PCHR Weekly Report: Five Palestinians killed, 18 wounded by Israeli forces

Friday November 09, 2007 09:41 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC

The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) has released its weekly report on Israeli human rights violations in the West Bank and Gaza for the week of November 1st to 7th, 2007. During the week, Israeli forces killed 5 Palestinians, including a father and son.

Gaza police station that was bombed by Israeli forces this week

In addition, eighteen Palestinians, including three children, were wounded - some of them seriously. Israeli forces carried out 24 invasions of towns and villages in the West Bank, and 2 into the Gaza Strip. During these invasions, Israeli soldiers abducted 68 Palestinians, 10 of them children, all from the West Bank. The forces also razed 80 dunums of land and destroyed 9 houses in the Gaza Strip, and destroyed 4 houses in the West Bank. The transfer of Israeli civilians onto occupied Palestinian land, in contravention of international law, has continued this week, as has the economic blockade and closure of Palestinian borders -- all of which are under Israeli military control.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

Israeli forces have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians between towns and villages in the West Bank. The 700 checkpoints and roadblocks throughout the West Bank remained in place this week, with a marked increase in flying checkpoints in the Jerusalem area.The checkpoints around Jerusalem increased on Friday - each Friday Palestinian Muslims attempt to pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, as they have done traditionally for hundreds of years. But Israeli security forces now prevent many of the worshippers from entering Jerusalem to pray.In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, Israeli forces conducted a number of invasions. On Sunday, November 4th, Palestinians were prevented from crossing the Za'tara checkpoint. And on Monday, November 5th, Israeli forces erected an additional checkpoint at Huwwara, south of Nablus.One of the 24 invasions carried out by Israeli forces this week was in Hebron, on Thursday, November 1st. During that invasion, Israeli troops raided and searched 3 Palestinian houses in al-Masharqa and Wadi al-Nassara neighborhood in the southeast of Hebron, and transformed them into military bases. They continued to occupy those houses for 3 days allegedly to ensure protection of Israeli settlers living in the city of Hebron.

In another invasion, on Wednesday, November 7th, Israeli troops attacked Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets and opened fire. A number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at the Israeli military vehicles. Immediately, Israeli troops opened fire with live ammunition, wounding 18-year-old Firas Mohammed Mar’ei with a gunshot to the back.

Settler attacks and settlements:

Israeli settlers living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On Friday evening, November 2nd, Israeli settlers from “Kiryat Arba” and “Kharsina” settlements, southeast of Hebron, attacked 4 Palestinian houses opposite to the settlements with stones and empty bottles. The houses were damaged and their residents were extremely terrified. Israeli troops were present in the area, but did not intervene to stop the attack.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

Israeli authorities continued the construction of the Israeli Annexation Wall in the West Bank this week, in direct contravention of international law. The PCHR called for the immediate implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted 2 incursions into Palestinian communities. During those incursions, the Israeli military destroyed 3 houses completely and 4 others partially, transformed a number of houses into military sites, and razed at least 80 donums of agricultural land. They also interrogated scores of Palestinian civilians after taking them to military sites at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

One Israeli attack took place on Sunday November 4th, when Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a police station in Msabbeh neighborhood in the north of Rafah. A policeman, 22-year-old Mohammed Harabi Siam, was instantly killed by shrapnel throughout the body. Three other policemen were wounded.

Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for nearly 17 months. The total siege imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights called on the international community to intervene on behalf of the Palestinian people, to hold Israel accountable for their ongoing violations of Palestinian human rights.

Click the link below for a comprehensive PCHR report.

palestine | human rights | news report saed at imemc dot org