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Photo:
Scene n Kafr Qaddum. File? Published by IMEMC News
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Israeli Violations of Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

by Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

15 – 21 October 2020

*5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a journalist, wounded in IOF excessive use of force

*shootings reported at agricultural lands and 2 others against fishing boats eastern and western Gaza Strip

*In 97 IOF incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 95 civilians arrested, including 8 children

*Collective punishment policy: IOF seals a detainee’s room in Jenin

*Settler-attacks: Olive trees damaged, and lands flooded with wastewater in the West Bank

*IOF established 85 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank and arrested 9 Palestinian civilians on said checkpoints

Summary

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to commit crimes and multi-layered violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including raids into Palestinian cities that are characterized with excessive use of force, assault, abuse and attacks on civilians. This week, IOF attacks rendered 5 Palestinian civilians wounded in excessive use of force. IOF also continued to create new-facts on the ground by maintain its policy of demolishing, confiscating and razing Palestinian houses and facilities for its settlement expansion schemes. Israeli-settler attacks witnessed an increase against farmers and agricultural lands as this time of the year marks the olive harvest season.

The publishing of this report is accompanied by the rapidly deteriorating health condition of on-hunger-strike Palestinian administrative detainee Maher al-Akhras (50); al-Akhras has been on hunger strike since the first day of his arrest by IOF on 27 July 2020, marking the 87th consecutive day in protest to his detention without charge or trial. Al-Akhras continues to be locked in under administrative detention despite his critical health. PCHR renews its call upon the international community to pressure Israel to release al-Akhras, as no legal means can be pursued for this purpose due to the nature of administrative detention which is conducted without charge or trial. PCHR urges the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territory in 1967 to intervene immediately to facilitate his release.

This week, PCHR documented 178 violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by IOF and settlers in the oPt. It should be noted that the limitations due to the corona virus pandemic, has limited PCHR’s fieldworkers mobility and ability to conduct field documentation; therefore, the information contained in this report are only part of the continued IOF violations.

IOF shooting and violation of right to bodily integrity: 5 civilians wounded in IOF excessive use of force in the West Bank, including 2 children and a journalist. The journalist was shot and wounded due to IOF oppression of a protest in Ramallah, 2 Palestinians sustained wounds in IOF suppression of Kafr Qaddum – Qalqilya weekly protest; 2 children wounded in clashes in Hebron.

In the Gaza Strip, 2 IOF shootings were reported at agricultural lands and twice at fishing boats eastern and western Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike at a vacant land eastern Deir al-Balah, Central Gaza.

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians: IOF carried out 97 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids of civilian houses and shootings, enticing fear among civilians, and attacking many of them. During this week’s incursions, 95 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 children.

Collective Punishment Policy: As part of the collective punishment policy adopted by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians accused of carrying out attacks against Israeli soldiers or/and settlers, IOF sealed Nazmi Asfour’s room; Asfour is imprisoned by Israel and he is from Yabad village in Jenin.

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