Weekly Summary of israeli War Crimes

PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

http://www.pchrgaza.org


Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
No. 24/2006

15- 21 June 2006



Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)



· 8 Palestinians, including 3 children and a pregnant woman, were killed by IOF.



· 7 of the victims, including 5 civilian bystanders, were killed in 3 extra-judicial execution attempts by IOF.



· 45 Palestinian civilians, including 24 children, were wounded by IOF gunfire.



· IOF conducted 50 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.



· 57 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and 2 women, were arrested by IOF.



· 4 houses were transformed by IOF into military sites.



· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have continued to close border crossings of the Gaza Strip; Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian Border has been closed; the north of the West Bank has been separated from the south; and IOF arrested 15 Palestinians, including 4 children, at checkpoints in the West Bank.



· IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank; IOF razed more areas of agricultural land near "Shavi Shomron" and "Ariel" settlements in the north of the West Bank; and IOF demolished a house in Deir al-Ghosoun village near Tulkarm.



· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the OPT; a Palestinian civilian was injured; 5 houses were damaged; and IOF demolished two houses in East Jerusalem and Silwad village.









Summary



Israeli violations of international law continued in the OPT during the reported period (15-21 June 2006):



Killing: During the reported period, IOF killed 8 Palestinians, including 3 children and a pregnant woman. 7 of the victims, including 5 civilian bystanders, were killed in 3 extra-judicial executions in the Gaza Strip, and the eighth victim was killed during an exchange of fire with IOF in 'Ein Beit al-Maa' refugee camp, west of Nablus.



During the reported period, IOF committed 3 extra-judicial executions in the Gaza Strip. In the firs operation, 2 members of the Islamic Jihad were killed, and in the second and third, the targeted persons survived the attack, while 3 children, a pregnant woman and a man were killed and 30 other Palestinians, including 13 children and 3 women, were wounded. IOF admitted responsibility for these attacks. The attacks follow a series of decisions taken by the Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz to escalate extra-judicial executions against Palestinian militants, in an effort to stop the launching of locally made rockets at Israeli towns.



In the West Bank, 17 Palestinian civilians were wounded by IOF gunfire.



Incursions: During the reported period. IOF also conducted at least 50 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 57 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and 2 women. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF since the beginning of 2006 has increased to 1780. IOF also transformed 4 houses into military sites. In these incursions, IOF employed undercover units and trained dogs.



Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.



IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a large prison. IOF have continued to monitor the movement of Palestinian civilians through Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border. On 21 June 2006, the international observation team suspended work at the crossing point. Although IOF allowed the transportation of food aid from Egypt into the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom commercial crossing, southeast of Rafah, in April 2006, the crossing has not yet been officially opened. IOF have also continued to prevent Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip from reaching their work places in Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. They have continued to prevent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip from traveling to the West Bank. IOF have partially operated al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City. As a result of the repeated closures of the crossing, the economic conditions in the Gaza Strip have deteriorated.



IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to separate the north and south of the West Bank. For this purpose, they have closed Za'tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and re-established their presence at 'Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. They have also erected two new checkpoints near Ramallah. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints around Nablus imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank abused a number of Palestinian civilians. During the reported period, IOF at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 15 Palestinians, including 4 children.



Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF razed areas of Palestinian land near "Shavi Shomron" and "Ariel" settlements in the north of the West Bank to construct a section of the Wall in the area. IOF also demolished a house in Deir al-Ghosoun village, north of Tulkarm. On 16 June 2006, IOF used forced to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal'ein village, west of Ramallah Wall. IOF fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, 3 Palestinians civilians, including a child, were wounded.



Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property, especially in Hebron. During the reported period, a Palestinian civilian was injured and 5 houses were damaged in attacks by settlers, and IOF demolished two houses in East Jerusalem and Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah.









The full report is available online at:

html format:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2006/22-06-2006.htm

pdf format:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2006/pdf/weekly%20report%2024.pdf