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

· A Palestinian worker from Hebron was wounded and arrested by IOF while trying to have access to Israel for work.

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

-A Palestinian farmer was wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.

-IOF fired at Palestinian fishermen at sea and no casualties were reported.

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

- Six protesters, including a child and a Spanish human rights defender, were wounded. 

- IOF arrested 5 protesters, including a child and three international human rights defenders.

· IOF conducted 25 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and two incursions into the Gaza Strip. 

- IOF arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.

- IOF raided Tareq Ben Zeyad Secondary School in Hebron.

- IOF bulldozed eight tin-made stores owned by PADICO.

· Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the Gaza Strip and tightened the siege on the West Bank.

- IOF have totally closed off the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for Passover for the second week.

- IOF arrested at least four Palestinians, including two children, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

- IOF maltreated a Palestinian worker and sniffer dogs bit him.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (21 – 27 April 2011):

Shooting:

During the reporting period, IOF wounded eight civilians, including a child, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.  Five of the wounded, including a child and a Spanish human rights defender, were wounded in peaceful protests in the West Bank and a Palestinian worker was wounded in the far southwest of Hebron while trying to have access to Israel for work. In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian farmer was wounded when IOF fired at Palestinian farmers in the northern Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, 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 in the West Bank. As a result, six civilians, including a child and a Spanish human rights defender, were wounded. Five of them were wounded in Bil'ein 'sweekly protest in the west of Ramallah, while the child was wounded in Nabi Saleh’s protest in the northwest of Ramallah. In addition, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders participating in peaceful protests in the West Bank suffered from tear gas inhalation and bruises as they were beaten by IOF.

On 24 April 2011, a Palestinian worker was wounded when IOF stationed in "al-Kharouba" border area in the southwest of al-Ramadin village, southwest of Hebron, opened fire at him. IOF opened fire before and after intentionally letting sniffer dogs attack the Palestinian worker and eat his flesh. They then arrested him and transferred him later to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. The arrested Palestinian was transferred later to an Israeli detention center. It should be noted that this crime is the fourth of its kind documented by PCHR within two weeks in Hebron.

In the Gaza Strip, on 21 April 2011, a Palestinian farmer was wounded when IOF positioned on the border opened fire at Palestinian farmers and shepherds who were in their farms or in the jungle in al-Qutbania area in the southeast of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip. The wounded Palestinian was on his land which is approximately 900 meters far from the border.

On 23 April 2011, IOF gunboats positioned off al-Waha resort in the west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip, fired shells and opened intensive fire at Palestinian fishing boats. They also fired many flash bombs. Palestinian fishermen escaped as a result in fear of being wounded or arrested.  No casualties or damages in property were reported.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 25 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children.

On 21 April 2011, IOF positioned and deployed in the south of Hebron raided "Tareq Ben Zeyad Secondary School" which is located to the south of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the south of Hebron. IOF claimed that an IOF patrol was stoned while passing by the school. IOF arrested a student from the school and transferred him to an IOF police station near "Kiryat Arba'a" settlement, southeast of Hebron. The student was placed under investigation and was released in the afternoon on the same day.

IOF have continued to attempt to prevent international human rights defenders from participating in peaceful assemblies against settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall. AS part of these attempts, IOF arrested five participants in peaceful protests, including a child, Amed Nafez Abdul Al, 17, three international human rights defenders and a Palestinian civilian, Fadel Tamim Hussein Tamimi, 51. The child, Abdul Al, was released six hours later.  

In the Gaza strip, during the reporting period, IOF conducted two limited incursions. On 21 April 2011, IOF moved approximately 200 meters into the southeast of the area adjacent to al-Mentar (Karni) crossing in the east of Shajaeya neighborhood, east of Gaza City. IOF bulldozed eight tin-made stores belonging to Palestine Development and Investment Company (PADICO) which is owned by Palestinian businessman Munib al-Masri and managed by Wadi' Mohammed Shaaban al-Masri, 48. The bulldozed stores were built on an area of approximately 4,200 square meters. 

On 27 April 2011, amid intensive firing, IOF moved approximately 70 meters into the east of Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah. IOF bulldozed and leveled lands along the border and no casualties were reported.

Restrictions on Movement:

Israel has continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and has 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 been steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. 

· The cooking gas crisis which has erupted last November has continued to affect the Gaza Strip. This crisis was created when the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed, on 04 January 2010, Nahal Oz crossing, which used to be dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas supplies to Gaza, and shifted fuel and cooking gas supplies to Karm Abu Salem crossing which is not technically equipped to receive Gaza's needs of fuel.  Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum absorptive capacity, can receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day.

It should be noted that the Israeli occupation authorities have worked over the past three years to make Karm Abu Salem crossing, which is not appropriate for commercial purposes, as Gaza's major and sole crossing.  For this purpose, on 02 March 2011, the Israeli occupation authorities totally closed al-Mentar ("Karni") crossing which is the major and largest commercial crossing in the Gaza Strip in terms of its absorptive capacity to receive Gaza’s imports and exports.  In the beginning of 2010, the Israeli occupation authorities closed Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which was dedicated for the supplies of fuel and cooking gas to Gaza, and shifted fuel supplies to Karm Abu Salem crossing.  Three years ago, these authorities totally closed Sofa crossing, southeast of Khan Younis, and shifted humanitarian aid and food items which used to be delivered via Sofa crossing to Karm Abu Salem crossing. 

· Approximately 80% of Gaza civilians have continued to depend on alimentary aid provided by UNRWA and other relief agencies, rates of families who are living below poverty line have continued to be on the rise and approximately 40% of Gaza's manpower has continued to suffer from permanent unemployment as a result of shutting down the majority of Gaza's economic establishments.

· IOF have continued to impose a total ban on the exportation of Gaza's products, especially industrial products, leading to undermining any real chances to rerun economic establishments. Facts on the ground refute IOF's allegation that they daily allow the export of 10 truckloads of agricultural products.

· Recently, IOF allowed the exportation of very limited quantities of Gaza's agricultural products, including flowers and tomatoes, to European markers.

· For approximately four consecutive years, IOF have continued to ban the delivery of construction materials to Gaza. During the reporting period, IOF approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of international organizations.

· Israel has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip. IOF only allow the movement of limited groups amidst severe restrictions, including long hours of waiting in the majority of cases. IOF have also continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and Jerusalem. IOF denied new categories of Gazan patient permission to have access to hospitals via the crossing.

· Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip.

·  For approximately 46 months, IOF have continued to deny approximately 710 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza detained in Israeli jails their visitation rights without providing any justification to this measure, which violates the rules of the international humanitarian law.

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 in the 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, confiscating more 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 permits issued by IOF. Such 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.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (21 – 27 April 2011)

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

Thursday, 21 April 2011

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Qiffin village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Antarish neighborhood in al-Bireh. They raided and searched the house of Dr. Ahmed Suleiman Qatamesh, 61.  Before their withdrawal at approximately 01:40, they arrested Qatamesh and transferred him to "Ofer" interrogation center, southwest of Ramallah.

A lawyer from Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association managed to visit Qatamesh one day after his arrest. The lawyer said that Qatemesh had not been placed under investigations yet. He also said that IOF officers told Qatamesh that they would ask the court to issue a decision to place him under administrative detention. This proves that Qatamesh was arrested for his intellectual and political activities, not for "security" reasons as alleged by IOF.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets and took position in the Western neighborhood. They then raided an apartment in an apartment building near al-Rawda mosque. They arrested three Palestinians, including a child, from the Gaza Strip:

1. Mohammed Fayez Ghazi Afana, 17, from al-Burej refugee camp;

2. Adnan Ali Suleiman al-Tawil, 31, from al-Nussairat refugee camp; and

3. Mohammed Ahmed Salim Abu Amra, 29, from Deir al-Balah.

· At approximately 08:30, IOF moved approximately 200 meters into the southeast of the area adjacent to al-Mentar (Karni) crossing in the east of Shajaeya neighborhood, east of Gaza City. IOF bulldozed eight tin-made stores belonging to Palestine Development and Investment Company (PADICO) which is owned by Palestinian businessman Munib al-Masri and managed by Wadi' Mohammed Shaaban al-Masri, 48.

The bulldozed stores were built on an area of approximately 4,200 square meters. Four of the stores contained materials, including construction materials, tin and water pumps, for Palestine Industrial Estates Development and Management Company, Gaza (PIEDCO).

Two of the stores were leased by Mohammed Alaa Subhi al-Shurafa, 44, who is the owner of WINPAL, two of them contained diapers, tissue paper and cleaning supplies, while the remaining two stores were leased by Khader Erqayeq and contained iron scrap. IOF withdrew at approximately 12:00 and deployed beyond the border after totally destroying the stores.

· At approximately 10:15, IOF positioned and deployed in the south of Hebron raided "Tareq Ben Zeyad Secondary School" which is located to the south of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the south of Hebron. IOF claimed that an IOF patrol was stoned while passing by the school.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 10:15, approximately 20 IOF soldiers destroyed the door of Tareq Ben Zeyad Secondary School and stormed into the yard. They pointed their guns at the students and chased them amid a barrage of sound bombs. IOF arrested Yaaqoub Husam al-Rajabi, 18, and transferred him to IOF police station near "Kriat Arba" settlement, southeast of Hebron. Al-Rajabi was placed under investigation and was released later.

· At approximately 10:40, IOF moved into al-Bireh. They patrolled in the streets. They withdrew and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 18:00, IOF positioned on the border opened fire at Palestinian farmers and shepherds who were in their farms or in the jungle in al-Qutbania area in the southeast of Beit Hanounin the northern Gaza Strip. Kamel Hassan Abdullah al-Hessi, 46, fron al-Nazleh was wounded by a bullet that entered from beneath the left shoulder and exited from the center of the chest. Al-Hessi was in a farm owned by him and by Jamal Mohammed Halawa. Immediately, Halawa transferred al-Hessi on a motorcycle to Kamal Odwan Martyr Hospital. They arrived at the hospital at approximately 18:55. It was found out the bullet did not hit any of the internal organs, especially the heart, and al-Hessi's wounds were described to be between light and moderate.

Al-Hessi said that at approximately 15:30, he headed with his sons, Tamer, 22, and Hazem, 18, and with his partner Jamal Halawa to irrigate their land which is located approximately 900 meters far from the border in the east of al-Qutbania area in the southeast of Beit Hanoun. They arrived at their land at approximately 16:00 and started to work in their farm.  At approximately 18:00, IOF positioned on observation towers on the border opened intensive fire from their machine guns at Palestinian shepherds who approached the border. Shepherds and Palestinian farmers who were in their farms fled the area. At approximately 18:20, IOF sporadically fired at the area and al-Hessi, his family and his partner lay down on the ground especially as bullets were flying above them. At approximately 18:30, al-Hessi felt he was wounded and told his partner who transferred him to Kamal Odwan Hospital in Beit Lahia on a motorcycle. After medical examination, it was found out that the bullet was just few millimeters far from the heart.

Friday, 22 April 2011

· At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into al-Funduq village, east of Qaqilya, and they patrolled in the streets. One of the owners of shops located in the main street said that IOF forced them to close their shops till 13:00 because Israeli settlers were organizing for a demonstration in the area. The shops which were forced to close are owned by Azmi Mahmoud Hafez Tayem who sells construction materials; Umar Ahmed Mohammed Mheisen who owns a supermarket and a butchery; and Adel Hanatsh who owns a supermarket.  

Saturday, 23 April 2011

·  

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Qiffin village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Kharabtha al-Musbah village, west of Ramallah.  They patrolled in the streets. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF gunboats positioned off al-Waha resort in the west of Beit Lahiatown in the northern Gaza Strip, fired shells and opened intensive fire at Palestinian fishing boats. They also fired flash bombs. Palestinian fishermen escaped as a result in fear of being wounded or arrested. No casualties or damages to property were reported.

· At approximately 11:15, IOF moved into Jalboun village, east of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

· At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Kafr Ra'i village, south of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 14:00, IOF moved into Allar village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported.

· At approximately 19:30, IOF moved into Jericho. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 20:25, IOF moved into Beit Leqia village, west of Ramallah. They provocatively drove in the streets. They claxoned now and then to bother Palestinians. Some boys gathered and stoned IOF who immediately responded by firing bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. Many civilians suffered gas inhalation as a result. IOF withdrew later and no arrests or casualties were reported.  

Sunday, 24 April 2011

· At approximately 01:35, IOF moved into Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time. They withdrew at approximately 02:45 and no house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 18:35, IOF moved into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 19:05, IOF moved into the area located in the east of Azzoun village, east of Qalqilia.  IOF drove in the area, scanned it and withdrew later.

· At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Jayous village, north of Qalqilya. They raided the village starting from three main points: three military vehicles entered from the gate established in the annexation wall, another three vehicles entered from the east and an IOF force of soldiers posit