(The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)):

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (14- 19 September 2017):

Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

Seven Palestinian civilians, including a child , were wounded in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces continued to target the border areas in the Gaza Strip and no casualties were reported

Israeli forces conducted 65 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 7 others in Jerusalem.

48 civilians, including 8 children and a woman, were arrested in Jerusalem.

Sixteen of them, including 3 children and a woman, were arrested in Jerusalem.

Israeli forces continued efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.

A residential building was demolished in Za’eem village.

A car wash and showroom comprised of 4 barracks were demolished in Beit Hanina.

Israeli forces continued settlement activities in the West Bank

Israeli settlers cut down 40 fruitful olive trees, south of Nablus.

Israeli forces continued to target the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.

2 fishermen were arrested and their fishing boat was confiscated, north of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces turned the West Bank into cantons and continued to impose the illegal closure on the Gaza Strip for the 10th

Dozens of temporary checkpoints were established in the West Bank and others were re-established to obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians.

Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian civilian and confiscated his motorcycle at a military checkpoint, south of the West Bank.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (14-19 September 2017).

Shooting:

During the reporting period, 7 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Three of them were wounded in the West Bank while four others, including a child, in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli naval forces continued to chase Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea and target the border areas.

In the West Bank, on 15 September 2017, 2 Palestinian young men were hit with rubber-coated metal bullets in a protest organized by dozens of Palestinian civilians in the vicinity of a military watchtower established north of ‘Aidah refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. The demonstration was organised in protest at burying the corpses of 4 Palestinian victims detained in the Israeli cemeteries of numbers.

On 17 September 2017, a 20-year-old male was hit with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg when the Israeli forces moved into Qalqliyia, in order to arrest Palestinian civilians.

In the Gaza Strip, border areas witnessed protests against the unjust closure imposed on the Gaza population. During these protests, Israeli forces used force against the protestors, particularly when dispersing them. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded while participating in a protest organized in the east of Jabalia refugee camp, north of the Gaza Strip.

In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen offshore, on 15 September 2017, Israeli gunboats sporadically opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, and chased them. The shooting recurred in the abovementioned area on 16 and 18 September 2017. No casualties were reported, but the Israeli naval forces arrested 2 fishermen who are also brothers and confiscated their fishing boat.

On 18 September 2017, Israeli gunboats sporadically opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats, west of al-Sudaniyia shore, north of the Gaza Strip and chased them. The shooting recurred in the abovementioned area before midnight.

In the context of targeting the border areas, on 17 September 2017, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence opened fire at the agricultural lands in ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Younis. However, no casualties were reported.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 65 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and 7 ones in Jerusalem. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 48 Palestinian civilians, including 8 children and a woman. Sixteen of them, including 3 children and a woman, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem and its suburbs.

Efforts to create Jewish Majority in occupied East Jerusalem:

As part of house demolitions, on 18 September 2017, Israeli Municipality vehicles demolished an under-construction residential apartment belonging to the sons of late ‘Issa Abed al-Fattah Matour under the pretext of non-licensing. The apartment is on the 2nd floor added to the house exiting before the occupation of Jerusalem, sheltering Issa’s Family of 20 members. Following the House demolition, the 1st floor was mostly damaged and became uninhabitable due to cracks in the walls and ceilings.

On 19 September 2017, the Israeli Municipality demolished a commercial facility belonging to Bashar Bader in Beit Haninah neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem. The abovementioned facility is a car wash and showroom of 4 barracks. The Israeli forces also levelled the land, where the facility was established. Bader said that the court delayed the demolition decision to 28 September 2017, but he was surprised with the facility being raided and completely deolished.

Settlement Activities and Settlers’ Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and their property:

As part of settlers’ attacks, on 14 September 2017, Israeli settlers from “Bracha” settlement, south of Nablus, moved into Kafur Qaleel village, south of Nablus, and cut down 40 fruitful olive trees with automatic saws. Those trees which are one kilometer away from the settlement belong to Fathi Rasheed Mnsour and Jaser Abed al-Jabbar.

Restrictions on movement:

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 9 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 2 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. The Israeli closure raised the rate of poverty to 65%. Moreover, the rate of unemployment increased up to 47% and youth constitutes 65% of the unemployed persons. Moreover, 80% of the Gaza Strip population depends on international aid to secure their minimum daily needs. These rates indicate the unprecedented economic deterioration in the Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces continued to suffocate the Palestinian cities and village by imposing military checkpoints around and/or between them. This created “cantons” isolated from each other that hinders the movement of civilians. Moreover, the Palestinian civilians suffering aggravated because of the annexation wall and checkpoints erected on daily basis to catch Palestinians.

[Archive Photo:  Israeli forces attack Palestinian march to mark Palestinian Prisoners Day in Bethlehem, W Bank, Palestine on 17 April, 2017. Photographer: Mamoun Wazwaz/AA]