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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 20- 26 Dec 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that 12 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli forces this week, including 3 children. In addition, at least 48 Palestinian civilians, including 8 children, were abducted in the West Bank.

sraeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, on 21 December 2012, 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded when the Israeli forces inside watchtowers and infantry units positioned along the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of persons and farmers, who were about 30 meters away from the border fence.

On the same day, 2 other Palestinians, including a child, were wounded when the Israeli forces inside watchtowers and infantry units positioned along the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of persons and farmers, who were about 150 meters away from the border fence. The four Palestinians were wounded when dozens of Palestinian civilians headed to the two abovementioned areas to challenge the Israeli decision to impose a 300-meter buffer zone along the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

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

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

During the reporting period, the Israeli forces conducted at least 71 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, they abducted at least 44 Palestinians, including 6 children.

In the West Bank, on 20 December 2012, the Israeli forces wounded and abducted 2 Palestinian civilians from Rumanna village, northwest of Jenin. The 2 wounded civilians were transported by military ambulances to al-Khdeira hospital in Israel. The aforementioned persons were wounded when the Israeli Forces moved into the said village and fired at a group of persons in the center of the village.

Families of the two wounded persons said that the Israeli forces abducted both of them and transported them by a military ambulance to al-Khdeira Hospital in Israel to receive medical treatment. Ambulances of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) were denied access to the scene. The Israeli forces then raided a house and detained the residents of the house for hours and questioned them.

On 22 December 2012, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded when the Israeli forces opened fire at dozens of Palestinians, who went out for the funeral of a dead person to the cemetery near the entrance of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. 2 of the victims were wounded by live bullets, while the other 4 were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets. The wounded were transported by the Palestine Red Crescent Society's (PRCS) ambulances to hospitals in Hebron. Wounds of 2 of them were serious.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 13:00, dozens of Palestinian civilians from Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, went out in a funeral procession to the cemetery near the eastern entrance of the village. Israeli soldiers surrounded the Palestinians in a provocative way. Some boys gathered in response and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, who fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. As a result, 6 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded; 2 of whom were wounded by live bullets, while the other 4 ones were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets. The wounded were transported by PRCS to hospitals in Hebron, where wounds of 2 of whom were described as serious:

In the same context, the Israeli forces continued to systematically use excessive force against peaceful protests organized by Palestinians and Israeli and international activists protesting against the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, dozens of Palestinians suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises. They were all treated on the spot.

The Israeli Forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. At least 4 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were abducted at checkpoints in the West Bank.

Israeli settlement activities:

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

On 20 December 2012, a group of Israeli settlers from "Ma'ale Ephraim" settlement, southeast of Nablus, set fire to 2 vehicles belonging to 2 brothers from Othman family.

On 22 December 2012, a group of settlers from "Nokdim" settlement, south of Bethlehem, escorted by Israeli forces, attacked Abed Ali Mohammed Khamis, 28, and his daughter Ayat, 11, from Beit Ta'mar in the city. The father and his daughter were grazing their sheep in al-Freidis area, when the Israeli settlers used dogs in their attack. As a result, 2 sheep died and 8 others were wounded. Moreover, the father and his daughter were terrified and transported to a medical center.

On 22 December 2012, the Israeli infantry units moved into the Palestinian lands near "Susia" settlement, south of Hebron. They denied the Palestinian farmers access to their farmlands and dismissed them from their lands. The farmers rejected the Israeli decision and quarreled with the Israeli soldiers, who used force and attacked the farmers in response. As a result, a farmer sustained bruises and minor wounds. Moreover, the Israeli soldiers abducted 3 farmers from the same family and transported them to "Susia" settlement camp.

On 23 December 2012, the Israeli forces moved into al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem. They submitted notices of house demolition to Taha Hammad Salah, 45, and Ali Salim Mousa, 60. The 2-story house belonging to Salah is in the finishing stage while the other house belonging to Mousa consists of the foundations and a water well.

On 24 December 2012, a group of settlers from "Susia" settlement, south of Hebron, intercepted the Palestinian farmers and denied them access to their lands between "Susia" and "Havat Maon" settlements. Quarrels erupted between the farmers and settlers, as a result, the Israeli Forces moved into the area, attacked the settlers and denied them access to their lands.

Read full report at PCHR News Source Link