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Furniture of Bedouins whose homes were demolished by Israeli troops this week (PCHR photo)

by PCHR-Gaza

In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 15 - 21 August 2013, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that a civilian was killed and 3 others were wounded, including 2 children, in an excessive use of lethal force in Jenin refugee camp. 2 civilians sustained bullet wounds during clashes in the West Bank. 2 children were wounded when they were near the border fence in Jabalia village in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 5 others, including 2 children, in 3 separate incidents in the West Bank.

In the West Bank, on 20 August 2013, in an excessive use of lethal forces, Israeli forces killed Majd Mohammed Lahlouh (al-Shahla) (21) and wounded 3 others, including 2 children, during clashes that erupted in Jenin refugee camp, in the north of the West Bank.

A day before, Shalash Yasser Hamamrah (22) was wounded by a bullet in the left leg during an Israeli incursion into Jaba' village, south of Jenin.

On 22 August 2013, a 21-year-old civilian was wounded by a bullet to the left leg when Israeli forces moved into al-Dhaisha refugee camp in Bethlehem and clashes erupted.

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, dozens suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Israeli forces conducted 56 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. At least 31 Palestinian civilians, including 2 brothers and 3 children, were abducted.

Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. A Palestinian civilian was abducted at a checkpoint in the West Bank.

Israel has continued its measures to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem. Palestinians were forced to demolish their own houses in Sour Baher and the Old Town.

An image and a stereograph of a synagogue to be established in al-Aqsa mosque was disclosed.

Al-Ka'bnah Bedouin community in Beit Hanina village was demolished under the pretext of not obtaining construction license.

A room of a house, retaining walls and a metal gate in Selwan village, al'Abasiya neighbourhood and Wadi neighbourhood were demolished.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, on 20 August 2013, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of boys who were about 300 meters away from the fence in between al-Shuhada' cemetery and Abu Safiya area, east of Jabalia. As a result, 2 children from Jabalia refugee camp were wounded. It should be mentioned that area was completely calm when Israeli troops opened fire.

Israeli forces abducted 3 Palestinian civilians while swimming in the sea in the northern Gaza Strip.

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

Israeli settlement activities:

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

10 fruitful olive trees (over 30 years old) in al-Hamra area were cut by saws.

On 18 August 2013, 6 masked settlers from "Migron" settlement that is established on lands of Mekhmas village, southeast of Ramallah, attacked Najeh Thalji Abu Ali (47) from Mekhmas. They attacked him harshly while he was grazing the sheep in the area. As a result, he sustained serious wounds in the head, fractures in the hand and bruises throughout his body. Besides, 2 sheep were killed.

On the same day, a group of settlers from "Mitzpe Yair " settlement that is established on lands of Yatta, south of Hebron, closed with rocks and tyres a dirt road leading to Beer al-'Add to deny civilians access to their homes.

On 20 August 2013, Israeli forces demolished a house made of tin and wood belonging to Mahmoud Ali Ka'abna (35) in al-Sanouba area, to the east of al-Jiftlek village, north of Jericho.

Also on the same day, settlers moved into Joseph Tomb area in Nablus in the northern West Bank. They performed Talmudic rituals under the protection of Israeli forces that fired tear gas canisters at the Palestinian young men protesting there against the settler raids.

Israeli attacks against non-violent demonstrations:

Israeli forces have continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank. Dozens of protesters suffered tear gas inhalation and sustained bruises due to Israeli soldiers' attacks.

Following the Friday Prayer, 16 August 2013, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Bil'in village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities, marking Jerusalem International Day and supporting the Negev residents against Brawer Plan. The demonstrators raised the Palestinian flag and made their way towards the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the wall gate with barbwire and when the demonstrators attempted to access the lands behind the barbwire, they were stopped by Israeli soldiers. The demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who responded with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters, and chased them across olive fields as far as the outskirts of the village. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Also, following the Friday Prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organised a peaceful demonstration in Ni'lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The demonstrators made their way towards the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the wall gate with barbwire and, when the demonstrators attempted to access the lands behind the barbwire, they were stopped by Israeli soldiers. The demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who responded with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters, and chased them across olive fields as far as the outskirts of the village. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Around the same time on Friday, dozens of Palestinian civilians, Israeli and international human rights activists gathered at the Martyrs Square in al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to hold a weekly peaceful protest against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities. The protesters walked towards Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby "Halmish" settlement are trying to seize. From the morning, Israeli forces had closed all entrances to the village to prevent Palestinians, international activists, and journalists from joining the demonstration. Upon their arrival in the area, Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters, chased the demonstrators into the village and sprayed them and civilian houses with waste water. As a result, dozens of Palestinians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

Also following the Friday prayer, dozens of Palestinian civilians from al-Ma'sarah village, south of Bethlehem, and a number of international activists and popular resistance activists organized a peaceful demonstration against the annexation wall and settlement activities. They gathered in front of al-Shomou' Cultural Centre in the centre of the village and made their way through the village streets and closed the bypass road linking "Afrat" settlement and Taqou' village for half an hour. Israeli forces dispersed the demonstration and attacked the protestors. They also abducted three Palestinian protesters and an Italian activist. Moreover, they detained an al-Quds.com cameraman, for an hour. Hassan Breijah, coordinator of the popular resistance against settlement, said to PCHR's fieldworker that clashes erupted between the village residents and Israeli forces who chased them inside the village in an attempt to arrest and attack them.

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 European Union to activate Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violation and crimes against Palestinian civilians;

In addition, the PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to international human rights law and humanitarian law instruments.

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