PCHR Condemns Israeli Navy’s Attack on Oliva Boat in Gaza Waters

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PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Press Release

On Wednesday morning, 20 July 2011, the Israeli Navy attacked Palestinian fishing boats and the Oliva Boat, which monitors the situation at Gaza seashore.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and testimony of Hussein al-’Amoudi, 20, who was accompanying the Oliva crew, Olivastarted sailingat 7:45 in the morning as part of its mission to monitor the situation at Gaza seashore. The international activists Joe Catron, Alexandra Robinson and captain Salah ’Ammar were on board. Around 9:30, while they were approximately two nautical miles offGaza coast, two Israeli gunboats approached the boat from a distance of approximately five meters and attacked it using water hoses.

One of the gunboats hit Oliva, causing damages to it. Due to the massive use of water hoses from the Israeli gunboats, Olivia was filled with water and its propeller was damaged. Al-’Amoudireported that the Israeli Navy was communicating with the Boat’s crew through loudspeakers intimating them to stop and to obey to their orders. The damaged Oliva Boat was pulled by a number of Palestinian fishermen boatsto the Gaza port, while the Boat’s crew was taken to shore on board of another Palestinian boat.

It is worth noting that Oliva started its work on 20 April 2011 under the umbrella of the Spanish Civil Peace Service. It carried out the first monitoring mission in the Gaza Strip on 8 June 2011.

This project is aimed at monitoring and documenting Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen while fishing, which constitute a violation of international law and amount to possible war crimes. PCHR, Fishing and Naval Sports Association, Union of Agricultural Work Committees and the Coordination Committee of Popular Resistance participate in the project, which is sponsored by dozens of local and international organizations. The monitoring team includes international solidarity activists from Italy, Sweden, USA and the UK.

Oliva was attacked twice last week in an attempt from IOF to terrorize the international observers and prevent them from monitoring human rights situation at Gaza seashore and from observing the Israeli violations perpetrated against the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza’s waters.[1]

PCHR condemns the continuous attacks by the Israeli Navy against Palestinian fishing boats, and the attack against Oliva, which monitors the human rights situation in Gaza’s seawater. PCHR calls upon the international community, and in particular the UN bodies:

1. To intervene to stop Israeli violations of international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, including measures aimed at preventing the work of Palestinian fishermen.

2. To act to stop the Israeli Navy’s attacks against Oliva Boat, which carries out a peaceful civil mission and aims– with absolutely legal tools – to ensure the Palestinian fishermen the possibility of workingin safe conditions.

3. To force Israel to immediately lift the illegal siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, including themarine blockade, and allow Palestinian fishermen to work freely.

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