[News] Israeli Human Rights Violations in occupied Palestine January 7-14, 2015

[Anti-Imperialist News]

  PCHR Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the oPt (07 - 14
  January 2015)

author Tuesday January 20, 2015 16:34author by PCHR-Gaza
*http://www.imemc.org/article/70307*

    Israeli forces have continued with systematic attacks against
    Palestinian civilians and their property in the occupied Palestinian
    territories (oPt) for the reporting period of 07 - 14 January 2015.

*Israeli attacks in the West Bank & Gaza:*

*_Shootings:_*

During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 3 Palestinian 
civilians, including 2 children, in the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, 
Israeli navy forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the 
Gaza Strip sea.

In the West Bank, on 10 January 2015, Palestinian child and youngster 
from Burin village, south of Nablus, were wounded when a number of 
children and youngsters went to al-Sabe' Mount, east of Burin village, 
south of Nablus, to play with snow, but settlers protected by Israeli 
soldiers attacked them.

On the abovementioned day, a Palestinian child from al-Raihya village, 
south of Hebron, sustained a bullet wound as a settler fired at him. The 
child went with his brothers and relatives to check on their olive 
trees, north of the village, when the settler fired at them.

In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in 
the Gaza Strip sea, on 11 January 2015, Israeli gunboats opened fire at 
Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 1.5 nautical miles off al-Waha 
resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. As a result, 
a fishing boat sustained damage, but no casualties were reported.

*_Incursions:_*

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 50 
military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 
During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 82 
Palestinians, including 18 children and 2 women. Twenty-six of these 
Palestinians, including 11 children and 2 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.

_*Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian 
civilians and property:*_

On 10 January 2015, Israeli settlers chopped the branches of 40 olive 
trees and 4 30-year-old almond trees with saws, southeast of Yatta. 
Around the same time, a number of settlers form “Sousia” settlement” 
uprooted and chopped 150 olive trees, southeast of Yatta. Furthermore, 
settlers from “Sidi Buiz” settlement planted lands in al-Khader village, 
south of Bethlehem, with olive and oak trees and expanded the water 
network in them.

On 11 January 2015, the residents of Yasouf village were informed that 
the settlers of “Tafuh” settlement attacked the lands of al-Teen 
al-Shami area. It turned out that the settlers chopped 38 olive trees 
with an electric saw.

*_Use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting 
settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall:_*

During the reporting period, Israeli soldiers used excessive force 
against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians, 
international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the 
construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the 
West Bank. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered tear gas 
inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up.

*/(PCHR keeps the names of the wounded in fear of being arrested by the 
Israeli forces within its policy to oppress the peaceful protests and 
prevent Palestinian civilians from participating)./*

_Demonstrations against the construction of the annexation wall and 
settlement activity_

· Following the Friday prayer, on 09 January 2015, despite the cold 
weather, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli 
human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in, 
west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall 
and settlement activities. The demonstrators took the streets raising 
the Palestinian flags and headed to the liberated territories near the 
annexation wall. Early in the morning, Israeli forces closed all 
entrances to the city to prevent Palestinian civilians and international 
and Israeli human rights defenders from participating in the protests. 
Protestors marched by the annexation wall and tried to cross the fence. 
Israeli soldiers stationed behind the wall, in the western area, and a 
large number of soldiers deployed along it, fired live bullets, tear gas 
canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and wastewater at 
them and chased them into the olive fields. As a result, As a result, a 
number of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others 
sustained bruises as they were beaten up.

· Around the same time and despite the cold weather, dozens of 
Palestinian civilians organised a peaceful demonstration in the centre 
of Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of 
the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators took 
the streets and headed to the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the 
gates of the wall with barbwires and prevented the demonstrators from 
crossing to the land behind it before they responded by throwing stones. 
Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, 
sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the civilians, and chased them 
into the village. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered tear 
gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up.

· Also following the Friday prayer, Palestinian civilians and 
international solidarity activists organized a protest in the center of 
Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, heading to the eastern 
entrance of the village in protest against closing that entrance since 
the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada with an iron gate. The demonstrators 
threw stones at Israeli soldiers, who fired sound bombs and tear gas 
canisters in response.

*_Continued closure of the oPt:_*

Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe 
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip 
and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

_Gaza Strip_

Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and 
close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the 
sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable 
for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and 
distance from markets.

Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to 
tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total 
control over the flow of imports and exports.

The total closure of al-Mentar ("Karni") crossing since 02 March 2011 
has seriously affected the economy of the Gaza Strip. Following this 
closure, all economic and commercial establishments in the Gaza 
Commercial Zone were shut off. It should be noted that al-Mentar 
crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip, in terms of its 
capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision to 
close al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions 
resulting in the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza 
Strip in the beginning of 2009, and the Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza 
City, which were dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to 
the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of 
raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and 
quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do 
not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

The cooking gas crisis has fluctuated due to the closure of Karm Abu 
Salem for security claims. According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli 
authorities only allow an average of 98 tons of cooking gas into Gaza 
per day. This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, 
which is 200 tons per day of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip 
during winter. The crisis has unprecedentedly aggravated for around six 
weeks due to cold weather and overconsumption in addition to the power 
outage and using gas as an alternative in many instances of electricity. 
The lack of diesel and benzene led to the aggravation of the crisis as a 
result of using the gas cylinder for cars or as an alternative for 
benzene to run generators. As a result, the demand for gas further 
increased.

For almost 7 consecutive years, Israeli forces have continued to prevent 
the delivery of construction materials to the Gaza Strip. Two years ago, 
Israeli forces approved the delivery of limited quantities of 
construction materials for a number of international organizations in 
the Gaza Strip. On 17 September 2013, they allowed the entry of limited 
quantities of construction materials for the private sector. However, on 
13 October 2013, they re-banned it claiming that these materials are 
used for constructing tunnels. Last week, Israeli forces allowed the 
entry of construction materials only for UNRWA and UNDP projects. As a 
result, construction works have completely stopped impacting all sectors 
related to construction and an increase in unemployment levels. During 
the 51-day Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in July and August 2014, 
Israeli authorities did not allow the entry of any construction 
materials. As a result, vital and infrastructure projects have been 
obstructed so far.

Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza 
Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except 
for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices.

Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing for the 
majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows 
the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting 
in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed 
at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the 
Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel 
or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel denied permission to 
access hospitals via the crossing for new categories of patients from 
the Gaza Strip.

_West Bank_

· Hebron: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on 
the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 14:00 on 
Wednesday, 07 January 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at 
the entrance of Deir Samet village, southwest of Doura, south of Hebron. 
The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 08:00 on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Sa’ir village, east of the 
city. Around the same time, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at 
the entrance of Ezzna village, west of the city. The checkpoints were 
removed and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 07:00 on Tuesday, 13 January 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Koum village, west of 
Doura, southwest of the Hebron. The checkpoint was removed and no 
arrests were reported.

At approximately 07:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Arroub refugee camp, 
north of the city. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.

· Ramallah: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 16:30 on 
Sunday, 11 January 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint near 
the intersection of Beit Ore al-Foqa, southwest of Ramallah. At 
approximately 22:30, they established a similar checkpoint under Ain 
Yabroud Bridge. All checkpoints were removed and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 09:30 on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli forces 
reestablished their existence at ‘Attarh checkpoint on the northern 
entrance of Bir Zeit, north of the city. At approximately 11:00, they 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nilin village, west of the 
city. The checkpoints were removed and no arrests were reported.

· Jericho: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:30 on 
Sunday, 11 January 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the 
entrance Fasail village, north of the city. The checkpoint was removed 
and no arrests were reported.

· Qalqilya: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:15 on 
Thursday, 08 January 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint 
between Izbat Jaloud and Ras ‘Attyya villages, east of the city. The 
checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 11:30 on Friday, 09 January 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of the city. At 
approximately, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the northern 
entrance of ‘Azzoun village. The checkpoints were removed and no arrests 
were reported.

At approximately 20:50 on Saturday, 10 January 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Jeet village. At 
approximately 11:454, another checkpoint was established on the road 
between Izbat Jaloud and Ras ‘Atyya villages. At approximately 16:30, 
another checkpoint was established between Jius and Azzoun. All 
checkpoints were removed and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 12:30 on Sunday, 11 January 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of the city. At 
approximately 18:00, a similar checkpoint was established at the 
entrance of Seer village while another checkpoint was established under 
Jius Bridge on the road between Qalqilia and Tulkarm at approximately 
18:15. At approximately 19:30, a similar checkpoint was established at 
the entrance of Azzoun village. At approximately 19:50, a similar 
checkpoint was established at the entrance of Izbat al-Tabib village, 
east of the city. All checkpoints were removed and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 16:00 on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint between Izbat al-Tabib and Asala villages. They 
detained Muhammad Khaled Tabib (17) and Thaer Byan Tabib, an officer at 
the General Intelligence, then released them. At approximately 17:10, 
another checkpoint was established t the entrance of Azzoun village.

· Tulkarm: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:00 on 
Thursday, 08 January 2015, Israeli forces stationed ‘Annab military 
checkpoint which is established on the road between Tulkarm and Nablus, 
east of the city, tightened their restriction against civilians and 
obstructed their movement. Later that day, the tightening ended and no 
arrests were reported. The tightening renewed on Friday, Saturday, 
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

· Jenin: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on 
the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 22:30 on Friday, 
09 January 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint on the road 
between Jenin and Tulkarm and Nablus, near the intersection of Arraba 
village. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 09:30 on Saturday, 10 January 2015, Israeli forces 
stationed at the “Mofodatan” checkpoint which is established on the 
bypass between Jenin and the northern towns of Tulkarm. Later the 
tightening ended and no arrests were reported.

· Salfit: At approximately 19:00, on Monday, 12 January 2015, Israeli 
forces established a checkpoint between Hares and Kuful Hares villages, 
north of the city. The checkpoint was removed and no arrests were reported.

*_Arrests and Maltreatment of Palestinian Civilians at Military 
Checkpoints:_*

· At approximately 09:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, Israeli forces 
arrested Muhammad Abdel Jawwad Ekhlil (22) from Beit Amer village, north 
of Hebron, after he was stopped at “Gosh Itsion” settlement, south of 
Bethlehem.

*_Efforts to create Jewish demographic majority in occupied East 
Jerusalem:_*

· At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 08 January 2015, Israeli forces 
moved into the neighborhoods of the Old City in Jerusalem after they 
closed al-‘Amoud, al-Sahira, and al-Asbat gates under the pretext of 
looking for a person who stabbed an Israeli settler in the evening of 
the aforementioned day. They raided and searched a number of houses and 
arrested 5 civilians, including two children: Muhammad Naser Miswedeh 
(21); Muhammad Ali Hijazi (20); Khaled Ahmed al-Qawasmi (24); Muhammad 
Akram Abu Rmeila (17|); and Wael Samir Kilghassi (17).

· At approximately 01:00 on Friday, 09 January 2015, Israeli forces 
arrested Muhammad Hani Matuq (16) when he was at al-‘Amoud gate in the 
Old City in Jerusalem. He was taken to an unknown destination.

· At approximately 20:00 on the aforementioned day, Israeli forces 
arrested two Palestinian children after chasing them near al-‘Amoud gate 
area, east of the Old City in Jerusalem, when they were playing with the 
snow. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces arrested Abdel Rahim 
Musa Barbar (16); and Hussam Abdullah al-Khatib (17) after chasing 
dozens of children who were playing with the snow near the Jewish 
cemetery. Israeli forces claimed that the children were throwing 
snowballs at Israeli settlers who were in the area.

· At approximately 17:00 on Saturday, 10 January 2015, an Israeli 
settler opened fire at a number of merchants in the Bazaar market in the 
Old City in Jerusalem after a wrangle and a clash erupted between the 
settler and the merchants. According to an eyewitness, an Israeli 
settler in the Bazaar market opened fire at the civilians without 
wounding anyone. He added that the settler lives in one of the 
settlements of the Old City. Furthermore, he is known for his constant 
provocation attempts. The Bazaar merchants explained that Israeli police 
arrived at the place and arrested Anwar Muna (24) and established 
checkpoints at the gates of Old Jerusalem.

· At approximately 19:00 of the aforementioned day, Israeli forces 
stormed the African neighborhood near al-Majles gate in the Old City in 
Jerusalem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 
Nasri Bachir al-Firawi (13).

· At approximately 20:00, Israeli forces raided the Central neighborhood 
of Silwan village, south of the Old City in Jerusalem, after a settler’s 
car caught on fire in the aforementioned area. They deployed in the 
streets and established a checkpoint on al-Ain Street. They arrested 8 
civilians, including two children: Mahmoud Kamal Jaber (20); Muhammad 
Mustafa Shiwyyat (20); Hamza Anwar Jaber (20); Hamdi Anwar Jaber (14); 
Khaled Kastiro (20); Fares Abu Nab (19); Khalil al-Rashq (15); and Murad 
Kasterro (21).

· At approximately 06:00 on Monday, 12 January 2014, Israeli forces 
moved into al-Isawia village, north of Jerusalem. They raided and 
searched a number of houses and arrested 3 children: Muhammad Yousif Abu 
al-Hims (13); Qusai Dari (14); and Nadim Zahra (14).

· At approximately 12:00, Israeli forces arrested Misbah Abu Sbeih (45) 
and his son Sbeih (19) when they were attending the trail of Izz al-Din, 
the son of the aforementioned person. They were taken to al-Maskubyya 
investigation center.

· At approximately 13:30, Israeli forces arrested two Palestinian women 
near Hatta gate, one of the gates of al-Aqsa mosque, in the Old City of 
Jerusalem. They were taken to al-Maskubyya investigation center. They 
were identified as: Sanaa Dweik (34) and ‘Ayda al-Deesi (31).

· At approximately 05:00 on Tuesday, 13 January 2014, Israeli forces 
moved into al-Khilla area in al-Tour neighborhood, east of the Old City 
in Jerusalem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 
civilians: Abdullah Muhammad al-Hidra (19) and Ayyoub Yousif Abu al-Hawa 
(21).

*_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 Saturday, 10 January 2015, Israeli settlers cut off the branches of 
40 olive trees and 4 30-year-old almond trees with saws, southeast of 
Yatta, south of Hebron. The trees belong to Jibreel Abu ‘Arram and 
Khaled Musa Abu ‘Arram. The land which was attacked is located in 
‘kherbat Abu Qwawis, southeast of Yatta, near bypass road (317), between 
“Mitssibeh Yair” and “Sousia” settlements.

· Around the same time, Israeli settlers from ‘Sousia” settlement, 
southeast of Yatta, uprooted 150 olive trees belonging to Shatat family. 
The owners of the lands found out about the both attacks after the 
weather improved. Israeli police investigated the incidents.

· At approximately 09:30 on Saturday, Palestinian youths went to 
al-Saba’ mountain on the eastern sides of Burin village, south of 
Nablus, to play with the snow. After they reached the area, settlers 
from “Jifat Runim” backed by Israeli soldiers attacked the children and 
youths and chased them towards the town. After the village residents 
heard of the attack they headed to secure the comeback of their 
children. They threw stones at the settlers and Israeli soldiers 
immediately opened fire. As a result a child and a young man were 
wounded. They child (15) sustained a bullet wound to his leg while the 
young man (18) sustained a bullet wound to his right leg. They were both 
moved to Rafidia Hospital for treatment. Their wounds were described as 
moderate.

· At approximately 11:00 on the same day, Ibrahim Isa Suleiman Tubasi 
(14) from al-Reihya village, south of Hebron, sustained a bullet wound 
to his left thigh. He was shot by a settler form “Beit Hajjai”. The 
child was wounded when he was with his relatives trying to check out 
their olive trees after the area had witnesses a polar low. The 
aforementioned was taken to al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron and went under a 
surgery. His medical condition was described as stable.

Suleiman al-Tubasi, brother of the wounded child, told PCHR: “Our family 
owns dozens of acres of lands cultivated with olive trees in the 
northern areas of al-Rihya village. After the area witnessed a polar 
low, I headed with my brother Ibrahim and a number of our relatives to 
check our lands in 10 January 2014.at approximately 11:00, we saw a 
white SUV near the military tower, which was established on our lands. 
The vehicle left later on and minutes later a black SUV arrived in the 
area and stopped by the military tower. A man wearing black and holding 
a gun got off the car. He was approximately 500 meters away from us. 
Minutes later, we heard two gun shots. We started running away when I 
heard my cousin Isa al-Tubasi screaming and saying that Ibrahim was 
wounded. I ran towards then and saw Ibrahim bleeding on the ground. I 
was very frightened. Isa carried him and we headed towards the village. 
One of the men called the ambulance and some of the village residents. 
After we took the shortest way towards al-Fawwar refugee camp, we met 
one of our relatives who was driving a jeep. He took us to al-Fawwar 
refugee camp and later I went home. I was informed that Ibrahim was 
taken to al-Ahli hospital where it turned out that he sustained a bullet 
wound to his left thigh. His medical condition is currently stable.”

· On the aforementioned Saturday, two settlers form “Sidi Buiz” 
settlement planted lands in al-Khader area, south of Bethlehem, with 
olive and oak trees and extended the water network. Ahmed Salah, the 
coordinator of the Settlement and Annexation Wall Committee, said that 
Hassan Musa was surprised when he entered his land in Ain al-Qissis 
area, west of the village, to see his land planted with 20-year-old oak 
trees and dozens of olive trees. Moreover, he found out that the water 
network in his land was extended. Salah mentioned that the attacked land 
has an area of 20 acres. He added that such attacks aim to serve as a 
strategy to facilitate the expansion of “Sidi Boiz” settlement and 
connecting it with “Navi Danielle” settlement.

· At approximately 15:00 on Sunday, 11 January 2014, the residents of 
Yasouf village, east of Salfit, were informed of an attack carried out 
by the settlers of “Tfuh” settlement in al-Teen al-Shami lands, north of 
the aforementioned village. Upon their arrival to the area, they found 
out that the settlers chop 38 olive trees with an electric saw. The 
owners of the lands received phone calls from other farmers who went to 
check their lands after the snow stopped and found out that the trees in 
plot no. 10 were chopped. It should be noted that the owners of the 
aforementioned lands are not allowed to enter their properties without 
security coordination. Moreover, no vehicles are not allowed to enter 
area because there is no road for vehicles except that which is only 
used by the military and the settlers. Car traces were found which means 
that the settlers are involved in the attack. The aforementioned lands 
belong to: Muhammad Sail Hussein ‘Itani; Mahmoud Mustafa al-Haj Hassan; 
Saed Salim Yasin; and Shaher Muhammed Deeb.

Muhammad Sail Hussein ‘Itani told PCHR, “At approximately15:00 on 
Sunday, 11 January 2014, I received a phone call from our neighbors in 
al-Teen al-Shami area who went to their lands to check the damage that 
the polar low might have caused. They noticed that 10 of my olive trees 
were chopped by electric saws in addition to 28 trees from the lands of 
my neighbors Mahmoud Mustafa al-Haj Hassan; Saed Salim Yasin; and Shaher 
Muhammad Deeb. I must note that we are not allowed into the area without 
the necessary security coordination. We are also not allowed to enter 
our vehicles into the area since there is not even a road for vehicles 
except that which is only for the military and settlers’ usage. We 
informed the village counsel and the Israeli police arrived into the 
area and took our affidavits and took pictures of the attack.”

*/Recommendations to the International Community:/*

PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position that the Gaza 
Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under 
Israeli occupation, in spite of Israeli military redeployment outside 
the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli forces 
continued to impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, 
which have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, 
in which Hamas won the majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative 
Council. PCHR stresses that there is international recognition of 
Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments 
and the international humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations 
concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land and the Geneva 
Conventions. Israel is bound to apply the international human rights law 
and the law of war sometime reciprocally and other times in parallel in 
a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for 
victims.

In light of continued arbitrary measures, land confiscation and 
settlement activities in the West Bank, and the continued aggression 
against civilians in the Gaza Strip, PCHR calls upon the international 
community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting Parties 
to the Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of 
their natural obligation to respect and enforce the international law – 
to cooperate and act according to the following recommendations:

1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the United Nations to 
use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their 
right to self-determination, through the establishment of the 
Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with 
a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including 
sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine;

2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide international 
protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the non-recurrence 
of aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva 
Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the 
Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;

4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human rights 
instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and 
the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize 
Israel to comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to 
incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports 
submitted to the concerned committees;

5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva 
Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the 
Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in 
order to prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the 
nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way 
for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding 
impunity they have enjoyed;

6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of universal 
jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal 
jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war 
criminals;

7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in order to stop 
all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through imposing 
sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;

8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer the Goldstone 
Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the 
International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the 
Rome Statute;

9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that holding war 
criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to 
achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be 
built on the expense of human rights;

10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to 
explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the 
annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the 
two issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to 
compel it to remove them;

11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light of its failure 
to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at least fulfil 
its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of 
hostilities launched by Israel which directly targeted the civilian 
infrastructure;

12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European Union to express 
a clear position towards the annexation wall following the international 
recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the 
annexation wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;

13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the 
EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must 
respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between 
the EU states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violations 
and crimes against Palestinian civilians;

14. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and accede to the 
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva 
Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the 
United Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to 
international human rights law and humanitarian law instruments.

/Full, detailed document 
<http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10822:weekly-report-on-israeli-human-rights-violations-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory--07-14-jan-2015&catid=84:weekly-2009&Itemid=183>, 
including info on patrols and border crossings available at the official 
PCHR website./

-- 
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