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<h1 class="article-title">PCHR Report on Israeli Human Rights
Violations in the oPt (14 – 20 May 2015)</h1>
<div class="article-subtitledetails">
<span class="article-details">
<span class="article-detail"><img class="icon"
src="cid:part1.01010402.07070101@freedomarchives.org"
alt="author"> Thursday May 21, 2015 20:03</span><span
class="article-detail"><img class="icon"
src="cid:part2.08020807.04030702@freedomarchives.org"
alt="author"> by PCHR-Gaza</span></span> <br>
<b><small><small><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.imemc.org/article/71666">http://www.imemc.org/article/71666</a></small></small></b><br>
</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 14 – 20 May 2015.</blockquote>
<p class="article"><b><u>Israeli attacks in the West Bank &
Gaza:</u></b><br>
<br>
<u>Shootings</u><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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).<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<u>Incursions</u><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<u>Restrictions on movement</u><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 (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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Efforts to create a Jewish majority:</u></b><br>
<br>
<u>House demolition</u><br>
<br>
On 19 May 2015, Israeli bulldozers demolished 3 commercial
stores in Ein al-Louza neighbourhood, in Silwan village, under
the pretext of non-licensing.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Settlement activities:</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 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<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. 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.<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 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<u>Other demonstrations</u><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<u>Other demonstrations marking the Palestinian Nakba</u><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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:<br>
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.<br>
2. SmanthaComizzoli (46), an Italian photojournalist, sustained
a bullet wound to the left arm and chest.<br>
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.<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.
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>
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>
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.<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 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.<br>
<br>
<u>West Bank</u><br>
<br>
<b>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:</b><br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
At approximately 19:00 on Monday, 18 May 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the entrance of 'Azoun Village,
southwest of Qalqilya.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
At approximately 17:30 on Sunday, 17 May 2015, Israeli forces
established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<i><b>Note: all the aforementioned checkpoints were later
removed, and no arrests were reported.</b></i><br>
<br>
<u>Arrests and Maltreatment at Military Checkpoints</u><br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
<u><b>Efforts to create a Jewish majority:</b></u><br>
<br>
<u>Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilian</u><br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
<u>House demolitions</u><br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
<u>Incursions and house raids</u><br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
· 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).<br>
<br>
<u>Settler attacks against Palestinian civilians and their
property</u><br>
<br>
· 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:<br>
1. The windshield of a vehicle belonging to Satco Electrical
Company;<br>
2. The left front light and body of a vehicle belonging to the
abovementioned company;<br>
3. The right back window of a vehicle belonging to
HananRajehAdili, a school headmistress; and<br>
4. The right front window, left back window, right mirror and
body of a vehicle belonging to Alaa Mohammed Deiriya.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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.<br>
<br>
· 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. <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>
<i><a
href="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"
target="_blank">Full, detailed document</a>, including info
on patrols and border crossings available at the official PCHR
website.</i> </p>
<div class="article-related-link-relatedlink">Link(s): <a
href="http://www.imemc.org/newswire?search_text=pchr&button=Search+%3E%3E"
title="http://www.imemc.org/newswire?search_text=pchr&button=Search+%3E%3E">http://www.imemc.org/newswire?search_text=pchr&button=S...3E%3E</a></div>
</div>
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415 863.9977
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