palestine

Hebron – al-’Aroub refugee camp: Israeli forces demolish 2 Palestinian houses belonging to Abu Ghazi family under the pretext of construction with no license in area (C).

A stone and gravel collector was wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.

A member of an armed group was wounded, east of Deir al-Balah.

3 protestors were wounded during peaceful protests against the annexation wall.

A Palestinian civilian was wounded during Selwad protest, northeast of Ramallah.

 A Palestinian child was wounded during an Israeli incursion into Nablus and Balatah refugee camp.

44 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a woman, were arrested.

Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.

At least 9 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.

A Palestinian civilian was arrested at the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Israeli navy forces opened fire at and chased Palestinian fishing boats and confiscated pieces of fishing net.

Israeli forces demolished 3 houses in Hebron and Bethlehem.

Israeli settlers cut 85 olive trees near Bethlehem.

 Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (30 April – 07 May 2014).

 During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and an armed group member in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli navy forces also fired at and chased Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Strip sea 4 times.                           

In the Gaza Strip, on 30 April 2014, a worker of those collecting raw materials was wounded when Israeli forces stationed at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of workers in the area.

 On 07 May 2014, a member of an armed group was wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of armed members, who were 350 meters away from the border.

 In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 01, 02, 03 and 05 May 2014, Israeli navy forces opened fire at and chased Palestinian fishing boats. No casualties were reported, but pieces of fishing net were confiscated by Israeli forces.  

 In the West Bank, on 30 April 2014, a 17-year-old male from Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus, was wounded when Israeli forces moved into the city and refugee camp to secure the movement of Israeli settlers.

 Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 3 civilians were wounded, dozens of protestors suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.

In the same context, a 23-year-old Palestinian civilian was wounded during Selwad protest, northeast of Ramallah.

 During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 98 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 44 Palestinians, including 2 children and a woman.

 Israel continued to impose a tight closure of the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has been steadily tightened since June 2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.  The Israeli authorities impose measures to undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 7 consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the world. This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7 million people.  The Israeli authorities have established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy.  They also aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports.

 Israeli forces 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.

 As part of using military checkpoints and border crossings as traps to arrest Palestinian civilians under the pretext they are wanted, Israeli forces arrested 9 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

Settlement activities 

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

Attacks carried out by Israeli forces

On 30 April 2014, Israeli forces backed by  military vehicles and a vehicle belonging to the Construction and Organization Department in the Civil Administration in addition to a military bulldozer and two diggers moved into al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.  They stationed in the al-Bus area, southeast of the camp and deployed in the area.  The Israeli bulldozer leveled two residential houses under the pretext of building in a “C” area according to Oslo Accords without a prior license from the Israeli authorities.

On the same day, Israeli forces backed by 3 military vehicles and a vehicle belonging to the Construction and Organization Department in the Civil Administration moved into al-Nashash area, south of Bethlehem.  They stationed in Um Rokbah area where they deployed, and a Civil Administration officer handed 3 civilians notices to halt construction in civilian facilities under the pretext of the lack of construction licenses.  The notices gave the three civilians a period of 45 days to settle their legal affairs before the competent authorities in the Israeli Civil Administration.

On 02 May 2014, Israeli forces chopped down 30 forest and almond trees in al-‘Amayer and al-Rajmat areas in the eastern area of Madma village, south of Nablus.  The Israeli soldiers used a machine saw in cutting the trees adjacent to “Yitshar” bypass road between the settlements in south of Nablus and the settlements in the east of Qalqilya.  This happened one day after the farmers had found papers, which included cutting trees for security reasons, in the agricultural lands.  Moreover, the residents were not allowed to object to the decision. 

Attacks carried out by settlers 

On 30 April 2014, settlers from “Afrat” settlement established on Palestinian lands, south of Bethlehem, uprooted around 50 olive seedlings, which are less than 2 years old, from the civilian lands in Khelet al-Nahlah area adjacent to Rahal Valley village, south of the city.  Those trees belong to ‘Isa ‘Ali al-Ziyadah (50). 

On 03 May 2014, settlers from “Beit ‘Ayen” and “Jab’out” settlements established on Palestinian lands, southwest of Bethlehem, cut the branches of 35 olive trees, aged between 20 to 30 years, and wrote racist phrases such as “Arabs are thieves” on some rocks under the sentence of “Price Tag”. 

On 04 May 2014, settlers from “Hafal Jal” outpost established on Palestinian lands in Khelket ‘Abdoh area, east of Hebron, stormed the agricultural lands in Jales Mountain area and they were accompanied by a bulldozer and two trucks.  The settlers leveled a land belonging to al-Zarou family and uploaded the sand in the two trucks to the aforementioned outpost.