Exactions d’une criminelle armée d’occupation (ndlr)

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Mieux que n’importe quel discours, le rapport ci-après qui ne concerne qu’une période de 7 jours, rend compte de l’incroyable nombre d’exactions de toutes sortes commises par une armée dans un pays occupé depuis des décennies: La Palestine.

Une fois de temps en temps, la lecture d’un tel document incontestable et incontesté, est indispensable afin de resituer à leur juste hauteur l’ampleur des dégâts, la barbarie de l’occupant et les moyens incommensurables dont ils dispose et dont il suffirait de tarir la source pour que ce scandale international dont nous sommes complices décroisse, voire cesse.

Aller sur place et soumettre ses 5 sens à la terrible réalité est un acte militant que trop peu encore osent effectuer mais qui va devenir possible grâce à une initiative d’envergure dont vous aurez la primeur sous peu.

Michel Flament

Coordinateur

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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:

Shaker Mohsen al-Hanbali, 22; and’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:

Ussaid Mohammed ’Awadh, 17; Yasser Mohammed Abu Fanoos, 17; andFadi 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:

’Adnan Ahmed Bani ’Ouda, 35; Na’el Mofeed Bani ’Ouda, 25; and’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 arrests were reported.

· At approximately 12:00, Ahmed Na’im Ahmed Abu Wadi, 23, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, and another two civilians were wounded as a result of the explosion of a projectile left by IOF, when the three civilians where near Malaka intersection in the east of Gaza City. The three civilians were collecting scraps of construction materials nearly one kilometer away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Ayman al-Batniji, spokesman of the Palestinian police, stated that Abu Wadi and another two civilians were wounded when they mishandled a projectile left by IOF. The two civilians who were wounded are:

1. Mohammed ’Abdul Khaliq Abu Wadi, 45, seriously wounded by shrapnel to the eyes; and
2. Ibrahim Sa’id Silmi, 20, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.

· At approximately 14:00, 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, Fares Shaheen Abu ’Ajwa, 47, from al-Sha’af neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, was seriously wounded by a bullet to the chest. Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at him while he was working in a cow farm belonging to his family, nearly 2,000 meters away from the border.

· At approximately 20:40, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats opposite to Beit Lahia beach in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinian fishermen were forced to flee towards the beach, and no casualties were reported.

Sunday, 23 January 2011

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Islam Saleh Tamimi, 14.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into the area located between al-Yamoun and al-Hashimiya villages, northwest of Jenin. They searched the area for some time and withdrew later. No house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:00, 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.

· Also at approximately 13:40, IOF moved into Kufor Thuloth village, southeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled in the streets for some time and held Eihab ’Emad al-Saifi, 18, for an hour. They withdrew later and no house raids or arrests were reported.

· Also at approximately 13:40, IOF moved into ’Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a money exchange shop. They held Ahmed Bassem Saleem for about an hour in the shop. IOF withdrew from the village later, and no house raids or arrests were reported.

· At approximately 16:40, an Israeli police force moved into Hares village, north of Salfit. For no apparent reason, Israeli police officers beat a number of Palestinian civilians. When one of these civilian fled, they fired two bullets at him, but he was not hurt. The civilian’s uncle, Hussam Subhi Jaber, 38, protested and caught the gun from which the bullets were fired. Immediately, the police officer fired at him, wounding him in the hand.

Monday, 24 January 2011

· At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into ’Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Doha village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Fayez al-Ju’aidi, 14.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into ’Izbat al-Tabib village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a house belonging to Khaled Mohammed Tabib, 45, and arrested him together with his son, 20-year-old Eyad. The father was released at approximately 13:30.

· At approximately 09:30, an IOF undercover unit moved into Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, traveling in a civilian vehicle. Israeli soldiers arrested Kareem Saleh al-Tamimi, 10, who was near his house, claiming that he threw stones towards them. They released him at approximately 13:30.

· At approximately 11:00, IOF moved nearly 250 meters into the northeast of al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land. IOF moved back to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel ar approximately 17:00.

Tuesday, 25 January 2011

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into ’Arraba village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Hamdan Rushdi Hamdan, 24, a member of the Palestinian Presidential Guard, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Kufor Ra’ei village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Saher Fayad al-Sheikh Ibrahim, 20, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

Ma’an ’Abdul Jabbar ’Ateer, 21; Mujahed Mohammed al-Safi, 21; Mohammed ’Abdul Fattah Nasrallah, 27; andMohammed Na’im.
· At approximately 07:30, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into Gaza Valley village in the central Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land. IOF moved back to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel two hours later.

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved nearly 300 meters into the east of al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land. IOF moved back to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel two hours later.

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, two Palestinian civilians, including a child, 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 21 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. They raided the Palestinian flag and portraits of Bassem and Jawaher Abu Rahma who were killed by IOF, and of Jonathan Bullak, an Israeli human rights defender who has been detained by IOF. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 21 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, a Palestinian civilian, who has not been identified, was hit by a tear gas canister to the right foot. Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

· Also following the Friday Prayer on 21 January 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Beit Reema 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. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli soldiers also sprinkled a hot gas onto the face of ’Alaa’ ’Ali Barghouthi, 13. He sustained burns to the face.

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.

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.

· 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 established a number of temporary checkpoints, and stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 10:30 on Friday, 21 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the intersection of Bir Zeit University, north of Ramallah.

They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 13:30 on the same day, IOF re-established their presence at ’Attara checkpoint at the northern entrance of Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 18:30, IOF established a checkpoint on Deir Ghassana-Kufor ’Ein road, northwest of Ramallah. At approximately 19:50 on Saturday, 22 January 2011, IOF re-established their presence at ’Attara checkpoint at the northern entrance of Bir Zeit village, north of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 07:00 on Tuesday, 25 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Qalqilya: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 20 January 2011, IOF established 4 checkpoints around Qalqilya. On Friday, 21 January 2011, IOF established 6 checkpoints around Qalqilya. On Saturday, 22 January 2011, IOF established 8 checkpoints around Qalqilya. On Sunday, 23 January 2011, IOF established 3 checkpoints around Qalqilya. Israeli soldiers stationed at these checkpoints stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 20 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on Tulkarm-Qalqilya road. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. At approximately 18:30 on Friday, 21 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on Tulkarm-Nablus road near the northern entrance of Beit Leed village, east of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles. On Sunday morning, 23 January 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned at Ennab checkpoint, east of Tulkarm, imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.

· Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 18:30 on Saturday, 22 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint on the intersection of the Arab American University, southeast of Jenin. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

· Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 22:30 on Friday, 21 January 2011, IOF established a checkpoint near the entrance of ’Ein al-Dyouk village, north of Jericho. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.

Shooting at Military Checkpoints

· On Sunday morning, 23 January 2011, Israeli soldiers opened fire at a civilian vehicle that was transporting Palestinian workers near al-Zahriya and Arab al-Ramadin villages, south of Hebron. The driver and a worker were wounded. An Israeli military spokesman claimed that Israeli soldiers positioned at a checkpoint to the south of al-Zahiriya village “noticed a Palestinian vehicle traveling fast towards the checkpoint, and its driver did not obey orders to stop, so the soldiers fired into the air, but the driver crossed the checkpoint neglecting orders to stop, so they fired at the car.”

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, Israeli soldiers in a military vehicle stations on al-Zahiriya-Arab al-Ramadin road opened fire without warning at a Palestinian civilian vehicle, in which 4 workers were traveling to their work in Israel. Israel. As a result, the driver and a worker were wounded:

Akram Jameel Samamra, 30, from al-Zahiriya village, wounded by a bullet to the left thigh; andHussam Mohammed Qamri, 26, from Yatta village, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
Arrests at Military Checkpoints

· On Thursday afternoon, 20 January 2011, Israeli soldiers patrolling on bypass road #60, east and north of Hebron, arrested 7 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children, from Sa’I village northeast of Hebron, claiming that they threw stones towards Israeli vehicles traveling on the road. The seven civilians were detained and interrogated for several hours. IOF released them at midnight after forcing their families to pay a fine of 1,000 NIS for each one. These civilians are: Islam Fahmi Jaradat, 15; Firas Yasser Jaradat, 12; Nizar ’Abdul Rahman Jaradat, 13; Mohammed Tayseer Jaradat, 14; Na’im Suleiman al-Mutawar, 29; ’Aadel Ibrahim al-Mutawar, 19; and Nabeel Hamdan al-Mutawar, 16.

· On Wednesday morning, 26 January 2011, Israeli soldiers positioned at Tarqoumia checkpoint, southwest of Hebron, arrested Hamza ’Ali ’Awadh, 14, from Beit Ummar town north of Hebron.

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 Monday, 24 January 2011, Uzi Dahari, 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. It further claims that the route of the canal does not go under the al-Aqsa Mosque, and that “it does not intend to conduct excavations in the vicinity of the Mosque.” 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.

· 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!

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.

· On Friday morning, 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 Sunday noon, 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 Sunday afternoon, 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.

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