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Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (05 -11 August 2010)
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
13 August 2010
http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6912%3Aweekly-report-on-israeli-human-rights-violations-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-05-11-august-2010&catid=131%3Anew&Itemid=211

· IOF continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- Two Palestinian civilians were injured.
- IOF arrested 8 civilians, including 3 human rights defenders.

· IOF continued to fire at Palestinian farmers and workers in the Gaza Strip’s border areas.

· IOF conducted 9 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
- IOF arrested 54 Palestinian civilians, including 45 in Jalboun village near Jenin.

· Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
- Israeli troops stationed at military checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested 4 Palestinian children.

· Israel has continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem.
- The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem destroyed dozens of graves in Ma`man Allah Cemetery in Jerusalem.

· IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
- IOF dismantled 6 tents in the Northern Jordan Valley.
- Israeli settlers attacked a woman in Hebron.
- A Palestinian civilian was injured and 3 cars were damaged in the east of Hebron.


Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (05 – 11 August 2010):

Shooting: During the reporting period, 2 Palestinian civilian were wounded by IOF in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians in protest to the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were injured. IOF also violently beat a number of demonstrators.

On 06 August 2010, a Palestinian civilian was injured and a child fainted when IOF intervened to provide protection to Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian civilian vehicles in the northeast of Hebron.

In the Gaza Strip, on 09 August 2010, Israeli gunboats fired at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip. No casualties or damages were reported.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 9 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 54 Palestinian civilians. The widest arrest campaign took place in Jalboun village, northeast of Jenin, when IOF arrested 45 Palestinian civilians, 41 of whom were later released. IOF also arrested two Palestinian civilians, including a human rights defender, in Hebron when IOF intervened to protect Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian civilian vehicles.

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.

· On Friday, 01 January 2010, IOF decided to close Nahal Ouz crossing permanently, and to allow the entry of fuels only through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, claiming security reasons.

· 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.

· The main concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.

· Israel has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than three years.

· Israel has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas and energy fuel for Gaza Power Plant, since 10 December 2008.

· The Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to 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.

· At least 800 Gazan prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived of family visitation for more than three years.

· IOF have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the coast of the Gaza Strip.

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 630 permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition, there are some 60 - 80 ‘flying’ or temporary checkpoints erected across the West Bank by IOF every week.

· 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 (47 out of 72 roads).

· 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 05 August 2010, a bulldozer of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem started to destroy dozens of graves in Ma`man Allah Islamic Cemetery. The Al-Aqsa Association for Islamic Heritage had filed a petition at the Israeli District Court demanding that the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem’s plan to destroy graves in Ma`man Allah Cemetery be stopped. On Monday noon, the court issued a ruling allowing the municipality to raze a part of the cemetery to establish an Israeli court compound. Following the court session, an official from the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem attacked photojournalist Sharaf Ahmed, 35. Al-Aqsa Association for Islamic Heritage revealed such Israeli plans when it presented a short film, which showed an Israeli official explaining the plans and the beginning of their implementation, which started with marking at least 100 graves with red signs in order to be demolished. The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem claimed that the graves that it would demolish were new graves that are not related to the historic cemetery. However, the lawyers of al-Aqsa Association proved with documents and photos that those graves had exited before 1948, and only the grave stones were renewed. On 10 August 2010, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem demolished gravestones of at least 70 graves in Ma`man Allah Cemetery. Press crews were not allowed to get close to the cemetery. The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem has so far demolished 90% of the graves marked for demolition.

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 09 August 2010, IOF moved into `Ein al-Hilwa area in the Northern Jordan Valley in the northeast of the West Bank. They dismantled 6 tents belonging to Mohammed Ahmed Nawaj`a and Ahmed Isma`il Nawaj`a, claiming that the tents were set up in a closed military zone.

On 05 August 2010, dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, arrived at Joseph Tomb in the east of Nablus. They conducted religious rituals in the area until 05:00, when they left the area.

On 05 August 2010, a number of Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian woman while she was traveling in her car in Hebron.

On 06 August 2010, at least 20 Israeli settlers from `Kharsina` settlement, northeast of Hebron, attacked Palestinian civilian vehicles parked in al-Bwaira area, using stones and iron bars. Palestinian civilians got out of their houses in an attempt to drive the settlers away from the area. IOF arrived at the area, and instead of expelling the settlers from the area, they attacked Palestinian civilians and forced them to go back to their homes. IOF arrested two Palestinian civilians, including a human rights defender.



Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (05 – 11 August 2010)

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

Thursday, 05 August 2010

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Northern `Assira village, north of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians:

1. Mohammed Fayez Yassin, 32;
2. Anas Hussein Hamadna, 26;
3. Rami `Abdul Fattah Yassin, 30;
4. Mohammed `Abdullah Sawalha, 30;
5. Fakher `Aazem Birawi, 30; and
6. Ahmed Mohammed Sawalma, 22.

· Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jalboun village, northeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 45 Palestinian civilians, 41 of whom were later released. The four detainees who remained in custody are:

1. Hisham `Omar Abu al-Rub, 36;
2. Ahmed `Omar Abu al-Rub, 42;
3. `Imad Taher Abu al-Rub, 28; and
4. `Abdul Rahman Bassam Abu al-Rub, 22.

· At approximately 15:00, IOF moved into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into al-`Ouja village, north of Jericho. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

Friday, 06 August 2010

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Sourif village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested `Aadel Khader Abu Fara, 27.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into `Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a house belonging to Sa`id `Othman Saleem in the north of the village and set up a tent and an observation point on it roof. They did the same in a house belonging to Mos`ab Dirar Radwan in the west of the village.

Sunday, 08 August 2010

· In the morning, IOF moved into Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and summoned two Palestinian civilians for interrogation: Ahmed Khaled Shamasna, 19; and Adham `Aahed Shamasna, 20.

Monday, 09 August 2010

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jenin refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

1. `Alaa` Ibrahim Sabarini, 30; and
2. Bahaa` Hassan Abu Tabikh, 21.

· At approximately 19:00, IOF moved into Kharabtha al-Misbah village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 19:35, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite to Beit Lahia beach in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. No casualties or damages were reported.

2. Use of Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrations Protesting Settlement Activities and the Construction of the Annexation Wall

During the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were injured. A number of civilians, also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. IOF also arrested 4 Palestinian civilians, an Israeli human rights defender and an international human rights defender.

· Following the Friday Prayer on 06 August 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil`ein village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the annexation wall. Israeli troops stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were injured:

1. `Abdul Basset Shraiteh, 18, hit by a tear gas canister to the right hand; and
2. `Alaa` Abu Saa`, 35, hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot.

Several demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli troops.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 06 August 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne`lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest against the construction of the Annexation Wall. They clashed with Israeli troops positioned near the Wall. Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at demonstrators. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 06 August 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest against land confiscations in the Wad al-Raya area between the villages of Nabi Saleh and Deir Nizam. When the demonstrators attempted to reach areas of land seized by Israeli settlers near `Halmish` settlement, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. A number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. IOF also arrested Hiedi, 24, an Israeli human rights defender.

· At approximately 11:30 on Saturday, 07 August 2010, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in the center of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They moved towards Zaher al-Brahish area, where IOF plan to confiscate areas of Palestinian land to the north of the Israeli settlement of `Karmi Tsur.` Israeli troops attacked the demonstrators and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, 4 civilians, including two journalists and an international human rights defender, were injured:

1. Ahmed Khalil Abu Hashem, 43, Secretary of the Committee against Settlement in Beit Ummar village, sustained bruises and suffered from tear gas inhalation;
2. Eyad Nember Hamad, 51, a cameraman of Associated Press, sustained bruises throughout the body;
3. Samer Eyad Hamad, 26, a cameraman of Palmedia, sustained bruises throughout the body; and
4. Kopi, 23, a US human rights defender, sustained bruises throughout the body.

· At approximately 16:00 on the same day, the Youth Commission against Settlement in Hebron, organized a peaceful demonstration to protest teh continued closure of al-Shuhada Street in the center of the town. A number of international solidarity activists participated in the demonstration, which stopped near the entrances of `Beit Rumano` settlement outpost in the north of the old town. Israeli troops attacked the demonstrators and prevented them from moving forward. Israeli settlers also sprinkled dirty water onto the demonstrators. It is worth noting that IOF have closed al-Shuhada Street for Palestinian vehicles since 1994, and for pedestrians since 2000.

· At approximately 10:30 on Monday, 09 August 2010, Israeli troops stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis, fired at dozens of Palestinian civilians who were peacefully protesting the creation of a security zone by IOF along the border. No casualties were reported.

· At approximately 15:30 on Tuesday, 10 August 2010, IOF stormed 3 shops belonging to `Azzam `Abdul Rahim Abu Khalaf, 45, in a yard opposite to `Beit Rumano` settlement outpost in Hebron. They ordered him to close and leave the shops in half an hour to allow Israeli officers to close them for security reasons. Immediately, the Youth Commission against Settlement in Hebron and international human rights defenders gathered in front of the shops to prevent their closure. At approximately 17:00, IOF attacked the gathering and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians and an international human rights defenders. The five detainees and the shops` owner sustained bruises throughout their bodies. The detained international human rights defender was released later after IOF had ordered his expulsion from the country. The other detainees are:

1. Shadi Nabil Seder, 20;
2. Adham Nabil Seder, 24;
3. Badee` Mohammed al-Dwaik, 37; and
4. Tamer Nazmi Abu Esnaina, 23.

3. Continued Closure of the OPT

Israel has continued to impose a tightened closure of 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 more than 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.

· On Friday, 01 January 2010, IOF decided to close Nahal Ouz crossing permanently, and to only allow the entry of fuels through Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, southeast of Rafah, claiming security reasons.

· 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education.

· The main concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies.

· Israel has continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than three years.

· Israel has not allowed fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip, excluding limited amounts of cooking gas and energy fuel for Gaza Power Plant, since 10 December 2008.

· The Rafah International Crossing Point has been opened for a few days for a number of patients who received medical treatment abroad and needed to return home to 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.

· Since the imposition of the closure, living conditions of the Palestinian civilian population have seriously deteriorated; levels of poverty and unemployment have mounted sharply.

· At least 800 Gazan prisoners in Israeli jails have been deprived of family visitation for more than three years.

· IOF have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen along the coast of the Gaza Strip.

Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period:

At approximately 13:00 on Tuesday, 01 June 2010, the Egyptian authorities decided to open Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border in both directions without specifying a date for its closure. The Egyptian decisions came following the Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla in international water. On the following morning, the crossing point was effectively opened and restricted categories of Palestinian civilians were allowed to travel through it.

Movement at Rafah International Crossing Point
04 – 10 August 2010

Date
Details

04 August 2010
450 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 565 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

05 August 2010
551 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 613 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

06 August 2010
329 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 407 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

07 August 2010
516 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 681 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

08 August 2010
529 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 496 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

09 August 2010
529 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 723 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.

10 August 2010
535 Palestinians were allowed to travel to Egypt and 947 others were allowed into the Gaza Strip.



Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing
04 – 10 August 2010

Date
Imports

Category
Amount

Tons
Liters

04 August 2010
Foodstuffs
282


Agricultural materials
118


Various goods
1,817


Humanitarian aids
403


Cooking gas
191.750


Industrial fuel

173,003

05 August 2010
Foodstuffs
835


Agricultural materials
195


Various goods
2,099


Humanitarian aids
447


Cooking gas
194,430


Industrial fuel

124,997

08 August 2010
Foodstuffs
789


Agricultural materials
210


Various goods
2,944


Humanitarian aids
445


Cooking gas
195,790


Industrial fuel

205,004

09 August 2010
Foodstuffs
850


Agricultural materials
198


Various goods
2,462


Humanitarian aids
184


Cooking gas
185


Industrial fuel

205,013

Benzene

44,750

Diesel

219,999



Al-Mentar (Karni) Crossing: IOF partially opened the crossing on Wednesday, 04 August 2010, and allowed the entry of 468 tons of wheat and 1,638 tons of fodder. They also opened it on Monday, 09 August 2010, and allowed the entry of 1,365 tons of wheat and 2,535 tons of fodder.

Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing: Israel has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have allowed only diplomats, a number of international journalists, employees of international agencies and a limited number of patients who suffer from serious diseases to pass through the crossing. They have continued to prevent Palestinian civilians from visiting their relatives who are detained in Israeli jails. The small number of patients permitted to pass through the crossing is only able to do so under severe restrictions that include prolonged checking.

Movement at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing
03 – 10 August 2010

Date
Patients
Companions
Palestinians from Israel
Diplomats
International Journalists
International Workers
Travelers abroad
Traders


03 August 2010
33
33
5
11
3
16
Nil
9

04 August 2010
27
22
Nil
2
5
28
Nil
13

05 August 2010
36
36
17
2
Nil
30
6
14

06 August 2010
Nil
Nil
16
Nil
3
26
Nil
Nil

07 August 2010
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil

08 August 2010
39
39
11
Nil
1
12
2
23

09 August 2010
32
30
14
9
4
34
Nil
15

10 August 2010
24
23
37
Nil
4
34
Nil
14



The West Bank

Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

· Jerusalem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. IOF have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays, preventing Muslim Palestinians from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque.

· Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 11:30 on Thursday, 05 August 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at Sarra intersection, west of Nablus. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 06:00 on Sunday, 08 August 2010, IOF established a checkpoint near al-Tanib Factory in the west of Nablus. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. IOF also established a checkpoint at Sarra intersection on the Nablus-Qalqilya road. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Ramallah: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of the Palestinian civilians in Ramallah. IOF troops positioned at the Jaba` and Qalandiya checkpoints, southeast of Ramallah, have imposed additional restrictions on movement and conducted prolonged checks of Palestinian civilians. During the reporting period, IOF erected a number of temporary checkpoints, and stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 10:40 on Thursday, 05 August 2010, IOF re-established their presence at `Attara checkpoint the northern entrance of Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 23:30 on Saturday, 07 August 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Kharabtha al-Misbah village, west of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 16:30 on Saturday, 10 August 2010, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Beit Reema village, northwest of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 11:30 on Thursday, 05 August 2010, IOF established a checkpoint on Tulkarm-Nablus road, east of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· QalqilyaArrests at Military Checkpoints

· At approximately 16:30 on Thursday, 05 August 2010, Israeli troops patrolling on Qalqilya-Nablus road arrested 4 Palestinian children from `Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya, claiming that they were throwing stones at Israeli vehicles. The children are:

1. Yahia `Ali `Edwan, 14;
2. Hamido `Abdul Latif Abu Haniya, 14;
3. Nahar `Abdullah `Omran, 14; and
4. Ra`ed Salim Radwan, 14.

4. Measures Aimed at Creating a Jewish Demographic Majority in Jerusalem

Israel has recently escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem in order to force them to leave the city. PCHR has devoted this section in the Weekly Report to highlighting violations of human rights perpetrated by IOF against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem.

· On Thursday evening, 05 August 2010, a bulldozer of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem started to destroy dozens of graves in Ma`man Allah Islamic Cemetery. Al-Aqsa Association for Islamic Heritage had filed a petition at the Israeli District Court demanding a halt to the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem’s plan to destroy graves in Ma`man Allah Cemetery. On Monday noon, the court issued a ruling allowing the municipality to raze a part of the cemetery to establish an Israeli court compound. Following the court session, an official from the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem attacked photojournalist Sharaf Ahmed, 35. Al-Aqsa Association for Islamic Heritage revealed such Israeli plans when it presented a short film, which showed an Israeli official explaining the plans and the begging of their implementation, which started with marking at least 100 graves with red signs in order to be demolished.

The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem claimed that the graves that it would demolish new graves that are not related to the historic cemetery. However, the lawyers of al-Aqsa Association proved with documents and photos that those graves had exited before 1948, and only the grave stones were renewed.

At approximately 01:30 on Tuesday, 10 August 2010, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem demolished gravestones of at least 70 graves in Ma`man Allah Cemetery. Press crews were not allowed to get close to the cemetery. The Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem has so far demolished 90% of the graves marked for demolition.

Sheikh Mustafa Abu Zahra, Head of the Committee for Islamic Cemeteries in Jerusalem, stated that Ma`man Allah Cemetery extend over 134 donums of land. In 1948, when Israel took over the western part of Jerusalem, it razed 70% of the cemetery and turned it into a public park. Israeli authorities established a hotel on the western part of the cemetery. In 1985, Israeli authorities seized 11 donums of the cemetery to establish a car park, which was sold to an American company that intends to built a museum for religious tolerance on an Islamic cemetery, in which more than 1,000 Moslems were buried over the course of more than 1,400 years.

5. Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian Civilians and Property

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.

· At approximately 07:00 on Monday, 09 August 2010, IOF moved into `Ein al-Hilwa area in the Northern Jordan Valley in the northeast of the West Bank. They dismantled 6 tents belonging to Mohammed Ahmed Nawaj`a and Ahmed Isma`il Nawaj`a, claiming that the tents were set up in a closed military zone.

· At approximately 01:00 on Thursday, 05 August 2010, dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by IOF, arrived at Joseph Tomb in the east of Nablus. They conducted religious rituals in the area until 05:00, when they left the area.

· On Thursday evening, 05 August 2010, a number of Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian woman while she was traveling in her car in Hebron.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 21:30 on Thursday, Suzan Jameel Sultan, 50, was driving her car in the al-Bwaira area in the northeast of Hebron. She was accompanied by her daughter, 20-year `Ola, and 3 of her grandchildren: Khawla, 8; Zaina, 3; and Mustafa al-Sha`rawi, 2. At least 10 Israeli settlers intercepted the car and threw stones at it. Sultan was forced to turn back, while the settlers continued to throw stones at the car. The woman and her family were extremely terrified. She was injured above the left ear and sustained acute bruises to the left side and the right hand, and her daughter suffered from spasm as she was shocked. The front window of the car was broken and its body was damaged.

· At approximately 19:50 on Friday, 06 August 2010, at least 20 Israeli settlers from `Kharsina` settlement, northeast of Hebron, attacked Palestinian civilian vehicles parked in al-Bwaira area, using stones and iron bars. Palestinian civilians got out of their houses in an attempt to drive the settlers away from the area. IOF arrived at the area, and instead of expelling the settlers from the are, they attacked Palestinian civilians and forced them to go back into their homes. An Israeli solider beat `Eissa Isma`il `Amru, 30, a staff member of the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B`Tselem), who was present in the area, and Samer `Abdul Karim al-Za`tari, 22, claiming that they attacked him. IOF arrested the two civilians. As a result of the attack by Israeli settlers, 3 cars belonging to the al-Za`tari family were heavily damaged. Also as a result of the Israeli attack, Shareef `Abdul Rahman Sultan, 24, sustained shrapnel, burns and bruises, and 17-year-old Mayada `Abdul Karim al-Za`tari, fainted.


…………………………………………………………


Recommendations to the International Community


1. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure Israel`s respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

2. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel`s respect of the Convention in the OPT and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with their legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.

4. PCHR calls for the immediate implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal.

5. PCHR recommends that international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs, participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and urge their governments to bring the perpetrators to justice.

6. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the OPT.

7. PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is - not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

8. In recognition of ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the OPT, including the facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

9. PCHR appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel`s respect for human rights in the OPT and to demand Israel end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

10. PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the OPT.

11. PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace process or agreement must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.

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Public Document
For further information please visit our website (www.pchrgaza.org) or contact PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email ( pchr@pchrgaza.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or telephone (+972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893).

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