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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News Report post

In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 08 -13 Nov. 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces killed 6 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, and two members of the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip.

52 Palestinian civilians, including 12 children and 6 women, were wounded by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces launched a series of aerial and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip. A number of civilian facilities were destroyed and a number of houses were damaged.

The Israeli forces used force to disperse peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. 6 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and a woman, and an Italian human rights defender were wounded. Dozens of protestors sustained bruising and suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

During the period of this report, the Israeli military In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces escalated attacks against the Gaza Strip, killing a number of Palestinian civilians and members of the Palestinian resistance. They also destroyed a number of civilian facilities and damaged a number of houses.

On 08 November 2012, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child during an incursion into ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. In his testimony to PCHR, Mohammed Tariq Abu Daqqa, 14, stated: “On Thursday evening, 08 November 2012, my friend, Ahmed Abu Daqqa, invited me to play football, which he liked so much. We began to play football in front of his house together with Khaled ‘Ali Abu Daqqa, Shadi Akram Abu Daqqa and Fares Hassan Qudaih. Ahmed was wearing sports clothes and he played as a goalkeeper. We knew that there was an Israeli incursion in the area and we heard sporadic shooting. We thought that we were safe because we were relatively far from the affected area. However, at approximately 16:30, I saw a bullet hitting the door of Ahmed’s house. I soon saw Ahmed falling onto the ground. He then stood up putting his hands on his abdomen and screaming. He moved into his house. The children who were playing with us escaped. I called Ahmed’s brother and told him that Ahmed was wounded. Soon after, Ahmed’s brother carried him out of the house and asked me to call an ambulance. I immediately went to a nearly grocery shop and asked its owner to call an ambulance and he did. Ahmed was then transported by a civilian car to the hospital. I learnt later that he died. Before he was wounded, he had asked me to photograph him wearing the uniform of Real Madrid, of which he was a fan.”

On 10 November 2012, Israeli forces killed 4 Palestinian civilians, including two children, when they fired a number of artillery shells at al-Shoja’iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Additionally, 38 Palestinians, including 9 children, were wounded, the wounds of 10 of them was described as serious. On 13 November 2012, one of the wounded died of his wounds.

On the same day, 11 Palestinian civilians, including 5 women and two children, were wounded when Israeli forces fired two artillery shells at Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis.

Also on the same day, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a number of members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) in the northern Gaza Strip, killing one of them.

On 11 November 2012, another member of the Palestinian resistance was killed in a similar attack.

On the same day, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when Israeli forces fired artillery shells at Gaza International Airport, southeast of Rafah.

During the reporting period, Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes against civilian facilities and a number of training sites of the Palestinian resistance. As a result, a number of civilian facilities were destroyed and some houses were damaged.

Israel has continued to impose a total closure and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

The Israeli forces conducted 42 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they abducted 16 Palestinians, including two children and two women.

The Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.

Israeli settlement activities:

The Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On 08 November 2012, Israeli forces moved into ‘Ein Fares area in the southwest of Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem, adjacent to “Bitar Elite” settlement. A number of workers brought by Israeli forces cut a number of olive and almond trees. Eyewitnesses from the village said that 25 olive and almond trees were cut.

On the same day, dozens of settlers from “Beit Hagai” settlement, which stands on civilians’ lands in Hebron, stole olives from Palestinian lands in al-Reihiya village, south of the town and adjacent to the security fence of the aforementioned settlement. An eyewitness told a PCHR fieldworker that a group of settlers attacked farmlands near the aforementioned settlement and stole olives while a number of them broke some tree branches before leaving the land.

On 09 November 2012, a Palestinian civilian from Hebron sustained injuries in his head as a result of stones thrown at him by settlers. He was injured while he was in al-Shallalah Street in the center of the town.

On the same day, a Palestinian civilian sustained injuries and bruises in the head and the foot as a result of being thrown with stones by an Israeli settler in Tal al-Rumidah area in the center of Hebron.

Also on the same day, a group of Israeli settlers from “Shilo” settlement, which stands on Palestinian land in the southeast of Qaryout village, southeast of Nablus, moved into the village and arrived to its center. They were accompanied by the security officer of the settlement. A number of Palestinian civilians gathered in the village and threw stones at the settlers, who were forced to leave the village. Half an hour later, Palestinian civilians were surprised to find another number of settlers in al-Sahlat area in the south of the village, so they went to the area to expel the settlers. A number of settlers started shooting fire at them. Soon, Israeli forces moved into the area and started firing sound bombs at the civilians and chased them into the village. Israeli forces abducted two young men from the village.

On 12 November 2012, Israeli forces moved into the Beit ‘Aynon village, west of Hebron. They prevented civilians from moving. They destroyed a rainwater pool which is used to irrigate crops.

On the same day, Israeli settlers wrote racist slogans on walls of houses in al-Manshiya village, south of Bethlehem. They also attempted to set fire to a house, but Palestinian civilians were able to stop them by stone throwing.

On 13 November 2012, Israeli forces moved into an area adjacent to al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, near Hebron-Bethlehem road. They razed a 200-square-meter paved yard that used as a car park. The loss is estimated at 20,000 (approximately US$ 5,400).

On the same day, Israeli forces moved into Housan village, west of Bethlehem. They demolished a garage and confiscated a container of car parts.

Also on the same day, Israeli forces positioned near the annexation wall in the west of Beit Oula village, west of Hebron, dropped a notice on an agricultural plot ordering the evacuation of the plot in 45 days.

Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:

In the West Bank, the Israeli forces have continued the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human right defenders against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 6 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and a woman, were wounded, and dozens of protesters sustained bruises and suffered from tear gas inhalation.

As a result, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a woman and 3 children, and an Italian human rights defender were wounded, and dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Following the Friday Prayer on 09 November 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil'ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. The demonstrators gathered in the streets of the village, chanting slogans calling for national unity. The protesters aimed to stress the need to adhere to national principles and the right of return, to resist the occupation and to call for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. The demonstration coincided with the 23rd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 8th anniversary of the death of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and made their way towards the wall. They called through megaphones for Israeli settlers in “Mitityahu” settlement to leave Palestinian land. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, an Italian human rights defender, 50, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot, and a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 19 October 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstration coincided with the 23rd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 8th anniversary of the death of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The demonstrators moved towards areas of the annexation wall. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Around the same time on Friday, 19 October 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in the Martyrs Square in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstration coincided with the 8th anniversary of the death of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The protesters walked towards the gate erected by Israeli forces near the entrance of the village, which leads to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby "Halmish" settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers, who had been extensively deployed in the area and near all the entrances of the village since the morning, began to confront the protesters who wanted to walk towards the affected lands. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a woman and 3 children, were wounded, and some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 09 November 2012, Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall. As the protestors moved towards the gate of the village, Israeli forces closed it to prevent the demonstration from gaining access to the confiscated lands. Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. They also violently bear ‘Abada ‘Ali Braijiya, 12, and attempted to arrest him.

At approximately 12:30 on Friday, 09 November 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a sit-in in front of “Gush Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem, demanding closing the road leading to Etzion detention center, stopping attacks by Israeli settlers and boycotting Rami Livi Mall. Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at the participants and beat Younis ‘Arar, 35.

Recommendations to the international community:

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention hold a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel's respect of the Convention and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.

PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with their legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.

Full text at PCHR News Source Link