Description

Israeli troops detain a father and his 5-year old son, claiming the 5-year old threw a stone (PCHR photo)

by PCHR-Gaza

In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 11 - 17 July 2013, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces have continued to open fire at Palestinian civilians. A Palestinian child was wounded in the east of Beit Hanoun, and a young man and a child were wounded in al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. Israeli forces detained a 5-year-old child and his father in Hebron, claiming that the child threw a stone at an Israeli settler’s car.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

In the West Bank, 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded when Israeli forces moved into al-Nabi Saleh village, northeast of Ramallah, on 16 July 2013.

During the last week, Israeli forces conducted 17 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. At least 9 Palestinian civilians were abducted.

On 11 July 2013, Israeli forces, accompanied by three military vehicles and a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration, moved into Deir Samet village, in the west of Doura, in the southwest of Hebron. The Civil Administration officer handed 3 civilians notices to halt construction work in the area.

On 13 July 2013, Israeli forces, accompanied by a number of military vehicles, moved into the farmlands near Kherbat Uml-Khair area in the east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The soldiers chased Palestinian shepherds of the Hathaleen family and detained 4 of them, including 3 children for a few hours before releasing them.

Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. 15 Palestinian civilians were abducted by Israeli forces at checkpoints. Of the abducted civilians, there were 8 children, including a 5-year-old child.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, on 14 July 2013, an 18-year-old civilian was wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, northeast of Beit Hanoun, opened fire at a group of workers collecting metal pieces in the landfill, northeast of Beit Hanoun, about 400 metres away from the border fence.

As part of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 17 July 2013, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha resort, northwest of Beit Lahia, opened fire and pumped water at the Palestinian fishing boats. As a result, a fishing boat sustained damage by 4 bullets.

In the Gaza Strip, on 16 July 2013, Israeli forces moved nearly 200 meters into the east Shuhada' cemetery, east of Jabalia village, in the northern Gaza Strip. They opened fire and levelled lands. No casualties were reported.

Also this week, the Israeli border guard at Beit Hanoun Crossing detained the brother of a deceased man who was accompanying his brother's corpse back to the Gaza Strip for burial. At approximately 13:00 on Thursday, 11 July 2013, Israeli authorities stationed at Beit Hanoun Crossing “Erez” in the northern Gaza Strip abducted Mohammed Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Harbid (55) from Martyr Bassem Na’aim Street in Beit Hanoun when he was on his way back to the Gaza Strip. The aforementioned civilian was accompanying his brother, Soliman (58), who died at “Okhlof” Hospital in Israel on the same day morning, and he was questioned about the number of his family members and his relation with Palestinian armed groups. At approximately 18:15 on the same day, he was released.

Mohammed Abu Harbid Said to a PCHR fieldworker that a tumour was discovered in his brother’s, Soliman, stomach and doctors immediately gave him necessary documents to transfer him into Israel for medical treatment. He got an appointment at “Okhlof” Hospital on 16 June 2013. He added that he accompanied his brother to the hospital, where doctors gave him 5 dozens of chemotherapy, and he remained at the hospital till 28 June 2013, when he came back to the Gaza strip. They got an appointment to see his doctors on 14 July 2013. Two days after his return to Gaza, his health condition deteriorated as a result of intensive chemotherapy doses he was given. He was then entered into Beit Hanoun governmental hospital and also Shifa Hospital in Gaza but in vain. Doctors recommended transferring him into Israel again. Thus, he was transferred and got an appointment on 08 July 2013.

He added: “At approximately 13:00 on Monday, 08 July 2013, he was taken by an ambulance belonging to the Palestinian Ministry of Health due to his serious condition. When we arrived at Beit Hanoun Crossing “Erez”, an ambulance came from the Israeli side to take us to “Okhlof” Hospital, where doctors said that his health condition is very serious. Thus, he was entered into the Intensive care Unit (ICU), where he was lying till they declared his death at approximately 06:00 on Thursday, 11 July 2013.”

He also said that he immediately completed all needed procedures to deliver the dead body to the Gaza Strip. At approximately 13:00 on the same day, he handed his ID card and his brother’s as well to the soldiers in a room at Beit Hanoun Gate. One of the soldiers asked him to wait inside the ambulance outside the crossing gate, and he waited for 20 minutes to be allowed then to enter the crossing. They put the ambulance in an isolated place inside the crossing, where 6 persons, including 2 ladies, were standing wearing civilian clothes, and they asked the ambulance staff to uncover the corpse, but the staff refused. Mohammed Abu Harbid then uncovered his brother’s body, and they then asked him to accompany them. He went with them inside the building, and they walked into a long passage. He was thoroughly searched for 20 minutes and then taken to a room in an underground floor, where he was detained for 4 hours without anyone talking to him. At approximately 17:00 on the same day, he was taken to a detention centre, where he was questioned about his personal data, some of his family members and if he has any relation with persons affiliated with Hamas or Islamic Jihad. The questioning continued for an hour, during which he was informed that his brother’s body was delivered to the Palestinian side. At approximately 18:15 on the same day, he came back home to find his sole brother’s body buried by his relatives as they thought that his detention would last longer.

Israeli settlement activity:

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

On 14 July 2013, a group of settlers from "Gush Etzion" settlement, which is established on the lands of al-Khader village, in the south of Bethlehem, assaulted Salah Sa'id Shaheen's house, which is located in Ayn Balout area, in the center of "Gush Etzion" settlement compound, with stones and empty bottles. As a result, Shaheen's family members were traumatized.

On the same day, 3 settlers from "Mitzpe Yair" settlement, which is established on Palestinians' lands in the east of Yatta, south of Hebron, attacked a Palestinian shepherd while he was grazing his sheep in Wad Lugha area, in the west of the village. He sustained bruises and cuts in his head and was taken to Hebron Public Hospital for treatment.

On the same day also, a group of settlers from "Eddie Ad" settlement, which is established on Palestinians' lands in the east of Termis'ya village, north of Ramallah, uprooted 40 seedlings and 40 fruitful olive trees in the east of the village that are 3 kilometers away from the abovementioned settlement.

On 16 July 2013, ten settlers, three of them were masked, from "Bat Ayin" settlement, which is established on Palestinians' lands in the east of Beit Ummar village, in the north of Hebron, attacked a Palestinian farmer who was present at his land, which is located near the afore-mentioned settlement. As the settlers started insulting him and using foul language, he ran away from his land towards the village in fear for his life.

Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces continued the systematic use of excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian, Israeli and international activists against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, a number of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises during peaceful protests. Protests were organized on the first Friday of Ramadan in Bil'in, Ni'lin and al-Nabi Saleh villages in Ramallah; Kufor Qaddoum village in the northeast of Qalqilia; and al-Ma'sarah village in the south of Bethlehem.

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 them were a recommendation that the international community act in order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them.

In addition, the 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;

For the full text of the report, see PCHR News Source Link