zionist israeli violations of international law & humanitarian law (14 – 20 March 2013)

Shooting: During the reporting period, a Palestinian civilian died from earlier tear gas inhalation and another one was wounded in the West Bank.

On 14 March 2013, a Palestinian boy was seriously wounded by a bullet to the chest when the Israeli forces stationed on watchtowers, west of Tulkram, opened fire at him while he was in Netanya Street near the abovementioned area.

On 15 March 2013, medical sources at Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah pronounced Mo’yed Nazih Atwah Ghazawnah, 34, from al-Ram village, north of occupied Jerusalem, dead from inhaling tear gas previously at the northern entrance of the village.

During the reporting period, the Israeli forces continued to systematically use excessive force against peaceful protests organized by Palestinians and Israeli and international activists against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, dozens of protesters suffered from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises. In the same context, many Palestinian civilians suffered from tear gas inhalation during peaceful protests in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails.

In the Gaza Strip, on 20 March 2013, the Israeli forces stationed along the border fence opened fire at the Palestinian lands twice, but no casualties were reported.

Incursions: During the reporting period, the Israeli forces conducted at least 52 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, the Israeli forces arrested at least 67 Palestinians, including 41 children and a woman. It should be noted that the Israeli forces released 16 school students who were arrested from the center of Hebron following hours from their arrest.

In the Gaza Strip, on 17 March 2013, the Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Musaddar village, east of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, arrested Sabri Hassan Sabri al-Mussadar, 15.

Israel continued to impose a tightened closure of the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

The illegal Israeli-imposed closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. The illegal closure has caused not only a humanitarian crisis, but a crisis of human rights and human dignity for the population of the Gaza Strip. Recently-declared measures to ease the closure are vague, purely cosmetic and fail to deal with the root causes of the crisis; the root causes can only be addressed by an immediate and complete lifting of the closure, including lifting the travel ban into and out of the Gaza Strip and the ban on exports. Palestinians in Gaza may no longer suffer from the same shortage of goods but, as long as the closure is allowed to continue, they will remain economically dependent, unable to care for themselves, and socially, culturally and academically isolated from the rest of the world.

The IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.

In the context of settlement expansion projects in occupied East Jerusalem, on 15 March 2013, the Israeli Ministry of Interior re-approved the decision to confiscate 45 dunums of land in Shu’fat village, north of occupied Jerusalem, for the purpose of establishing street 21 to control the traffic crisis.

Settlement Activities: Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On 14 March 2013, dozens of Israeli settlers from “Havat Maon” settlement, established on Palestinian civilians’ lands east of Yatta, south of Hebron, attacked farmers and shepherds in Um Kharouba area, and banned them from working in their lands.

On the same day, an Israeli settler opened fire from his machine gun at a number of Palestinian workers in al-Kassarat area to the west of Sourif village, northwestern of Hebron. The settler fired at the workers while on their way back from Israel, where they work. No casualties were reported.

On 15 March 2013, Israeli forces raided Maghayer al-‘Abeed area and placed removal notices near the solar energy cells, which provide the area with electricity under the pretext that they are located in area 918, according to Ministry of Defense’s decision, which is designated for military trainings.

On the same day, a group of settlers from “Eitamar” settlement, established on the northern side ‘Aqraba village, southeastern of Nablus, attacked a Palestinian civilian while heading to his work in the northern Jordan Valleys.

Also on the same day, a group of armed and masked settlers coming from “Tafouh” settlement, south of Nablus, raided al-Khella area near Yassouf village, north of Salfit. The settlers fired randomly at Palestinian shepherds who are accustomed to grazing their sheep there, which is the only grazing land in the area. The settlers threw rocks directly at the civilians using a slingshot. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians sustained fractures.

On 16 March 2013, Israeli forces raided the agricultural lands surrounding “Atnaúal” settlement, established on Palestinian lands south of Hebron. The soldiers were deployed in the area and they arrested a number of shepherds and ordered others to leave under the pretext that these lands are confiscated.

On 16 March 2013, a group of settlers from “Eliezer” settlement, established on the southern side of al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem, seized control over 5 dunums of land belonging to Moussa family in Khilat al-Qet area, adjacent to the settlement. The settlers planted approximately 150 olive seedlings and put them in pottery jars, in preparation to making it a site for performing religious rituals.

On the same day, a group of settlers from “Atnaúal” settlement attacked a number of shepherds in Khelat al-‘Addra area west of Yatta village, south of Hebron, banned them from irrigating their lands and beat them.

Also on the same day, Israeli settlers attacked shepherds in Yassouf village, north of Salfit, again. As a result, a Palestinian civilian sustained a fracture in his right leg.

On 17 March 2013, a group of settlers from “Sidi Boaz” settlement outpost, established on the western side of al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem, confiscated an old house in al-Ghaweet Valley area, adjacent to the aforementioned outpost. The settlers installed chairs inside the house and used it for gatherings and picnics. They also planted the surrounding tract of land with various seedlings, including olives, figs and apricots.

On 18 March 2013, a group of settlers from “Beit ‘Ein” settlement, established on Palestinian civilians lands in the west of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, broke and cut the branches of 27 fruitful olive trees aged between 30 and 40 years.