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Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (28 October – 3 November 2021)

Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

28 October – 3 November 2021

IOF shoot and wound 3 Palestinians, including a child, in excessive use of force in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem

3 IOF shootings reported against fishing boats, and twice at agricultural lands in the Gaza Strip

In 119 IOF incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 80 civilians arrested, including 16 children

Israeli court ratifies decision to confiscate 4700 sqms in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem

IOF demolish 3 houses, 2 shops and 6 tents; 3 of them are residential, while notices to stop construction works were distributed in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem

IOF established 41 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank and arrested 2 Palestinians on said checkpoints

Summary

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to commit crimes and multi-layered violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties. This week witnessed escalation of demolitions and attempts to displace Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem, with the complicity of the Israeli judiciary. IOF continued to use excessive force against the Palestinian civilians, and carry out incursions into the Palestinian cities and villages in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, as well as arrest campaigns, turning the West Bank into isolated blocks of land. Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip enters its 15th year under closure, exacerbating the humanitarian hardships across the territory.

IOF shooting and violation of right to bodily integrity:

IOF shot and wounded 3 civilians in excessive use of force in the West Bank: one in Qalqiliya and two including a child in al-Duheisha refugee camp in Bethlehem.

In the Gaza Strip, PCHR documented 3 IOF shootings at fishing boats in the Gaza Sea, and two others on agricultural lands in eastern Gaza.

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians: IOF carried out 119 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, 80 Palestinians were arrested, including 16 children and a woman who arrested with her husband.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted a limited incursion into eastern Khan Younis.

Demolitions

PCHR documented 8 incidents:

Occupied East Jerusalem: Israeli court ratifies decision to confiscate 4700 sqms in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. Also, 2 shops near Hizma checkpoint and 2 houses in Mukaber Mount were demolished while 7 Palestinian families in al-Sheikh Jarrah received notices to evacuate.
Bethlehem: a notice to stop construction works in Nahalin village and a notice to level an agricultural land in al-Ma’asarah village were distributed.
Tubas: 6 tents, including 4 residential ones, and a sheep barn were demolished in Northern Jordan Valleys.
Hebron: a house was demolished in Yatta.

Israeli closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement:

The Israeli occupation authorities continued to ban the entry of dozens of goods, including construction materials, in collective punishment measures against the Gaza Strip as the Israeli closure imposed on the territory entered its 15th year, without an end in sight that would fulfil Palestinians’ right to enjoy their economic, social, and cultural rights.

Meanwhile, IOF continued to divide the West Bank into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the 2000 Second Intifada -still closed to this date- and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilian movement is restricted, and they are subject to arrest, especially at al-Karama border crossing, alongside the Palestinian-Jordanian border.

Shooting and other Violations of the Right to Life and Bodily Integrity

At approximately 01:00 on Thursday, 28 October 2021, a group of Palestinians gathered by Dura’s eastern entrance, connecting Bypass road 60, and threw stones at an Israeli military watchtower in the area. The soldiers deployed on the bypass road and fire tear gas canisters arbitrarily, causing several stone throwers to suffocate. The clashes continued until 02:00, and the soldiers later closed the metal gate established on the city’s entrance.

At approximately 13:30, an infantry unit of the Israeli military forces moved into al-Aroub refugee camp, northern Hebron. They fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the Palestinians present in the camp, allegedly for throwing stones on the military watchtower by the camp’s entrance. As a result, several Palestinians suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. Clashes continued until 16:00 when soldiers retreated and stationed on the entrance connecting with Bypass road 60.

At approximately 08:45 on Friday, 29 October 2021, IOF stationed along Gaza border area opened fire in eastern Khan Younis at nearby agricultural lands. No casualties were reported.

Following Friday prayers, IOF assaulted dozens of worshipers leaving al-Aqsa Mosque via Bab al-Asbat and onto al-Yousifiyah cemetery in central Old East Jerusalem. IOF beat the worshipers and fired tear gas canisters at them to disperse any gathering near the cemetery.

IOF had reinforced their presence in the area near the time of the Friday prayer. They chased Palestinians when a group smashed the rear window of a police car, and denied worshipers entry to both the al-Yousifiyah and the Martyrs cemeteries. IOF shot both cemeteries’ entrances. After the prayer, IOF assaulted the worshipers and journalists as well, barring them from covering the incidents inside the cemetery. IOF fired rubber-coated bullets and sound bombs intensely at the worshippers. As a result, Mohammed Hamdallah (22), was wounded with a bullet in the back; 3 vehicles’ windows were smashed, and 7 other vehicles were damaged as they were parked in the area. IOF also arrested 17-year-old Jihad al-Rajbi, Ali al-Mughrabi (34), and Suliman Saada (29).

At approximately 14:00, a group of Palestinians gathered in Ras al-Joura, northern Hebron, and threw stones on an Israeli military watchtower established on the road connecting Hebron and Halhoul. IOF deployed in the area and fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the protestors. IOF also chased them and arrested Usama Zeyd al-Jnaidy (21). He was taken to an unknown destination. The clashes continued until 18:00.

At approximately 17:45, IOF gunboats in the northern Gaza sea chased Palestinian fishing boat sailing at 3 nautical miles, pumped water at them and opened heavy fire at them, stirring fear among the fishermen and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 18:30, IOF moved into al-Samen area, west of al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem, under the pretext of stone throwing. Tens of young men gathered at the area entrance and threw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers and their vehicles. IOF immediately attacked the protesters with rubber-coated metal bullets and teargas canisters. Muhanad Hasan Hasanat (16) was arrested from al-Duheishah refugee camp, south of the city.

At approximately 14:00 on Saturday, 30 October, a group of Palestinians gathered in Bab al-Zawya area in Hebron where IOF maintain a military checkpoint on the entrance of the closed Shuhadaa St. The protestors set tires on fire and threw stones on the military checkpoint. IOF soldiers deployed on rooftops in the area and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the protestors. Soldiers chased a group and several protestors suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. The clashes continued until 18:00, and Israeli soldiers forced civilians to close their shops.

At approximately 16:00, dozens of Palestinians gathered on the road connecting al-Aroub refugee camp, northern Hebron, and Bypass road 60. They threw stones on soldiers near the military watchtower, set tires on fire, threw empty bottles, and closed the road with metal bars. IOF reinforcements arrived and deployed in the area. They fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the stone throwers and chased them; many suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. IOF arrested Jamal Rami al-Mughrabi (13) and took him to the detention center at “Gush Etzion”

At approximately 23:30, IOF gunboats in the southern Gaza sea chased Palestinian fishing boat sailing at 6 nautical miles, pumped water at them and opened heavy fire at them, stirring fear among the fishermen and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 05:00 on Tuesday, 2 November, IOF arrested Saqr Ashraf Abdulqader Rakban (19) after raiding and searching his home in Dheisheh refugee camp, Bethlehem. Before withdrawing, dozens of Palestinians gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at IOF. The latter fired tutu and rubber-coated bullets. As a result, Amir Ahmed Mahmoud Hassan (16) and Mohammed Ashraf Abdulqader Rakban (21) sustained bullet injuries in their extremities.

At approximately 19:00, IOF suppressed a sit-in in solidarity with Karam al-Ja’ouni area under the threat of displacement in favor of Israeli settlement organizations in front of the sit-in tent in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They beat up the protesters and forced them to leave the area.

It should be noted that at 15:00, tens of civilians and activists gathered near the solidarity tent in the neighborhood after the statement issued by the families of al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood under the threat of evacuation, rejecting the deal offered by the Israeli High Court about the evacuation of their houses in the neighborhood in favor of the settlers. This sit-in came to support the Palestinian families in the neighborhood and enhance their resilience against IOF and settlers’ ongoing attacks. At approximately 19:00, IOF attacked a tent, beat up, and pushed those inside in order to disperse them forcibly.

At approximately 17:00 on Tuesday, 02 November 2021, a number of young men gathered at the entrance to al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, where IOF established a military checkpoint. The young men threw stones at the military vehicles stationed near the watchtower and set fire to tires on the road leading to Bypass Road (60) and to the camp. The soldiers deployed in the area and nearby agricultural field and fired stun grenades and teargas canisters at the stone-throwers. As a result, some of the stone-throwers suffocated. The clashes continued until 21:00, during which IOF closed the entrance to the camp and prevented vehicles’ movement. No arrests were reported.

At approximately 01:00 on Wednesday, 1 November, IOF gunboats in the northern Gaza sea chased Palestinian fishing boat sailing at 3 nautical miles, pumped water at them and opened heavy fire at them, stirring fear among the fishermen and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 08:00, IOF stationed along the border fence opened fire and fired teargas canisters at the agricultural lands in eastern Khuza’ah village, east of Khan Younis. No arrests were reported.

Incursions and arrests

Thursday, 28 October 2021:
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Read full report here and at PCHR New Source link

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