The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR):
Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (02– 08 November 2017)
Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
Two Palestinian civilians were wounded in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces continued to target the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.
Three fishermen, including 2 brothers, were wounded and then arrested. Their boat was confiscated while another boat sustained damage.
Israeli forces conducted 68 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 7 similar incursions in Jerusalem.
67 civilians, including 4 children and 7 women, were arrested.
13 of them, including 3 children and 6 women, were arrested in Jerusalem and its suburbs.
Israeli forces continue to target the border areas in the Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.
Israeli authorities continue to make a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
Israeli forces raided “Zahwet al-Quds” Kindergarten and School in Beit Hanina neighbourhood and confiscated its contents.
Israeli forces continue settlement activities in the West Bank
Israeli forces demolished 3 houses in al- Jiftlik area, north of Jericho, rendering 34 persons, including 18 children, homeless.
Israeli forces demolished an under-construction agricultural room in Froush Beit Dajen village, east of Nablus.
A settler attacked a Palestinian civilian from Tubas in the Northern Valley.
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.
Six Palestinian civilians, including two children, were arrested at the checkpoints in the West Bank.
A Palestinian civilian was arrested at Beit Hanoun “Erez” Checkpoint in the northern Gaza Strip.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (02 – 08 November 2017).
Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 fishermen in the Gaza Strip. In the Gaza Strip as well, Israeli naval forces continued to chase Palestinian fishermen in the Sea and target farmers and houses in the border areas.
In the Gaza Strip, on 06 November 2017, 2 Palestinian fishermen, who are brothers as well, were wounded when Israeli gunboats stationed offshore in the northern Gaza Strip heavily opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 4 nautical miles. One of the fishermen was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right thigh while the other was wounded with a bullet down the left knee and other rubber-coated metal bullets in the right thigh and the right foot joint. They were both then arrested and taken to Ashdod Seaport while their boat was confiscated with all its equipment. Later, they were released while their boat is so far under custody.
On 08 November 2017, a Palestinian fisherman was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right hand when Israeli forces heavily opened fire at Palestinian fisherman boats sailing within 4 nautical miles offshore, northwest of Beit Lahia.
In the same context, PCHR has monitored the escalation of Israeli attacks against fishermen in the Gaza Sea although it was announced that the Gaza fishermen are allowed to sail to 9 nautical miles instead of 6. This proves the Israeli ongoing policy of targeting fishermen in their livelihoods. During the reporting period, Israeli gunboats chased fishing boats and opened fire at them 5 times. Due to the 5 shooting incidents occurred in the north-western side of Beit Lahia, a fishing boat was confiscated and another sustained damage after being hit with several bullets in addition to losing the fishing nets.
In the Gaza Strip, the border areas witnessed protests against the unjust closure imposed on the Gaza population. Israeli forces used force against the protestors, and the shooting to disperse those protests resulted in the injury of 2 civilians, one of whom was wounded in Eastern Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip while the other was wounded in Eastern al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Moreover, during the reporting period, 4 shooting incidents targeted the following:
On 05 November 2017, fishermen setting their fishing net from shore, west of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
On 02 November 2017, agricultural lands, east of al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip.
On 06 November 2017, agricultural lands, east of Gaza Valley village in the central Gaza Strip.
On 07 November 2017, vacant lands, east of al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces continued to use force against the protests organized by Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders against the annexation wall, confiscation of lands and settlement expansion crimes. During the reporting period, dozens of Palestinian civilians, international human rights defenders and Israelis organized protests in Ni’lin and Bil’in villages, west of Ramallah, al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of the city, and Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, in protest against the annexation wall and settlement activities. Israeli forces forcibly dispersed the protests. As a result, many of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by the Israeli soldiers.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 68 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank while they conducted 6 incursions into Jerusalem and its suburbs. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 54 Palestinian civilians, including a child and woman, in the West Bank. Thirteen civilians, including 3 children and 6 women, were arrested in Jerusalem and its suburbs. The female arrestees are wife of a prisoner, a kindergarten’s principle and 3 teachers.
Measures to Make a Jewish Majority in occupied East Jerusalem
As part of targeting Education Facilities in occupied Jerusalem, on 06 November 2017, Israeli forces raided “Zahwet al-Quds” Kindergarten and School in Beit Hanina neighbourhood, north of the city. They raided and searched the classrooms and took the teachers’ ID cards to take photos of them after questioning the teachers. The Israeli soldiers then arrested the School Principle and 3 teachers and later withdrew. Following this, the Israeli forces raided a house belonging to Mona al-Karawi, Directorr of the School’s Society, and arrested her along with her husband.
Settlement Activities and Settlers’ Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and their property:
As part of the demolition of houses and other civil facilities, On 07 November 2017, Israeli forces demolished 3 houses in al-Jiftlik area in the Central Jordan Valley, north of Jericho. The first house belongs to Ahmed Bani ‘Odah, comprised of 2 floors and built on an area of 130 square meters, sheltering 10 family members, including 3 children. The second house belongs to the family of Mousa al-Jahalin and sheltered 12 members, including 7 children, while the third house belongs to Ahmed and Jihad Ibrahim Abu ‘Aram and sheltered both brothers along with their 12-member family, including 8 children.
On the same day, Israeli forces demolished an under-construction agricultural room in Froush Beit Dejen village in the central Jordan Valley, east of Nablus. The 26-square-meter room built of bricks belongs to Qassem Abu Jeish. Due to the demolition, an agricultural pond was affected and the started leaking from it. It should be mentioned that building the room and pond cost JD 7,000 according to the above mentioned civilian.
As part of the Israeli settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property, a settler beat up Zamel Daraghmah (56) from Tubas when he was near his farm in the Northern Jordan Valley. According to Daraghmah, on 03 November 2017, a settler interpreted his way when Daraghmah was heading from his house to his farm in ‘Ein al-Beida area in the Northern Jordan Valley, traveling his car. While on his way, Daraghmah was surprised with a settler coming from the opposite side and stopping next to his car. The settler then stepped out of the car and went to Daraghmah’s car. He then punched him many times to the face.
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: Illegal construction by Israel at Jewish settlement of Shilo in West Bank on 22 February 2017. Photographer: Issam Rimawi/AA]
