15 feb 2019
Two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces during the ‘Great March of Return’ protests in the blockaded Gaza Strip without posing a threat to the soldiers, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported.
The two boys (14 and 17-years-old) were shot with live ammunition and killed on Friday, 8 February in two incidents near the fence.
According to human rights groups, both incidents occurred between 60-250 meters from the fence and the two boys posed no threat to Israeli forces. On the same day, according to Israeli sources, Palestinians threw explosive devices at Israeli forces and attempted to breach the fence into Israel, resulting in no Israeli injuries.
OCHA said another two Palestinians died of wounds sustained previously, and 530 were injured.
The other two fatalities, both men, succumbed to wounds sustained in previous demonstrations on 18 and 29 January, including a demonstration at the beach held to protest the naval blockade; one of the fatalities was shot with live ammunition and the other one was struck by a tear-gas canister.
These incidents bring the number of Palestinian fatalities sustained during the Gaza protests since March 2018 to 263, including 49 children, OCHA added.
Of those injured during the reporting period, 248 were hospitalized, including 64 people hit by live ammunition; the remainder were treated in the field, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
On at least 40 occasions outside of the protests, Israeli forces opened warning fire on land and at sea in Gaza. One Palestinian was injured in one of the incidents. Additionally, five Palestinian boys were detained, reportedly as they were attempting to infiltrate into Israel. On three other occasions, Israeli forces entered Gaza and carried out land-leveling and excavation operations in the vicinity of the perimeter fence.
In the West Bank, two Palestinians, including a girl, were shot and killed, and one boy was injured, by Israeli forces in two alleged attacks near Israeli checkpoints. On 30 January, an Israeli private security guard shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian girl at the al-Zaayyem checkpoint (Jerusalem), allegedly after she attempted to carry out a stabbing attack; her body has been withheld by Israeli forces.
On 4 February, Israeli forces shot and killed a 20-year-old man and injured a 16-year-old boy. Since the start of 2019, three Palestinians, including one child, have been killed by Israeli forces in alleged anti-occupation attacks carried out in the West Bank.
In the West Bank, 35 Palestinians, including at least eleven children, were injured by Israeli forces during protests and clashes. Almost half of the total injuries (16) were recorded during the weekly demonstration against settlement expansion on Palestinian land in al-Mughayyir village (Ramallah).
Of the total injuries during the reporting period, 34 per cent were caused by live ammunition, 31 per cent by tear gas inhalation requiring medical treatment, 31 per cent by rubber bullets, and the remaining 4 per cent by other means.
At the same time, fifteen structures were demolished or seized in occupied Jerusalem and Area C on the grounds of a lack of Israeli-issued building permits, displacing 39 Palestinians and affecting the livelihoods of some 70 others. Seven of the ten structures targeted in occupied Jerusalem, all residential, were demolished by their owners following the receipt of final demolition orders, reportedly to avoid incurring additional fines. The other five structures were located in Area C. Overall, 48 structures have been demolished or seized by Israel in the West Bank since the start of 2019.
On 6 February, Israeli forces displaced, for up to 14 hours, some 400 Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley during Israeli military training exercises. This disrupted the livelihoods and access to services of two herding communities located in an area designated as a “firing zone”: Khirbet al-Ras al Ahmar and Hammamat al Maleh. Communities located in such zones are affected by a coercive environment placing their residents at risk of forcible transfer.
Also in Area C of the northern Jordan Valley, the Israeli authorities uprooted approximately 500 trees, leveled four dunums of cultivated land and caused damaged to an irrigation network, on the grounds that the area is ‘state land’.
Around 425 additional trees and 14 vehicles were vandalized, and one Palestinian was injured, in attacks by Israeli settlers, OCHA further stated.
The two boys (14 and 17-years-old) were shot with live ammunition and killed on Friday, 8 February in two incidents near the fence.
According to human rights groups, both incidents occurred between 60-250 meters from the fence and the two boys posed no threat to Israeli forces. On the same day, according to Israeli sources, Palestinians threw explosive devices at Israeli forces and attempted to breach the fence into Israel, resulting in no Israeli injuries.
OCHA said another two Palestinians died of wounds sustained previously, and 530 were injured.
The other two fatalities, both men, succumbed to wounds sustained in previous demonstrations on 18 and 29 January, including a demonstration at the beach held to protest the naval blockade; one of the fatalities was shot with live ammunition and the other one was struck by a tear-gas canister.
These incidents bring the number of Palestinian fatalities sustained during the Gaza protests since March 2018 to 263, including 49 children, OCHA added.
Of those injured during the reporting period, 248 were hospitalized, including 64 people hit by live ammunition; the remainder were treated in the field, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
On at least 40 occasions outside of the protests, Israeli forces opened warning fire on land and at sea in Gaza. One Palestinian was injured in one of the incidents. Additionally, five Palestinian boys were detained, reportedly as they were attempting to infiltrate into Israel. On three other occasions, Israeli forces entered Gaza and carried out land-leveling and excavation operations in the vicinity of the perimeter fence.
In the West Bank, two Palestinians, including a girl, were shot and killed, and one boy was injured, by Israeli forces in two alleged attacks near Israeli checkpoints. On 30 January, an Israeli private security guard shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian girl at the al-Zaayyem checkpoint (Jerusalem), allegedly after she attempted to carry out a stabbing attack; her body has been withheld by Israeli forces.
On 4 February, Israeli forces shot and killed a 20-year-old man and injured a 16-year-old boy. Since the start of 2019, three Palestinians, including one child, have been killed by Israeli forces in alleged anti-occupation attacks carried out in the West Bank.
In the West Bank, 35 Palestinians, including at least eleven children, were injured by Israeli forces during protests and clashes. Almost half of the total injuries (16) were recorded during the weekly demonstration against settlement expansion on Palestinian land in al-Mughayyir village (Ramallah).
Of the total injuries during the reporting period, 34 per cent were caused by live ammunition, 31 per cent by tear gas inhalation requiring medical treatment, 31 per cent by rubber bullets, and the remaining 4 per cent by other means.
At the same time, fifteen structures were demolished or seized in occupied Jerusalem and Area C on the grounds of a lack of Israeli-issued building permits, displacing 39 Palestinians and affecting the livelihoods of some 70 others. Seven of the ten structures targeted in occupied Jerusalem, all residential, were demolished by their owners following the receipt of final demolition orders, reportedly to avoid incurring additional fines. The other five structures were located in Area C. Overall, 48 structures have been demolished or seized by Israel in the West Bank since the start of 2019.
On 6 February, Israeli forces displaced, for up to 14 hours, some 400 Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley during Israeli military training exercises. This disrupted the livelihoods and access to services of two herding communities located in an area designated as a “firing zone”: Khirbet al-Ras al Ahmar and Hammamat al Maleh. Communities located in such zones are affected by a coercive environment placing their residents at risk of forcible transfer.
Also in Area C of the northern Jordan Valley, the Israeli authorities uprooted approximately 500 trees, leveled four dunums of cultivated land and caused damaged to an irrigation network, on the grounds that the area is ‘state land’.
Around 425 additional trees and 14 vehicles were vandalized, and one Palestinian was injured, in attacks by Israeli settlers, OCHA further stated.
In January, about 40 Palestinian-owned structures were demolished or seized by Israeli authorities — almost the same as the monthly average recorded in 2018 — displacing 44 people and otherwise affecting some 200 others, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territory said, in its monthly report.
In OCHA’s report on West Bank demolitions and displacement, one of the demolitions reportedly took place on punitive grounds, and the remainder occurred due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible to obtain.
Over 70% of the structures targeted, this month, were in 11 communities in Area C of the occupied West Bank, which is under total Israeli military rule.
In one of them, in Beit Iksa, Jerusalem area, the livelihoods of 50 people were affected by the demolition of four animal structures, a cesspool and the walls surrounding one home, with losses estimated at over 1.25 million shekels (303,000 euro). Beit Iksa (app. 1,700 residents) is one of other “dislocated” Palestinian communities in the Jerusalem area that have been physically separated from the rest of the West Bank by the segregation barrier, but residents are not allowed to enter East Jerusalem.
In al-Simiya village, in the Hebron district of the southern West Bank, three tents provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Education, to serve as a school, were seized, affecting 45 children. This is the third time in four weeks that structures for this school have been seized.
In a joint statement issued on 30 January, the Humanitarian Coordinator and UNICEF expressed deep concern “by the high number of reported incidents of interference in or near schools in the West Bank, since the beginning of the school year.”
At Imreiha village, in the Jenin district of the northern West Bank, also in Area C, two structures funded by the European Union and its member states, including a home and a mobile latrine, were seized and as a result, four people were displaced.
In East Jerusalem, ten structures were targeted during January, less than the monthly average of 15 recorded in 2018. Additionally, a Palestinian refugee family became at heightened risk of forced eviction from its home, following an Israeli court ruling in favor of a settler organization claiming ownership over the land. The home is located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where the family was settled, with the support of the United Nations and the Jordanian government, in the 1950s.
At least 870 Palestinians in East Jerusalem have pending eviction cases filed mainly by settler organizations.
Also, this month, the Israeli army blew up an apartment in the town of Yatta, in Area A, which is under full Palestinian control, on punitive grounds. The apartment was home to a Palestinian who stabbed and killed an Israeli settler, in September 2018, and was detained, after he was shot and injured.
In OCHA’s report on West Bank demolitions and displacement, one of the demolitions reportedly took place on punitive grounds, and the remainder occurred due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible to obtain.
Over 70% of the structures targeted, this month, were in 11 communities in Area C of the occupied West Bank, which is under total Israeli military rule.
In one of them, in Beit Iksa, Jerusalem area, the livelihoods of 50 people were affected by the demolition of four animal structures, a cesspool and the walls surrounding one home, with losses estimated at over 1.25 million shekels (303,000 euro). Beit Iksa (app. 1,700 residents) is one of other “dislocated” Palestinian communities in the Jerusalem area that have been physically separated from the rest of the West Bank by the segregation barrier, but residents are not allowed to enter East Jerusalem.
In al-Simiya village, in the Hebron district of the southern West Bank, three tents provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Education, to serve as a school, were seized, affecting 45 children. This is the third time in four weeks that structures for this school have been seized.
In a joint statement issued on 30 January, the Humanitarian Coordinator and UNICEF expressed deep concern “by the high number of reported incidents of interference in or near schools in the West Bank, since the beginning of the school year.”
At Imreiha village, in the Jenin district of the northern West Bank, also in Area C, two structures funded by the European Union and its member states, including a home and a mobile latrine, were seized and as a result, four people were displaced.
In East Jerusalem, ten structures were targeted during January, less than the monthly average of 15 recorded in 2018. Additionally, a Palestinian refugee family became at heightened risk of forced eviction from its home, following an Israeli court ruling in favor of a settler organization claiming ownership over the land. The home is located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where the family was settled, with the support of the United Nations and the Jordanian government, in the 1950s.
At least 870 Palestinians in East Jerusalem have pending eviction cases filed mainly by settler organizations.
Also, this month, the Israeli army blew up an apartment in the town of Yatta, in Area A, which is under full Palestinian control, on punitive grounds. The apartment was home to a Palestinian who stabbed and killed an Israeli settler, in September 2018, and was detained, after he was shot and injured.
Israeli forces continue systematic crimes, in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), for the week of 07 – 13 February, 2019.
Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protestors in the Gaza Strip. 2 Palestinian civilians were killed and another one succumbed to his wound in the Gaza Strip. 109 civilians, including 45 children, 5 women, 1 paramedic, and a journalist, were wounded in the Gaza Strip.
Shooting:
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces continued to use lethal force against the participants in the peaceful protests organized along the Gaza Strip borders, which witnessed the peaceful protests for the 46th week along the eastern and northern border area of the Gaza Strip. They also continued to use armed force as well during the incursions into the West Bank.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed Hamza Mohamed Ishtawi (17), from al-Zaytoun neighborhood, and Hasan Eyad Shalabi (14), from Khan Yunis, while participating in the Return and Breaking Siege March, east of Gaza City and Khan Yunis. Eyewitnesses said that the civilians killed did not pose threat to the soldiers’ life and they were wounded while present in varying distances along the border fence with Israel. The civilians killed were among the peaceful demonstrators in the eastern border areas.
On 12 February 2019, medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital declared the death of Hassan Nabeel Ahmad Nofal (16), from Nuseirat in the Central Gaza Strip. Hasan succumbed to wounds he sustained on Friday, 08 February 2019. It should be mentioned that he was directly hit with a tear gas canister to the head while participating in the Return and Breaking the Siege March, east of al-Bureij
Injuries in the Gaza Strip between 07-13 February 2019 According to the Governorate
Governorate Injuries
Total Children Women Journalists Paramedics Critical Injuries
Northern Gaza Strip 24 13 3 0 0 0
Gaza City 30 11 1 0 0 0
Central Gaza Strip 19 8 1 0 0 3
Khan Younis 11 3 0 1 1 0
Rafah 25 10 0 0 0 1
Total 109 45 5 1 1 4
As part of targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the sea, the Israeli forces continued to escalate their attacks against the Palestinian fishermen, indicating the on-going Israeli policy to target their livelihoods. During the reporting period, PCHR documented 8 incidents were adjacent to northern Gaza Strip Shore. As a result, a fisherman sustained minor wounds.
As part of targeting the border areas, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, opened fire 9 times at lands located in the border areas with Israel in the central of Gaza Strip and southern Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 78 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 44 Palestinians, including 8 children, in the West Bank. The Israeli forces conducted at least 8 military incursions into Jerusalem, where they arrested 2 civilians and carried out 2 demolitions. In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces conducted 1 limited incursion in eastern Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. The owners of the demolished houses in the West Bank said that the Israeli forces confiscated large amount of money and gold from their houses and handed them a list of the confiscated items. They also ordered them to refer to the competent authorities.
Israeli Forces Continued to Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem City:
Israeli Forces continued their settlement activities, and the settlers continued their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property
As part of the Israeli settlers’ attacks against the Palestinians civilians and their property, PCHR’s fieldworkers documented during the reporting period 5 attacks carried out by Israeli settlers.
On 08 February 2019, an Israeli force accompanied with an Israeli settler namely Leor Livy, tried to raid a house belonging to Ahmed Abu Srour (70), located in the vicinity of al-‘Aroub refugee camp, west of Hebron, adjacent to the Bypass Road “60”. They claimed that the house is attached to Beit al-Baraka facility land, which a settlement association claims that it bought it from its owners in 2008.
On 09 February 2019, Israeli settlers threw stones at civilians’ vehicles while they were passing on al-Dalb Valley road near Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah, causing fear among civilians inside the vehicles.
On 10 February 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, who call themselves price tag group, threw stones at a house belonging to Romal Mohammed Hussain Shahour, Director of Al Haya Newspaper’s office located on the main street near Howara High School for Boys at Howara village’s northern entrance, southeast of Nablus.
On 12 February 2019, a group of Israeli settlers attacked Barakat ‘Ali Zohdy Abu Mohssen (25) in Kherbit al-Farisiyia in northern Jordan Valley. They beat and bruised him in the right hand, chest and legs before handing him to Israeli forces, who arrested his brother Loai (20), taking him to “Mkhola” settlement.
On the same day, dozens of Israeli settlers, from settlement outposts in Hebron’s Old City, carried out riots and chanted racists slogans against Palestinians on al-Shohadah Street and Tal al-Rameeda area. The settlers were under the Israeli forces’ protection.
Use of Force against Demonstrations in Protest against the U.S. President’s Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel:
Israeli forces continued its excessive use of lethal force against peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and it was named as “The Great March of Return and Breaking Siege.” The demonstration was in protest against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration to move the U.S. Embassy to it. According to PCHR fieldworkers’ observations, the border area witnessed large participation by Palestinian civilians as the Israeli forces continued to use upon highest military and political echelons excessive force against the peaceful demonstrators, though the demonstration were fully peaceful. The demonstration was as follows during the reporting period:
Gaza Strip:
On Friday, 08 February 2019, in the 46th week of the Return and Breaking Siege March, Israeli forces wounded 91 civilians, including 38 children, 2 women and a paramedic. The incidents were as follows:
West Bank:
Israeli forces escalated their attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property. They have also continued their raids on al-Aqsa Mosque and denied the Palestinians access to it:
Arrests and Incursions:
Notices and House Demolitions:
Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property
Israeli forces continued to target the areas in the West Bank classified as C according to Oslo Accord signed by the Israeli government and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the areas located in the vicinity of settlements and route of the separation wall in order to expel them from the Palestinian residents for the sake of settlement expansion.
Israeli forces’ attacks:
Mohamed Abu al-Haija said:
“At approximately 03:00, Israeli border guard officers raided our house after breaking the door and detained me along with my family members. They informed us that there is a decision to demolish the house. They forced us to leave the house and stand 150 meters away from it while some workers started to evacuate some of house’s contents and then the bulldozers began the demolition. On 18, October 2018, The Civil Administration handed us a house demolition notice. We submitted a request to the municipality of Jerusalem after paying NIS 20,000 in 2 instalments in order to reach the Court of First Instance to submit a petition after the demolition but the court reused our petition submitted by a lawyer during a session on 23 January 2019 so the court decided to demolish the house. “
Israeli settlers’ attacks:
PCHR warns of the escalating settlement construction in the West Bank, the attempts to legitimize settlement outposts established on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and the continued summary executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they pose a security threat to the Israeli forces. PCHR reminds the international community that thousands of Palestinian civilians have been rendered homeless and lived in caravans under tragic circumstances due to the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip that has been under a tight closure for almost 11 years. PCHR welcomes the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334, which states that settlements are a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions and calls upon Israel to stop them and not to recognize any demographic change in the oPt since 1967.
PCHR hopes this resolution will pave the way for eliminating the settlement crime and bring to justice those responsible for it. PCHR further reiterates that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation in spite of Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan of 2005. PCHR emphasizes that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and international humanitarian law. Israel is bound to apply international human rights law and the law of war, sometimes reciprocally and other times in parallel, in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for the victims.
Fully detailed document available at the official website of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protestors in the Gaza Strip. 2 Palestinian civilians were killed and another one succumbed to his wound in the Gaza Strip. 109 civilians, including 45 children, 5 women, 1 paramedic, and a journalist, were wounded in the Gaza Strip.
Shooting:
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces continued to use lethal force against the participants in the peaceful protests organized along the Gaza Strip borders, which witnessed the peaceful protests for the 46th week along the eastern and northern border area of the Gaza Strip. They also continued to use armed force as well during the incursions into the West Bank.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed Hamza Mohamed Ishtawi (17), from al-Zaytoun neighborhood, and Hasan Eyad Shalabi (14), from Khan Yunis, while participating in the Return and Breaking Siege March, east of Gaza City and Khan Yunis. Eyewitnesses said that the civilians killed did not pose threat to the soldiers’ life and they were wounded while present in varying distances along the border fence with Israel. The civilians killed were among the peaceful demonstrators in the eastern border areas.
On 12 February 2019, medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital declared the death of Hassan Nabeel Ahmad Nofal (16), from Nuseirat in the Central Gaza Strip. Hasan succumbed to wounds he sustained on Friday, 08 February 2019. It should be mentioned that he was directly hit with a tear gas canister to the head while participating in the Return and Breaking the Siege March, east of al-Bureij
Injuries in the Gaza Strip between 07-13 February 2019 According to the Governorate
Governorate Injuries
Total Children Women Journalists Paramedics Critical Injuries
Northern Gaza Strip 24 13 3 0 0 0
Gaza City 30 11 1 0 0 0
Central Gaza Strip 19 8 1 0 0 3
Khan Younis 11 3 0 1 1 0
Rafah 25 10 0 0 0 1
Total 109 45 5 1 1 4
As part of targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the sea, the Israeli forces continued to escalate their attacks against the Palestinian fishermen, indicating the on-going Israeli policy to target their livelihoods. During the reporting period, PCHR documented 8 incidents were adjacent to northern Gaza Strip Shore. As a result, a fisherman sustained minor wounds.
As part of targeting the border areas, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, opened fire 9 times at lands located in the border areas with Israel in the central of Gaza Strip and southern Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 78 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 44 Palestinians, including 8 children, in the West Bank. The Israeli forces conducted at least 8 military incursions into Jerusalem, where they arrested 2 civilians and carried out 2 demolitions. In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces conducted 1 limited incursion in eastern Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. The owners of the demolished houses in the West Bank said that the Israeli forces confiscated large amount of money and gold from their houses and handed them a list of the confiscated items. They also ordered them to refer to the competent authorities.
Israeli Forces Continued to Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem City:
- As part of the Israeli house demolitions and notices, on 08 February 2019, Israeli forces ordered Ahmed Mahmoud ‘Abaidat to self-demolish his house and a shop under the pretext of non-licensing.
- On 09 February 2019, Israeli forces ordered Tha’er Jamal Bkairat to self-demolish his 42-square-meter house, where 5 persons, including 3 children, live. It should be noted that Tha’er paid NIS 25,000 as fine during several years.
- On 11 February 2019, the Israeli Municipality bulldozers in Jerusalem demolished a house belonging to Ahmed Maher Abu al-Haija in Jwaiza neighborhood, within the Municipal boundaries of Jerusalem, in al-Walja village.
- On 12 February 2019, the Israeli authorities forced Sa’eed Sarhan, from al-Thawry neighborhood in Silwan, to self-demolish a 60-square-meter room used as a living and dining room.
- On the same day, Israeli bulldozers demolished a 125-square-meter house belonging to Feryal Ja’abees in al-Sal’a, in al-Mokaber mount village.
- On the same day, the Israeli Municipality bulldozers in Jerusalem demolished 2 apartments and a store belonging to Jamal Edkaik in Silwan village.
Israeli Forces continued their settlement activities, and the settlers continued their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property
As part of the Israeli settlers’ attacks against the Palestinians civilians and their property, PCHR’s fieldworkers documented during the reporting period 5 attacks carried out by Israeli settlers.
On 08 February 2019, an Israeli force accompanied with an Israeli settler namely Leor Livy, tried to raid a house belonging to Ahmed Abu Srour (70), located in the vicinity of al-‘Aroub refugee camp, west of Hebron, adjacent to the Bypass Road “60”. They claimed that the house is attached to Beit al-Baraka facility land, which a settlement association claims that it bought it from its owners in 2008.
On 09 February 2019, Israeli settlers threw stones at civilians’ vehicles while they were passing on al-Dalb Valley road near Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah, causing fear among civilians inside the vehicles.
On 10 February 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, who call themselves price tag group, threw stones at a house belonging to Romal Mohammed Hussain Shahour, Director of Al Haya Newspaper’s office located on the main street near Howara High School for Boys at Howara village’s northern entrance, southeast of Nablus.
On 12 February 2019, a group of Israeli settlers attacked Barakat ‘Ali Zohdy Abu Mohssen (25) in Kherbit al-Farisiyia in northern Jordan Valley. They beat and bruised him in the right hand, chest and legs before handing him to Israeli forces, who arrested his brother Loai (20), taking him to “Mkhola” settlement.
On the same day, dozens of Israeli settlers, from settlement outposts in Hebron’s Old City, carried out riots and chanted racists slogans against Palestinians on al-Shohadah Street and Tal al-Rameeda area. The settlers were under the Israeli forces’ protection.
Use of Force against Demonstrations in Protest against the U.S. President’s Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel:
Israeli forces continued its excessive use of lethal force against peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and it was named as “The Great March of Return and Breaking Siege.” The demonstration was in protest against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration to move the U.S. Embassy to it. According to PCHR fieldworkers’ observations, the border area witnessed large participation by Palestinian civilians as the Israeli forces continued to use upon highest military and political echelons excessive force against the peaceful demonstrators, though the demonstration were fully peaceful. The demonstration was as follows during the reporting period:
Gaza Strip:
On Friday, 08 February 2019, in the 46th week of the Return and Breaking Siege March, Israeli forces wounded 91 civilians, including 38 children, 2 women and a paramedic. The incidents were as follows:
- Northern Gaza City: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators resulted in the injury of 13 civilians, including 8 children. 5 of them were hit with rubber bullets and shrapnel, 5 were hit with rubber bullets and 8 were directly hit with tear gas canisters. The wounded civilians were taken via PRCS and Health Union Committee ambulances to the Indonesian Hospital and al-Awda Hospital, which belongs to Heath Union Committee.
- Gaza Strip: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators in the eastern Shuja’iyya neighborhood resulted in the killing of Hamza Mohammad Rushdy Eshtawy (17), from Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza. Hamza was hit with a live bullet, when he was 200 meters away from the border fence with Israeli, resulting in his immediate death. Furthermore, 30 civilians, including 11 children and a woman were wounded. Among the wounded civilians, 8 were hit with live bullets, 10 with rubber bullets and 12 were directly hit with tear gas canisters.
- Central Gaza Strip: The Israeli shooting and throwing tear gas canisters at Palestinian demonstrators, which continued until 17:30, resulted in the injury of 13 civilians, including 6 children and a woman. 4 of them were hit with a live bullet and shrapnel and 9 were directly hit with tear gas canisters. The wounded civilians were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where the wounds of 3 of them were classified as serious, while the others’ wounds were classified between moderate and minor. Furthermore, several civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and many of them were taken to the hospital while the others were treated on the spot.
- Khan Yunis: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators in Khuza’a village, which continued until 17:30, resulted in the killing of Hassan Eyad ‘Abed al-Fattah Shalaby (14), from Hamad Town in Khan Yunis, as he was hit with a live bullet to the chest at approximately 15:50, while he was around 150-200 meters away from the border fence with Israel. He was declared dead at the Field Medical Point. Furthermore, 10 civilians, including 3 children, were directly hit with live bullets and tear gas canisters. Among the wounded civilians, there was Jehad Ahamd Mahmoud al-Hennawy (50), a paramedic at Civil Defense, who was hit with a tear gas canister to the left leg. Moreover, an ambulance belonging to Civil Defense was directly hit with a tear gas canister.
- Rafah: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators in al-Shawkah village, which continued until 17:00, resulted in the injury of 25 civilians. 3 of them were hit with live bullets and shrapnel, 6 with rubber bullets and 16 were directly hit with tear gas canisters. Among the wounded civilians, there were 10 children, whom their wounds were classified as serious. Furthermore, dozens of civilians, especially children and women, suffered seizures and tear gas inhalation. Many of them were taken to the Medical Point of the Camp and others to Abu Yusef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah.
- At approximately 17:50 on Sunday, 10 February 2019, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, east of the Return Camp, east of Abu Safia Hill, northeast of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at a group of civilians that approached the border fence. The demonstrators fired homemade sound bombs, set fire and used loudspeakers as part of evening activities of March of Return and Breaking Siege. As a result, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and were treated on the spot.
- At approximately 14:45 on Tuesday, 12 February 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, and Israeli forces stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, opened fire and fired sound bombs at dozens of Palestinian civilians who were at the Return camp along the border coastal, adjacent to adjacent to “Zikim”military base, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. It should be noted that this is the 23thtime for Palestinian boats to sail for Breaking the Siege. The Israeli shooting at the Palestinian demonstrators, which continued until 17:15, resulted in the injury of 10 civilians, including 5 children and 3 women. 9 of them were hit with tear gas canisters and a child was hit with a live bullet. Moreover, dozens suffered tear gas inhalation.
- At approximately 16:30, on Tuesday, 12 February 2019, dozens of Palestinian young men gathered in eastern al-Bureij, near the Return Camp. The demonstrators set fire to tires and tried to throw stones at the Israeli forces stationed on the top of sand berms along the border fence. The forces opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, resulting in the injury of 5 demonstrators, including 2 children. 4 of the them were hit with live bullets, while the other was directly hit with a tear gas canister. The wounded civilians were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where doctors classified the wounds of 2 of them, including a child, as serious, while the wounds of the others were classified between minor and moderate.
- At approximately 18:00 of the same day, doctors at al-Shifa Hospital declared that Hassan Nabeel Ahmad Nofal (16), from Nuseirat in the Central Gaza Strip, succumbed to his wounds that he had on Friday, 8 February 2019. It should be mentioned that he was directly hit with a tear gas canister to the head, while participating in the March of Return and Breaking the Siege, east of al-Bureij. Meanwhile, he was taken to al-Aqsa Hospital and then taken to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza due to his serious health condition. He remained for treatment in al-Shifa Hospital ICU until he was declared dead.
- At approximately 17:50, on Wednesday, 13 February 2019, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, east of the Return Camp, east of Abu Safia Hill, northeast of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at a group of civilians that approached the border fence. The demonstrators fired homemade sound bombs, set fire and used loudspeakers as part of evening activities of March of Return and Breaking Siege. As a result, a 31-year-old male was hit with a tear gas canister to the right leg and was taken to the Indonesian Hospital, where doctors classified his wounds as minor. Furthermore, medical staff treated several demonstrators, who suffered tear gas inhalation on the spot.
- Around the same time, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, east of al-Bureij in the Central Gaza Strip, fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at demonstrators, who were protesting there and setting fire to tires. As a result, a civilian was directly hit with a tear gas canister to his lower limbs.
- At approximately 19:00 on the same day, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence with Israel, near the Return Camp, east of Khuza’a, east of Khan Yunis, opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at a group of civilians that approached the border fence, set fire to tires, used laser lights and fireworks as part of evening activities of March of Return and Breaking Siege. As a result, Mohammad Samy Barbakh (21), a journalist at Barq Gaza Network, was hit with a tear gas canister to the right hand and his wounds were classified as minor. It should be mentioned that Mohammad was hit with a live bullet in the 4thFriday of the Return March. Furthermore, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation.
West Bank:
- At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 09 February 2019, a group of Palestinian civilians and the Israeli activists of Combatants for Peace organized a voluntary day to plant olive seedlings in the lands threatened by confiscation in Abu Sawda Mount area, south of Beit Fajar village, south of Bethlehem. Israeli forces arrived to the location, prevented the participants to plant the seedlings, and handed then a notice to evacuate the area under the pretext that it is a closed military zone. The participants spread out in the land and started to plant the seedlings, but the Israeli forces attacked them and heavily fired tear gas canisters at them, forcing them to leave after some of them suffered tear gas inhalation.
- Efforts to Create A Jewish majority
Israeli forces escalated their attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property. They have also continued their raids on al-Aqsa Mosque and denied the Palestinians access to it:
Arrests and Incursions:
- At approximately 04:00 on Sunday, 10 February 2019, Israeli forces arrested Adam Ma’moun Abu Riala (13), from al-“Aissaweya. Adam’s father said to the PCHR’s fieldworker that around 30 Israeli soldiers raided the house and arrested Adam. It should be noted that Adman was interrogated for 4 hours while he was alone in al-Maskoubya prison in occupied Jerusalem without being accompanied by anyone. Adam was released after a decision issued by the Israeli court in Jerusalem under the condition of open house arrest.
- On Monday, 11 February 2019, Israeli forces arrested the imam of al-Aqsa Mosque Waleed Seyam, from Silwan village, while he was leaving the mosque, taking him to an unknown destination.
Notices and House Demolitions:
- On 08 February 2019, Israeli forces moved into al-Mokaber Mount village in Jerusalem and forced Ahmed Mahmoud ‘Abaidat to self-demolish his house and a shop under the pretext of non-licensing. Ahmed said that his house was built on an area of 40 square meters and was sheltering 6 persons, including 4 children. Ahmed added that the shop was built on an area of 35 square meters and used for electronic equipment. It should be noted that this was the second demolition of Ahmed’s house during the past 5 years.
- On 09 February 2019, Israeli forces moved into Sour Baher village in Jerusalem and forced Tha’er Jamal Bkairat to self-demolish his 42-square-meter house, where 5 persons, including 3 children, live. It should be noted that Tha’er paid NIS 25,000 as fine during several years. Tha’er said that the Israeli Municipality forced him to self-demolish his house or he will pay the demolition’s expenses estimated at NIS 80,000.
- On 11 February 2019, the Israeli Municipality bulldozers in Jerusalem demolished a house belonging to Ahmed Maher Abu al-Haija in Jwaiza neighborhood, within the Municipal boundaries of Jerusalem, in al-Walja village. Ahmed said to the PCHR’s fieldworker that his house was built on an area of 140 square meters, where his family comprised of 7 persons, including 2 female children, live.
- On 12 February 2019, the Israeli authorities forced Sa’eed Sarhan, from al-Thawry neighborhood in Silwan, to self-demolish a 60-square-meter room used as a living and dining room attached to the house. It should be noted that Sa’ed built the room 8 years ago. Sa’eed received a demolition notice on 16 January 2019, to self-demolish his 60-squre-meter room.
- On the same day, Israeli bulldozers demolished a 125-square-meter house belonging to Feryal Ja’abees in al-Sal’a, in al-Mokaber mount village, where 6 persons including 4 children, live. It should be noted that the house was established a year and a half ago and the family was handed the demolition notice 6 months ago. It is worth to mention that Feryal along with her sons are living now in a tent provided by PRCS.
- On the same day, the Israeli Municipality bulldozers in Jerusalem demolished 2 apartments and a store belonging to Jamal Edkaik in Silwan village. Jamal was aiming at giving one of the prepared apartments to one of his sons to live in it after getting married while the other apartment and the store are still under construction. The two apartments built on an area of 100 square meters, while the store built on an area of 20 square meters.
Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property
Israeli forces continued to target the areas in the West Bank classified as C according to Oslo Accord signed by the Israeli government and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the areas located in the vicinity of settlements and route of the separation wall in order to expel them from the Palestinian residents for the sake of settlement expansion.
Israeli forces’ attacks:
- At approximately 03:00 on Monday, 11 February 2019, Israeli border guard officers backed by military vehicles and accompanied with 2 bulldozers moved into al-Jwaiza area in the vicinity of al-Walja village, southwest of Jerusalem, north of Bethlehem. The Israeli officers raided a house belonging to Najlaa Maher Abu al-Haija (43), where she lives with her family comprised of 7 members. They forced Najlaa and her family to leave the house claiming that there was a decision issued by the court to demolish the house under the pretext of non-licensing. After evacuating the house, the bulldozers started to demolish the 140-square-meter house. Two hours later, the Israeli force withdrew and left two rooms without demolishing them because bulldozers could not reach them. It should be noted that the Israeli authorities seized 155 dunums from the village’s lands, where two settlements were established on part of the village’s lands. The first settlements is “Har Gilo”, which was established in 1972 and shelter 365 Israeli settlers, while the second settlement was“Gilo”, which is established in 1981 and shelters 27569 Israeli settlers. Moreover, 246 dunums were confiscated for the Bypass Roads “436” confiscated in addition to 69 dumuns to the annexation wall. It should be noted that the annexation wall will isolate around 4171 behind it. The village’s lands were classified as Area C, B, A according to Oslo Agreement. The Area B constitutes 03% while Area C constitutes 97%.
Mohamed Abu al-Haija said:
“At approximately 03:00, Israeli border guard officers raided our house after breaking the door and detained me along with my family members. They informed us that there is a decision to demolish the house. They forced us to leave the house and stand 150 meters away from it while some workers started to evacuate some of house’s contents and then the bulldozers began the demolition. On 18, October 2018, The Civil Administration handed us a house demolition notice. We submitted a request to the municipality of Jerusalem after paying NIS 20,000 in 2 instalments in order to reach the Court of First Instance to submit a petition after the demolition but the court reused our petition submitted by a lawyer during a session on 23 January 2019 so the court decided to demolish the house. “
- At approximately 10:00 on Wednesday, 13 February 2019, Israeli force accompanied with a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration, a vehicle of the Water Utility “ Markot”, 2 bulldozers, and a truck, moved into al-Msafer area, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The vehicles started to level the road sides leading to al-Msafer villages and remove pipes that provide the residential areas with water. They claimed that these pipes were set without a permission from the competent authorities.
Israeli settlers’ attacks:
- At approximately 15:00 on Friday, 08 February 2019, an Israeli force accompanied with an Israeli settler namely Leor Livy, tried to raid a house belonging to Ahmed Abu Srour (70), located in the vicinity of al-‘Aroub refugee camp, west of Hebron, adjacent to the Bypass Road “60”. They claimed that the house is attached to Beit al-Baraka facility land, which a settlement association claims that it bought it from its owners in 2008. The settlers seized the land at the beginning of July 2018 under a tight Israeli forces protection and closed it. It should be noted that the land contains an old hospital and other buildings surrounding the hospital. Moreover, Ahmed’s family members tried to prevent the settler, who wanted to take the house’ measures, from reaching them. In addition, the Israeli soldiers attacked the family members and sprayed pepper-spray at Ahmed’s son ‘Abed al-Qader (27). The soldiers attacked ‘Abed al-Qader and then arrested him, taking him to an investigation center in “Gush Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem. It should be noted that at the beginning of October 2015, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published on its website that Moshe Ya’alon, Former Defense Minister of Israel, said that he decided to annex the Christian Presbyterian Church building, located adjacent to the Bypass Road “60” to become a part of settlement Gafar Etzion Complex, south of Bethlehem. It is worth to mention that al-Baraka facility has been established 70 years ago. The facility provided treatment services for Tuberculosis patients until its closure in 1983. In August 2018, Israeli settlers demolished a 50-square-meter old building, where Ahmed Ibraheem ‘Abd Rabo Samour (60), and his sister Asmahan Samour (50) live for around 40 years. Ahmed was expelled from the land, where he was working as a guard.
- In Saturday evening, 09 February 2019, Israeli settlers threw stones at civilians’ vehicles while they were passing on al-Dalb Valley road near Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah, causing fear among civilians inside the vehicles.
- At approximately 20:30 on Sunday, 10 February 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, who call themselves price tag group, threw stones at a house belonging to Romal Mohammed Hussain Shahour, Director of Al Haya Newspaper’s office located on the main street near Howara High School for Boys at Howara village’s northern entrance, southeast of Nablus. As a result, the windshield of Romal’s car was broken, in addition to the rear window of his brother Khaled’s car before Romal shouted at the settlers, which made them escape among olive trees surrounding the area.
- At approximately 07:30 on Tuesday, 12 February 2019
- At approximately 23:00 on Tuesday, 12 February 2019, dozens of Israeli settlers, from settlement outposts in Hebron’s Old City, organized a demonstration that was started from the entrance to Beit Hadassa and then headed to al-Shohadah Street and Tal al-Rameeda area. The settlers were under the Israeli forces’ protection. The settlers chanted racist slogans calling for killing Arabs and expelling them out of their houses. Moreover, they attacked some civilians’ houses on al-Shohadah Street and heavily knocked their doors, causing fear and panic among the residents.
- Recommendations to the International Community
PCHR warns of the escalating settlement construction in the West Bank, the attempts to legitimize settlement outposts established on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and the continued summary executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they pose a security threat to the Israeli forces. PCHR reminds the international community that thousands of Palestinian civilians have been rendered homeless and lived in caravans under tragic circumstances due to the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip that has been under a tight closure for almost 11 years. PCHR welcomes the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334, which states that settlements are a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions and calls upon Israel to stop them and not to recognize any demographic change in the oPt since 1967.
PCHR hopes this resolution will pave the way for eliminating the settlement crime and bring to justice those responsible for it. PCHR further reiterates that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation in spite of Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan of 2005. PCHR emphasizes that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and international humanitarian law. Israel is bound to apply international human rights law and the law of war, sometimes reciprocally and other times in parallel, in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for the victims.
- PCHR calls upon the international community to respect the Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334 and to ensure that Israel respects it as well, in particular point 5 which obliges Israel not to deal with settlements as if they were part of Israel.
- PCHR calls upon the ICC this year to open an investigation into Israeli crimes committed in the oPt, particularly the settlement crimes and the 2014 offensive on the Gaza Strip.
- PCHR Calls upon the European Union (EU) and all international bodies to boycott settlements and ban working and investing in them in application of their obligations according to international human rights law and international humanitarian law considering settlements as a war crime.
- PCHR calls upon the international community to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine.
- PCHR calls upon the international community and United Nations to take all necessary measures to stop Israeli policies aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem and at voiding Palestine from its original inhabitants through deportations and house demolitions as a collective punishment, which violates international humanitarian law, amounting to a crime against humanity.
- PCHR calls upon the international community to condemn summary executions carried out by Israeli forces against Palestinians and to pressurize Israel to stop them.
- PCHR calls upon the States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC to work hard to hold Israeli war criminals accountable.
- PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligations under article (1) of the Convention to ensure respect for the Conventions under all circumstances, and under articles (146) and (147) to search for and prosecute those responsible for committing grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions to ensure justice and remedy for Palestinian victims, especially in light of the almost complete denial of justice for them before the Israeli judiciary.
- PCHR calls upon the international community to speed up the reconstruction process necessary because of the destruction inflicted by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
- PCHR calls for a prompt intervention to compel the Israeli authorities to lift the closure that obstructs the freedom of movement of goods and 1.8 million civilians that experience unprecedented economic, social, political and cultural hardships due to collective punishment policies and retaliatory action against civilians.
- PCHR calls upon the European Union to apply human rights standards embedded in the EU-Israel Association Agreement and to respect its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights when dealing with Israel.
- PCHR calls upon the international community, especially states that import Israeli weapons and military services, to meet their moral and legal responsibility not to allow Israel to use the offensive in Gaza to test new weapons and not accept training services based on the field experience in Gaza in order to avoid turning Palestinian civilians in Gaza into testing objects for Israeli weapons and military tactics.
- PCHR calls upon the parties to international human rights instruments, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to pressurize Israel to comply with its provisions in the oPt and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the relevant committees.
- PCHR calls upon the EU and international human rights bodies to pressurize the Israeli forces to stop their attacks against Palestinian fishermen and farmers, mainly in the border area.
Fully detailed document available at the official website of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
12 feb 2019
by Madeeha Araj/ NBPRS/PNN
The National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements said, in its weekly report, that, according to data published by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has established, during the past decade, 7 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, including six “settlement towns” and one settlement bloc named “Modi’in,” in addition to a “settlement town” in occupied Jerusalem, all of this on top of the expansion of existing illegal settlements and outposts.
Within the same context, a recent report issued by Israeli rights group B’Tselem stated that the Israeli Supreme Court is now legitimizing Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law. According to B’Tselem, Israel has established 2 judicial systems, i.e. a civilian system for the settlers, and a military one for the Palestinians. The report confirmed that the “supreme” administration adopts the structural schemes of the British Mandate, from 80 years ago, which does not suit the current situation.
The Kerem Nebot organization stated that the Settlement Department granted housing loans, from public funds, for illegal construction, as is the case in the illegal settlement of Eli. Documents of the Israeli Land Registrar showed that, in 2010, the Histadrut branch of the Settlement Department granted a loan to a settler and his wife, although it is not allowed to give loans for illegal houses. To be sure, this is not the first time that the department has given such a loan for the purpose of building illegal settlements and outposts.
It is known that, since the 1990s, the Settlement Department has helped to establish many settlement outposts throughout the occupied West Bank, including the Sakari farm, the Itamar farm, Giv’at Awalam and Amona, among others, and granted housing loans to settlers, from the public funds, as also is the case for the Itamar settlement, south of the city of Nablus. There is an additional plan to raise the number of settlers in the occupied West Bank to 2 million, and to build large settlements in all areas of the West Bank.
Knesset speaker Adelstein, besides a number of ministers and members of the Knesset, signed a pledge that includes the housing of 2 million settlers, in the West Bank, a promise to work on “liberating” land in the West Bank, and to cancel the declaration of 2-state solution ahead of elections to be held next April 9th, 2019, in order to gain the votes of Israeli settlers.
Within this context, Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin affirmed that the government’s goal is to accelerate settlement construction in the in the West Bank, in order to absorb one million Jewish settlers in the near future.
On the other hand, the so-called “Central Area Commander” of the Israeli army, General Fadan, toured the settlement council of “Beit El,” in the West Bank, and, during the visit, surveyed the most important threats and security challenges facing the settlers, there, and the requirements needed to provide them with security.
The so-called “Planning and Building Committee” of the municipality of occupied Jerusalem approved a plan to build 13 new settlement units west of Sheikh Jarrah, thus green-lighting the seizure of more than 1,000 dunams of agricultural land, including olive trees and Palestinian homes in Khallet Abed, to the southeast of Jerusalem.
In the Nablus governorate, the archaeological site of Khirbat al-Qasr, located to the south of Jalod village, in the south of Nablus, has been attacked repeatedly by settlers, which led to the alteration of archaeological features in basin 18 of the village.
Photos showed settlers uprooting dozens of olive, fig and almond trees planted in Khirbet-Qasr 100 years ago, and razing areas to celebrate, there. The “Khirbet-Qasr” is surrounded by three settlement outposts which include a number of caves and ancient water wells.
The Khirbet-Qasr area is about 50 dunams in total area, in addition to hundreds of agricultural lands which surround it, and belongs to Ahmad Mah’d Salman Abbad. The occupation has prevented citizens from reaching this area since 2001, under the pretext that it is closed to the outposts.
In the Salfit Governorate, a plan was uncovered to bulldoze hundreds of dunams of agricultural land, in the villages and towns, in order to expand settlements. The municipality of Kafel Hares received a plan to construct a sewage line that would pass through land belonging to a number of citizens north of Salfit, and to include the destruction of some 22 dunams of Palestinian land planted with olive trees.
The National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements said, in its weekly report, that, according to data published by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has established, during the past decade, 7 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, including six “settlement towns” and one settlement bloc named “Modi’in,” in addition to a “settlement town” in occupied Jerusalem, all of this on top of the expansion of existing illegal settlements and outposts.
Within the same context, a recent report issued by Israeli rights group B’Tselem stated that the Israeli Supreme Court is now legitimizing Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law. According to B’Tselem, Israel has established 2 judicial systems, i.e. a civilian system for the settlers, and a military one for the Palestinians. The report confirmed that the “supreme” administration adopts the structural schemes of the British Mandate, from 80 years ago, which does not suit the current situation.
The Kerem Nebot organization stated that the Settlement Department granted housing loans, from public funds, for illegal construction, as is the case in the illegal settlement of Eli. Documents of the Israeli Land Registrar showed that, in 2010, the Histadrut branch of the Settlement Department granted a loan to a settler and his wife, although it is not allowed to give loans for illegal houses. To be sure, this is not the first time that the department has given such a loan for the purpose of building illegal settlements and outposts.
It is known that, since the 1990s, the Settlement Department has helped to establish many settlement outposts throughout the occupied West Bank, including the Sakari farm, the Itamar farm, Giv’at Awalam and Amona, among others, and granted housing loans to settlers, from the public funds, as also is the case for the Itamar settlement, south of the city of Nablus. There is an additional plan to raise the number of settlers in the occupied West Bank to 2 million, and to build large settlements in all areas of the West Bank.
Knesset speaker Adelstein, besides a number of ministers and members of the Knesset, signed a pledge that includes the housing of 2 million settlers, in the West Bank, a promise to work on “liberating” land in the West Bank, and to cancel the declaration of 2-state solution ahead of elections to be held next April 9th, 2019, in order to gain the votes of Israeli settlers.
Within this context, Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin affirmed that the government’s goal is to accelerate settlement construction in the in the West Bank, in order to absorb one million Jewish settlers in the near future.
On the other hand, the so-called “Central Area Commander” of the Israeli army, General Fadan, toured the settlement council of “Beit El,” in the West Bank, and, during the visit, surveyed the most important threats and security challenges facing the settlers, there, and the requirements needed to provide them with security.
The so-called “Planning and Building Committee” of the municipality of occupied Jerusalem approved a plan to build 13 new settlement units west of Sheikh Jarrah, thus green-lighting the seizure of more than 1,000 dunams of agricultural land, including olive trees and Palestinian homes in Khallet Abed, to the southeast of Jerusalem.
In the Nablus governorate, the archaeological site of Khirbat al-Qasr, located to the south of Jalod village, in the south of Nablus, has been attacked repeatedly by settlers, which led to the alteration of archaeological features in basin 18 of the village.
Photos showed settlers uprooting dozens of olive, fig and almond trees planted in Khirbet-Qasr 100 years ago, and razing areas to celebrate, there. The “Khirbet-Qasr” is surrounded by three settlement outposts which include a number of caves and ancient water wells.
The Khirbet-Qasr area is about 50 dunams in total area, in addition to hundreds of agricultural lands which surround it, and belongs to Ahmad Mah’d Salman Abbad. The occupation has prevented citizens from reaching this area since 2001, under the pretext that it is closed to the outposts.
In the Salfit Governorate, a plan was uncovered to bulldoze hundreds of dunams of agricultural land, in the villages and towns, in order to expand settlements. The municipality of Kafel Hares received a plan to construct a sewage line that would pass through land belonging to a number of citizens north of Salfit, and to include the destruction of some 22 dunams of Palestinian land planted with olive trees.
11 feb 2019
Annual report shows a surge of some 54% in the number of anti-LGBT cases reported in 2018 as opposed to 2017, with 1,577 cases of homophobia reported over the past year; just 3% of victims reported the incident to the police.
Israel saw a substantial surge in the number of cases of homophobia in 2018, with a 54% increase on the year before, according to a new report by an LBGT watchdog.
According to the report by the Nir Katz Center in Tel Aviv, there were 1,577 instances of homophobia in Israel in 2018, but a complaint was made to police in just 3% of the cases. The data shows that 25% of the incidents took place in public areas, 22% on social networks, and 15% carried out by family members.
In addition, 13% of the homophobic incidents reportedly happened at the complainant's workplace, whereas 8% of the cases were described as homophobic remarks made by public officials such as rabbis and Knesset members. Seven percent of the discriminatory incidents were noted in the education system and higher education institutions, 5% in the defense establishment, and 5% of the racist incidents were said to take place in government offices.
Thirty-six percent of the complainants were homosexual and bisexual men, 20% lesbian and bisexual women, and 14% transgender men and women. The sexual inclination of 30% of the complainants is unknown. The report also shows that the number of lesbian and bisexual women who reported a homophobic incident has doubled in comparison to 2017.
Forty-nine percent of the complainants reside in the central of the country, 24% live in Jerusalem and its surroundings, 14% in Haifa and the north of the country, and 13% in Be'er Sheva and the south.
Cities with the largest amount of homophobic incidents reported in 2018 were Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, Rishon LeZion, Holon, and Ashkelon.
In 2018, Holon's Deputy Mayor Yoel Yeshurun, who is also the dean of the Ashkelon Academic College, published homophobic posts on his Facebook page, decrying the annual Gay Pride Parade and calling members of the LGBT community "monsters," and "two-legged animals." In response, the members of the LGBT community staged a protest in front of Holon's City Hall.
Israel saw a substantial surge in the number of cases of homophobia in 2018, with a 54% increase on the year before, according to a new report by an LBGT watchdog.
According to the report by the Nir Katz Center in Tel Aviv, there were 1,577 instances of homophobia in Israel in 2018, but a complaint was made to police in just 3% of the cases. The data shows that 25% of the incidents took place in public areas, 22% on social networks, and 15% carried out by family members.
In addition, 13% of the homophobic incidents reportedly happened at the complainant's workplace, whereas 8% of the cases were described as homophobic remarks made by public officials such as rabbis and Knesset members. Seven percent of the discriminatory incidents were noted in the education system and higher education institutions, 5% in the defense establishment, and 5% of the racist incidents were said to take place in government offices.
Thirty-six percent of the complainants were homosexual and bisexual men, 20% lesbian and bisexual women, and 14% transgender men and women. The sexual inclination of 30% of the complainants is unknown. The report also shows that the number of lesbian and bisexual women who reported a homophobic incident has doubled in comparison to 2017.
Forty-nine percent of the complainants reside in the central of the country, 24% live in Jerusalem and its surroundings, 14% in Haifa and the north of the country, and 13% in Be'er Sheva and the south.
Cities with the largest amount of homophobic incidents reported in 2018 were Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, Rishon LeZion, Holon, and Ashkelon.
In 2018, Holon's Deputy Mayor Yoel Yeshurun, who is also the dean of the Ashkelon Academic College, published homophobic posts on his Facebook page, decrying the annual Gay Pride Parade and calling members of the LGBT community "monsters," and "two-legged animals." In response, the members of the LGBT community staged a protest in front of Holon's City Hall.
Furthermore, some 180 youths left their homes in the past year after being victims of homophobia.
Seventy-five percent of homophobic incidents in the defense establishment reportedly took place in the army. Among the reported incidents are a soldier that was outed in front of her platoon and troops who tore up pride parade postcards on the desk of a homosexual soldier.
In addition, soldiers who are members of the LGBT community reported being denied promotion and experiencing sexual harassment. The army also reportedly failed to handle public humiliation of homosexual soldiers.
Seventy-eight percent of the homophobic incidents in the education system took place in high schools and 20% in higher education institutions. Some 28% of the discriminatory acts were said to be carried out by principals, teachers and the Education Ministry staff who posting homophobic content on their private Facebook pages.
The homophobic incidents reported in the education system included kindergarten teachers who refused to hold explanatory classes on the LGBT community, despite the fact some of the parents were lesbians, which led the children to be teased on a daily basis. Moreover, teachers were reported to mistreat a PR team that arrived at their school to lecture about the LGBT community, while a transgender man suffered discrimination in the dormitory of an Israeli university.
It was also reported that every four minutes on average a homophobic post is published on social media, with half of the posts targeting gay men, 24% are directed against transgender men and women, 3% against lesbians, and 23% target the general LGBT community.
Sixty-nine percent of those who published hateful posts were men.
Chen Arieli, chair of the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel stressed that the biggest problem was “the need to raise consciousness about the need to report. The number of reported incidents has gone up, but it is still a drop in the ocean compared to the real number of events. Only by raising consciousness and by dealing with incidents professionally can we improve our society.”
"The inciters and those who spread hatred while holding a position of power should be removed from that position. We will continue struggling for a better future and for changing the policy that shapes the current reality. We won't be erased from the public sphere, protect our personal space and security and continue working tirelessly to promote equality," she said.
This is the sixth report of its kind, and the first presented to President Reuven Rivlin.
Seventy-five percent of homophobic incidents in the defense establishment reportedly took place in the army. Among the reported incidents are a soldier that was outed in front of her platoon and troops who tore up pride parade postcards on the desk of a homosexual soldier.
In addition, soldiers who are members of the LGBT community reported being denied promotion and experiencing sexual harassment. The army also reportedly failed to handle public humiliation of homosexual soldiers.
Seventy-eight percent of the homophobic incidents in the education system took place in high schools and 20% in higher education institutions. Some 28% of the discriminatory acts were said to be carried out by principals, teachers and the Education Ministry staff who posting homophobic content on their private Facebook pages.
The homophobic incidents reported in the education system included kindergarten teachers who refused to hold explanatory classes on the LGBT community, despite the fact some of the parents were lesbians, which led the children to be teased on a daily basis. Moreover, teachers were reported to mistreat a PR team that arrived at their school to lecture about the LGBT community, while a transgender man suffered discrimination in the dormitory of an Israeli university.
It was also reported that every four minutes on average a homophobic post is published on social media, with half of the posts targeting gay men, 24% are directed against transgender men and women, 3% against lesbians, and 23% target the general LGBT community.
Sixty-nine percent of those who published hateful posts were men.
Chen Arieli, chair of the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel stressed that the biggest problem was “the need to raise consciousness about the need to report. The number of reported incidents has gone up, but it is still a drop in the ocean compared to the real number of events. Only by raising consciousness and by dealing with incidents professionally can we improve our society.”
"The inciters and those who spread hatred while holding a position of power should be removed from that position. We will continue struggling for a better future and for changing the policy that shapes the current reality. We won't be erased from the public sphere, protect our personal space and security and continue working tirelessly to promote equality," she said.
This is the sixth report of its kind, and the first presented to President Reuven Rivlin.
