[News] Israeli Human Rights Violations in the occupied Palestinian territories (14 – 20 May 2015)

[Anti-Imperialist News]

  PCHR Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the oPt (14 – 20 May
  2015)

author Thursday May 21, 2015 20:03author by PCHR-Gaza
*http://www.imemc.org/article/71666*

    Israeli forces have continued with systematic attacks against
    Palestinian civilians and their property in the occupied Palestinian
    territories (oPt) for the reporting period of 14 – 20 May 2015.

*_Israeli attacks in the West Bank & Gaza:_*

_Shootings_

Israeli forces escalated the policy of excessive use of force against 
Palestinian civilians, including protestors in peaceful protests in the 
oPt. During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian 
civilian in occupied East Jerusalem and wounded 40 others, including 11 
children and 2 photojournalists; 37 of whom were wounded in the West 
Bank and the 3 others were wounded in the Gaza Strip. In the Gaza Strip, 
Israeli forces continued targeting fishermen and opening fire at border 
areas along the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, on Wednesday morning, 20 
May 2015, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian. Israeli soldiers 
opened fire at the Palestinian when his car deviated in al-Tour 
neighbourhood intersection, east of the old city in East Jerusalem, and 
hit 2 policewomen. Israeli forces claimed that the Palestinian attempted 
to run over the 2 policewomen. PCHR stresses that Israeli forces could 
have used less lethal force against him.

Additionally, 19 Palestinian civilians, including 8 children, were 
wounded; 10 of whom sustained live bullet wounds, 7 sustained 
rubber-coated metal bullet wounds and the 2 others sustained shrapnel 
wounds. They were wounded when Israeli forces moved into the eastern 
part of Nablus on Thursday, 14 May 2015, to allow dozens of settlers to 
enter the area.

Israeli forces continued the use ofexcessive and systematic force 
against peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians and Israeli 
and international solidarity activists against the construction of the 
annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank and to mark 
the 67th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe). As a 
result, 18 protestors, including 3 children and 2 photojournalists, were 
wounded.

In the Gaza Strip, on 15 May 2015, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded, 
the wound of one of them was serious due to which he was transferred to 
an Israeli hospital, when Israeli forces stationed along the border 
fence, east of al-Shuja'iya neighbourhood, east of Gaza City, opened 
fire at a group of Palestinian youngsters commemorating the Palestinian 
Nakba (the uprooting of the Palestinian people from their land in 1948).

Moreover, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of 
al-Shuhada cemetery, east of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, opened 
sporadic fire twice at the said area, but no casualties were reported.

In the context of targeting fishermen, Israeli forces opened fire 3 
times at fishermen sailing in the allowed area, but neither casualties 
nor material damage were reported.

_Incursions_

During the reporting period,Israeli forces conducted at least 70 
military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 9 
ones in East Jerusalem.During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested 
at least 62Palestinians, including 19 children. 18 of these 
Palestinians, including 8 children, were arrested in East Jerusalem.

In the Gaza Strip, on 20 May 2015, Israeli forces moved into the east of 
al-Maghazi refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip. They levelled lands 
along the border fence and withdrew later.

_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 (KeremShaloum) 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. The Israeli closure raised the 
rate of poverty to 38.8%, 21.1% of which suffer from extreme poverty. 
Moreover, the rate of unemployment increased up to 44%, which reflects 
the unprecedented economic deterioration in the Gaza Strip.

*_Efforts to create a Jewish majority:_*

_House demolition_

On 19 May 2015, Israeli bulldozers demolished 3 commercial stores in Ein 
al-Louza neighbourhood, in Silwan village, under the pretext of 
non-licensing.

On 20 May 2015, Israeli bulldozers demolished a residential building in 
Qaddoum valley area in Ras al-Amoud neighbourhood, under the pretext of 
non-licensing too.

*_Settlement activities:_*

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 14 May 2015, about 15 settlers gathered at the entrance of "Ytshar" 
settlement, south of Nablus, and threw stones at Palestinian vehicles. 
As a result, 4 vehicles sustained damage. It should be noted that the 
settlers used 2 vehicles with Palestinian registration plates from which 
they were throwing stones.

On 17 May 2015, a number of settlers from "Asfar" settlement cut off 800 
olive seedlings from Palestinian lands to the east of al-Shyoukh 
village, northeast of Hebron.

On 18 May 2015, 5 settlers from "Beit Ein" settlement burnt 16 dunums of 
olive trees aging over 60 years in HiletQeddis area, east of the village.

*_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. Moreover, during the reporting period protests were organized 
to mark the 67th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. As a result, 18 
civilians, including 3 children, a Palestinian photojournalist, an 
Italian photojournalist and a political activist, were wounded.

*/(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 15May 2015, 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 and in 
commemoration of the 67th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. The 
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 metal bullets, sound bombs and wastewater at 
them and chased them into the olive fields. As a result, a number of 
protestors suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as 
they were beat up.

Around the same time, 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 activitiesand in commemoration of the 67th anniversary of the 
Palestinian Nakba. 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 protestors suffered tear gas inhalation and others 
sustained bruises as they were beat up by Israeli soldiers.

Also following the Friday prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and 
Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the center 
of al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to start the weekly 
peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and 
settlement activitiesand in commemoration of the 67th anniversary of the 
Palestinian Nakba. They made their way towards Palestinian lands that 
Israeli settlers from the nearby "Halmish" settlement are trying to 
seize. Israeli soldiers closed all the village's entrances to prevent 
the Palestinian and international solidarity activists and journalists 
from participating in the protest. As a result, a number of protestors 
suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they beat 
up by Israeli soldiers.

Also following the Friday prayer, there was the weekly protest against 
the closure of the eastern entrance of KuforQaddoum village, which was 
closed by Israeli forces since the Intifada. Once the protestors 
approached the closed entrance, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal 
bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. They also sprayed skunk 
water other the protestors. As a result, 4 civilians sustained various 
wounds.

_Other demonstrations_

Following the Friday prayer, on 15 May 2015, dozens of youngsters 
gathered from different areas of Ramallah and al-Birehin the vicinity 
ofOfer detention facility, southwest of Ramallah, to commemorate the 
67th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. They headed towards the 
facility’s gate that was closed by Israeli soldiers. They set fire to 
tires and threw stones and empty bottles at the soldiers. Israeli forces 
deployed around the detention facility and started firing live and 
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters. As a 
result, 4 Palestinian civilians sustained wounds and were taken to 
Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah. A 24-year-old civilian sustained 
a bullet wound to the right thigh, a 19-year-old civilian sustained a 
bullet wound to the right knee, a 24-year-old civilian sustained a 
bullet wound to the left knee and a 22-year-old civilian sustained a 
bullet wound to the belly.

Also following the Friday prayer, dozens of children and young men 
gathered at the southern entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of 
Ramallah. They were about 300 meters away from the fence of "Beit Eil" 
settlement. Israeli forces stationed in the area fired live ammunition, 
rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters. As a 
result, 5 civilians, including a child, were wounded and then taken to 
Palestine Medical Compound. A 14-year-old child sustained a bullet wound 
to the right arm, a 21-year-old civilian sustained a bullet wound to the 
forehead, an 18-year-old civilian sustained a bullet wound to the left 
leg, an 18-year-old civilian sustained a bullet wound to the left thigh 
as the bullet exited the left thigh and settled in the right one, and a 
24-year-old civilian sustained a bullet wound to the left leg.

Also ffollowing the Friday prayer, dozens of Palestinians gathered at 
the western entrance of the Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah, on 
the road between Silwad and Yabroud villages, near Bypass road (60), in 
protest at the Israeli policies. The protestors set fire to tires and 
threw stones and Molotov Cocktails at the aforementioned road and 
Israeli soldiers. In response, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area 
fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas 
canisters at the protestors. As a result, a number of protestors 
suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were 
beat up by Israeli soldiers.

_Other demonstrations marking the Palestinian Nakba_

On Thursday, 14 May 2015, dozens of Palestinian youngsters gathered in 
al-Taweel Mount area adjacent to "Psagot" settlement in al-Bireh city, 
to commemorate k the 67th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. They 
threw stones at the settlement fence. Israeli forces fired rubber-coated 
metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters and chased them. As a 
result, 2 children were wounded and then taken to Palestine Medical 
Compound. A 15-year-oldchild sustained a bullet wound to the right leg 
and a 14-year-old child sustained a bullet wound to the left thigh.

At approximately 11:00 on Saturday, 16 May 2015, a number of Palestinian 
civilians gathered at al-Shuhada intersection in the center of Nablus 
upon an invitation from the national and Islamic factions in the city to 
commemorate the 67th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. They raised 
the Palestinian flag and posters against the Israeli policies. They then 
headed to Hawarah checkpoint, south of the city, but they were surprised 
by a big number of Israeli soldiers positioning behind the military 
vehicles and cement cubes. Once the protest approached, Israeli soldiers 
fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters. 
As a result, a Palestinian photojournalist, an Italian photojournalist 
and a political activist were wounded. The wounded were identified as:
1. NidalShafiqIshtaya (46), a photojournalist at the Chinese News Agency 
(Xinhua). He sustained a bullet wound to the left eye, as the bullet 
penetrated the press helmet and hit him in the eye.
2. SmanthaComizzoli (46), an Italian photojournalist, sustained a bullet 
wound to the left arm and chest.
3. Khaled Hassan Hamad Soboh (57), a member of the Political Bureau of 
the Palestinian People Party, sustained 3 bullet wounds to the right 
shoulder, left knee and right foot.

*_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.

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.

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. 
However, they lately allowed the exportation of some vegetables such as 
cucumber and tomatoes, furniture and fish.

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 also continued applying 
the policy of making certain civilian traveling via the crossing 
interviewed by the Israeli intelligence service to be questioned, 
blackmailed or arrested.

_West Bank_

*Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the 
reporting period, Israeli forces imposed additional restrictions on the 
movement of Palestinian civilians:*

· Hebron: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on 
the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 16:30 on 
Thursday, 14 May 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the 
entrance of Ethna village, west of Hebron. Later, the checkpoint was 
removed, and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 07:00 on Saturday, 06 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Sa'ir village, east of 
Hebron, and another checkpoint at the entrance of al-Shyoukh village, 
northeast of the city. No arrests were reported.

At approximately 07:30 on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint, at the northern entrance of Hebron. Later, the 
checkpoint was removed, and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 06:30 on Monday, 18 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of al-Ramadin village, south of 
Hebron. Later, the checkpoint was removed, and no arrests were reported.

At approximately 07:00 on Tuesday, 19 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at al-NabiYounis entrance, north of Halhoul, 
north of Hebron. Around the same time another checkpoint was established 
at the entrance of al-Jalajel village, east of Hebron. No arrests were 
reported.

· Ramallah: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 11:00 on 
Thursday, 14 May 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the 
entrance of 'EinSinia village, north of the city, and another one at the 
entrance of Deir Abu Mesh'al village, northwest of Ramallah. At 
approximately 17:30, they re-established at ‘Atara checkpoint at the 
northern entrance of BirZeit, northwest of the city.

At approximately 09:30 on Friday, 15 May 2015, Israeli forces closed the 
eastern entrance of al-Nabi Saleh village, northeast of Ramallah. At 
approximately 20:00two checkpoints were established at the entrance of 
Senjelvillafe, north of the city, and under the bridge of Yabrud 
village, northeast of the city.

At approximately 18:30 on Saturday, 16 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit 'Oar al-Foqa, southwest 
of Ramallah.

At approximately 08:30 on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Abu Mesh'al village, 
northwest of Ramallah. At approximately 11:30, another checkpoint was 
established at the entrance of N'lin village, west of the city. At 
approximately 17:30, a similar checkpoint was established under the 
bridge of Yabrud village, northeast of the city.

· Qalqilya: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 23:30 on 
Thursday, 14 May 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the 
entrance of Jeet village, northeast of Qalqilya. At approximately 11:00 
on Saturday, 16 May 2015, they re-established the same checkpoint.

At approximately 22:30 on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at between the villages of Hejah and al-Fondq, 
southwest of Qalqilya.

At approximately 19:00 on Monday, 18 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the entrance of 'Azoun Village, southwest of 
Qalqilya.

· Jenin: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on 
the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:30 on Sunday, 
17 May 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpointon the main road 
between Jenin, Tulkarm and Nablus near Jannat Park. At approximately 
10:30, another checkpoint was established at the intersection of Qabatia 
village, south of the city.

At approximately 21:00 on Monday, 18 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpointon the main road between Jenin, Tulkarm and 
Nablus near the entrance of Silet al-Thaer village, south of Jenin.

At approximately 15:00 on Tuesday, 19 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint on the road between al-Zababdah and the 
American Arab University Campus, southeast of Jenin. A t approximately 
20:30, another checkpoint was established on the road between the 
villages of al-Taram and Kafiret, southwest of the city.

· Jericho: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians.At approximately 09:30 on 
Friday, 15 May 2015, Israeli forces established a checkpoint near the 
entrance of Fasayel village, north of the city. At approximately 20:00, 
another checkpoint was establishedat the entrance of al-Zbeidatvillage, 
north of the city. Later, both checkpoints were removed, and no arrests 
were reported.

At approximately 17:30 on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli forces 
established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho.

· Tulkarm: Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions 
on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 11:30 on 
Thursday, 14 May 2015 Israeli forces stationed at ‘Annab military 
checkpoint which is established on the road between Tulkarm and Nablus, 
east of the city, tightened their restrictions against civilians and 
obstructed their movement. the tightening recurred at approximately 
12:30 and 17:30 on Friday, 15 May 2015, at approximately 21:00 on 
Sunday, 17 May 2015 and atapproximately 13:30 on Monday, 18 May 2015.

At approximately 08:30on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli stationed at the 
Gate No. (708) of the annexation wall near Far'on village, south of 
Tulkarm. Local sources said to a PCHR fieldworker that the Israeli 
forces closed the gate in front of persons who hold permits for unknown 
reasons. As a result, farmers gathered in front of the gate waiting for 
it to open so they can reach their agricultural lands behind the wall. 
Israeli forces then fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the 
farmers to disperse them. The gate was later re-opened as usual was 
later removed, and no arrests were reported.

/*Note: all the aforementioned checkpoints were later removed, and no 
arrests were reported.*/

_Arrests and Maltreatment at Military Checkpoints_

· At approximately 09:30 on Thursday, 14 May 2015, Israeli forces 
stationed in the military tower at the western entrance of Selwad 
village, northeast of Ramallah adjacent to the bridge of Yabrud village, 
arrested 6 Palestinian children aged 11 years old. They detained them 
for three hours and then released them. The children were identified as 
Mohammed Ahmed 'Ammar; Salman Salim 'Abdel Rahman; Mohammed Ayman Hamed; 
Hamzah Saleh Hamed; NemerRa'edHamed and AnasYehia.

_*Efforts to create a Jewish majority:*_

_Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilian_

On Wednesday, 20 May 2015, in excessive use of force, Israeli forces 
killed a Palestinian civilian when his car deviated at al-Tour 
neighbourhood intersection, east of the old city in East Jerusalem and 
hit 2 policewomen. The Palestinian sustained several bullet wounds from 
a close range, due to which he was taken to "Cha'riTsedeq" Hospital in 
West Jerusalem to receive the necessary medical treatment. However, he 
passed away few hours after he was admitted to the hospital. Israeli 
forces claimed that Abu Dhaim deliberately ran over the 2policewomen, 
but eyewitnesses who were present in the place confirmed that Abu Dhaim 
was trying to drive through the intersection. Israeli forces could have 
used less lethal force to arrest and question him.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR and statements of 
eyewitnesses, at approximately 09:30, on the abovementioned day, Omran 
Omer Abu Dhaim (41), from al-Mukaber Mount area, east of East Jerusalem, 
was driving his Land Cruiser vehicle in al-Tour neighbourhood. When he 
tried to drive through the intersection, his vehicle hit 2 policewomen 
from the (border guards), who were present there. Israeli forces 
immediately opened fire at him from a close range, due to which he 
sustained serious wounds. In spite of his serious health condition, 
Israeli forces kept him for a while and then transported him to 
"Cha'ariTsedeq" Hospital in West Jerusalem to receive the necessary 
medical treatment. Israeli forces also prevented anybody from 
approaching him. A medical source at the hospital announced later that 
Abu Dhaim died of his serious wounds. It should be noted that the 2 
policewomen who were hit by the vehicle sustained minor wounds according 
to the Israeli authorities.

_House demolitions_

· At approximately 04:00 on Tuesday, 19 May 2015, Israeli bulldozers 
demolished3 commercial stores in Ein al-Louza neighbourhood, south of 
the old city in East Jerusalem, under the pretext of non-licensing.Owner 
of the stores, AnisKaramah, said to a PCHRfieldworker that Israeli 
forces accompanied by bulldozers moved into Silwan village. They 
surrounded and closed Abu Tayeh area in the above-mentioned 
neighbourhood. Then, bulldozers started demolishing the stores. Karamah 
said that he finished building the 200-square-meter stores 2 months ago 
and has not used them yet. He added that Israeli bulldozers demolished 
the stores over equipment and bricks inside them.

· On the same day, Israeli municipality officers of Jerusalem and 
Israeli forces raided a number of houses belonging to the family of Abu 
Khaled in Helwa valley neighbourhood, in Silwan village, south of the 
old city in East Jerusalem. They wanted to demolish 2 under-construction 
houses under the pretext they were not licensed. Emad Abu Khaled said to 
a PCHR fieldworker that Israeli forces surrounded his family house at 
approximately 06:30. The municipality officers could enter the bulldozer 
into the house yard to demolish the house because they did not want to 
damage a retaining wall built by the municipality. They threatened to 
return the following week and removed a metal fence around the house garden.

· At approximately 07:00 on Wednesday, 20 May 2015, Israeli bulldozers 
demolished a residential building in Qaddoum valley area in Ras al-Amoud 
neighbourhood, east of the old city in East Jerusalem, belonging to 
Ahmed Fahmi Abu Snaina under the pretext of non-licensing. Abu Snaina 
said to a PCHR fieldworker that Israeli bulldozers demolished the 
building without prior notice or warning. He added that the 
650-square-meter building includes 8 apartments. Some of the apartments 
are inhabited and the others were under-construction. The 3 
storey-building also includes commercial stores. He said that he started 
building it about a year ago and has been trying to obtain a 
construction license, but could not for the complicated procedures 
imposed by Israeli municipality.

_Incursions and house raids_

· At approximately 04:30 on Thursday, 14 May 2015, Israeli forces raided 
and searched a house belonging to Ibrahim Ramiya in al-Ram village, 
north of East Jerusalem. They arrested his son Jehad (26) and took him 
to an unknown destination.

· At approximately 01:00 on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli forces moved 
into al-Eisawiya village, north of East Jerusalem. They raided a number 
of houses from which they arrested ShadiElayan al-Sahouri (23) and 
Mohammed Saleh Mahmoud (21).

· At approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli forces arrested 
Mohammed Ibrahim (36) while being present in al-Aqsa mosque in the old 
city in East Jerusalem. They took him to al-Qashala police station to be 
questioned. Ibrahim and dozens of Palestinian worshipers were 
confronting settlers who stormed al-Aqsa yards and started dancing and 
singing in the anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the western part 
of Jerusalem.

· At approximately 21:30, on the same day, Israeli forces raided and 
searched a house belonging to Mahmoud al-Karaki in Silwan village, south 
of the old city in East Jerusalem. They arrested his son Ameer (16) and 
took him to an unknown destination.

· At approximately 23:00, Israeli forces raided and searched a house 
belonging to Hassan al-Sayyad in al-Tour neighbourhood, east of the old 
city in East Jerusalem. They arrested his son Basel (16) and took him to 
an unknown destination.

· At approximately 04:00 on Monday, 18 May 2015, Israeli forces raided 
and searched a house belonging to the family of Asma al-Shyoukhi (48) in 
Silwan village, south of the old city in East Jerusalem. They arrested 
her 2 sons: Mos'ab (25) and Mansour (23) and took them to an unknown 
destination.

· At approximately 04:30, on the same day, Israeli forces raided a house 
belonging to RamziSyouri in Ras al-Amoud neighbourhood, east of the old 
city in East Jerusalem. They arrested his 2 sons: Omer (14) and Mohammed 
(16) and took them to an unknown destination.

· At approximately 05:00, Israeli forces raided and searched a house 
belonging to the family of Ahmed al-Atrash in Sour Baher village, south 
of the old city in East Jerusalem. They arrested his son Yaseen (16) and 
took him to an unknown destination.

· At approximately 16:00 on Tuesday, 19 May 2015, Israeli forces moved 
into al-Tour neighbourhood, east of East Jerusalem. They raided and 
searched a number of houses from which they arrested 3 children to be 
questioned Mohammed Naji Abu Jom'a (14); Sultan Adel al-Sayyad (14); and 
Ahmed Ibrahim Radayda (14).

· At approximately 19:00, on the same day, Israeli undercover units 
raided a commercial store belonging to Abed Rabbu family in Beit Safafa 
village, south of East Jerusalem. They attacked and arrested 3 brothers 
and attacked their mother too. The detainees are: Talal (26), Abdullah 
(24) and Belal (23).

_Settler attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property_

· At approximately 15:30 on Thursday, 14 May 2015, after Israeli forces 
announced that settlers were run over near "Etzion" settlement compound, 
south of Bethlehem, about 15 settlers gathered at the entrance of 
"Yitzhar" settlement, south of Nablus. They rioted in the street and 
threw stones at Palestinian vehicles in the street. As a result, 4 
Palestinian vehicles sustained damage. Eyewitnesses said to a PCHR 
fieldworker that the settlers used 2 Skoda vehicles with Palestinian 
registration plates to throw stones at the passing vehicles. The damage 
included the following:
1. The windshield of a vehicle belonging to Satco Electrical Company;
2. The left front light and body of a vehicle belonging to the 
abovementioned company;
3. The right back window of a vehicle belonging to HananRajehAdili, a 
school headmistress; and
4. The right front window, left back window, right mirror and body of a 
vehicle belonging to Alaa Mohammed Deiriya.

· On Sunday morning, 17 May 2015, a number of settlers from "Asfar" 
settlement and "BaniKidam" settlement outpost cut off 800 olive 
seedlings from Palestinian lands to the east of al-Shyoukh village, 
northeast of Hebron. The attacked lands belong to the heirs of Mousa and 
Abdul Qader Mohammed al-Aidiya. It should be noted that on 26 March 
2015, settlers damaged and cut off 1,200 olive seedlings that were 
planted in a piece of that land.

· At approximately 08:00 on the same day, a young settler from "Ramat 
Yshai" settlement outpost in the center of Tal al-Rumaida neighborhood, 
in the center of Hebron, attacked MirvatSa'di Mahmoud Abu Rmailah (34), 
from the said neighborhood. Abu Rmailah went out of her house that was 
10 meters away from the entrance of the outpost to throw garbage away. 
As a result, she suffered severe bleeding and was taken to Hebron Hospital.

· At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 18 May 2015, 5 settlers from "Beit 
Ein" settlement, south of al-Jaba'a village, west of Bethlehem, burnt 16 
dunums planted with olives aging over 60 years, east of the village. The 
olive field belongs to Na'imHamdan.

*/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;

/Full, detailed document 
<http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11039:weekly-report-on-israeli-human-rights-violations-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-14--20-may-2015&catid=84:weekly-2009&Itemid=183>, 
including info on patrols and border crossings available at the official 
PCHR website./

Link(s): http://www.imemc.org/newswire?search_text=pchr&button=S...3E%3E 
<http://www.imemc.org/newswire?search_text=pchr&button=Search+%3E%3E>
-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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