Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)
- 3 Palestinians were extra-judicially executed by IOF in the West Bank.
- 13 civilians, including 6 children and a girl, were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- IOF conducted 37 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
- IOF arrested 60 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children and a woman.
- IOF arrested 4 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
- IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.
- IOF positioned at various checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested 6 Palestinian civilians.
- IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank; IOF soldiers abused a woman at a gate at the Wall at the entrance of a village near Jenin.
- IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank.
- IOF confiscated area of land in Kufor Qaddoum village near Qalqilya to establish a military road.
- IOF demolished the building of a center of the rehabilitation of disabled children and a house in East Jerusalem.
- Israeli settlers stormed a hill in Halhoul town near Hebron and vowed to establish a settlement outpost in the area.
- Israeli settlers burnt at least 250 donums1 of agricultural land in Tulkarm.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (3 - 9 May 2007):
Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 3 Palestinians in the West Bank, and wounded 13 others, including 6 children and a girl in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
On Friday evening, 4 May 2007, 2 members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad) and a mentally disabled Palestinian civilians were extra-judicially executed by an IOF undercover unit in Seilta al-Harthiya village, west of Jenin.
During the reporting period, 9 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children and a girl, were wounded by the IOF gunfire in the West Bank.
In the Gaza Strip, 4 Palestinians (2 farmers and 2 members of the Palestinian resistance) were wounded by the IOF gunfire. On Monday, 7 May 2007, IOF carried out an extra-judicial execution attempt in the northern Gaza Strip, but it failed. IOF gunboats also fired at Palestinian fishing boats at Beit Lahia beach.
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 37 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, IOF arrested 60 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and a woman. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 1,123. In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 3 limited incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they arrested 3 Palestinian farmers and a member of the Palestinain resistance. The three farmers were released later. IOF also leveled areas of land they had already razed.
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have 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. On Sunday morning, 22 April 2007, IOF imposed a total closure on the OPT for the so-called independence day.
Gaza Strip
IOF have imposed a strict siege on the Gaza Strip. They have closed its border crossings as a form of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians. IOF have closed Rafah International Crossing Point since 25 June 2006, even though they do not directly control it. During the reporting period, the crossing point was reopened only for one day. IOF have partially reopened commercial crossings, especially al-Mentar (Karni) crossing, but many goods and medical supplies have been lacked in markets in the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have been prevented from traveling through this crossing. IOF have allowed international workers to pass through the crossing. With this closure, only few Palestinian patients have been able to travel to hospitals in Israel and the West Bank. In addition, IOF have continued to imposed severe restriction on fishing in the Gaza Strip.
West Bank
IOF have tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. They have isolated Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. Contrary to Israeli claims, IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF soldiers positioned at various checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested at least 6 Palestinian civilians.
Settlement Activities: Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On 5 May 2007, a number of Israeli settlers living in "Msodat Yehuda" settlement to the south of Yatta village, south of Hebron, violently beat a Palestinian civilians. He sustained bruises throughout the body. On 6 May 2007, several Israeli settlers from "Kermi Tsur" and "Kiryat Arba" settlements, north and northeast of Hebron respectively, stormed al-Jumjoma Hill to the northeast of Halhoul town, north of Hebron. They set up a tent in the area and raises the Israeli flag. IOF were present in the area, but they did not intervene to stop the settlers. On the same day, a number of Israeli settlers from "Ennab" settlement, east of Tulkarm, traveling in a civilian car stopped near Palestinian land in Rameen village, east of Tulkarm. One of those settlers got out of the car and set fire to the planted land. Hundreds of olive and almond trees were burnt. IOF prevented fire fighters from reaching the area for some time. At least 80 donums of land were burnt. On 7 May 2007, IOF issued a military order confiscated nearly 9.5 donums of land Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya, to establish a military road between the village and "Qidoumim" settlement. The establishment of the road will restrict access of Palestinian farmers to large areas of land. On 8 May 2007, IOF moved into Wadi al-Jouz area in East Jerusalem. They besieged the building of al-Nojoum Association for Disabled Children. They forced the children and supervisors out and demolished the building, claiming that it was built without a license. On the same day, IOF moved into al-'Eissawiya village, east of Jerusalem. They demolished a 220-square-meter house belonging to Daoud 'Ali Nasser, in which 10 people lived. They did not allow the residents to take any of their belongings out. Also on the same day, 8 May 2007, a number of Israeli settlers from "Harish" settlement and "Meiser" kibbutz established on Palestinian land set fire to Palestinian agricultural land in 'Akkaba village. At least 170 donums of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus were burnt.