In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 27 Dec.- 02 Jan. 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli troops wounded 42 Palestinian civilians, including 8 children, in the West Bank, and a Palestinian child who was collecting rubble and firewood in the northwest of Beit Hanoun in Gaza.Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

The Israeli Forces conducted 83 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. At least 29 Palestinian civilians, including 10 children, were abducted.

Israeli Forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. At least 3 Palestinian civilians were abducted at checkpoints; 2 of whom were abducted at military checkpoints in the West Bank

On 31 December 2012, 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded when the Israeli forces moved into Salfit and fired at a group of boys who protested against the Israeli forces and threw stones at them.

On 01 January 2013, 36 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children, were wounded when the Israeli forces moved into Tamoun village, southeast of Tubas, to arrest a wanted person. Clashes erupted between the Israeli forces and dozens of Palestinians, during which the Israeli forces used excessive force to disperse the protesters.

On the same day, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when the Israeli forces moved into Oreef village, southeast of Nablus, and fired at dozens of boys who gathered to protest against the Israeli forces.

Also on the same day, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded when the Israeli settlers moved into Qasra village, southeast of Nablus. The settlers cut off 12 olive trees. As a result, dozens of Palestinians gathered and threw stones at the settlers, but the Israeli forces intervened to protect the settlers by firing tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, on 31 December 2012, a Palestinian child was wounded when the Israeli Forces stationed along the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of rubble and firewood collectors. The abovementioned child was wounded when he was about 500 meters away from the border fence.

In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, the Israeli gunboats positioned in the sea opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats thrice during the reporting period. The 3 attacks were respectively conducted on 27, 28 and 29 December 2012. Israeli gunboats positioned off al-Waha resort in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire for about 10 minutes at the Palestinian fishermen, who were sailing 6 nautical miles off the shore, and terrified them. As a result, they fled back to the shore for fear of being abducted or wounded. Neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

Israeli attacks against non-violent protests:

The Israeli Forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protests in the West Bank. Dozens of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Following the Friday Prayer on 28 December 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. The demonstrators gathered in the streets of the village, chanting slogans calling for national unity. The protesters aimed to stress the need to adhere to national principles and the right of return, to resist the occupation and to call for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and made their way towards the wall. They called through megaphones for Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 28 December 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators moved towards areas of the annexation wall. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Around the same time on Friday, 28 December 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the Martyrs Square in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities, title. The protesters walked towards the gate erected by Israeli forces near the entrance of the village, which leads to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby ‘Halmish’ settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday Prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall, titled. As the protestors moved towards the gate of the village, the Israeli forces closed it to prevent the demonstration from gaining access to the confiscated land and attacked the participants; as a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

At approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 29 December 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and activists from Ta’ayush, an Israeli peaceful movement, gathered at the entrance of Susiya village, southeast of Yatta, south of Hebron. The demonstration was organized in protest to the closing of the road that links the village with Yatta and al-Samou’ village on Thursday, 27 December 2012. The Israeli forces used force to disperse the demonstrators. No injuries were reported.

At approximately 10:00 the same Saturday, dozens of Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders, gathered in the Center of Bait Ummar village, north of Hebron, for the weekly peaceful demonstration organized against the settlement expansion policy, the wall and the arrest of children. The demonstrators headed towards the confiscated farmlands near the security fence of ‘Kermi Tsour’ settlement, east of the village. A group of Israeli soldiers surrounded the demonstrators and started a hand fight with them. No injuries or arrests were reported.

Israeli settlement activity:

Israel has continued efforts to create Jewish majority in East Jerusalem. 2 houses were demolished; one of which was inhabited and the other was under-construction.

The Israeli Forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On 27 December 2012, a group of Israeli settlers from ‘Yesh Koudesh’ settlement, southeast of Nablus, damaged 40 olive trees in Kamel area. The trees’ ages ranged between 1 to 3 years.

On 28 December 2012, a group of Israeli settlers from ‘Beit Hagai’ settlement moved into the Palestinian lands in Kanar area, southwest of Hebron. They wandered in the lands near the springs under the Israeli forces’ protection.

On 29 December 2012, a group of Israeli settlers from ‘Sousia’ settlement, south of Hebron, attacked farmers from al-Shamasti family, when they were grazing their sheep and plowing their lands near the abovementioned settlement. The settlers prevented the farmers from working in their lands and maltreated then under the Israeli Forces’ protection.

On 01 January 2013, a group of settlers from ‘Kfar Etzion’ settlement, south of Bethlehem, set fire to a Toyota car and a tractor belonging to Soheil Breighith, 49, in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.

On the same day, the settlers cut off and damaged 250 olive trees, whose ages range between 1 to 3 years, southeast of Nablus. The settlers moved again in Basalta area on the same day and cut off 12 olive trees. Dozens of Palestinians gathered and threw stones at the settlers, but the Israeli Forces intervened to protect the settlers. They fired gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets at the Palestinians. As a result, 3 Palestinians, including a child, was wounded.

On 02 January 2013, a group of Israeli settlers from ‘Efrat’ settlement, south of Bethlehem, broke into ‘al-Ahmadiya’ Mosque in al-Faghour area near the settlement. The settlers also set themselves up at the top of the mosque and then withdrew.

Recommendations to the international community :

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the European Union activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is – not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

For the full text of the report, click on the link below:

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail