Weekly report on Israel's terrorism against Palestine

During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 4 others, including a child, and a Danish human rights defender in the West Bank.  Israeli warplanes targeted a training site of an armed group, but no injuries were reported.

                       

In the Gaza Strip, on 02 June 2014, Israeli warplanes launched a missile at “Hiteen” training site of an armed group, northwest of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.  The missile left a large crater in the area and damaged empty greenhouses.  No injuries were reported.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces stationed at Za’atrah Checkpoint, south of Nablus, killed ‘Alaa’ Mohammed ‘Awad (30) from Howwarah village, south of Nablus.  Israeli forces claimed that the victim fired at them and injured a soldier lightly, but no eyewitnesses were in the area at that time to deny or confirm the Israeli claim.  A PCHR field worker was able to obtain a testimony from the taxi driver who transported 'Awadh.  The driver confirmed that 'Awadh was not carrying anything when he transported him to the checkpoint. 

In the same context, 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, a Danish activist, Mariah George Soul (24), was hit by a tear gas canister to the right knee during a Nil’in weekly protest.  Moreover, a 20-year-old protestor was wounded by a bullet to the right thigh during Nil’in weekly protest, west of Ramallah and al-Bireh.  In addition, a number of demonstrators suffer tear gas inhalation and other sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli forces.

On 01 June 2014, two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in the Old City in occupied Jerusalem when Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets at dozens of Palestinian civilians who gathered in al-Wad Quarter to celebrate the release of two prisoners, ‘Ammar al-Hosari and Ahmed Abu Farhah, from the Israeli prisons.

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 80 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 40 Palestinians, including 7 children.

In the Gaza Strip, on 01 June 2014, Israeli forces carried out two limited incursions in the southern Gaza Strip.  Israeli forces backed by heavy military vehicles moved around 100 meters into the east of al-Shokah village, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. They levelled the lands along the border fence for around 4 hours and then re-deployed along the aforementioned border fence.  Israeli forces backed by heavy military vehicles moved around 200 meters into al-Fokhari village, southeast of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. They levelled the nearby lands and fired artillery and smoke shells indiscriminately.  No injuries were reported.

In the context of efforts to create a Jewish Majority in the Occupied East Jerusalem, the Israeli forces continued to confiscate lands, demolish houses and build new settlement units.  PCHR stresses that these measures come in the context of isolating East Jerusalem and annexing it to Israel in violation of the international humanitarian law.  PCHR calls upon the international community to promptly take action and reiterates its call upon the High Contracting parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfil their obligations under Article 1 of the Convention.

On the level of house demolitions, 02 June 2014, Israeli forces bulldozed 4 car wash garages in Hezma village, northeast of occupied Jerusalem.  They also bulldozed a barrack used as horse barn and a fence in ‘Ein al-Lozah neighborhood in Selwan village, south of the Old City, in addition to an auto repair garage and a house in al-Shayyah neighborhood in Ras al-‘Amoud area, east of the Old City.

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 8 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, at military checkpoints in the West Bank, and an international organization worker in the Gaza Strip.

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 01 June 2014, Israeli forces accompanied by a vehicle belonging to the Construction and Organization Department in the Israeli Civil Administration moved into the agricultural lands in the vicinity of Kherbet Um al-Kheir area, east of Yatta, south of Hebron.  They deployed in the area and a Construction and Organization officer handed ‘Eid Yamen al-Hathalin a notice to halt construction works, including removing the barbwires which surround his 150-dunum land.

On 02 June 2014, Israeli forces removed arbors used by the residents of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, to sell fruits and vegetables near Jerusalem-Hebron bypass road 60.

On the same day, Israeli forces confiscated a tractor belonging to ‘Ali Dawoud Ghayyad al-‘Allami when he was on his way back from his land in Khelet al-Sheikh area adjacent to Beit Ummat village, north of Hebron.  They arrested his son ‘Ammar and took him to “Kermi Tsour” settlement.

Attacks carried out by settlers

On 01 June 2014, a group of settlers attacked Faris Akram Abu Sneinah (9) and Hatim Taysir al-Qasrawi (7) near Checkpoint (56) established at the western entrance of al-Shuhadaa’ Street in the center of Hebron when the two children were on their way to school.  Faris Abu Sneinah was then taken to Hebron Governmental Hospital to receive necessary treatment.