22 oct 2016
Coalition chairman MK David Bitan (Likud) said Friday that he had called on the authorities to examine the legal possibility of stripping B’Tselem chief Hagai El-Ad of his citizenship as punishment for his recent remarks against Israel at a UN session.
Speaking on Israel’s Channel 2, Bitan stated that El-Ad’s recent speech at a Security Council meeting, in which he called for working to end the occupation in the West Bank, was a “blatant breach of trust by an Israeli citizen to the state, and as such, he should find another nationality.”
Bitan added that he had asked interior minister Aryeh Deri to look into the possibility of revoking El-Ad’s citizenship, stressing that he was determined to take action even if there were legal impediments preventing that.
Responding to Bitan’s comments, B’Tselem said, "For almost 50 years the Palestinians have had no nationality and no rights. Now the chairman of the coalition, the emissary of the prime minister, wants to revoke the citizenship of those who speak out against this reality."
"These threats will not deter B'Tselem and the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who oppose the occupation,” the human rights group underscored.
Bitan’s remarks were blasted by Meretz chairwoman MK Zehava Galon. "These calls are dangerous. In a democratic country, citizenship is a basic right. It is not a gift granted to those who are favorable in the eyes of the chairman of the coalition.”
During the UN Security Council meeting that was held on October 14, the B'Tselem head called on the international community to take action after 50 years of Israeli occupation in Palestine. El-Ad said that the Israeli government had used the peace process to play for time to take over more areas of the West Bank and build more settlements.
“After so many years, one has to draw certain conclusions…Israel will not cease being an oppressor simply by waking up one morning and realizing the brutality of its policies,” he told the Security Council. “So far the world refuses to take effective action… We need your help. The rights of the Palestinians must be realized; the occupation must end, the UN Security Council must act; the time is now.”
Following his speech, El-Ad was severely attacked by Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who called B'Tselem a "fleeting and bizarre" group. “What these organizations cannot achieve through democratic elections in Israel, they try to achieve by international coercion,” he said.
Netanyahu also threatened to take measures against B’Tselem.
The US administration recently criticized Netanyahu's remarks and said it values the information published by B'Tselem about the situation in the West Bank.
“I am not going to comment on everything that has been said," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. "In general, we believe that a free and unfettered civil society is a critical component of democracy. As we have said many times, we believe it is important that governments protect the freedoms of expression, and create an atmosphere where all voices can be heard."
Speaking on Israel’s Channel 2, Bitan stated that El-Ad’s recent speech at a Security Council meeting, in which he called for working to end the occupation in the West Bank, was a “blatant breach of trust by an Israeli citizen to the state, and as such, he should find another nationality.”
Bitan added that he had asked interior minister Aryeh Deri to look into the possibility of revoking El-Ad’s citizenship, stressing that he was determined to take action even if there were legal impediments preventing that.
Responding to Bitan’s comments, B’Tselem said, "For almost 50 years the Palestinians have had no nationality and no rights. Now the chairman of the coalition, the emissary of the prime minister, wants to revoke the citizenship of those who speak out against this reality."
"These threats will not deter B'Tselem and the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who oppose the occupation,” the human rights group underscored.
Bitan’s remarks were blasted by Meretz chairwoman MK Zehava Galon. "These calls are dangerous. In a democratic country, citizenship is a basic right. It is not a gift granted to those who are favorable in the eyes of the chairman of the coalition.”
During the UN Security Council meeting that was held on October 14, the B'Tselem head called on the international community to take action after 50 years of Israeli occupation in Palestine. El-Ad said that the Israeli government had used the peace process to play for time to take over more areas of the West Bank and build more settlements.
“After so many years, one has to draw certain conclusions…Israel will not cease being an oppressor simply by waking up one morning and realizing the brutality of its policies,” he told the Security Council. “So far the world refuses to take effective action… We need your help. The rights of the Palestinians must be realized; the occupation must end, the UN Security Council must act; the time is now.”
Following his speech, El-Ad was severely attacked by Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who called B'Tselem a "fleeting and bizarre" group. “What these organizations cannot achieve through democratic elections in Israel, they try to achieve by international coercion,” he said.
Netanyahu also threatened to take measures against B’Tselem.
The US administration recently criticized Netanyahu's remarks and said it values the information published by B'Tselem about the situation in the West Bank.
“I am not going to comment on everything that has been said," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. "In general, we believe that a free and unfettered civil society is a critical component of democracy. As we have said many times, we believe it is important that governments protect the freedoms of expression, and create an atmosphere where all voices can be heard."
21 oct 2016
In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 13 – 19 October 2016, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces continued systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
A Palestinian woman was shot dead at Za’tarah checkpoint, southeast of Nablus. 6 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded. Two of them were seriously wounded.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces have continued to commit crimes, inflicting civilian casualties. During the reporting period, in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman and wounded 6 others, including 3 children. Two of them were directly targeted and seriously wounded.
In the West Bank, on Sunday, 19 October 2016, Israeli forces shot dead Raheeq Shajee’ Mohammed Yusef (19) while being present near Za’tarah checkpoint, southeast of Nablus, under the pretext of a stabbing attack.
In excessive use of deadly force, on 13 October 2016, Israeli forces fired a tear gas canister right to Mostafa Hassan al-Jamal (12) after moving into Beit Soreek village, northwest of Jerusalem. As a result, the boy suffered concussion.
On 15 October 2016, Israeli forces opened fire at the entrance to al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. As a result, 3 civilians were wounded, including 2 children. One of the children named Fares al-Bayedh (15) was hit with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the forehead, due to which, his wound was classified as serious.
On 16 October 2016, 2 civilians were wounded; one of whom was abducted, after Israeli special forces moved into Qabatiya village, south of Jenin.
During the past week, Israeli forces conducted 98 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 83 civilians, including 26 children and 3 women, were abducted. Forty-eight of them, including 23 children and the 3 women, were abducted in occupied Jerusalem.
Contents of a publishing house were confiscated for the third time. In addition, a grocery was raided and some of its contents were damaged while other contents were stolen in Hebron.
Israeli forces continued their efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem. An orphans’ school was raided; and the director of the Ministry of Education and 10 students were abducted.
A room in a house belonging to a Palestinian prisoner was shut down. Another apartment was shut down also under the pretext it contains a metal workshop in Nablus.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting the border areas, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at an electricity company crew while attempting to maintain the network that is 300 meters away from the border fence. As a result, they stopped their work and fled.
On 19 October 2016, Israeli forces stationed in the east of al-Ahmar area, east of Bait Hanoun village, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the aforementioned area. As a result, the farmers fled fearing for their lives. However, neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
As part of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Sea, on 13 October 2016, Israeli forces stationed in the sea off al-Waha area, northwest of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the Palestinian fishermen. As a result, the fishermen sailed back to the seaport. The same attack was carried out 4 times during the reporting period in the same area and off al-Sudaniya shore as well. No casualties were reported.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces and civilian militia groups continued settlement activities in the West Bank.
Concerning settler attacks, on 13 October 2016, a group of settlers guarded by Israeli forces moved into al-Thawri neighbourhood in East Jerusalem’s Old city. They attacked Palestinian property, attempted to raid some houses and attacked their inhabitants.
The next day, settlers stabbed and attacked Mohammed al-Razem (26), from Silwan village, while he was walking in a street, north of East Jerusalem.
On 13 October 2016, Israeli forces moved into Kherbet al-Hadidiya in northern Jordan Valley, east of Tubas. They levelled the road leading to the Kherbeh and put a sand barrier at the entrance to that Kherbeh.
On 14 October 2016, a settler set fire to lands in Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya. As a result, 50 olive trees belonging to the heirs of Abdul Mahdi Mohammed Ali were burnt before the Civil Defence crew could extinguish fire.
On 15 October 2016, 2 settlers accompanied by Israeli soldiers coming from “Itmar” settlement, dismissed the family of Fawaz Hanani at gun point. The settlers threw away the olives that family had collected.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
This week, Israeli troops used excessive force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests, the majority of whom were youngsters.
Following the Friday prayer, 14 October 2016, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized protests in Bil’in and Ni’lin villages, west of Ramallah; al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of the city and Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliya.
Israeli forces forcibly dispersed the protests, firing live and rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. They also chased the protesters into olive fields and houses. As a result, some of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them up.
Israeli forces stopped international solidarity groups and detained their passports, in addition to writing down their names. Moreover, Israeli forces declared the area a closed military zone. It should be noted that a number of Palestinian young men climbed over the annexation wall and raised the Palestinian flag.
Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian young men organized a protest against the Israeli policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories at the western entrance to Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah, on the road between Silwad and Yabroud villages. The Protesters threw stones and Molotov Cocktails at Israeli soldiers, who fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs in response. As a result, a fire broke out in a plot of land belonging to Mo’amar ‘Aiyad, from Silwad village.
At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 14 October 2016, Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized a protest in the centre of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliya, and then made their way to the eastern entrance of the village in protest against closing that entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada with an iron gate. When the protesters approached the entrance, Israeli forces fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the United Nations provide international protection to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially the Gaza Strip.
In addition, the PCHR called upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Click here for the full text of the report.
A Palestinian woman was shot dead at Za’tarah checkpoint, southeast of Nablus. 6 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded. Two of them were seriously wounded.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces have continued to commit crimes, inflicting civilian casualties. During the reporting period, in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman and wounded 6 others, including 3 children. Two of them were directly targeted and seriously wounded.
In the West Bank, on Sunday, 19 October 2016, Israeli forces shot dead Raheeq Shajee’ Mohammed Yusef (19) while being present near Za’tarah checkpoint, southeast of Nablus, under the pretext of a stabbing attack.
In excessive use of deadly force, on 13 October 2016, Israeli forces fired a tear gas canister right to Mostafa Hassan al-Jamal (12) after moving into Beit Soreek village, northwest of Jerusalem. As a result, the boy suffered concussion.
On 15 October 2016, Israeli forces opened fire at the entrance to al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah. As a result, 3 civilians were wounded, including 2 children. One of the children named Fares al-Bayedh (15) was hit with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the forehead, due to which, his wound was classified as serious.
On 16 October 2016, 2 civilians were wounded; one of whom was abducted, after Israeli special forces moved into Qabatiya village, south of Jenin.
During the past week, Israeli forces conducted 98 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. 83 civilians, including 26 children and 3 women, were abducted. Forty-eight of them, including 23 children and the 3 women, were abducted in occupied Jerusalem.
Contents of a publishing house were confiscated for the third time. In addition, a grocery was raided and some of its contents were damaged while other contents were stolen in Hebron.
Israeli forces continued their efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem. An orphans’ school was raided; and the director of the Ministry of Education and 10 students were abducted.
A room in a house belonging to a Palestinian prisoner was shut down. Another apartment was shut down also under the pretext it contains a metal workshop in Nablus.
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting the border areas, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence, east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at an electricity company crew while attempting to maintain the network that is 300 meters away from the border fence. As a result, they stopped their work and fled.
On 19 October 2016, Israeli forces stationed in the east of al-Ahmar area, east of Bait Hanoun village, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the aforementioned area. As a result, the farmers fled fearing for their lives. However, neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
As part of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Sea, on 13 October 2016, Israeli forces stationed in the sea off al-Waha area, northwest of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at the Palestinian fishermen. As a result, the fishermen sailed back to the seaport. The same attack was carried out 4 times during the reporting period in the same area and off al-Sudaniya shore as well. No casualties were reported.
Israeli settlement activities:
Israeli forces and civilian militia groups continued settlement activities in the West Bank.
Concerning settler attacks, on 13 October 2016, a group of settlers guarded by Israeli forces moved into al-Thawri neighbourhood in East Jerusalem’s Old city. They attacked Palestinian property, attempted to raid some houses and attacked their inhabitants.
The next day, settlers stabbed and attacked Mohammed al-Razem (26), from Silwan village, while he was walking in a street, north of East Jerusalem.
On 13 October 2016, Israeli forces moved into Kherbet al-Hadidiya in northern Jordan Valley, east of Tubas. They levelled the road leading to the Kherbeh and put a sand barrier at the entrance to that Kherbeh.
On 14 October 2016, a settler set fire to lands in Kufor Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilya. As a result, 50 olive trees belonging to the heirs of Abdul Mahdi Mohammed Ali were burnt before the Civil Defence crew could extinguish fire.
On 15 October 2016, 2 settlers accompanied by Israeli soldiers coming from “Itmar” settlement, dismissed the family of Fawaz Hanani at gun point. The settlers threw away the olives that family had collected.
Israeli attacks on non-violent demonstrations:
This week, Israeli troops used excessive force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests, the majority of whom were youngsters.
Following the Friday prayer, 14 October 2016, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized protests in Bil’in and Ni’lin villages, west of Ramallah; al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of the city and Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliya.
Israeli forces forcibly dispersed the protests, firing live and rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. They also chased the protesters into olive fields and houses. As a result, some of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them up.
Israeli forces stopped international solidarity groups and detained their passports, in addition to writing down their names. Moreover, Israeli forces declared the area a closed military zone. It should be noted that a number of Palestinian young men climbed over the annexation wall and raised the Palestinian flag.
Around the same time, dozens of Palestinian young men organized a protest against the Israeli policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories at the western entrance to Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah, on the road between Silwad and Yabroud villages. The Protesters threw stones and Molotov Cocktails at Israeli soldiers, who fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs in response. As a result, a fire broke out in a plot of land belonging to Mo’amar ‘Aiyad, from Silwad village.
At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 14 October 2016, Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized a protest in the centre of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliya, and then made their way to the eastern entrance of the village in protest against closing that entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada with an iron gate. When the protesters approached the entrance, Israeli forces fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation.
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the United Nations provide international protection to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially the Gaza Strip.
In addition, the PCHR called upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Click here for the full text of the report.
16 oct 2016
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted two Israeli rights groups for speaking against illegal Israeli settlements and occupation at a UN Security Council meeting.
B’Tselem and Americans for Peace Now, affiliated to the Israeli Peace Now movement, on Friday, joined an informal UN Security Council session on Tel Aviv’s continued construction of illegal settlements on the occupied territories, PressTV said.
At the meeting, B’Tselem had said that the Israeli occupation “flew right in the face of its claim to be exercising “democracy” and reminded that occupation was affecting even the smallest aspects of Palestinian lives and had to end,” PressTV added.
“The UN Security Council must act and the time is now,” B’Tselem Executive Director Hagai El-Ad had said at the meeting, which later denounced Israel for building “illegal settlements,” paving the way for a Security Council resolution against Tel Aviv.
The speeches angered Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who took to Facebook, on Saturday, and said the two organizations that joined the “chorus of mudslinging” against Israel and had recycled the calls that Israeli “occupation and the settlements are the reason for the conflict” with Palestinians.
He also vowed, according to the PNN, that he would bar Israelis from doing volunteer work at B’Tselem as means of doing their military service.
Archive IMEMC post: 7/23/15 BESA Poll: 53% of Israelis Agree on Settlement Evacuation
In response, B’Tselem stated that it would not be intimidated by Netanyahu.
“We will not stoop down to the prime minister’s level. We will not be cowed and neither will the hundreds of thousands in Israel who opposed the occupation,” it said. “We will continue to tell the truth: The occupation must end.”
Israel came about in 1948, when it occupied the Palestinian land along with expanses of other Arab territories during full-fledged military operations. The occupied lands also include Lebanon’s Shebaa Farms and Syria’s Golan Heights.
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haavara_Agreement
In 1967, Israel occupied and later annexed the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (al-Quds), and the Gaza Strip. It withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but has been keeping the territory under a crippling siege and regular deadly forays.
Palestinians now make up the largest percentage of refugees in the entire world, according to UN statistics.
Ever since the beginning of the occupation, the territories have been dotted with 120 settlements. There is international consensus that these settlements have been constructed on occupied territory and are, therefore, illegal.
Edited for the IMEMC by chris @ imemc.org
Related interest: 10/14/16 Palestine Advocacy Project Publishes Ads in Major University Newspapers Condemning Israeli Leaders
B’Tselem and Americans for Peace Now, affiliated to the Israeli Peace Now movement, on Friday, joined an informal UN Security Council session on Tel Aviv’s continued construction of illegal settlements on the occupied territories, PressTV said.
At the meeting, B’Tselem had said that the Israeli occupation “flew right in the face of its claim to be exercising “democracy” and reminded that occupation was affecting even the smallest aspects of Palestinian lives and had to end,” PressTV added.
“The UN Security Council must act and the time is now,” B’Tselem Executive Director Hagai El-Ad had said at the meeting, which later denounced Israel for building “illegal settlements,” paving the way for a Security Council resolution against Tel Aviv.
The speeches angered Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who took to Facebook, on Saturday, and said the two organizations that joined the “chorus of mudslinging” against Israel and had recycled the calls that Israeli “occupation and the settlements are the reason for the conflict” with Palestinians.
He also vowed, according to the PNN, that he would bar Israelis from doing volunteer work at B’Tselem as means of doing their military service.
Archive IMEMC post: 7/23/15 BESA Poll: 53% of Israelis Agree on Settlement Evacuation
In response, B’Tselem stated that it would not be intimidated by Netanyahu.
“We will not stoop down to the prime minister’s level. We will not be cowed and neither will the hundreds of thousands in Israel who opposed the occupation,” it said. “We will continue to tell the truth: The occupation must end.”
Israel came about in 1948, when it occupied the Palestinian land along with expanses of other Arab territories during full-fledged military operations. The occupied lands also include Lebanon’s Shebaa Farms and Syria’s Golan Heights.
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haavara_Agreement
In 1967, Israel occupied and later annexed the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (al-Quds), and the Gaza Strip. It withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but has been keeping the territory under a crippling siege and regular deadly forays.
Palestinians now make up the largest percentage of refugees in the entire world, according to UN statistics.
Ever since the beginning of the occupation, the territories have been dotted with 120 settlements. There is international consensus that these settlements have been constructed on occupied territory and are, therefore, illegal.
Edited for the IMEMC by chris @ imemc.org
Related interest: 10/14/16 Palestine Advocacy Project Publishes Ads in Major University Newspapers Condemning Israeli Leaders