How G4S helps Israel break the Geneva convention

How G4S helps Israel break the Geneva convention

By Lisa Nandy

Lisa Nandy calls for the government to take action over G4S' participation in illegal imprisonment. October 5, 2012 Since 1967, more than 730,000 Palestinian men, women and children are estimated to have been imprisoned by Israeli military courts. The majority of such prisoners are held in detention facilities inside Israel, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of these prisoners into Israel. The practical consequence of this violation is that many prisoners, including children, receive either limited or no family visits, due to freedom of movement restrictions. In the case of children, this lack of adequate family contact also violates their rights under article 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. According to Israeli Prison Service figures released in June of this year, 85 per cent of Palestinian prisoners, including children, were detained inside Israel. Of 4,706 prisoners, 285 were held in administrative detention, without charge or trial. The UK government has confirmed that Israel's policy of detaining Palestinians is contrary to Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, that they have raised this with the Israeli government and will continue to do so. In a recent letter to me, Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt MP stated that the FCO is lobbying Israeli authorities for a number of improvements, including a reduction in the number of arrests that occur at night, an end to shackling and the introduction of audio-visual recording of interrogations. Such diplomatic pressure is important - but what of the British companies that keep Israel's prisons running? According to corporate accountability campaigners, the security giant G4S, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, signed a contract with the Israeli Prison Authority in 2007 to provide services to a number of prisons and detention facilities. Some of these are known to house prisoners transferred from the West Bank. What's more, the company has installed a central command room in Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, which houses a centre where prisoners are tried under military law. Ofer Prison is located in what the Israeli military refers to as the "Seam Zone", which means access for visiting families is highly restricted. G4S have said that it will exit from all the contracts it holds in the West Bank at the earliest opportunity the contract terms allow. They also say that they have not violated any international laws, which on this specific issue may be correct, given that the Geneva Conventions apply only to Governments that have ratified their terms. Despite these limitations, the UK government can still act - yet it refuses to. Alastair Burt told me that, despite being aware of G4S's involvement in Israeli prisons, the Foreign Office has not discussed the issue with the company and believes that the "provision of services in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is a matter for G4S." Last June the UK Government co-sponsored a UN resolution that places duties on states to protect against corporate abuse of human rights. The commitment is meaningless if the government refuses to take action in a clear-cut case such as this. Companies that have been involved in grievous human rights abuse continue to be listed on the London Stock Exchange, seriously damaging the reputation of British business abroad and making it more difficult to compete for those businesses which are trying to uphold high ethical business and trade standards. Such abuse by any corporation is not merely a matter for the company, but for everyone who supports and believes in the basic concept of human rights. Lisa Nandy is Labour MP for Wigan and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on International Corporate Responsibility

Settlers cut down olive trees, vines near Bethlehem

Settlers cut down olive trees, vines near Bethlehem

Ma'an news

October 6, 2012 BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers on Friday destroyed 100 newly-planted olive saplings and at least 60 vine trees on private Palestinian land in Al-Khader village near Bethlehem. The coordinator of the local anti-wall committee, Ahmad Salah, said he noticed the vandalism while he was on a regular tour monitoring the town’s fields on Friday. He approached a field belonging to Abdul-Hakim Salah in an area known locally as Mustasi or Wadi al-Shami, near the illegal Israeli settlement of Newe Daniyyel, to find out that more than 100 saplings had been cut from the root or ripped from the ground. He added that when he entered an adjacent grape field, he discovered that more fruit trees were also cut down. Younis Mahfouzh Mousa, the owner of the vineyard, said that as he went to his field early on Saturday morning, he found that more than 60 trees had started to wither. When he got closer, he found that the main trunks were cut with scissors, while the trees remained on the steel support. "This vandalism is clear evidence that settlers are devoid of any human characteristic. They attack every Palestinian property including trees and stones." Mousa alleged that the Israeli forces are complicit in the crime as they always protect the settlers while they attack Palestinian properties. "This settlement assault against the Palestinian land in al-Khader and other places is part of a governmental plan to Judaise the land," says Ahmad Salah. Newe Daniyyel settlement considers the surrounding lands an area for the settlement’s natural expansion, he added. He highlighted that Israeli forces recently ordered a Palestinian citizen from al-Khader that his land, which he reclaimed recently, must not be cultivated. He was also asked to demolish a water well he dug underground. "The Israeli government is complicit in this vandalism," said Abdul-Hakim Salah, one of the landowners. "Weeks ago, Israeli premier Netanyahu said during a visit to the nearby illegal settlement of Efrat that the settlements in so-called Efrat and Gush Etzion are integral parts of greater Jerusalem. Such a remark is like giving the settlers a green light to practice their criminal acts." Local farmers and international volunteers planted the olive trees, among 500 saplings, as part of an ongoing advocacy initiative to protect Palestinian land. Sixty international activists from 10 different countries arrived helped farmers plant the field with 3- and 4-year-old olive saplings in February, in an initiative by the Alternative Tourism Group and the YMCA-YWCA. The Olive Tree Campaign distributes over 9,000 trees annually to Palestinian farmers across the West Bank whose land is under threat of confiscation, or who cannot access their land due to Israeli restrictions. Since 1967, 800,000 olive trees have been uprooted by Israeli forces, resulting in a loss of around $55 million to the Palestinian economy, according to a report by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of National Economy and the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem.

Families Of Marmara Victims File Lawsuit Against Israel

Families Of Marmara Victims File Lawsuit Against Israel

by Saed Bannoura

October 6, 2012 The Turkish Hurriyet Daily reported that 33 family members of Turkish citizens who were shot and killed by the Israeli army when Israel attacked the Mavi Marmara solidarity ship that was heading to Gaza in 2010, filed on October 5 a lawsuit against Israel demanding compensation. The families of Furqan Dogan, Cevdet Kılıçlar and Necdet Yıldırım, who were killed during the Israeli attack, are suing Israel seeking moral and financial compensation. 30 other persons who were injured in the Israeli attack are also filing for compensation, the families’ attorney, Uğur Yıldırım, stated. Hurriyet said that journalists and nurses are among the plaintiffs who were seriously injured in the Israeli attack, and added that there are 33 cases filed against Israel demanding compensation that mounts $ 10 Million Turkish Liras. It is worth mentioning that, back in May this year, Turkey pressed formal charges against Israeli officers involved in the deadly attack demanding 9 consecutive life terms for four Israeli commanders. Israeli sources said that Israel offered $6 Million to the victims in order to settle the issue. The Israeli attack against MV Marmara, part of the Freedom Flotilla that was sailing to Gaza to deliver medical and humanitarian supplies, took place on May 31, 2010. The army attacked the ships while in territorial waters. Nine activists were killed and dozens were injured. The attack led to a sharp crisis in relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv, and the Turkish government demanded an official apology from Israel, compensation to the victims, and also demanded Israel to lift the siege imposed on Gaza.

USA-The Debatacle: War and Thieves of the Uniparty

The Debatacle: War and Thieves of the Uniparty

Cindy Sheehan

October 6, 2012 I have a brain seizing, jaw cracking toothache right now. I prefer it to watching the debates... BUT! Jake had a chance for extra credit for his History class to watch and answer a few questions about it. I opted to watch the Democracy Now version with Jill Stein and Rocky Anderson Tivo'd in, thinking it would be mildly less painful. Not by much, not by much. The two main characters in the play both babbled a LOT about taxes. Trickle down business is better than trickle down government. Huh, one wants to make a profit off me, the other to spend my own money on me. In the end? One or the other, or both said this: "When it comes to our tax code, [my opponent] and I both agree that our corporate tax rate is too high." "We agree; we ought to bring the tax rates down, and I do, both for corporations and for individuals." Sure one exuded more confidence; by confidence I mean rude interrupting motherfucker, and the other seemed a little less so. In the end, they were both talking about the speed with which they will continue to make cuts on the things that help people, and give to the rich to create "jobs." Lemme look at my watch here, but didn't they give them a bazillion of my dollars for the last 12 years to do that, and aren't I sitting here unemployed with no health insurance to fix my tooth? Maybe the infection is in my brain already, because tweedles dee and dum looked the same to me. Education? Both support vouchers and moving our school system to the for-profit private sector. Both think loan-sharking is the price we must pay if we want a higher education. I had to laugh when one of the twins said something about 2 year trade schools. Ahh, yes, because there are so many trade jobs out there. Be a chef! Be a bookkeeper! Work for minimum wage to pay off that edumacation! Neither of them talked about technology and research, and that we should all be allowed education if we want to survive in this world - in fact one seemed downright embarrassed to support green energy. I hear pre-school was meme. Well, here's one for ya, thing one and thing two left us covered in goo said more oil and gas are good for you one said "More holes!" and one said "More coal!" well frack one and frack two! neither one has a soul! Now Stein and Anderson had good things to say; yet neither inspired me much. There are so many elephants even they leave in the room. We need to nationalize energy. Period. No ifs, ands, buts or maybe's. The d-shade bragged about more drilling, the r-shade wants it in more public land. The very biggest suck of all on our economy is our Wars, That's where all the debt comes from, that's where all the money goes, that's the Mastodon of elephants. In an economic debate, where the hell was that discussion? Stein alluded to it, Rocky dodged it some, although Rocky Anderson had a great moment when he quipped, "Certainly, our government is supposed to keep us safe, but more and more, United States citizens are worried about being safe from our government." Word. Stein expanded with, "Under the Obama White House, which basically codified the violations of George Bush, the attacks on our privacy rights, on First Amendment rights, the criminalization of the right to protest, the National Defense Authorization Act in which the President has claimed the right to incarcerate us, basically, without charge or trial, and to do that at his pleasure without having to justify that in any way." I loved both of their replies, except they weren't replies at all to the question - about the role of Government - and after both of the other guys banged the National Security drum to suck up more War Machine donations, they missed the opportunity to speak against it.. I mean, what the fuck? We spend 1.19 Trillion a year on War. I did the math, That is 3,260,273,972.60 a day on murder. Three and a quarter BILLION a DAY. And change, if you count mere millions change. We spend about 6 billion a year on welfare. Two days of war would pay for a years welfare. We spend about 550 billion a year on medicare. 5 months of war equals a year of medicare. One year of war could pay for 316 years of welfare.One year of war could pay for 3 years of of medicare. Think about that. You see, in the debacle called a debate, hard questions are outlawed. No one DARE breach the Pachyderm Parade dancing across our faces. Neither puppet will do anything but move right, serve their Predatory Capitalist masters, and answer vetted questions created to showcase how much they "care" about America and selling us our ass-raping with smiles. You see, for most of our budget to be tied up in MURDER? It is totally required that our attention to be misdirected to soundbytes and bullshit. This wasn't a debate. This was reality-tv: highly scripted kabuki theater for the masses. No 3rd party was allowed, no one answered questions, they just stayed on talking points. The Real War, the foundation of all wars - is Class War. The debates were part of that War on us, keeping the illusion we actually have a democracy alive - all while lying about how they are going to "help" us by aiding and abetting the Robber Class. I can't wait until the show is over. You know, so we can quit running around with our hair on fire about what tweedle dee and tweedle dum said and get back to fighting the real problem. Capitalism is war. Hungry children are are victims of war. People dying of simple infections are victims of war. My toothache is part of the conflict. Your job loss is collateral damage. And, while our first world problems are growing? All across the globe people are being splattered into piles of meat and gore and we are paying people to do it. We have become killing machines enabled by the very lying bastards smirking across our screens last night. I'm done with debates. I'm done with debating my peers about it too. I am tired of Lesser of the Two Evils, and tired of trying to explain to people that we MUST vote for 3rd party candidates to prove we are not hapless victims and we can take control. I am done, too, with fighting with those who somehow think that withholding their vote is noble - it merely leaves less of the population to manipulate.  Both Romney and Obama are thieves making war on us and the world.  My son's report was astute - and you have to love the guilelessness of children - their in class discussion was mostly kids saying "all politicians lie." He got a great grade.  Next time? He's on his own.

The documentary that should make every decent Israeli ashamed

The documentary that should make every decent Israeli ashamed

by Gideon Levy

October 6, 2012 The soldiers arrive in the dead of night. They kick, they smash, they destroy. They break in, rudely awakening an entire house and its inhabitants, including children and babies. One officer pulls out a detailed document and declares: "This house is declared a 'closed military zone.’" He reads the order – in Hebrew and in a loud voice – to the sleep-dazed, pajama-clad family. This young man successfully completed his officers’ training course. Perhaps he even believes, deep down, that someone has to do this dirty work. And he reads out the order solely to justify why the father of the household, Emad Burnat, is forbidden to film the event on his own video camera. There are no moments of respite or reprieve in the probing documentary by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi, "5 Broken Cameras," which was screened, among other places, at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque last weekend after collecting a number of international prizes and having been shown on Channel 8. This documentary should make every decent Israeli ashamed of being an Israeli. It should be shown in civics classes and heritage classes. The Israelis should know, at long last, what is being done in their name every day and every night in this ostensible time of no terror. Even in a West Bank village like Bil’in, which has made nonviolence its motto. The soldiers – the friends of our sons and the sons of our friends – break into homes in order to abduct small children, who may be suspected of throwing stones. There is no other way to describe this. They also arrest dozens of the organizers of the popular weekly protest at Bil’in. And this happens every night. I have often been to this village, to its protests and to its funerals. Once or twice I joined the Friday demonstrations against the separation fence that was built on its land to enable Modi’in Ilit and Kiryat Sefer to rise on its olive groves. I have breathed the tear gas and the stinking "skunk" gas. I have seen the rubber bullets that wound and sometimes kill, and the violent behavior of the soldiers and the police toward the demonstrating inhabitants. Yet nevertheless, what I saw in this film shocked me more than all those hasty visits. The apartment buildings of Modi’in Ilit are swallowing up the village, just like the wall that was built here on their land. The inhabitants decided to embark on a struggle for their property and their existence. With a mixture of naivete, determination and courage – and, now and then, some exaggerated theatricality – the residents undertake various gimmicks, with the help of a handful of Israeli and international volunteers. This struggle has even won a partial victory: Only in its wake did the High Court of Justice order the dismantling of the wall and its relocation to a different place. Even the High Court, which usually automatically accepts the positions of the security establishment, understood that a crime was being committed here. Together with Bil’in and, to a large extent, inspired by it, more villages began to conduct a determined popular struggle every Friday – which continues to this day – against the wall, half an hour’s drive from our homes. This documentary proves that, for the locals, the reality of the occupation is that there is no such thing as nonviolent struggle. For the information of those who preach nonviolence (from the Palestinians ): The Israel Defense Forces soldiers and the Border Police will ensure that it becomes violent. Just one thrown stone, despite the pleas of the demonstration organizers, will suffice; just one verbal altercation will also suffice to open the most advanced weapons arsenal in the world – to pull the pin, to release the gas, the rubber bullet and the skunk gas, and sometimes the live fire, and to cut off the impossible dream of a nonviolent struggle. Anyone who watches this film understands that it is very difficult to face the wall, the settlement project and the soldiers – all of which scream "violence" – and remain nonviolent. Nearly impossible. Five times Burnat’s cameras were destroyed. Three times by the soldiers, once in a traffic accident opposite the separation wall, and once by the ultra-Orthodox and violent settlers – the "hilltop youth," who break into homes even when the court prohibits this. "You are not allowed to be here," says an ultra-Orthodox settler to a villager trying to get to his stolen land. The truth is that Burnat’s cameras were damaged many more times; the film depicts only those incidents in which the equipment was rendered totally unusable. The cameras’ ruined parts are displayed as evidence. But something much deeper has been broken here. A reality has been broken by broken cameras. These cameras documented a reality unfamiliar to most Israelis. They documented a slice of life, about which most Israelis prefer to be oblivious. In so doing, they have also proved that, in a place where hardly any courageous journalism remains, there are at least courageous and impressive documentaries. In a place where hardly any journalists remain, there are important documentary filmmakers like Burnat and Davidi. After the vast majority of the local media decided not to report on the occupation any more, films like "5 Broken Cameras," Ra’anan Alexandrowicz’s "The Law in These Parts," and Mir Laufer and Erez Laufer’s "One Day After Peace" – all the harvest of just the past few months – are filling the role intended for the media, and excellently. Anyone who some day wants to learn what was happening here during these cursed decades will hardly find what he is looking for in the newspaper and television archives. He will find it in the documentary movie archive, which is rescuing Israel’s honor. "5 Broken Cameras" has already been shown in many countries, at festivals and commercial screenings. Davidi and Burnat documented the routine of the occupation. The IDF and Border Police come out looking bad. Even understatement and restraint cannot but describe them except as storm troopers. Burnat’s voice, which accompanies the film, is one of the most restrained voices you have heard concerning the occupation, without rabble-rousing and without hatred. This is how they look in reality. Go see this film and form your own impressions. There have been other films about Bil’in and while this one is relatively small scale, it is extremely personal. Burnat’s wife, who wants to keep him away from the camera and danger, and his young son, who has grown up in this reality, star in it along with the leaders of the struggle. There is only one person killed here: Bassem Abu-Rahma, a charming young man, loved by the children, who called him the Elephant – the needless victim of an alleged murder by a soldier in April 2009. However, it is the non-deadly routine depicted in the movie that is so appalling. The camera breakers in it are breakers of the rule of law and of democracy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has boasted to the world about how enlightened Israel is, apparently has not seen this film. Otherwise, he would not be able to talk about enlightenment. Anyone who behaves this way in his dark backyard cannot boast about what happens in his enlightened show window, with all that high tech and democracy. Anyone who knows what is happening in Bil’in and the other villages understands that a state that behaves in this way cannot be considered democratic or enlightened. Someone has to make Netanyahu watch this film, just so he will understand. . This week I drove to Bil’in with one of the two directors, Guy Davidi (Burnat was away on another trip overseas ). Davidi once lived in the village for several months, but prior to our trip hadn’t visited for over a year. Ostensibly, nothing had changed. A Palestinian village drowsing in the afternoon. However, one thing was different: A large hill planted with olive trees has been liberated. In the place where the security fence had been, there is now only a dirt track. The barrier was removed and the hill was returned to its owners. The olive trees are dying after years of neglect, and the soil is scarred by all the earthworks carried out there. But still, some of the territory has been liberated. The security fence has been replaced by a high concrete wall, but this has been moved several hundred meters to the west. Behind it, cranes continue to build Kiryat Sefer (aka Dvir ). In the liberated territory, they are already building a tiny playground for the village children. Only remnants of the burned tires and dozens of IDF gas-canister shells lying on the ground from the ongoing weekly demonstrations here testify that the struggle has not ended. It has not been completely successful. But if there were any justice, it would have been.

Collective punishment in Awarta continues

Collective punishment in Awarta continues

By Ana Thorne and James Knoop

Mazen Awwad with four of his children. Photo by Lazar Simeonov. October 6, 2012 Awarta – The Awwad family have been through a lot since March 2011, from multiple house raids by the Israeli occupation soldiers, harassment, witnessing wild pigs ruin their crops, to interrogation summonings for the father, heart disease and various illnesses for the mother, and a whole lot of trauma for the young children. Last month on September 4th, at approximately 10 pm, the family’s home was raided again. The soldiers came at night and sawed the front door open, even though the mother, Nouf, tried to explain to them that they didn’t have to do that as she could just open the door. She was ignored and her words fell on deaf ears as the soldiers forced their way in. The soldiers pointed their guns and aimed the laser light at the children. Their father Mazen, who works as a farmer, was still not at home. The soldiers ordered the family to lock themselves up in one room and then proceeded to wreak havoc inside the house, destroying furniture, throwing frames from the wall on the ground, and slashing pillows. "Look at this pillow," Nouf said. "My children gave it to me for Mother’s Day. The soldiers ran their knives through it and took the stuffing out." The pillow, adorned with a glittery silver M for "mother" looked fine on one side. Turned over, Nouf’s attempt to mend the pillow through her jagged sewing stuck out like an ugly scar. The soldiers then ordered the oldest son, 22 year old university student George to come to the living room for interrogation. Nouf was also called in, and as she kept protesting about the soldiers’ presence in her home she was told to shut up. She refused to do so, and one soldier threw a vase at her head which she managed to elude as it shattered into the wall. By then, Mazen had arrived and saw his house entirely surrounded by soldiers. His son George was already in handcuffs by then, being led away to one of the army vehicles. Last time George was arrested it was to stand as a witness against his younger brother Hakim and to testify against his cousin. As a result, he spent five months in prison under interrogation. The parents had to pay a 3000 shekel bail in order to secure George’s release. The recent arrest of George in September worries his father because he will be missing out on his last year at the An-Najah University where George is studying economics. Mazen explained that normally low income families get financial help in the aftermath of the imprisonment of a family member, but the Awwad family despite filling out various applications received no such aid from the Ministry of Prisoner Affairs, and the bail was paid by the family’s own money. Inside the living room, an intelligence officer who had previously interrogated Mazen before, threatened him with a knife and said in Arabic that the harassment of the family and the destroying of the house was a punishment for giving "birth to Hakim and to teach a lesson to the entire village." Charged with murder, Hakim’s story won’t be heard Hakim is the Awwad’s second oldest son, and was a 17 year old high school senior when he was arrested by the IOF on April 5th 2011. His arrest was part of the village crackdown by the Israeli army, who had carried out over 600 arrests and blockaded the village in response to the brutal murder of five members of the Fogel family a month earlier in the encroaching illegal settlement on Awarta’s land, Itamar. Before charging anyone with the murder of the settler family, the village of Awarta was subjected to repeated forms of collective punishment by the Israeli army, including mass arrests, house raids, imprisonment and interrogations without charges, and village-wide closures. The villagers have all been subject to a massive investigation and humiliating procedures, such as taking DNA samples from the women arrested, and these measures have not desisted a year and a half later. Nouf herself was arrested as part of this intimidation campaign, as well as her oldest daughter Julia. At 1 am, soldiers arrested Nouf from her home. She was still breastfeeding her youngest daughter Shahd at that time, and during her detention she kept asking the soldiers to bring her baby to her, but they refused. She was released the following night at 11 pm, meaning that the daughter was left without food for 22 hours. Mazen was summoned for investigation before the arrest of Hakim. As he arrived to the military base he was blindfolded, handcuffed, insulted and questioned for over 15 hours about Hakim’s involvement in the killings. He was told to go back to the village and tell how Hakim committed the murders, and when he refused the Israeli soldiers kept twisting his arm. The Israeli investigation was put under a gag order until it was completed, and when it was lifted it was revealed that two young men had confessed. Hakim and Amjad 'Awwad (not related), aged 17 and 19, were tried and found guilty by Salem Miliarty Court for the stabbing the parents and two of the three young children – including a 3 month-old baby- to death. The third child was shot with an F-16 automatic rifle. A year prior to the Fogel family slaying, two young males, Saleh and Muhammad, cousins aged 18 and 19, were attacked by Israeli settlers while working in their fields and later shot and killed by the Israeli army when they tried to intervene. The Fogel family slaying were said to be in retribution for the attacks. Despite this, many community members were convinced that a Philippine or Thai gardener was likely responsible, after not receiving payment for his work for the Fogels. A story in the Palestinian media ran to this effect. There remains doubt as to whether the confessions were forced or not, as during the whole court case and investigation, only the Israeli side was heard. The investigation revealed that Hakim and Amjad decided to carry out the attack just a few hours after they developed the plan. They left the village at 9 pm under cover of rain and traveled by foot for ten minutes before reaching the settlement. The young men then climbed the security fence and infiltrated the settlement, breaking into a settler house and stealing the F-16 automatic rifle and several magazines that were used in the crime. Then, they broke into the Fogel family home and proceeded with the killings by stabbing four people and shooting the fifth. Gunfire was not heard by the neighbors on account of the weather. They left the settlement around 11 pm and the crime was discovered by the daughter of the family who had just arrived home. Hakim and Amjad were said to have received help from Hakim’s uncle, Selah 'Awwad, a former political prisoner and PFLP member. The uncle helped hide the knives that were used in the attack as well as burn the clothes the boys were wearing. Mazen Awwad. Photo by Lazar Simeonov. "I have no way of knowing whether my son committed this atrocious act or not," said Mazen. "I haven’t been able to see or talk to him since his arrest, and it’s been 17 months. Everything that we heard about from the investigation was told to me personally while I was under interrogation by the Israeli intelligence officer. I haven’t, nor will I be able to, hear Hakim’s story." "He didn’t do it," Nouf declared. "My son is not a murderer. He’s a good boy, and helped his younger brother a lot. How could he murder a whole family and then go to school a few hours later? His behavior did not change at all, there was nothing suspicious about the way he acted." Traumatized children, exhausted parents Another raid on the 'Awwad family had taken place on August 29th at 3 am. The Israeli soldiers besieged the family’s property and forced the family to wait outside, while they ransacked the house. The family was brought into the house and one of the soldiers stamped on the youngest son’s legs. Nouf explains that her youngest son, 9 year old Jibril was born with leg problems and was not able to walk properly. He has been through several operations and had both of his legs set in cast. "How will he grow up?" she says with a sad look in her eyes, "He is too psychologically twisted." There are lot of things that scare the children. They get very afraid when someone is knocking on the door, and they suffer from nightmares and often scream at night. They have lost their appetite and have problems with concentrating in school. 10 year old Noor used to be one of the cleverest in the school, but ".. now she can hardly open a book," says Nouf. Mazen relayed that no local or international organization had offered to help the family cope with the raids, nor with providing legal services to prove Hakim’s innocence, or at the very least to reopen the investigation and conduct it with impartiality. "I have six other children to take care of as well – what can I do?" he said with an empty look in his eyes. "Hakim has been sentenced to 500 years in prison." "What have we done to deserve all this?" Nouf asks in exhaustion. "We are banned from visiting our son. Only his elderly grandmother and 10 year old sister are able to go." It is hard to say whether Amjad and Hakim Awwad really committed the crime mainly because, as mentioned before, during the most important time of the case the Israeli authorities placed a gag on the whole case, and it was first removed after the boys had confessed. But one thing is for sure – the collective punishment of the whole village and especially the Awwad family is strictly against all rules, which by mutual sources (UN, Al Haq, B’Tselem has been labeled as an enormous violation of the Human Rights and especially Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention where it is stated that collective penalties, intimidations or terrorism is strictly prohibited. Nouf’s following comment says it all: "Where is the democracy they talk about? What the soldiers did to us does not measure up to even the worst horror movie. Even if Hakim committed the killings, does the family deserve so much punishment?"

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (27 Sep.- 03 Oct. 2012)

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (27 Sep.- 03 Oct. 2012)

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)

Israeli bulldozers work in "Efrat" settlement near Bethlehem in the context of activities of settlement expansion October 6, 2012 Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt)        A Palestinian fisherman was killed, and his brother was wounded, while they were fishing in the northern Gaza Strip. IOF used force to disperse peaceful protest organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. Dozens of protesters sustained bruising and suffered from tear gas inhalation. IOF conducted 42 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. A Palestinian civilian was wounded in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. IOF arrested 14 Palestinians, 3 of them children, in the West Bank. Jewelry was stolen from a house in Qaryout village, east of Nablus. IOF occupied a house and turned it into a military observation point in Hebron. Israel has continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. IOF established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank. IOF arrested at least 4 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, at military checkpoints in the West Bank. IOF arrested 3 Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip who attempted to enter Israel. IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. IOF confiscated 75 dunums of land in Wadi Fouqin, west of Bethlehem, and Israeli settlers pumped wastewater onto the land. IOF began to establish a settlement outpost in an area south of Bethlehem. 60 olive trees were damaged and cut down, and their crops damaged, in Burin, south of Nablus. Summary Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (27 September – 03 October 2012): Shooting: In the Gaza Strip, on 28 September 2012, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian fisherman and wounded his brother, while they and a group of other fishermen were located a few meters from the shore in the northern Gaza Strip, pulling out their fishing nets. According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 09:30 on Friday, 28 September 2012, an Israeli infantry unit crossed the northwestern border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, and moved nearly 20 meters into Palestinian territory, along the beach area of the northwestern town of Beit Lahia. Israeli soldiers took position behind a hill at the beach, facing onto a number of Palestinian fishermen who were fishing a few meters offshore. Israeli soldiers fired at the fishermen. The majority of the fishermen were able to flee. However, two fishermen, who were located nearly 15 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, were unable to escape. According to fishermen present in the area, Israeli soldiers fired directly at the two fishermen, wounding them. One of the fishermen died of his wounds later on the same day. On 02 October 2012, IOF positioned inside the watchtowers along the border fence in the northwest of Erez, northwest of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. The soldiers opened fire on a number of workers, who were collecting the rubble of destroyed houses in the area. Following the outbreak of gunfire, the workers fled the area in fear of their lives. In the West Bank, on 03 October 2012, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. A number of boys in the village threw stones at the Israeli soldiers. IOF responded by firing sound bombs and rubber-coated bullets at them. As a result, a Palestinian boy was wounded by a bullet to the foot. IOF continued the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human right defenders against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, dozens of protestors sustained bruises and suffered from tear gas inhalation. Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 42 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested at least 14 Palestinians, including 3 children. On 27 September 2012, IOF moved into al-Tabaqa village in the south of Dora, southwest of Hebron. They arbitrarily fired tear gas canisters at the houses of civilians. A gas canister fell into the house of Mahmoud Abu Ras, 52. IOF also harshly beat Khaled Mahmoud Amr, 39, and Amin Isa Abu Atwan, 31. Abu Atwan was wounded in his foot and was transported to Hebron Governmental Hospital to receive the necessary medical treatment. On 01 October 2012, IOF moved into 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched some houses, including a house belonging to Mohammed Abbas Badwan, whose son, Hassan, was arrested. On 02 October 2012, IOF moved into al-Baq'a area, adjacent to bypass road 60, east of Hebron. They raided the 3-storey house belonging to Salem al-Salayma, 50, and resided in by 17 persons. They detained all of the family members on the first floor of the building and did not allow them to move. The Israeli soldiers deployed inside the house and on the roof of the building, and turned it into a military observation point. On 03 October 2012, IOF raided a number of houses in Qaryout village, southeast of Nablus. They photographed the residents and wrote down their names, telephone numbers and mobile numbers, in addition to photographing the houses themselves. After the soldiers withdrew from a house belonging to Abdul Ra'ouf Ali Zaghloul, Zaghloul's wife noticed that jewelry worth an estimated 7,000 Jordanian Dinars (JD) was missing from a small purse in a closet in her bedroom. In the Gaza Strip, on 28 September 2012, IOF positioned at the border fence between Gaza and Israel, north of Beit Lahia, and arrested 3 Palestinian children who had attempted to cross the border in order to look for employment in Israel. Maher Abu al-Ouf, Director of the Palestinian Liaison Office "44", southwest of Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, said the Israeli side had informed him that IOF had arrested 3 Palestinians at the border fence. Restrictions on Movement: 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. 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. 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 27 September 2012, settlers from "Bitar 'Elite" settlement, established on the lands of the villages of Fokein Valley, Hossan and Nahalin, west of Bethlehem, dumped huge amounts of sewage water onto agriculture lands near Fokein Valley village. According to Ahmad Sokkar, head of the Fokein Valley village council, the sewage water submerged the 50-dunum agricultural lands of Madiq Gate, south of the village. On the same day, a group of nearly 20 settlers from "Brakha" settlement, established northeast of Bourin village, south of Nablus, damaged and cut down more than 60 olive trees, using sharp objects, sticks and stones. The attacked land is the property of Ahmed Abdul-Fatah Falah, and it is located in Bab Al-Thania area, nearly 1,500m from the settlement. On 30 September 2012, settlers began setting up caravans in the territory of Al-Khader town, southwest of Bethlehem. According to Ahmed Salah, coordinator of the Popular Movement against Settlement Activity and the Wall, a group of settlers from "Daniel" settlement, established on the lands of Al-Khader town, led by a settler called Hanania, began erecting caravans in Thaher Ain Qesis area, which belongs to Khader Ali Eissa Abu-Ghalion. On 03 October 2012, IOF confiscated another 4 tracts of farmland near the entrance of Fokein Valley village, west of Bethlehem. According to Ahmed Sukkar, head of the Fokein Valley village council, 4 citizens of Al-Manasra family received an order by the IOF Chief Commander in the West Bank, stating that 75 dunums of their farmland would be confiscated. These lands are located in the northeast part of the village. By confiscating these lands, IOF will isolate the village from its surroundings in the oPt. Mr. Sukkar also mentioned that IOF will place a gate on the entrance of the village; as a result, the ability to enter and leave the village will be under IOF control, which will increase the suffering of the villagers. On 03 October 2012, IOF took photographs of all Palestinian houses in the Um Rokba area, south of Al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem. According to Ahmed Salah, coordinator of the Popular Movement against Settlement Activity and the Wall, a unit of about 10 military vehicles accompanied by an officer and staff from the Israeli Civil Administration, stormed the Um Rokba area and photographed all the houses in the area. The area is located near the settlement outpost established on the land of Um Al-Mohammadin, where new settlement units are being built. Mr. Salah also reported that the majority of houses in the Um Rokba area are under threat of demolition and removal, according to notices submitted to them by the Israeli Civil Administration. Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (27 September – 03 October 2012) 1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and theGaza Strip Thursday, 27 September 2012 At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Balata refugee camp and al-Quds Street adjacent to the refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Abdullah Omar Abdullah Salama, 16, a student in the 10th grade. IOF withdrew at 05:00 and transported Salama to a detention center in Hawwara, southeast of Nablus. At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-al-Dyouk village, northwest of Jericho. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 05:00, IOF moved into Beit Luqia, southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. Also at approximately 08:30, IOF moved into Jeftlik village, north of Jericho. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into al-Oja village, north of Jericho. They They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 09:55, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They raided and searched the house belonging to the family of Mohammed Mazen Yassin, 24, and submitted a notice ordering him to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Service. At approximately 12:40, IOF withdrew and no arrests were reported. At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Deir Qeddis village, west of Ramallah. They patrolled in the streets for some time and withdrew later. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Beit Qad village, east of Jenin. They patrolled the streets and stopped a number of passers-by. IOF questioned them on the spot regarding the political situation in the West Bank. They later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Beit 'Our, southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 16:30, IOF moved into Jayous village, northeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into Deir al-Sudan village, north of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 21:00, IOF moved into Turmos'iya village, north of Ramallah. They They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 22:00, IOF moved into al-Tabaqa village, south of Dora town in the southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and stationed themselves at the main entrance to the village. A number of boys threw stones at the Israeli military vehicles and the Israeli soldiers responded by firing tear gas canisters. At approximately 23:00, IOF raided some houses and beat a number of Palestinian civilians: Khaled Mahmoud Amr, 39, and Amin Isa Abu 'Atwan, 31. The latter was wounded in his foot and transported by ambulance to Hebron Governmental Hospital to receive the necessary medical treatment. Before they withdrew, IOF arrested Sameh Salem Abu 'Atwan, 21, and Mohammed Abdullah Nassar, 20, and transported them to an unknown destination. PCHR's fieldworker received testimony that IOF began firing tear gas canisters at Palestinian houses. As a result, a tear gas canister fell inside the house of Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Ras, 52. It is noted that the Palestinians who were attacked were far from the site of the incident. At approximately 23:00, IOF moved into Kufor 'Ein village, northwest of Ramallah. They They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. Friday, 28 September 2012 At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Qfin village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets and fired sound bombs. They withdrew in the early morning. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Noba village, west of Hebron. They They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 05:00, IOF moved into Berham village, northwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. Also on Friday, 28 September 2012, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian fisherman and wounded his brother, while they and a group of other fishermen were located a few meters from the shore in the northern Gaza Strip, pulling out their fishing nets. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 09:30 on Friday, 28 September 2012, an Israeli infantry unit crossed the northwestern border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, and moved nearly 20 meters into Palestinian territory, along the beach area of the northwestern town of Beit Lahia. Israeli soldiers took position behind a hill at the beach, facing onto a number of Palestinian fishermen who were fishing a few meters offshore. Israeli soldiers fired at the fishermen. The majority of the fishermen were able to flee. However, two fishermen, who were located nearly 15 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, were unable to escape. According to fishermen present in the area, Israeli soldiers fired directly at the two fishermen, wounding them. The two fishermen were identified as Fahmi Saleh Fahmi Abu Riash (22), who was wounded in the lower abdomen and thigh, and his brother Yousef (19), who was wounded by bullet shrapnel to the left hand. Nearby fishermen were later able to evacuate the two wounded men and carry them to a Palestinian Civil Defense ambulance, which was waiting nearly 350 meters away from the location of the incident. The ambulance transported the two wounded fishermen to Kamal Edwan Hospital in Beit Lahia. According to the forensic report issued by Kamal Edwan Hospital, the two wounded fishermen were brought to the hospital at 10:55. Fahmi Abu Riash had been wounded by a bullet to the left thigh and another bullet to the left buttock that settled in the pelvis, causing an acute hemorrhage in the lower part of the abdomen. His brother, Yousef, was wounded by bullet shrapnel to the left hand. He received treatment and was released from the hospital in the afternoon. At approximately 15:30 on the same day, Fahmi Abu Riash was taken to the operation room, where he underwent a two-hour surgery. He was then taken to the intensive care unit, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 22:30. In his testimony to PCHR, Yousef Mohammed Zayed (19), a fisherman from Beit Lahia, stated to PCHR: "At approximately 05:00 on Friday, 28 September 2012, my brother Haitham, my cousins, Fahmi and Yousef Ahmed Saleh Abu Riash, and I went fishing opposite to Beit Lahia beach in the northern Gaza Strip. We started fishing nearly 70 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. When the sun rose, we got as close as 15 meters to the border because fish was extensively available in the area. At approximately 09:30, I heard intensive shooting in the area. I looked back and saw about 9 Israeli soldiers atop a hill that is nearly 20 meters to the east of the beach. Immediately, Haitham, my cousin Ahmed, and I ran away and took shelter behind a hill, while Fahmi and Yousef remained stuck only 5 meters from the beach. Israeli soldiers shouted at them, and I saw my cousin Fahmi attempting to escape, but an Israeli soldier fired at him. He was wounded by a bullet to the left thigh. His brother Yousef attempted to offer him help, but he was also wounded by bullet shrapnel to the left hand. I saw Fahmi trying to stand up and escape, but an Israeli soldier fired at him again. Soon, some fishermen headed towards the two wounded fishermen and carried them to an ambulance of the Civil Defense, which transported them to Kamal Edwan Hospital. At approximately 22:30, Fahmi Saleh Abu Riash was pronounced dead." It should be noted that Israel’s forces have imposed restrictions on fishermen at sea. In 2009, they reduced the area allowed for fishing in Gaza waters from the 20 nautical miles provided for in the Oslo Accords to 3 nautical miles. Israel’s forces also prevent Palestinian fishermen from fishing within 1 nautical mile of the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, although this area is under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. At approximately 16:00, IOF positioned at the border fence, north of the "Elli Sinai" former settlement, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. They arrested 3 Palestinian children: Sakher Zaher Eid Abu Shabab, 17, Akram Mohammed Eid Abu Qayda, 13, and Yasser Ahmed Suleiman Abu Jarad, 16, from Ezbet Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip. IOF arrested them after they passed though the border fence in order to look for employment in Israel. Maher Abu al-Ouf, Director of the Palestinian Liaison Office "44" in the southwest of Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, said the Israeli side had informed him that IOF had arrested 3 Palestinians at the border fence. Saturday, 29 September 2012 At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Deir Nezam, northwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Zita village, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 03:25, IOF moved into 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ahmed Walid Isma'il Redwan, 22, Mo'tasem Mohammed Mosa Redwan, 23, and Abdul Latif Sayel Isaac Sweidan, 20. IOF withdrew and transported the three arrested Palestinians to an unknown destination. Also at approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Hebla village, south of Qalqilya. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into eastern Baqa, north of Tulkarm. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 17:30, IOF moved into al-Mazra'a village, northwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. Also at approximately 17:30, IOF moved into al-Jeftlik village, north of Jericho. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 22:15, IOF moved into al-Mtelah village, southeast of Jenin. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. Sunday, 30 September 2012 At approximately 10:00, IOF moved into Burqa village, east of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 11:30, IOF moved into Beit Sira, southwest of Ramallah. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. Monday, 01 October 2012 At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Hassan Mohammed Abbas Badwan, 24, Mohammed Rafi' Qatesh, 23, and Anas Mostafa Oda, 23. IOF withdrew and transported them to an unknown destination. In his testimony to PCHR fieldworker, Mohammed Abbas Badwan, father of Hassan Badwan, said: "At approximately 02:00 on Monday, 01 October 2012, IOF raided our house and obliged us to go out. They then handcuffed and blindfolded my 3 sons. The Israeli soldiers were inside the house; as a result, we could not know what they were doing there. Half an hour later, the Israeli officer ordered us to get inside and detained us on a balcony. He closed the door and kept the handcuffs and blindfolds on my sons. An hour and a half later, an Israeli soldier came and released my sons, but kept all of us on the balcony. IOF withdrew after they arrested my son Hassan, 24. Everything at home was upside down and was damaged; they even put sticks in our three big oil tanks. We do not know if they are usable. In addition, they polluted a well used for the irrigation and damaged parts of the ceramic tiles in the kitchen. All the closets were tampered with, and my son could not find clean clothes the following morning to wear to work. Here we are trying to fix the damage as much as we can." At approximately 07:45, IOF moved into al-Jdeidah, south of Jenin. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 08:00, IOF moved into Maythaloun village, south of Jenin. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 09:00, an Israeli infantry unit raided a number of houses in the Old City in the center of Hebron. They patrolled in the Bani Dar neighborhood, al-'Eqab neighborhood, al-Laban market and al-Iskafiya market. Palestinians in the area, including children, were terrorized in their homes. Last week, the Old City witnessed intensive activity by IOF to secure the area where Israeli settlers commemorate their Succoth feast. At approximately 18:00, IOF moved into 'Arana village, north of Jenin. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 21:25, IOF moved into Jayyous village, northeast of Qalqilya. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 21:50, IOF moved into 'Azzoun village, east of Qalqilya. They patrolled the streets from some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. Tuesday, 02 October 2012 At approximately 11:00, IOF moved into the al-Baq'a area, adjacent to bypass road 60, east of Hebron. They raided the 3-storey house belonging to the family of Salem al-Salayma, 50, where 17 persons live. IOF locked the family in the first storey, preventing them from moving, spread throughout the corridors of the house and on the roof, and turned the house into a military observation point. An eyewitness reported that more than 15 soldiers were stationed on the roof of the house, and that they set up tents on it, erected radios on the corner of the building, and raised Israeli flags on top of the house. It should be noted that IOF previously occupied the same house 4 years ago and stayed for several days under the pretext of security reasons. The vicinity of Hebron witnesses an regular presence of IOF on the bypass line, aiming to secure the roads for settlers coming to Hebron to perform their religious rites on the Jewish Holiday of "Forgiveness". At approximately 10:50, IOF positioned inside watchtowers located along the border, northwest of "Erez", northwest of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire on a number of workers, who were collecting the rubble of destroyed buildings in the area, forcing them to flee the area in fear of their lives. IOF continued to fire on the workers, who were 150 meters away from the border, for about five minutes. No injuries were reported. Wednesday, 03 October 2012 At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Qaryout village, southeast of Nablus. They patrolled the streets and raided a number of houses. They photographed the residents, as well as their houses, and wrote their names down on special forms, together with their telephone and mobile numbers. At approximately 03:00, IOF withdrew from the house of Abed El Ra’ouf Ali Zaghloul, which is located on the second storey of the 3-storey family building, in the western part of the village. Following the IOF’s departure, Abed El Raa’ouf’s wife, Hiba Nizar Mohammed Zaghloul, 29, noticed that jewelry to the value of 7,000 JD was missing from the small bag in her closet in the bedroom. In the early morning, she reported the theft to the Palestinian Military Liaison and the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Hiba Nizar Mohammed Zaghloul , 29, reported, to PCHR’s fieldworker, that: "At approximately 02:00 on Wednesday, 03 October 2012, while I was sleeping deeply with my five kids, who are aged between 4 months and 11 years, in the second storey of our 3-storey house, located in the western neighborhood of our villag "Qaryout", and at the above mentioned hour, I was surprised by a knock on my house door. I said "Who is it?" As soon as I put on my clothes, I was surprised to find three soldiers inside the house. I do not know where they came from, but they were able to open my house door easily. When the soldiers saw me, one of them asked me in broken Arabic about my husband. I told him that he works in Israel, and then he asked who is in the house. When my children were woken up by the soldiers’ voices, they were terrified. In that instant, around 14 soldiers started arriving to the house and searched the house while that soldier was still questioning about the house residents and taking notes. The soldier kept me with my children in the children’s bedroom, and the others continued searching the house. At approximately 03:00, they withdrew from the house. I remembered the jewelry and directly ran to my room and searched for it in the closet but I could not find it though I searched for it more than one time but in vain. In the morning, I went to file a complaint in the Palestinian Military Liaison in Nablus and the office of the Red Cross Committee, in an attempt to regain my 7,000 JD of jewelry, which consists of ounces and pounds of rings, earrings and bracelets that I used to put in a small bag in my closet in my bedroom." At the same time, IOF moved into Beit Amer village, north of Hebron and patrolled in the streets. Some of them raided and searched the house of Ahmed Abu Hashem, 45, and damaged its contents. Before their withdrawal, they arrested his child, Hamza, 14. IOF also raided the house of Ibrahim Sabri, 44, and arrested his son, Sabri, 17. Following this, IOF raided the house of Jamil Masharqa, 50, and handed him a notice ordering his son, Khaldon, 21, to meet the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) in 'Atsyon settlement, south of Bethlehem. Mohammed Awad said to PCHR’s fieldworker that IOF harshly beat Ahmed Abu Hashem when he tried to prevent them from entering his house to arrest his son. 'Awad clarified that IOF provocatively spread out in large numbers in the vicinity of the civilian house, prompting a number of boys to gather and throw stones at the Israeli soldiers. The soldiers fired tear gas, stun grenades, and metal bullets coated with a thin rubber layer in response against them. Youssef Abu Hashem, 20, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the foot. IOF also moved into al-Tabaqa village, south of Hebron. They patrolled the streets and positioned themselves in the vicinity of Jabal al-'Abed area, west of the village. At approximately 03:30, the Israeli vehicles withdrew. No arrests were reported. At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit 'Awwa village, west of Dora, southwest Hebron. They patrolled the streets and raided and searched a number of houses. They arrested Mo'az Jihad al-Sweiti, 21, Mohammed Fayez Mallouh, 18 and Yusri Yasser Motawi', 23, and transported them to an unknown destination. Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Sekka village, southwest of Hebron. They patrolled the streets for some time and later withdrew. Neither house raids nor arrests were reported. At approximately 08:30, more than 30 Israeli soldiers raided the Ibrhimi School near the Ibrhimi mosque in the Old City of Hebron, under the pretext that Palestinians had been throwing stones from the school at Israeli soldiers and settlers. The school teachers did not allow the soldiers to enter school and closed the gates. It should be noted that the vicinity of the school witnesses the intensive presence of Israeli soldiers, who guard the settlers while they perform their rituals during Jewish holidays. 2. Use of Excessive Force against Peaceful Demonstrations Protesting Settlement Activities and the Construction of the Annexation Wall During the reporting period, IOF used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, an Israeli human rights defender and a Palestinian child were wounded, and dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. Following the Friday Prayer on 28 September 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil'ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall. The demonstrators gathered in the streets of the village, with the participation of the Palestinian Counsel in Serbia, Talal Al-Zaq, and a Serbian media delegation, chanting slogans calling for national unity which stressed the need to adhere to the national principles and the right of return, to resist the occupation and to call for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. The protesters raised Palestinian flags and headed towards the Wall. They called through megaphones for Israeli settlers in "Mitityahu" settlement to leave Palestinian land. Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, a number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and the wounded were treated in the field. Also following the Friday Prayer on 28 September 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall and continuing settlement activities. The demonstrators moved towards areas of the annexation wall. Immediately, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, others sustained bruises and the wounded were treated in the field. Same time that Friday, dozens of Palestinian civilians, Israeli and international human rights defenders gathered in Martyrs Square in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, to begin their weekly peaceful protest against the ongoing construction of the annexation wall and continuing settlement activities. The protesters walked towards the gate erected by IOF near the entrance of the village and leading to Palestinian lands that Israeli settlers from the nearby "Halmish" settlement are trying to seize. Israeli soldiers, who had been extensively deployed in the area and near all the entrances of the village since the morning, began to confront the protesters who wanted to walk towards the affected lands. Israeli soldiers fired live and rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protesters. As a result, some demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation, and others sustained bruises. They were treated in the field. Also at 13:30 that Friday afternoon, Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in the center of al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem, in protest at the ongoing construction of the annexation wall. They moved towards the entrance of the village. Immediately, IOF fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. At approximately 10:00 Saturday morning, 29 September 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders and villagers whose lands are threatened by confiscation (Al-Hamra, Al-Twani and Tuba) gathered northeast of Yatta, south of Hebron, to begin their weekly peaceful protest against the IOF's policy of confiscating the villagers’ lands in order to expand its the settlements on the territory of these villages. As a result, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. According to Rateb Jabour, a member of the Popular Committee Against Settlement Activity and the Wall in Yatta, a large number of settlers coming from "Haffa Ma'aon" settlement started throwing rocks and bottles at the protesters; as a result, Fadel Jibril Bura'I, 46, and Mowahed Ali Al-Shawahein, 19, were injured. The IOF did not intervene to stop the settler violence. At approximately 11:00 on the same day, dozens of Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders, gathered in the Center of Bait Amer village, north of Hebron, for the weekly peaceful demonstration organized against the settlement expansion policy and land confiscation. The demonstrators headed towards Thaher Jalis area near "Kermi Tsour" settlement north of the village. Upon nearing the settlement, IOF immediately fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them. Dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation. 3. Continued Closure of the oPt Israel has 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. Gaza Strip Israel has continuously closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for nearly 5 years. 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. IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip and practically made Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its distance and operational capacity. IOF have continued to apply their policy aimed at tightening the strangulation of the commercial movement in the Gaza Strip, including imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports. The total closure of al-Mentar "Karni" crossing on 02 March 2011 has created a terrible situation that has seriously affected the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all economic and commercial establishments in Gaza Commercial Zone were shut off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip in terms of its operational capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision to close al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions resulting in the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2009, and Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which was dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010. IOF have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. The cooking gas crisis, which erupted last November, has continued to affect the Gaza Strip. This crisis was created on 04 January 2010, when Israeli occupation authorities totally closed Nahal Oz crossing, which used to be dedicated to the delivery of fuel and cooking gas supplies to Gaza. They shifted fuel and cooking gas supplies to the Karm Abu Salem crossing, which is not equipped to receive Gaza's fuel needs. Karm Abu Salem crossing, with its maximum absorptive capacity, can receive only 200 tons of cooking gas per day. Approximately 80% of Gaza civilians have continued to depend on humanitarian aid provided by UNRWA and other relief agencies, the number of families who are living below the poverty line has continued to increase, and approximately 40% of Gaza's manpower has continued to suffer from permanent unemployment as a result of shutting down the majority of Gaza's economic establishments. IOF have continued to impose a total ban on the export of products from Gaza, especially industrial products, undermining any real chance of reopening economic establishments. The situation has been aggravated since Karm Abu Salem crossing was designated as Gaza’s sole commercial crossing; the repeated closure of this crossing negatively affects the quantity of Gaza products which were allowed to be exported during last April. For approximately six consecutive years, IOF have continued to ban the delivery of construction materials to Gaza. During the reporting period, IOF approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of international organizations. Israel has continued to close Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip. IOF only allow the movement of limited groups amidst severe restrictions, including long hours of waiting in the majority of cases. IOF have also continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and Jerusalem. IOF denied new categories of Gazan patients permission to have access to hospitals via the crossing. Israel has imposed additional access restrictions on traders, international diplomats, journalists and humanitarian workers seeking to enter the Gaza Strip. Movement at Border Crossings during the Reporting Period: Movement at Rafah International Crossing Point 26 September – 02 October 2012 Day Date Traveling abroad Coming into Gaza Returned into Gaza Wednesday 26 September 2012 649 650 and a corpse 47 Thursday 27 September 2012 878 961 61 Friday 28 September 2012 348 320 and a corpse 72 Saturday 29 September 2012 785 848 72 Sunday 30 September 2012 679 731 87 Monday 01 October 2012 727 674 62 Tuesday 02 October 2012 527 708 and a corpse 54 Movement at Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing 26 September – 02 October 2012 Imports: Date Imports Category Amount Tons Number Liters 27 September 2012 Foodstuffs 1,232 Agricultural materials 1,669 Various goods Cartons of clothes Refrigerators Car tires Glass boards Power generators 970 897 422 448 1,060 556 Humanitarian aid 6,685 Cooking gas 179.100 02 October 2012 Foodstuffs 1,018 Agricultural materials 1,582 Various goods Refrigerators Cartons of clothes Cartons of shoes Glass boards Power generators Birds Water tanks 1,797 307 1,240 353 1,060 317 598 267 Humanitarian aid 6,366 Cooking gas 67.060 Exports: On Thursday, 27 September 2012, IOF allowed the export of 57 tons of house furniture and 10 truckloads of plastic cans. On Monday, 02 October 2012, IOF allowed the export of 6 truckloads of empty plastic cans. Imports: On Thursday, 27 September 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 220 tons of cement, 41 tons of construction steel, 3,290 tons of construction aggregate for UNRWA, 1,610 tons of construction aggregate for USAID, 1,400 tons of construction aggregate for Water Authority, 858 tons of fodders and 273 tons of wheat. On Monday, 02 October 2012, IOF allowed the entry of 240 tons of cement, 54 tons of construction steel, 3,500 tons of construction aggregate for UNRWA, 1,400 tons of construction aggregate for USAID, 819 tons of fodders and 273 tons of wheat. IOF closed the crossing on 25, 26, 30 September and 02 October 2012, because of Jewish holidays. Movement at Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing 26 September – 02 October 2012 Date 26 September 27 September 28 September 29 September 30 September 01 October 02 October Patients Nil 50 4 Nil 32 Nil 36 Companions Nil 48 4 Nil 31 Nil 37 Personal needs Nil 24 1 Nil 16 Nil 16 Arabs from Israel Nil 19 3 Nil 9 Nil 30 Diplomats Nil 12 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil International Journalists Nil 2 1 Nil Nil Nil 2 International Workers Nil 90 16 Nil 9 Nil 19 UN Workers Nil 38 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Travelers abroad Nil 2 Nil Nil 2 Nil 2 Business People Nil 133 Nil Nil Nil Nil 106 Economic Meetings Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Security Interviews Nil 3 Nil Nil Nil Nil 1 VIPs Nil 1 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Ambulances toIsrael Nil 5 1 Nil 1 Nil 1 Ambulances fromIsrael Nil 2 Nil Nil 1 1 Nil IOF closed the crossing completely on Wednesday, 26 September 2012, under the pretext of marking the Yom Kippur Jewish feast, and allowed only humanitarian cases to pass via the crossing from 07:30-13:00 on Sunday, 30 September 2012, under the pretext of marking the first Sukkot feast. In addition, on Monday, 01 October 2012, IOF closed the crossing completely for the same reason, and only allowed patients with very serious illnesses to pass via the crossing. The West Bank Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. · It is approximated that there are hundreds of permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. When complete, the illegal annexation wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, confiscating more Palestinian land. Many of the main roads that lead to Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by IOF. IOF have continued to restrict access of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank to East Jerusalem, through a strict system of permits and a network of checkpoints. IOF have completed controlled access to the Jordan Valley through 4 permanent checkpoints established at its entrances. Palestinians living outside the area are not allowed to enter it without permits. Settlement activities and expansion of settlements impose additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF have continued to restrict access to gunfire areas and natural reserves, which constitute about 26% of the total area of the West Bank. Israeli military checkpoints restrict the movement of goods throughout the West Bank. Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by IOF in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped in the streets, searched and even arrested by IOF. Israel has imposed a tightened closure on the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians: Ramallah and al-Bireh: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 27 September 2012, IOF re-established their presence at 'Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. At approximately 10:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Beit 'Aor AlTahta" village, southwest of Ramallah. At approximately 09:00 on Friday, 28 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah. At approximately 10:30, IOF established a checkpoint under "Khrabtha al-Misbah" Bridge, southwest of Ramallah. Also at approximately 10:00 on Sunday, 30 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Ras Karkar" village, west of Ramallah. At approximately 20:00, IOF re-established their presence at 'Attara checkpoint, north of Beir Zait. At approximately 20:40, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Beit Loqaya" village, west of Ramallah. Jericho: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 09:00 on Thursday, 27 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho. At approximately 09:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Al Zbaidat" village, north of Jericho. At approximately 17:00, IOF established a checkpoint on the "Mu’wajat" road connecting Ramallah and Jericho. At approximately 15:00 on Friday, 28 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "al Dyouk al Tahtah" village, north of Jericho. At approximately 17:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Fasayel", north of Jericho. At approximately 22:00 on Saturday, 29 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jericho. At approximately 17:30 on Sunday, 30 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the entrance of "Fasayel", north of Jericho. At approximately 19:00, IOF established on "al Mu’wajat" road connecting Ramallah and Jericho. Jenin: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 07:30 on Monday, 1 October 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Zebda" village, southwest of Jenin. Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 27 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the main road connecting Tulkarm and the other villages, north of Tulkarm, known as "al Sh’araweya", near " Baket al Sharkeya" and " 'aalar" villages. In the same time, IOF established a checkpoint near "Baldat Zita" intersection, north of Tulkarm. At approximately 10:30, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "qofein" village, north of Tulkarm. At approximately 18:40, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of Shoufa village, southeast of Tulkarm. At approximately 15:30 on Friday, 28 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the main road connecting Tulkarm and Nablus at "Beit Leed" intersection, known as "Abu Martein", east of Tulkarm. At approximately 7:00 on Saturday, 29 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the main road connecting Tulkarm and Nablus at "Beit Leed" intersection, known as "Abu Martein", east of Tulkarm. At approximately 11:50, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of 'Qofein" village, north of Tulkarm. Hebron: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 9:30 on Saturday, 27 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint in al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. In addition, the surrounding villages and towns witnessed an intensified presence of IOF on bypass road number 60. At approximately 05:00 on Tuesday, 2 October 2012, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Galagel" village, east of Hebron. At approximately 06:00, IOF established a checkpoint at the entrance of "Bani Na’aim" village, east of Hebron. At approximately 11:00, IOF established a checkpoint on "Zaif" intersection, north of Yattah, south of Hebron. Qalqilya: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Monday, 1 October 2012, IOF established 4 checkpoints in different parts of the city. At approximately 15:45, IOF established the first checkpoint between "'Aazoun" and "'Aezbet al Tabib" villages, east of Qalqilya. At approximately 18:35, IOF established the second checkpoint at the entrance of " 'Azoun 'Aetma" village, southeast of the city. At approximately 20:50, IOF established the third checkpoint near "'Aezbet al Tabib" village. At approximately 10:30, IOF established the fourth checkpoint at the entrance of "'Azzoun" village, east of Qalqilya. Selfit: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. At approximately 22:30 Friday evening, 28 September 2012, IOF established a checkpoint on the entrance of Merda village, north of Selfit. At approximately 22:40, IOF established another checkpoint on the western entrance of Al-Zawya town, west of the city. Arrests at Military Checkpoints At approximately 10:00 on Friday, 28 September 2012, IOF stationed in the center of the old city of Hebron, arrested:Alaa Al-Dwaik (14) and Khalil Abu-Maizer (15) and moved them to the detention center in "Keryat Arba'" settlement, southeast of the city, for investigation. At approximately 21:00 Saturday evening, 29 September 2012, IOF, who had established a checkpoint on the main road between Betlehem and Hebron, arrested Ammar Al-Owaiwy (33) from Hebron and led him to Al-Maskoubya investigation center in occupied Jerusalem. It should be mentioned that Mr. Al-Owaiwy was a prisoner in Israeli jails for nearly 10 year, and was only released 5 months ago. At approximately 9:00 Sunday morning, 30 September 2012, IOF stationed near the gates of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the old city of Hebron, arrested Mohammed Ahmed Gnimat (17) and took him to the detention center in "Keryat Arba'" settlement, southeast of the city, for investigation. 4. Settlement Activities and Attacks by Settlers against Palestinian Civilians and Property 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 27 September 2012, settlers from "Bitar 'Elite" settlement, established on the lands of the villages of Fokein Valley, Hossan and Nahalin, west of Bethlehem, dumped huge amounts of sewage water onto agriculture lands near Fokein Valley village. According to Ahmad Sokkar, head of the Fokein Valley village council, the sewage water submerged the 50-dunum agricultural lands of Madiq Gate, south of the village. He also mentioned that this is not a first, but a repetitive action which has caused the contamination of the land, making it unsuitable for agriculture; also mentioned that Fokein Valley village is subject to fierce attacks and harassments by the settlers under the protection of IOF. At approximately 13:30 Thursday afternoon, 27 September 2012, a group of nearly 20 settlers from "Brakha" settlement, established northeast of Bourin village, south of Nablus, damaged and cut down more than 60 olive trees, using sharp objects, sticks and stones. The attacked land is the property of Ahmed Abdul-Fatah Falah, and it is located in the Bab Al-Thania area, nearly 1500m from the settlement. Lotfi Omran, head of the Bourin village council, told PCHR that the owners of this land cannot reach their land except with special coordination from IOF, which only happens in time for plowing season or the olive harvest. On Sunday morning, 30 September 2012, the settlers started setting up caravans in Al-Khader town territories, southwest of Bethlehem. According to Ahmed Salah, coordinator of the Popular Movement against Settlement Activity and the Wall, a group of settlers from "Daniel" settlement, established on the lands of Al-Khader town, led by a settler called Hanania, began erecting caravans in Thaher Ain Qesis area, which belongs to Khader Ali Eissa Abu-Ghalion. Salah also mentioned that two months ago, the settlers took over 5 dunums of Abu-Ghalion's 19 dunums. He also added that they had erected a caravan and established water and electricity infrastructure, which is a warning sign of future plans to establish a settlement in the area. In addition, he explained that the citizens of Al-Khader town are subject to fierce harassment by the settlers, which usually happens with protection from the IOF, such as confiscation of vast areas of land, closing agriculture roads and unleashing dogs on the farmers to scare them and prevent them from returning to their lands. It should be mentioned that Mr. Abu-Ghalion, mentioned above, has already filed a complained against "Kfar Atsion" settlement block calling for the annulment of the decision to confiscate his 5 dunums of land, with no response. On Wednesday, 03 October 2012, IOF confiscated another 4 tracts of farmland near the entrance of Fokein Valley village, west of Bethlehem. Mr. Sukkar, mentioned above, stated that 4 citizens of Al-Manasra family received an order from IOF Chief Commander in the West Bank, stating that 75 dunums of their farmland would be confiscated. These lands are located in the northeast part of the village. By confiscating these lands, IOF will isolate the village from its surroundings in the oPt. Mr. Sukkar also mentioned that IOF will place a gate on the entrance of the village; as a result, the ability to enter and leave the village will be under IOF control, which will increase the suffering of the villagers. It should be mentioned that the Fokein Valley village is subject to fierce settlement activity that threatens to result in the confiscation of the rest of its lands, which are surrounded by more than 5 settlements, as IOF has confiscated over 200 dunums of the village territory since the beginning of this year. On Wednesday, 03 October 2012, IOF took pictures of all Palestinian houses in the Um Rokba area, south of Al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem. According to Mr Salah mentioned above, a unit of about 10 military vehicles accompanied by an officer and staff from the Israeli Civil Administration, stormed the Um Rokba area and photographed all the houses in the area. The area is located near the settlement outpost established on the land of Um Al-Mohammadin, where new settlement units are being built. Mr Salah also mentioned that the majority of the houses in Um Rokba area are under threat of demolition and removal, according to notices submitted to them earlier by the Israeli Civil Administration. It should be mentioned that an Israeli group of engineers carried out survey work and pictured the houses in Kharba Alia area, near Um Rokba, which is a warning signal of a new scheme to confiscate more Palestinian lands to continue the construction of the annexation wall around Bethlehem and to expand "Afrat" settlement on the lands of Al-Khader town. ………………………………………………… Recommendations to the International Community 1. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure Israel's respect for the Convention in the OccupiedPalestinian Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human rights and humanitarian law. 2. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel's respect of the Convention in the OPT and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians. 3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with their legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes. 4. PCHR calls for the immediate implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal. 5. PCHR recommends that international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs, participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and urge their governments to bring the perpetrators to justice. 6. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states andIsrael. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the OPT. 7. PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented in September 2005, for what it is - not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. 8. In recognition of ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the OPT, including the facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. 9. PCHR appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel's respect for human rights in the OPT and to demand Israel end its attacks on Palestinian civilians. 10. PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the OPT. 11. PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace process or agreement must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.