PCHR Weekly Report: One civilian killed by right-wing Israelis; 6 wounded by Israeli troops

9:33 PM

In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 10 – 16 February 2011, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that a Palestinian civilian was killed by a gang of Jewish Israeli youth in Jerusalem. 4 Palestinian workers, including a child, were wounded by Israeli forces targeting Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip. Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded by Israeli forces who used force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.On Friday morning, 11 December 2011, Hussam Hussein al-Rwaidhi, 24, from Jerusalem, was killed by a number of Jewish young men, when he was on his way home from work in West Jerusalem. While he was walking with his friend, Khader al-Joulani, on a street in West Jerusalem, a Jewish young man stabbed him in the face. Soon after, other Jewish young men gathered and violently beat him. He died of his injuries a few hours later.

In his testimony to PCHR, Khader al-Joulani stated: ‘When we left our work, we were surprised by two Jewish young men. They provoked and insulted us. One of them then took out a knife and hits Hussam on his face. More Jewish young men gathered and violently beat him and me. I was injured in the neck. When the attackers fled, I asked for help from a nearby restaurant, but the staff refused to help us. I called the police. An ambulance arrived then and evacuated Hussam to the hospital, but he died a few hours later.’

Israeli forces kept al-Rwaidhi’s body in the Israeli forensic medicine institute. The Israeli police called the victim’s father and informed him that they would deliver the body at Qalandya checkpoint at night. They also ordered him to bury the victim’s body with the presence of 10 relatives only. Israeli forces delivered the victim’s body to the family on Wednesday morning, 16 February 2011, and the body was buried at 04:30 on the same day.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

Israeli forces conducted 47 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one into the Gaza Strip, during which they abducted 19 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and one woman.

In one example of the week’s 47 incursions, on Thursday, 10 December 2011, at approximately 06:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus. They patrolled in the streets and photographed a number of old homes, the building of the local council and the old mosque of the village. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported. On the same day, at approximately 18:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Liqya village, west 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 , sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a number of Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces withdrew later and no arrests were reported.

There are approximately 585 permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. At least 65% of the main roads that lead to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by Israeli forces. 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 Israeli forces. These permits are extremely difficult to obtain.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

On Saturday 12 February, at approximately 12:15, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north west 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. As a result, Mahran Rezeq Tanboura, 25, from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the left knee, when he was nearly 200 meters away from the border. At approximately 13:00, Israeli soldiers fired at the workers again. As a result, ‘Aashour Mohammed Shkhaidem, 29, from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the left knee, when he was nearly 200 meters away from the border.

In the evening of the same day, Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Gaza City fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting scraps of construction materials in the east of al-Shuja’iya neighborhood east of Gaza City. As a result, Mohammed Sa’id Eshtaiwi, 16, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded by a bullet to the right leg, when he was nearly 800 meters away from the border.

On Monday, the 14th of February, at approximately 09:50, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north west 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. As a result, Suleiman Salem Abu Rkab, 20, from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 200 meters away from the border.

Israeli Settlement Activities:

Israel has continued its settlement activities in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On 13 February 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Bat Ain’ settlement to the north of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, uprooted 250 olive seedlings from lands belonging to ‘Aadi and Ekhlil families in the nearby Safa village.

On 14 February 2011, Israeli forces razed a one-donum area of land belonging to Nasser Khalil Abu Ta’a in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. At least 40 olive, almond and apricot trees, 7 grape trees and 20 cypress ones were uprooted. According to Abu Ta’a, Israeli police officers violently beat his son, 16-year-old Hamza, and cut his identity card. Israeli forces did not present a judicial order to raze the land, and claimed that the land leveling was for security considerations.

Also on 14 February 2011, Israeli forces handed notices to a number of Palestinian civilians ordering the evacuation of 20 donums of agricultural land near the annexation wall in Kharas village, northwest of Hebron, claiming that they are state property. These areas of land, which are planted with olives and almonds, are located nearly 300 meters away from the annexation wall.

On the same day, 14 February 2011, a number of Israeli settlers from ‘Halmish’ settlement, northwest of Ramallah, uprooted 12 olive seedlings in Wad Raya area in Nabi Saleh village. Israeli forces then moved into the area and evacuated the settlers.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

Construction on the Wall continued this 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.

During the reporting period, Israeli forces used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall in the West Bank. As a result, 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. Additionally, Israeli forces abducted 3 Palestinian civilians.

Following the Friday Prayer on 11 February 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in 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, two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded. Additionally, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 11 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 11 February 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 forces also abducted 3 Palestinian civilians:

Recommendations to the international community:

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made a number of recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal, be implemented by international enforcement bodies.

In addition, the 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.

For the full text of the report, click on the link below: