Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continued Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

· IOF killed a Palestinian at a military checkpoint near the northern West Bank town of Jenin.

· A Palestinian civilian was killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

· Two Palestinian civilians were wounded by IOF and a third one was wounded by the Israeli police in the West Bank.

· IOF continued to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip.

- A Palestinian farmer was wounded.

· IOF continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.

- Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded.

· IOF conducted 37 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 3 limited ones into the Gaza Strip.  

- IOF arrested 22 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children.

· Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.

- Israeli soldiers positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children.

· Israel has continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem.

- A tunnel was established between Silwan village and the western wall of the al-Aqsa Mosque.

- The Israeli municipality of Jerusalem declared intention to confiscate areas of Palestinian land in Silwa village.

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

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (20 – 26 January 2011):

Shooting:

During the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian man and wounded 3 others, including a child, in the West Bank. A Palestinian civilian was also killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left by IOF in the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian farmer was also wounded by Israeli gunfire. 

In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers positioned at "Mavi Dutan" checkpoint to the south of Ya'bad village, southwest of Jenin, fired at a Palestinian man who was near the checkpoint. As a result, he was wounded by 3 bullets, and IOF denied him access to medical treatment for several hours. Later, IOF claimed that a gunman fired at Israeli soldiers, who repeated fire and killed him. The al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) stated that the victim was one their members and went to the checkpoint carrying a machine gun to attack Israeli soldiers there.

On 23 January 2011, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by the Israeli police in Hares village, north of Salfit. 

On the same day, Israeli soldiers opened fire at a civilian vehicle that was transporting a number of Palestinian workers near Hebron. Two workers were wounded.

During the reporting period, IOF used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall. As a result, two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises. 

In the Gaza Strip, on 22 January 2011, a Palestinian civilian was killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left by IOF nearly one kilometer away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The three civilians were collecting scraps of construction materials in the area. 

On the same day, a Palestinian farmer was wounded by Israeli soldiers in the east of Gaza City.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 37 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 22 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 3 limited incursions into Palestinian communities, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.

Restrictions on Movement:

Israel had continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

Gaza Strip

Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for over three years. The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. 

· The illegal closure has caused not only a humanitarian crisis but a crisis of human rights and human dignity for the population of the Gaza Strip. Measures declared recently to ease the blockade are vague, purely cosmetic and fail to deal with the root causes of the crisis, which can only be addressed by an immediate and complete lifting of the closure, including lifting the travel ban into and out of the Gaza Strip and the ban on exports. PCHR is concerned that the new Israeli policy is simply shifting Gaza to another form of illegal blockade, one that may become internationally accepted and institutionalized. Palestinians in Gaza may no longer suffer from the same shortage of goods, but they will remain economically dependent and unable to care for themselves, and socially, culturally and academically isolated from the rest of the world.

· Expanding the list of items allowed into Gaza does not change the illegality of this policy, which is inconsistent with Israel’s legal obligations both as an Occupying Power and under international human rights treaties to which it is party, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

· Facts on the ground refute Israeli claims with respect to the easing of the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and the reduction of restrictions imposed on the entry of goods.

· Israeli declaration of allowing new goods to be entered into the Gaza Strip constitutes an attempt to delude the international community, as such goods do not meet the minimal needs of the Gaza Strip. 

· IOF have continued to ban the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip. 

· IOF have imposed a ban on all exports from the Gaza Strip. 

· Israel had continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to Palestinian civilians wishing to travel to the West Bank and Israeli for medical treatment, trade or social visits.

· Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. They have prevented representatives of several international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip.

· Living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

West Bank

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.

· IOF have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian access to the city. Civilians are frequently prevented from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

· There are approximately 585 permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank.

· When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the Wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.

· At least 65% of the main roads that lead to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF.

· There are approximately 500 kilometers of restricted roads across the West Bank. In addition, approximately one third of the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, is inaccessible to Palestinians without a permit issued by the IOF. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

· IOF continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall.

· Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by IOF.

Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem: 

IOF have continued to take measures at creating a Jewish majority in Jerusalem.

On 24 January 2011, deputy director of the Israeli antiquities authority declared the completion of the establishment of a tunnel linking Silwan village to the south of the old town of Jerusalem with the area located near the western wall for the al-Aqsa Mosque. He claimed that "there is no political drive for the establishment of the tunnel, rather it is the outcome of archaeological excavations in accordance with the law. The tunnel is 600 meters long. The Israeli antiquities authority claims that it used to be "a canal for the discharge of rainwater under a main road in the city. According to Wadi Hilaw Center in East Jerusalem, excavations are funded by "El'ad" settlement association, which controls all tourist sites in Silwan village. The excavations have caused damages to Palestinian civilian property, including houses, a school, a nursery, a mosque and a number of road. 

During the reporting period, Palestinian civilians from Silwan village to the south of the old town of Jerusalem sated that they found a notice printed in Hebrew and signed by the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem and the head of the planning and construction committee in the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem, stuck on walls of a number of houses and shops. The notice dated on 03 August 2010 states that the municipality intends to confiscate more than 4,500 square meter of land for public purposes. According to the notice, owners of these lands can appeal the decision in two months!

Settlement Activities:

Israel has continued its settlement activities in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. 

On 21 January 2011, hundreds of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, stormed Khillat al-Fahem and Jabal Abu Zaid areas in al-Khader and Ertas villages, south of Bethlehem. They conducted religious rituals in these areas for several hours.

On 23 January 2011, Israeli settlers from "Carme'el" settlement to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron, attacked Palestinian shepherds in Um al-Khair area and prevented them from grazing animals. According to information available to PCHR, dozens of settlers attacked Suleiman al-Hathalin and his two children while they were grazing animals. The settlers also beat two Italian human rights defenders. IOF later intervened and arrested the two human rights defenders.

On the same day, an Israeli settler from "Ma'oun" settlement to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron, attacked a cattle in Maghayer al-'Abeed area and killed a sheep and a dog belonging to Hani Salama Makhamra. The settler also threatened to fire at Makhamra's two children. 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (20 – 26 January 2011)

1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Thursday, 20 January 2011

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

1. Shaker Mohsen al-Hanbali, 22; and
2. 'Ameer 'Abdullah Raddad, 18.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Bitounia town, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:45, IOF moved into Seilat al-Harthiya village, northwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Adham 'Aadel Jaradat, 25, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, northwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of 'Othman 'Ali Zayed, 23, and arrested him. They then raided a house belonging to the family of Tariq Ziad Smoudi, 17, and arrested him.

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· In the morning, Israeli soldiers positioned at "Mavi Dutan" checkpoint to the south of Ya'bad village, southwest of Jenin, fired at a Palestinian man who was near the checkpoint. As a result, he was wounded by 3 bullets, and IOF denied him access to medical treatment for several hours. Later, IOF claimed that a gunman fired at Israeli soldiers, who repeated fire and killed him. The al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) stated that the victim was one their members and went to the checkpoint carrying a machine gun to attack Israeli soldiers there.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 09:30, Salem Mohammed Sami Smoudi, 32, from al-Yamoun village northwest of Jenin, left home on a donkey going to his family's land in al-Birka area, south of Jenin. At approximately 10:00, his mother called him on his mobile phone asking him to come back home to have breakfast, and he told her that he would do. About half an hour later, she phoned him again, but he did not answer. Shortly after that, IOF declared that Israeli soldiers positioned at "Mavi Dutan" checkpoint shot dead a Palestinian gunman. 

According to Palestinian medical sources, the victim was hit by 3 bullets from a range of 15-20 meters. The first bullet entered the left ear and exited the neck, the second one hit the collarbone and the third one hit the chest. IOF did not allow medical crews to attend Smoudi for 3 hours.

· At approximately 10:40, IOF moved into Hijja village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Far'oun village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 11:00, IOF moved into al-Zawia village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 11:45, IOF moved into Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 13:20, IOF moved into Bedya village, northwest of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 14:05, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 17:50, IOF moved into Kufor al-Dik village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets and established a checkpoint at the entrance of the village. They withdrew later and no house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 18:30, IOF moved into 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 23:30, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian children:

1. Ussaid Mohammed 'Awadh, 17;
2. Yasser Mohammed Abu Fanoos, 17; and
3. Fadi Fayez Abu Fanoos, 14.

Friday, 21 January 2011

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved into Kufor Sour village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 17:30, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 18:40, IOF moved into Deir Ghassana village, northwest of Ramallah, and patrolled in the streets. A number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. immediately, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. A number of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. 

· At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Far'oun village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

Saturday,22 January 2011

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Tammoun village, south of Tubas. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

1. 'Adnan Ahmed Bani 'Ouda, 35;
2. Na'el Mofeed Bani 'Ouda, 25; and
3. 'Abdullah Ahmed Bani 'Ouda, 25.

· At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Far'oun village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or ar