PCHR Weekly Report: 3 Palestinians killed, 2 wounded by Israeli forces

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) Weekly Report, 3 Palestinian civilians – two children and a doctor, were killed by Israeli military forces; and 2 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli forces over the past week.

Home demolished in Gaza

In addition, according to the report, Israeli forces abducted 66 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and 2 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in the West Bank, damaged infrastructure, demolished two houses, continued settlement activities, and turned a house near Tulkarem into a military site.

 

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, the Israeli military abducted 68 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and 2 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from Hamas.

 

Thus, the number of members of the Palestinian Legislative Council detained by Israeli forces has increased to 45, and the number of Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 2,395.

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces transformed a house in ‘Allar village, north of Tulkarem, into a military site.  During that attack, a helicopter also airdropped Israeli forces troops on mountains surrounding the village.

 

Israeli forces have continued to impose a tightened siege on the West Bank and have imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

On Sunday morning, 11 November 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Monday morning, 12 November 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at various checkpoints around Nablus imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces troops also re-established their presence at Yits’har checkpoint, south of Nablus, and imposed restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

 

Settler attacks and settlements:

 

Israeli settlers living in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, Israeli forces demolished 2 houses in al-Fraidees village, southeast of Bethlehem, and a shop in Hares village, west of Salfit, claiming that they were built without licenses. 

 

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:

 

Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for nearly 17 months. The total siege imposed by Israeli forces 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. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population.

 

3 Palestinian civilians (2 children and a doctor) were killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip this week, and two were wounded.

 

On Friday, 19 November 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Boreij refugee camp, shot dead 2 Palestinian children.

 

On Saturday, 10 November 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza City, fired a surface-to-surface missile at a home-made rocket launcher at Sha’sha’a intersection to the east of Jablaya town.

 

The missile fell near a civilian vehicle, in which Waheed Rabee’ Saleh, 46, a doctor, and his family were traveling. Rabee’ was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body and the vehicle collided with an electricity tower. He was evacuated to Shifa Hospital where he received medical treatment, but he died from his wound on Monday, 12 November 2007. Additionally, a passing civilian was wounded.

 

On Tuesday, 13 November 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Deir al-Balah, wounded a Palestinian woman who was on her family’s land.

 

The Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian has remained closed since 25 June 2006 by Israeli forces, even though they do not directly control it.  Israeli forces have prevented European observers working at the crossing point form reaching the crossing.  Rafah border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world.

There are approximately 6,000 Palestinians held at the Egyptian side of the border waiting to return to their homes in the Gaza Strip. Most of them have run out of money and are living on assistance. In addition, 19 of them have died in Egypt. Thousands of the stranded Palestinians began a hunger strike this week to demand the re-opening of the border.

Click on the link below for the full report.