PCHR Weekly Report: 7 Palestinians wounded, over 200 abducted by Israeli forces this week
author Friday July 31, 2009 09:10author by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News Report this post to the editors

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, during the week of 23 - 29 July 2009,7 Palestinian civilians, including one child and one woman, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank.




Villagers in Bourin clear away the remains of olive trees uprooted by Israeli settlers (PCHR photo)


Israeli forces conducted 21 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and one into the Gaza Strip, during which they abducted 14 Palestinian civilians, including two children, in the West Bank. Israeli forces positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted one Palestinian civilian. In addition, Israeli forces abducted 200 Palestinian workers from Barta'a village, which is isolated by the Annexation Wall.

Israeli forces and settlers have continued measures aimed at the Judaization of east Jerusalem, including the seizure of a Palestinian house in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood this week. In addition, several dozen extreme right-wing Israeli settlers invaded the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, under the protection of Israeli troops.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

During the reporting period, 7 Palestinian civilians, including one child and one woman, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank. On 24 July 2009, 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli forces used force against a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Ne'lin village, west of Ramallah. A number of demonstrators also suffered from the inhalation of a substance that had a disgusting smell used by Israeli forces. Israeli forces had used the same substance for the first time on 08 August 2008.

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 21 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces abducted 14 Palestinian civilians, including two children. In one example of the week's invasions, on Tuesday July 28th, at approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided a house belonging to Ibrahim Mousa Salim, 46, after blowing up the door. The house was damaged and its walls cracked. Windows of five neighboring houses were also broken. Also as a result of blowing up the door, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a woman, were injured.

On 28 July 2009, at approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Barta'a village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and shops looking for Palestinian workers. They abducted at least 200 workers and took them to an unknown destination. It is worth noting that due to the restrictions imposed on access of Palestinian workers to work places inside Israel, those workers are forced to stay in places located behind the Annexation Wall to be able to travel easier to their work places inside Israel.

Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by Israeli forces in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by Israeli forces. During the reporting period, Israeli forces positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted one Palestinian civilian.

Israeli forces have escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem to force them to leave the city. On 26 July 2009, Israeli settlers seized a house in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. On 27 July 2009, Israeli settlers stormed a house in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and attacked neighboring houses from it. On 28 July 2009, Israeli forces ordered two Palestinian families to vacate their houses in two weeks. On 29 July 2009, scores of Israeli settlers broke into the yards of al-Aqsa Mosque and conducted Jewish religious ceremonies. These settlers are part of a group that believe the Mosque should be destroyed, and a Jewish temple erected in its place.

Israeli Settlement Activities:

Israeli forces have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

At approximately 17:00 on Thursday, 23 July 2009, a number of Israeli settlers from "Yits'har" settlement, south of Nablus, attacked Palestinian houses in the east of Southern 'Assira village, south of the city. According to eyewitnesses, at least 10 Israeli settlers moved into the east of the village and threw stones at Palestinian houses. The stones fell onto the houses of Ibrahim Makhlouf and Isma'il Hamad. An Israeli military jeep arrived at the area. An Israeli soldiers ordered Palestinian civilians who gathered in the area to go homes. When they did not obey the order, Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at them. They also violently beat 10-year-old Makhlouf Ibrahim Makhlouf.

On 24 July 2009, dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, started to establish an iron fence around a 40-donum area of land in Bourin village, south of Nablus, to establish a new settlement outpost.

On 27 July 2009, Israeli forces moved into Kufol Hares village, northwest of Salfit. They handed noticed to 8 Palestinian civilian civilians ordering them to stop construction works in their houses.

According to the biannual report issued by the Israeli "Civil Administration," by the end of June 2009, the number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank was 304,569. This figure does not include settlers living inside and around Jerusalem and in settlement outposts not registered by the "Civil Administration." The number of Israeli settlers who are not under the administration of local councils increased by 4.4% this year. Settlements of an ideological nature witnessed the highest increase of population.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

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 has already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.

Israeli forces continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall. Following the Friday Prayer on 24 July 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in the center of Bil'in village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the Wall. Immediately, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Israeli forces also used a substance with a disgusting smell against the demonstrators.

Also following the Friday Prayer on 24 July 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the area where Israeli forces were razing land to construct a section of the Wall in the village. Immediately, Israeli forces fired at the demonstrators. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

On Sunday, July 26th, at approximately 21:00, Israeli gunboats stationed opposite Beit Lahia seashore in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. They also fired flash bombs into the air. Palestinian fishermen were forced to sail back to the shore. Two hours later, Israeli forces placed warning signs 500-1000 meters away from the beach, preventing fishing boats from sailing beyond this distance. Israeli forces gunboats opened fire at fishing boats that attempted to sail beyond this distance.

Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education. The main concern of the population of the Gaza Strip is to obtain their basic needs of food, medicines, water and electricity supplies. Israeli forces have continued to prevent the entry of raw construction materials into the Gaza Strip for more than two years.

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 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 to urge their governments to bring these people to justice.

The PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. The PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

For the full text of the report, click on the link below:
category palestine | human rights | news report author email saed at imemc dot org
Related Link(s): http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/Eng...008/30-...9.htm

Ooooo, a photo in this one. I'm just reading along, and then BAM!, a photo to add context and a sense of reality to the cut/paste.

You, Sir, are a genius.

thats terrible --- too bad you didn't feel (and still don't) about the iraqi people