20 feb 2019
Several Palestinians were arrested and dozens more injured by the Israeli occupation forces in predawn Wednesday sweeps launched across the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for the abduction of 17 Palestinians over allegations of involvement in anti-occupation activities.
The campaign targeted Palestinian civilians and ex-prisoners from Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and al-Khalil.
The Israeli military also ravaged civilian homes all the way through the assault.
Palestinian ex-prisoner Udai Muzhir was, meanwhile, kidnapped by Israeli soldiers from his family home in Qalandiya refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem.
At the same time, scores of Palestinians were injured early Wednesday from Israeli gunfire as hundreds of extremist Israeli settlers forced their way into Joseph’s Tomb in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Israeli forces escorted a convoy of buses packed with hundreds of fanatic settlers into the site, sparking confrontations with Palestinian residents.
Soldiers opened fire on Palestinians protesting the raid and attempting to block settlers’ access to the site.
One of the casualties, identified as Mutasem Saqf Al-Heit, a journalist, was hit with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the abdomen. He was rushed to Rafidia Hospital for treatment.
Soldiers also showered protesters with tear gas canisters, causing several protesters to suffocate. All suffocation cases received first aid treatment at the scene. Three Palestinian youths were arrested in the clashes.
Settlers repeatedly break into Joseph’s Tomb, located in a densely Palestinian populated area in Nablus, provoking chaos and confrontation with the locals.
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for the abduction of 17 Palestinians over allegations of involvement in anti-occupation activities.
The campaign targeted Palestinian civilians and ex-prisoners from Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and al-Khalil.
The Israeli military also ravaged civilian homes all the way through the assault.
Palestinian ex-prisoner Udai Muzhir was, meanwhile, kidnapped by Israeli soldiers from his family home in Qalandiya refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem.
At the same time, scores of Palestinians were injured early Wednesday from Israeli gunfire as hundreds of extremist Israeli settlers forced their way into Joseph’s Tomb in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Israeli forces escorted a convoy of buses packed with hundreds of fanatic settlers into the site, sparking confrontations with Palestinian residents.
Soldiers opened fire on Palestinians protesting the raid and attempting to block settlers’ access to the site.
One of the casualties, identified as Mutasem Saqf Al-Heit, a journalist, was hit with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the abdomen. He was rushed to Rafidia Hospital for treatment.
Soldiers also showered protesters with tear gas canisters, causing several protesters to suffocate. All suffocation cases received first aid treatment at the scene. Three Palestinian youths were arrested in the clashes.
Settlers repeatedly break into Joseph’s Tomb, located in a densely Palestinian populated area in Nablus, provoking chaos and confrontation with the locals.
11 feb 2019
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An Israeli extremist settler attacked a journalist and an activist in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron, on Sunday.
Activist Issa Amr said that had filed several complaints against Israeli extremist settler Inat Cohen, however, when he headed to the Israeli police last month they attempted to detain him. Amr added that Cohen's attacks and assaults against locals and internationals are a proof of the Israel's apartheid and ethnic cleansing policy in Hebron. Palestinian residents of the Old City of Hebron face a large Israeli military presence on a daily basis, with at least 32 permanent and partial checkpoints set up at the entrances of many streets. |
Additionally, Palestinians are not allowed to drive on al-Shuhada Street, have had their homes and shops in the street welded shut, and in some areas of the Old City, are not permitted to walk on certain roads.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlers move freely on the street, drive cars, and carry machine guns.
The Palestinian government has no jurisdiction over Israelis in the West Bank, and acts carried out by Israeli settlers often occur in the presence of Israeli military forces who rarely act to protect Palestinian residents.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlers move freely on the street, drive cars, and carry machine guns.
The Palestinian government has no jurisdiction over Israelis in the West Bank, and acts carried out by Israeli settlers often occur in the presence of Israeli military forces who rarely act to protect Palestinian residents.
7 feb 2019
(L to R) Celebrities, public figures & activists at Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge during a launch of the Irish Call to Boycott Eurovision 2019 in Israel on June 27, 2018 (Image: Collins)
The Irish Campaign to Boycott the 2019 Eurovision, in Israel, welcomes the motion passed by the Dublin Broadcasting Branch of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) on January 29th ,whereby it states it “will support any member, working in RTÉ or elsewhere, who chooses to exercise a conscientious objection towards involvement in coverage of the song contest.”
The motion was passed by a large majority and represents a recognition that the Eurovision contest in Israel presents serious ethical issues for anyone who cares about human rights. Palestine News Network welcomes this support for workers choosing not to participate in coverage of the contest, either in Israel or in Ireland, as they do also with the Director General of RTÉ, Ireland’s National Broadcaster, Dee Forbes’ commitment, last year, not to sanction any workers whose consciences prevented them from travelling to Israel.
NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch Chair broadcaster Emma O’Kelly said, “The fact that the Eurovision is taking place this year in a country guilty of ongoing serious human rights abuses, including against journalists, means there will be members of ours who feel that for ethical reasons they can’t participate in coverage of the contest. We debated our attitude towards this [last] week and the branch decided by a very strong majority to express our willingness to support any member in that position.
“We were also mindful of the fact that our sister union, The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, is among a number of Palestinian organisations that have appealed to the world to not treat this year’s contest as just ‘any other Eurovision’.”
The Irish Campaign to Boycott the Eurovision in 2019 reiterated the call for RTÉ and any performers not to participate in the song contest in Israel.
“Further, we ask RTÉ to support the call from the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate not to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel’s illegal settlements, including those in occupied East Jerusalem; the least RTÉ should do to be in line with international law and European policy,” IPSC said in a statement.
The campaign to boycott the Eurovision in apartheid Israel enjoys widespread support in Ireland with almost 15,000 people signing a petition calling for non participation and also has endorsement from human rights activists, artists and other public figures, among them former Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan; Irish broadcaster and former Eurovision commentator Mike Murphy; and former Eurovision presenters Carrie Crowley and Doireann Ni Bhriain. The Musicians’ Union of Ireland (MUI) and Irish Equity, have also endorsed the campaign.
Internationally hundreds of artists have joined the call to boycott the Eurovision in Israel, almost 40,000 people have signed a petition calling on members of the European Broadcasting Union to withdraw from the contest, and on January 29th more than 60 queer and trans liberation organizations from nearly 20 countries across Europe and beyond made a call on global LGBTQIA communities to boycott the competition.
While Israel continues to deny the Palestinian people their rights, people of conscience must continue to refuse to engage with that state and to support the call from Palestinians for solidarity by boycotting Eurovision 2019. To do so is to be on the right side of history.
The Irish Campaign to Boycott the 2019 Eurovision, in Israel, welcomes the motion passed by the Dublin Broadcasting Branch of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) on January 29th ,whereby it states it “will support any member, working in RTÉ or elsewhere, who chooses to exercise a conscientious objection towards involvement in coverage of the song contest.”
The motion was passed by a large majority and represents a recognition that the Eurovision contest in Israel presents serious ethical issues for anyone who cares about human rights. Palestine News Network welcomes this support for workers choosing not to participate in coverage of the contest, either in Israel or in Ireland, as they do also with the Director General of RTÉ, Ireland’s National Broadcaster, Dee Forbes’ commitment, last year, not to sanction any workers whose consciences prevented them from travelling to Israel.
NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch Chair broadcaster Emma O’Kelly said, “The fact that the Eurovision is taking place this year in a country guilty of ongoing serious human rights abuses, including against journalists, means there will be members of ours who feel that for ethical reasons they can’t participate in coverage of the contest. We debated our attitude towards this [last] week and the branch decided by a very strong majority to express our willingness to support any member in that position.
“We were also mindful of the fact that our sister union, The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, is among a number of Palestinian organisations that have appealed to the world to not treat this year’s contest as just ‘any other Eurovision’.”
The Irish Campaign to Boycott the Eurovision in 2019 reiterated the call for RTÉ and any performers not to participate in the song contest in Israel.
“Further, we ask RTÉ to support the call from the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate not to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel’s illegal settlements, including those in occupied East Jerusalem; the least RTÉ should do to be in line with international law and European policy,” IPSC said in a statement.
The campaign to boycott the Eurovision in apartheid Israel enjoys widespread support in Ireland with almost 15,000 people signing a petition calling for non participation and also has endorsement from human rights activists, artists and other public figures, among them former Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan; Irish broadcaster and former Eurovision commentator Mike Murphy; and former Eurovision presenters Carrie Crowley and Doireann Ni Bhriain. The Musicians’ Union of Ireland (MUI) and Irish Equity, have also endorsed the campaign.
Internationally hundreds of artists have joined the call to boycott the Eurovision in Israel, almost 40,000 people have signed a petition calling on members of the European Broadcasting Union to withdraw from the contest, and on January 29th more than 60 queer and trans liberation organizations from nearly 20 countries across Europe and beyond made a call on global LGBTQIA communities to boycott the competition.
While Israel continues to deny the Palestinian people their rights, people of conscience must continue to refuse to engage with that state and to support the call from Palestinians for solidarity by boycotting Eurovision 2019. To do so is to be on the right side of history.
3 feb 2019
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemned the wave of arrests and detentions carried out by Palestinian security services in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since the beginning of 2019.
These violations have affected nine journalists, (as well as a number of other journalists who have been exposed to the same violations in late last month in Gaza).
They are: from the West Bank, Yousef al-Faqih, Mahmoud Harish, who was detained for 22 days and released two days ago, Zaid Abu ‘Ara, the media student at Birzeit University Hamzah Mahmoud Khader, Hazem Nasser, Metasim Sakf Al-Hait, Amir Estate and Faisal Rifai, whose freedoms were held for hours.
And, from Gaza, Louay al-Ghoul, who was summoned and detained three consecutive times for long hours by the Internal Security, during which he was tortured and beaten.
The Preventive Security Service, for example, arrested Yusuf Mohammed al-Faqih, a journalist for Manbar al-Horiah, a local radio station in Hebron, and working also in Quds Press news agency, after raiding his home in “al-Burj” village, near Dura city in Hebron, on charges of “inciting sectarian strife”, according to his father.
On January 28, 2019, Yusuf al-Faqih was transferred from Dura’s prosecution to Ramallah prosecution without an investigation. A request was submitted to the Ramallah Magistrate’s Court, to extend his detention for 15 days, despite a submission of pleading by MADA’s lawyer.
The court decided to detain him for 15 days, and he was still being held at the headquarters and prison of the Preventive Security Service, in the town of Bitunya, at the time of this report.
The situation in the Gaza Strip was not different. Within a wave of summonses and long-term detentions of a number of journalists, the internal security service of Hamas, for example, summoned the journalist Louay al-Ghoul three times on 6, 7 and 8 January, and subjected him to ongoing investigation and interrogation and detention for long hours, each time, as he was beaten and tortured, during which his head was placed in a plastic bag after being transferred to an interrogation room. He was additionally assaulted and beaten, with hands and whips, on his shoulders and thighs area after removing his winter jacket.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns this wave of arrests and violations, and reiterates its call to the competent authorities, to work to stop all these violations, release all the journalists detained by the security forces, and investigate the incidents of abuse, with special note to what the journalist al-Ghoul was subjected to, during his detention.
These violations have affected nine journalists, (as well as a number of other journalists who have been exposed to the same violations in late last month in Gaza).
They are: from the West Bank, Yousef al-Faqih, Mahmoud Harish, who was detained for 22 days and released two days ago, Zaid Abu ‘Ara, the media student at Birzeit University Hamzah Mahmoud Khader, Hazem Nasser, Metasim Sakf Al-Hait, Amir Estate and Faisal Rifai, whose freedoms were held for hours.
And, from Gaza, Louay al-Ghoul, who was summoned and detained three consecutive times for long hours by the Internal Security, during which he was tortured and beaten.
The Preventive Security Service, for example, arrested Yusuf Mohammed al-Faqih, a journalist for Manbar al-Horiah, a local radio station in Hebron, and working also in Quds Press news agency, after raiding his home in “al-Burj” village, near Dura city in Hebron, on charges of “inciting sectarian strife”, according to his father.
On January 28, 2019, Yusuf al-Faqih was transferred from Dura’s prosecution to Ramallah prosecution without an investigation. A request was submitted to the Ramallah Magistrate’s Court, to extend his detention for 15 days, despite a submission of pleading by MADA’s lawyer.
The court decided to detain him for 15 days, and he was still being held at the headquarters and prison of the Preventive Security Service, in the town of Bitunya, at the time of this report.
The situation in the Gaza Strip was not different. Within a wave of summonses and long-term detentions of a number of journalists, the internal security service of Hamas, for example, summoned the journalist Louay al-Ghoul three times on 6, 7 and 8 January, and subjected him to ongoing investigation and interrogation and detention for long hours, each time, as he was beaten and tortured, during which his head was placed in a plastic bag after being transferred to an interrogation room. He was additionally assaulted and beaten, with hands and whips, on his shoulders and thighs area after removing his winter jacket.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns this wave of arrests and violations, and reiterates its call to the competent authorities, to work to stop all these violations, release all the journalists detained by the security forces, and investigate the incidents of abuse, with special note to what the journalist al-Ghoul was subjected to, during his detention.
2 feb 2019
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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)On Friday afternoon, 01 February, 2019, in use of excessive force against peaceful protesters on the 45th Friday of the Great March of Return in the eastern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces wounded 98 civilians, including 15 children, 4 women; 2 of them are paramedics, and a journalist.
The injury of 7 of those wounded were reported serious, including a 17-year-old girl who was shot with a bullet to the chest in eastern Khan Younis. According to observations by PCHR’s fieldworkers, though the demonstrators were around tens of meters away from the border fence, the Israeli forces who stationed in prone positions and in military jeeps along the fence continued to use excessive force against the demonstrators by opening fire and firing teargas canisters at them. |
As a result, dozens of them were hit with bullets and teargas canisters without posing any imminent threat or danger to the life of soldiers.
On this Friday, the Israeli forces continued to target the medical personnel in field and wounded 2 of female paramedics in eastern Gaza City and Rafah when a PRCS ambulance was targeted with a bullet. This indicates an Israeli systematic policy to target the medical personnel and obstruct their humanitarian work that is guaranteed with protection under the international humanitarian law.
At approximately 15:00, thousands of civilians, including women, children and entire families, started swarming to the five encampments established by the Supreme National Authority of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege adjacent to the border fence with Israel in eastern Gaza Strip cities.
Hundreds, including children and women, gathered along the border fence with Israel in front of each encampment and protested between tens and hundreds of meters away from the border fence. In seevreal area, the demonstratorsmoved hundreds of meters away from the encampment to protest in front of the border fence with Israel, and some of them attempted to throw stones at the Israeli forces in addition to chanting slogans.
In very limited incidents in Rafah, a group of demonstrators approached the border fence and set fire to tires. Although the demonstrators gathered in areas open to the Israeli snipers who were stationed on top of the sand berms and military watchtowers and inside and behind the military jeeps, the Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets in addition to a barrage of teargas canisters at them.
The Israeli shooting, which continued until around 17:30, resulted in the injury of 98 Palestinian civilians, including 15 children, 4 women; 2 of them were paramedics, and a journalist. The injury of 7 of those wounded was reported serious, including a 17-year-old girl who was shot with a bullet to the chest in eastern Khan Younis. Moreover, dozens of demonstrators, paramedics and journalists suffered tear gas inhalation and seizures due to the tear gas canisters that were fired by the Israeli forces from the military jeeps and riffles in the eastern Gaza Strip.
The following table shows the number of civilian victims due to the Israeli forces’ suppression of the Great March of Return since its beginning on 30 March:
Notes Medical Crews Journalists Women Children Total Casualties
Among those Killed, there were 8 Persons with Disabilities
and a girl. 3 2 2 35 181 Killed
Among those wounded, 523 are in serious condition and
101 had their lower or upper limbs amputated;
89 lower-limb amputations, 2 upper-limb amputations,
10 finger amputations and 17 children had their limbs
amputated according to the Ministry of Health. 170 174 312 1956 10,641 Wounded
The number of those wounded only include those wounded
with live bullets and directly hit with tear gas canisters
as there have been thousand others who suffered tear
gas inhalation and sustained bruises.
PCHR emphasizes Palestinians’ right to peaceful assembly that is guaranteed by all International human rights instruments, stressing that the Israeli forces should stop using excessive force and respond to the legitimate demands of the demonstrators, particularly lifting the closure which is the real solution to end the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
PCHR emphasizes that targeting the medical personnel and ambulances is a serious violation of the rules of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, whose International standards regulate the protection of medical personnel, including ambulance crews, vehicles and medical facilities. These serious violations practiced and deliberate attacks against the medical personnel amount to war crimes according to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, particularly the protection provided for by the Convention.
PCHR emphasizes that continuously targeting civilians, who exercise their right to peaceful assembly or while carrying out their humanitarian duty, is a serious violation of the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, the ICC Rome Statute and Fourth Geneva Convention. Thus, PCHR calls upon the ICC Prosecutor to open an official investigation in these crimes and to prosecute and hold accountable all those applying or involved in issuing orders within the Israeli Forces at the security and political echelons.
PCHR hereby condemns the excessive use of force and commission of crimes by the Israeli forces despite the prevailed calmness, believing it is as a result of Israel’s enjoying impunity thanks to the U.S. and so encouraging the Israeli forces to commit further crimes upon an official decision by the highest military and political echelons.
PCHR also reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
PCHR calls upon Switzerland, in its capacity as the Depository State for the Convention, to demand the High Contracting Parties to convene a meeting and ensure Israel’s respect for this Convention, noting that these grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the occupied territories.
On this Friday, the Israeli forces continued to target the medical personnel in field and wounded 2 of female paramedics in eastern Gaza City and Rafah when a PRCS ambulance was targeted with a bullet. This indicates an Israeli systematic policy to target the medical personnel and obstruct their humanitarian work that is guaranteed with protection under the international humanitarian law.
At approximately 15:00, thousands of civilians, including women, children and entire families, started swarming to the five encampments established by the Supreme National Authority of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege adjacent to the border fence with Israel in eastern Gaza Strip cities.
Hundreds, including children and women, gathered along the border fence with Israel in front of each encampment and protested between tens and hundreds of meters away from the border fence. In seevreal area, the demonstratorsmoved hundreds of meters away from the encampment to protest in front of the border fence with Israel, and some of them attempted to throw stones at the Israeli forces in addition to chanting slogans.
In very limited incidents in Rafah, a group of demonstrators approached the border fence and set fire to tires. Although the demonstrators gathered in areas open to the Israeli snipers who were stationed on top of the sand berms and military watchtowers and inside and behind the military jeeps, the Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets in addition to a barrage of teargas canisters at them.
The Israeli shooting, which continued until around 17:30, resulted in the injury of 98 Palestinian civilians, including 15 children, 4 women; 2 of them were paramedics, and a journalist. The injury of 7 of those wounded was reported serious, including a 17-year-old girl who was shot with a bullet to the chest in eastern Khan Younis. Moreover, dozens of demonstrators, paramedics and journalists suffered tear gas inhalation and seizures due to the tear gas canisters that were fired by the Israeli forces from the military jeeps and riffles in the eastern Gaza Strip.
The following table shows the number of civilian victims due to the Israeli forces’ suppression of the Great March of Return since its beginning on 30 March:
Notes Medical Crews Journalists Women Children Total Casualties
Among those Killed, there were 8 Persons with Disabilities
and a girl. 3 2 2 35 181 Killed
Among those wounded, 523 are in serious condition and
101 had their lower or upper limbs amputated;
89 lower-limb amputations, 2 upper-limb amputations,
10 finger amputations and 17 children had their limbs
amputated according to the Ministry of Health. 170 174 312 1956 10,641 Wounded
The number of those wounded only include those wounded
with live bullets and directly hit with tear gas canisters
as there have been thousand others who suffered tear
gas inhalation and sustained bruises.
PCHR emphasizes Palestinians’ right to peaceful assembly that is guaranteed by all International human rights instruments, stressing that the Israeli forces should stop using excessive force and respond to the legitimate demands of the demonstrators, particularly lifting the closure which is the real solution to end the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
PCHR emphasizes that targeting the medical personnel and ambulances is a serious violation of the rules of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, whose International standards regulate the protection of medical personnel, including ambulance crews, vehicles and medical facilities. These serious violations practiced and deliberate attacks against the medical personnel amount to war crimes according to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, particularly the protection provided for by the Convention.
PCHR emphasizes that continuously targeting civilians, who exercise their right to peaceful assembly or while carrying out their humanitarian duty, is a serious violation of the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, the ICC Rome Statute and Fourth Geneva Convention. Thus, PCHR calls upon the ICC Prosecutor to open an official investigation in these crimes and to prosecute and hold accountable all those applying or involved in issuing orders within the Israeli Forces at the security and political echelons.
PCHR hereby condemns the excessive use of force and commission of crimes by the Israeli forces despite the prevailed calmness, believing it is as a result of Israel’s enjoying impunity thanks to the U.S. and so encouraging the Israeli forces to commit further crimes upon an official decision by the highest military and political echelons.
PCHR also reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
PCHR calls upon Switzerland, in its capacity as the Depository State for the Convention, to demand the High Contracting Parties to convene a meeting and ensure Israel’s respect for this Convention, noting that these grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the occupied territories.