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<h1 class="article-title">PCHR Report On Israeli Human Rights
Violations in the oPt (07 - 14 January 2015)</h1>
<div class="article-subtitledetails">
<span class="article-details">
<span class="article-detail"><img class="icon"
src="cid:part1.02090608.02090809@freedomarchives.org"
alt="author"> Tuesday January 20, 2015 16:34</span><span
class="article-detail"><img class="icon"
src="cid:part2.08050400.01000901@freedomarchives.org"
alt="author"> by PCHR-Gaza<br>
<b><small><small><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.imemc.org/article/70307">http://www.imemc.org/article/70307</a></small></small></b><br>
</span></span></div>
<blockquote class="article-intro">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.</blockquote>
<p class="article"><b>Israeli attacks in the West Bank & Gaza:</b><br>
<br>
<b><u>Shootings:</u></b><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Incursions:</u></b><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Restrictions on movement:</u></b><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.
<br>
<br>
<u><b>Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against
Palestinian civilians and property:</b></u><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations
protesting settlement activities and the construction of the
annexation wall:</u></b><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<b><i>(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).</i></b><br>
<br>
<u>Demonstrations against the construction of the annexation wall
and settlement activity</u><br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Continued closure of the oPt:</u></b><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<u>Gaza Strip</u><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<u>West Bank</u><br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Arrests and Maltreatment of Palestinian Civilians at
Military Checkpoints:</u></b><br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Efforts to create Jewish demographic majority in occupied
East Jerusalem:</u></b><br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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). <br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
<b><u>Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against
Palestinian civilians and property:</u></b><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.”<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.”<br>
<br>
<b><i>Recommendations to the International Community:</i></b><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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:<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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;<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<i><a
href="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"
target="_blank">Full, detailed document</a>, including info on
patrols and border crossings available at the official PCHR
website.</i> </p>
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