PCHR Report: 23 killed, 41 wounded by Israeli forces since Dec. 13th

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) Report, in the two week period between the 13th and 26th  of December, 2007, 23 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, 41 were wounded, and 87 were abducted by Israeli forces.

Of those killed, 10 were extrajudicially assassinated by Israeli forces in violation of international law.  Eight of those killed in the two week period were killed during an Israeli invasion of al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip.

 

 In addition, Israeli forces razed 133 dunums of Palestinian agricultural land, and demolished ten homes. 

 

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

 

The Israeli military conducted 24 incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank, and took over a number of Palestinian homes to turn them into military posts.  During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested 87 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, 2 members of the municipal council of Nablus and 3 university professors. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 2,640.

 

Israeli troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank abducted 3 Palestinian civilians.

 

Also in the West Bank, 13 Palestinian civilians and an American human rights defender were wounded by Israeli gunfire.

 

On 14 December 2007, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by Israeli gunfire near the Annexation Wall to the south of Hebron. On 23 December 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at a checkpoint near Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, wounded and arrested a Palestinian civilian. On 24 December 2007, 2 Palestinian children were wounded by Israeli forces gunfire in ‘Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya.  

 

Israeli forces have imposed additional restrictions on the freedom of movement, including the access of pilgrims to the holy sites in the town of Bethlehem. On Saturday evening, 22 December 2007, Israeli forces troops positioned at a permanent checkpoint established at the southwestern entrance of Bethlehem conducted prolonged inspections of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 23 December 2007, Israeli forces closed the Container checkpoint, northeast of Bethlehem. The closure continued for 2 hours, after which Israeli troops conducted prolonged inspections of Palestinian civilians wishing to pass through the checkpoint. On Monday, 24 December 2007, Israeli forces reinforced their presence at the Ras Beit Jala checkpoint, west of Bethlehem. They imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Christian pilgrims wishing to enter the town for the Christmas celebration.

 

In Hebron, Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside and around the town. On Friday and Saturday, 14 and 15 December 2007, Israeli forces imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in Hebron. They stopped and checked Palestinian civilians. During the Eid al-Adha holiday on the 20th of December, Israeli forces imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the center and the south of Hebron.

 

And in Jerusalem, Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. Israeli forces have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli forces often violently beat Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city.

 

Israeli settlement activities:

 

Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank.

In addition, 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 a Palestinian house in Wad al-Jouz neighborhood in East Jerusalem. A number of Israeli settlers also attacked a Palestinian farmer in Til village, southwest of Nablus, injuring him.

 

 

Israeli Annexation Wall:

 

Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians to protest the construction of the Wall in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, and al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem.

 

On 14 and 21 December 2007, 9 Palestinian civilians and an American human rights defender were wounded when Israeli forces used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, organized to protest the construction of the Annexation Wall.

 

Following the Friday Prayer on 14 December 2007, scores of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, to protest the construction of the Wall. Israeli forces troops had placed barbwires in the area to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the Wall. The demonstrators attempted to move forward. Immediately, Israeli forces troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, and violently beat them.   A similar protest took place on the 21st of December, and 5 civilians were injured.

 

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

 

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have continued to impose a tightened siege and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.  Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for nearly 18 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.

 

Israeli forces prevented at least 150 Palestinian pilgrims to travel through Erez crossing during the reporting period.

 

23 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were killed by Israeli forces during the reporting period.  Ten of the victims were extra-judicially executed in 3 Israeli forces air strikes in less than 9 hours at the eve of the Eid al-Adha. The victims were all members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad). Additionally, 10 civilian bystanders were wounded.

 

On 18 December 2007, an Israeli forces air strike killed 2 police officers in Rafah.

 

On 20 December 2007, Israeli forces killed 8 members of the Palestinian resistance during an incursion into al-Musaddar village in the central Gaza Strip. Additionally, 21 Palestinians, including a woman, 2 children and 2 journalists, were wounded.  The troops also razed 73 donums of agricultural land and partially destroyed 10 houses.

 

On 21 December 2007, Israeli forces killed a member of the Palestinian resistance in ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis.

 

On 23 December 2007, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by a gunshot fired by Israeli forces, when he was on his land in the east of Deir al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip.

 

On 24 December 2007, Israeli forces killed 2 members of the Palestinian resistance in al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

 

The PCHR condemned the ongoing attacks and siege, and called on the international community to intervene.