This is a weekly summary of israeli War Crimes committed in Palestine for the week ending 28 June 2006, 2mins, english
PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory No. 25/2006
22- 28 June 2006
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and Isolate the Gaza Strip from the Outside World
÷ A Palestinian was extra-judicially executed by IOF.
÷ IOF warplanes launched a number of air strikes and mock air raids on the Gaza Strip; a number of civilian facilities were destroyed or damaged.
÷ IOF conducted 48 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
÷ IOF moved nearly one kilometer into the east of Rafah, arrested two Palestinians and seized control over Gaza International Airport.
÷ 63 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and a woman, were arrested by IOF.
÷ 5 houses were transformed by IOF into military sites.
÷ IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have imposed a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip; IOF positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 7 Palestinian civilians; and IOF arrested the Palestinian Minister of Labor, Mohammed al-Barghouthi.
÷ IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank; IOF resumed land leveling near Bethlehem and uprooted at least 200 olive trees; IOF have continued to construct sections of the Wall near "Shavi Shomron" and "Ariel" settlements in the north of the West Bank; and IOF started to establish a fence near "Teena" settlement.
÷ Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the OPT; 3 Palestinian civilians were injured; and 5 houses were damaged.
Summary
IOF have started to implement threats made by the Israeli prime minister, Knesset ministers and the chief of staff to launch a wide scale offensive on the Gaza Strip. The offensive, named "Operation Summer Rain", has included incursions, air strikes and artillery shelling on civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. These attacks followed a military operation by Palestinian resistance members on 25 June 2006 in the Kerem Shalom area, southeast of Rafah, in which two IOF soldiers and two members of the Palestinian resistance were killed, and a third IOF soldier was captured by the Palestinian resistance. Hundreds of IOF vehicles have been deployed along the border of the Gaza Strip, waiting to move into Palestinian areas. The incursions are expected to cause many casualties among Palestinian civilians. IOF have also imposed a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip.
PCHR strongly condemns acts of retaliation and collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip, including the destruction of civilian facilities. PCHR calls upon the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to force IOF to comply with the Convention, including the prohibition of reprisals against protected persons and their property (article 33). PCHR calls also upon the High Contracting Parties to apply article 1 of the Convention, which calls for respecting the Convention and ensuring respect the Convention in all circumstances.
Israeli violations of international law continued in the OPT during the reported period (22-28 June 2006):
Killing: On Thursday evening, 22 June 2006, an IOF undercover unit extra-judicially executed a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah movement in Ramallah. During the reported period, 6 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF launched a series of air strikes using fighter jets and helicopter gunships on civilian facilities. The air strikes completely destroyed two bridges in the Gaza Valley, one on Salah El-Deen Road and the other on the coastal road. These two bridges connect the northern part of the Strip with the center and southern parts. A secondary bridge was also destroyed. Transportation to and from the north of the Strip has been completely cut off as a result, threatening people's lives and security by depriving them of access to health and educational institutions. The aerial bombardment also destroyed the main water pipe feeding Nusairat and al-Boreij refugee camps. Furthermore, panic was caused among civilians, especially children and patients by bombardment, mock air raids and sonic booms over the Strip.
In addition, IOF warplanes bombarded the Gaza Strip's only electricity generation plant, located to the north of Nusairat refugee camp. Key sections of the plant were completely destroyed and fire broke out throughout the plant. The bombardment has cut electricity off for nearly half the population of the Gaza Strip. The bombardment destroyed the six main generators that provide 45% of the electricity needs of the Strip. Restoring the plant and resuming its operations could take up to 6 months and at a cost of approximately US$15 million.
Incursions: During the reported period. IOF also conducted at least 48 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 63 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and a woman. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF since the beginning of 2006 has increased to 1843. IOF also transformed 5 houses into military sites. In these incursions, IOF employed undercover units and trained dogs. On 24 June 2006, IOF moved into al-Shouka neighborhood in the southeast of Rafah, and arrested two Palestinian brothers. This was the first incursion into Rafah since the IOF redeployment in September 2005. On 28 June 2006, IOF moved into the eastern part of Rafah and seized control over Gaza International Airport after shelling it.
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.
Following an attack launched by Palestinian militants on 25 June 2006, near the Israeli-Egyptian border southeast of Rafah, which left two IOF soldiers and two of the attackers dead and a third IOF soldier missing, IOF have closed all border crossings of the Gaza Strip.
According to field information, Rafah International Crossing Point has been completely closed since Sunday, 25 June 2006, following the military attack at Kerem Shalom. Hundreds of Palestinian travelers are now stuck on the Egyptian side of the border. Among these travelers are women, children, elderly and ill persons returning after medical treatment in Egypt. They are enduring inadequate living and health conditions while waiting to enter Gaza.
Furthermore, IOF have closed the other crossings into the Gaza Strip: al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing; Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing - designated for workers, humanitarian cases and international workers; Sofa Crossing - designated for construction material; and Kerem Shalom Crossing - used for food and medical humanitarian assistance.
It is noted that the closure of Gaza Strip border crossings, since the Border Crossings Agreement between the Palestinian National Authority and Israel on 15 November 2005, has created a disastrous economic and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Since the signing of the agreement, al-Mentar Crossing has been completely closed for 96 days and partially closed for 162 days. As a result, the import and export of medicine and other commodities had been kept at a standstill for the majority of this time, causing further economic strangulation of the Gaza Strip and a lack of essential goods such as milk and fruits in the local market. In addition, agricultural and industrial exports from the Strip have been barred.
IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to separate the north and south of the West Bank. For this purpose, they have imposed severe restrictions one movement through Za'tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and re-established their presence at 'Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. They have also erected two new checkpoints near Ramallah. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints around Nablus imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have also continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement on Palestinian civilians to and from Tulkarm. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank abused a number of Palestinian civilians. During the reported period, IOF at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 7 Palestinian civilians, including the Palestinian Minister of Labor.
Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF razed areas of Palestinian land near "Ariel" settlement in the north of the West Bank, and completed land leveling near "Shavi Shomron" settlement to construct a section of the Wall in the area. IOF also uprooted at least 200 olive trees in the Kuraimzan area in Beit Jala for the purpose of the construction of a section of the Wall near Bethlehem. In addition, IOF also started to establish a fence around "Teena" settlement, south of Hebron. This fence will seize at least 100 dunums[1] of Palestinian agricultural land. On 23 June 2006, IOF used forced to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal'ein village, west of Ramallah Wall. IOF fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. They also violently beat the demonstrators and arrested one of them.
Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property, especially in Hebron. During the reported period, 3 Palestinian civilian were injured and 5 houses were damaged in attacks by settlers.
For further information please visit our website (http://www.pchrgaza.org) or contact PCHR's office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8 2824776 - 2825893).
*Office Hours are between 08:00 - 16:00 hours (05:00 GMT - 13:00 GMT) Sun - Thurs.
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