Sunday 22 February 2015

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (12- 18 Feb. 2015)

Hebron – Israeli forces erect temporary military checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Ommar village, north of Hebron, and arrest a Palestinian civilian

FULL REPORT HERE
Israeli forces continued to open fire at border areas in the Gaza Strip

Thursday, 19 February 2015 00:00
 
Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.
5 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a photojournalist, were wounded during protests against settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall.

Israeli forces conducted 58 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
46 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and 4 women, were arrested in the West Bank.
17 of these civilians, including 3 children and 4 women, were arrested in Jerusalem.
 
Israel continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.
6 Palestinian civilians, including a female university student, were arrested at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

Israeli navy forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.
Israeli navy forces opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats, but no casualties were reported.
 
Israeli forces continued efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem
With the support of dozens of settlers, Israeli forces demolished for the seventh time Bab al-Quds village that was established by Palestinian activists against settlement activities, east of the city.

Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
15 dunums[1] of Deir Estya lands, northwest of Salfit, were leveled to expand "Yakeer" settlement.
Settlers cut off 550 olive seedlings in al-Shyoukh village, northeast of Hebron.

Summary
 
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (12 – 18 February 2015).
 
Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 5 Palestinian civilians, including a child, in the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli navy forces continued to chase and target Palestinian fishermen. Moreover, Israeli forces continued to open fire at border areas.
 
In the West Bank, in the same context, Israeli forces continued to use excessive forces against peaceful protests against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. As a result, photojournalist of al-Hayat al-Jadeeda newspaper sustained burns in the face because Israeli soldiers sprayed pepper spray on his face during Bil'in weekly protest, west of Ramallah. In addition, a child and 2 other civilians were wounded in other protests.
 
In the same context, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international solidarity activists suffered tear gas inhalation and other sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers. Israeli soldiers arrested a member of the popular committee against the annexation wall and settlement activities in Bil'in village and took him to Ofer detention facility.
 
On 17 February 2015, secretary of Fatah movement in Jerusalem sustained shrapnel wound when Israeli forces raided Bab al-Quds village that was established by Palestinian and international solidarity activists in Abu Dees town, east of East Jerusalem, in protest at the settlement scheme "E1".
 
In the Gaza Strip, on 16 February 2015, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Shuhada cemetery, east of Jabalia in the north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the border area.  As a result, farmers, shepherds and bird hunters were frightened and fled, but no casualties were reported.
 
In the context of targeting fishermen, on 16 February 2015, Israeli navy forces stationed off al-Waha resort, northwest of Beit Lahia village, north of the Gaza Strip. As a result, fishermen were frightened and sailed back, but neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
 
Incursions:
 
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 58 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 46 Palestinians, including 3 children and 4 women.  Seventeen of these Palestinians, including 3 children and the 4 women, were arrested in Jerusalem.
 
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 8 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 1.8 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. During the reporting period, Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian patient who obtained a permit to travel to the West Bank for medical treatment, while another civilian accompanying his father was arrested while the father was denied travel for medical treatment. 
Efforts to create Jewish majority
On Tuesday, 17 February 2015, Israeli forces backed by a number of vehicles and 2 buses carrying dozens of settlers, stormed Bab al-Quds village that was established by Palestinian activists and international solidarity activists in Abu Dees town, east of East Jerusalem, in protest at "E1" settlement scheme. Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the activists. As a result, secretary of Fatah movement in Jerusalem, sustained a shrapnel wound of a sound bomb to the leg. He was taken to the clinic in Abu Dees town to receive the necessary medical treatment. Moreover, Israeli forces beat and arrested 3 Palestinian activists.
Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property
 
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
On Thursday morning, 12 February 2015, Israeli bulldozers guarded by the Israeli forces leveled lands in al-Maslabah area, west Deir Estia village near Salfit.  The leveling process was carried out in the vicinity of "Yakir" settlement, south of Qana Valley, to build new settlement units in the area that Israeli forces earlier announced.
 
On Tuesday, 17 February 2015, Israeli forces prevented civilians entering the lands in al-Asfir village adjacent to Mneizel area, east of Yata, south of Hebron, to plough them.  Israeli forces claimed that the dozens of dunums from those lands that are part of "Beit Yatir" settlement established on the Palestinian lands confiscated from the eastern area of the city.
 
On 18 February 2015, Israeli forces confiscated a hand building mixer in Kherbet al-Tawil area, east of 'Arqabah village, east of Nablus.
 
On 18 February 2015, a number of settlers uprooted and broke around 550 olive seedlings that were planted in a 320-dunum area of land in al-Shyoukh, northeast of Hebron.
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   
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