Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (13-19 January 2011)

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Source : PCHR

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

· IOF killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 4 others in the Gaza Strip.

· A Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF near Nablus.

· IOF killed two Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

 Two Palestinian civilians were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

· IOF continued to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip.
 IOF arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen, including two children.

· IOF continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.
 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and an Israeli human rights defender and a Dutch one were wounded.

· IOF conducted 54 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one into the Gaza Strip.
 IOF arrested 27 Palestinian civilians, including 6 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 two Palestinian civilians.

· Israel has continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem.
 The construction of 32 housing units in « Pisgat Ze’ev » settlement in Jerusalem was approved.

· IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
 IOF ordered the demolition of more Palestinian houses.

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (13 – 19 January 2011) :

Shooting :

During the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian civilians and wounded 6 others, including a child, and an Israeli human rights defender and a Dutch one in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

On 18 January 2011, IOF fired y artillery shells at the northern Gaza Strip, killing a Palestinian civilian and wounding two workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials. Another two workers were also wounded by Israeli gunfire in two separate incidents on 16 and 19 January 2011.

In the West Bank, on 13 January 2011, an old Palestinian civilian was wounded in Qasra village, south of Nablus, when IOF intervened to protect Israeli settlers who attacked a Palestinian farmer,

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, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and an Israeli human rights defender and a Dutch one were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises.

Incursions :

During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 54 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 27 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one limited incursion, 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.

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

On 17 January 2011, the local committee of organization and construction in the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem approved the construction of 32 housing units in « Pisgat Ze’ev » settlement neighborhood in Jerusalem. The Israeli official radio reported that those units are part of a wider plan presented by private contractors to build 220 housing units.

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 13 January 2011, a number of Israeli settlers, who re-established their presence in a settlement outpost that had been evacuated by IOF on the previous day attacked Fat’hi Fayez Hassan, who was farming his land in Baslata area to the south of Qasra village, southeast of Nablus. Soon after, Palestinian civilians called on residents of the village to stop the settlers who were on their way to attack the village. Dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered and moved towards the affected area. Immediately, IOF arrived at the area to protect the settlers. They fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at Palestinian civilians and beat a number of them. As a result, an old man was seriously hit by a tear gas canister to the right thigh. Another two civilians were also injured.

On 17 January 2011, IOF moved into Nazlat ’Eissa village, north of Tulkarm. They hande 7 notices ordering the demolition or stopping the construction of a number of houses, a carpentry shop and a barrack.

On 19 January 2011, IOF handed 5 notices to Palestinian civilians in Sousia area to the east of Yatta village, south of Hebron, ordering the dismantlement of tents they live in.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (13 - 19 January 2011)

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

Thursday, 13 January 2011

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Tulkarm refugee camp. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of ’Abdul Qader Bilal al-Tabbal, 17, and arrested him.

· At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Beit Qad village, northeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and summoned a number of Palestinian civilians for interrogation.

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Shwaika suburb, north of Tulkarm, and patrolled in the streets. A number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at Israeli military vehicles. IOF arrested Karam Ra’ed al-Naqouri, 16, but released him 3 hours later.

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

· Also at approximately 13:20, IOF moved into Ras Teera village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 13:20, IOF moved into Magharat al-Dab’a village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 13:20, IOF moved into Jal’oud village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 13:20, IOF moved into ’Izbat Salman village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 13:40, IOF moved into Ras ’Atiya village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 17:00, 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 18:20, 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 18:30, IOF moved into ’Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 19:30, IOF moved into al-Himya area between Kufor Ra’ei and Fahma villages, southwest of Jenin. They searched the area and for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

Friday, 14 January 2011

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into ’Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Rami Sameeh Saleem, 15.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Zabbouba village, northwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets and arrested ’Omar Mahmoud Abu Zaytoun, 16. They also raided an internet café. They held and photographed all those who were in the café. IOF withdrew later.

· At approximately 13:10, IOF moved into Jeet village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 14:30, IOF moved into al-Hashimiya village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 14:30, IOF moved into Kfairet village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 14:30, IOF moved into Kufor Qoud village, south of Jenin. 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 the areas located between ’Azzoun and ’Izbat al-Tabib villages, east of Qalqilya. They searched the area for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 16:25, 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 23:00, IOF moved into Beit ’Our al-Tahta village, west of Ramallah. 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 Wadi al-Qadhi area in Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Majed Abu Ermaila, 28, and arrested him.

Saturday,15 January 2011

· At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Sha’aba area in the northeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Mahmoud al-Ja’bari, 34, and arrested him.

· At approximately 11:20, IOF moved into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Kufor Laqef village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 12:50, IOF moved into ’Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets and detained 14-year-old Hamza Saleem Radwan for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

Sunday, 16 January 2011

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Marda village, north of Salfit. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Nader ’Ammar Abu Baker, 24, and summoned him for interrogation.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Sa’ir village, northeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses in the east of the village and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians :

Ra’fat Yousef Shalalda, 24 ;Waheed Ma’rouf Shalalda, 28 ;Taha Mohammed Shalalda, 24 ; Fadi Jawdat Shalalda, 26 ; Nassim Sa’di Shalalda, 27 ; andUssama ’Abdul Mon’em Shalalda, 31.
· At approximately 07:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north of Beit Lahia town fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of « Elli Sinai » used to stand. A worker, Adham Ramadan Subeh, 22, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.

· At approximately 11:05, IOF moved into Jayous village, north of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and held Eyad Saleem Shamasna for two hours. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 18:10, IOF moved into al-’Ouja village, northeast of Jericho. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 19:30, IOF moved into Turmos’iya village, north of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 19:45, IOF moved into Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 21:20, IOF moved into ’Assala village, southeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 22:30, IOF moved into Dura al-Qare’ village, northeast of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

Monday, 17 January 2011

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into ’Ein al-Sultan refugee camp, north of Jericho. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Tariq Ziad al-Sheikh ’Ali, 25, and arrested him.

· At approximately 08:00, IOF moved into Bedya village, west of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Bourqin village, west of Jenin. 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 Habla village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into al-Dab’a village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. 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 18:40, IOF moved into Hares village, northwest of Salfit. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 22:30, 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.

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

· At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into al-Zahiriya village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of As’ad ’Abbas Shab’an, 27, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Bedya village, northwest of Salfit. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Adham Ibrahim Sarsour, 24, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:45, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested two Palestinian children :

Mo’taz Khaled ’Awadh, 17 ; andMuhab Ibrahim Bahar, 17.
· At approximately 08:00, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.

· At approximately 10:15, IOF moved into ’Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 10:15, IOF moved into Kufor Ra’ei village, southwest of Jenin. 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 Zabbouba village, west of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 14:00, IOF, which had moved into the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip since 08:00, fired 7 artillery shells at a number of Palestinian workers, which were collecting scraps of construction materials in the southeast of Beit Hanoun town, nearly 600 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result, Amjad Sami Ahmed al-Za’anin, 18, who was in the area, was instantly killed. Two workers were also wounded :

1. Sharaf Ra’fat Shihada, 19, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body ; and
2. Isma’il ’Abdul Qader al-Za’anin, 16, wounded by shrapnel to the abdomen and the feet.

A horse belonging to Sharaf Shihada was also killed, and another one belonging to Samed al-Za’anin was injured.

· At approximately 21:00, 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.

Wednesday, 19 January 2010

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 10 Palestinian civilians :

Sanad Ragheb Salah, 28 ; Mohammed Ragheb Salah, 25 ;Maher Ussama Saif, 22 ; Majed Ussama Saif, 20 ;Mahmoud Khaled Far’ouniya, 22 ; ’Ali ’Abdul Majid Daghlas, 21 ;Qais ’Abdul Jabbar Hijja, 21 ; Maher Mohammed Hijja, 32 ; Mohammed Tayseer Salah, 21 ; andLu’ai Mahmoud Saif, 20.
· At approximately 14:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Martyrs Cemetery in the northern Gaza Strip fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials. As a result, Ahmed Nemer al-’Er, 22, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 300 meters away from the border.

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 in the West Bank. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, an Israeli human rights defender and a Dutch one were wounded. Dozens of Palestinian civilians and human rights defenders also suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises.

· Following the Friday Prayer on 14 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the annexation wall. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a Palestinian child, a Dutch human rights defenders and an Israeli one were wounded :

1. ’Odai Falah Abu Rahma, 13, hit by a tear gas canister to the left leg ;
2. Margret, 21, a Dutch human rights defender, hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot ; and
3. Noam, 36, an Israeli human rights defender, hit by a tear gas canister to the right hand.

Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten by Israeli soldiers.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 14 January 2011, 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, Ya’qoub Mohammed ’Amira, 20, was hit by a tear gas canister to the head. Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 14 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, in commemoration of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, and 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. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

· At approximately 12:30 on Saturday noon, 15 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and a number of international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron. They moved towards closed areas of Palestinian land near « Karmi Tsur » settlement, south of the town. Israeli soldiers attacked the demonstrators and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, Hassan Yousef ’Alqam, 18, was wounded by shrapnel from a sound bomb, and a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

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 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.