newspalestine-Besieged Gaza

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

Israeli Forces conducted 19 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children. 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded Israeli Forces used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in protest of the construction of the Wall.

On December 2nd, Israeli Forces killed a Palestinian civilian near Ramallah, when they deliberately fired at him when he was having a picnic together with 2 of his relatives.

On 5 December 2007, an Israeli undercover unit shot dead a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Bethlehem. An Israeli spokesman claimed that the Israeli military operation in Bethlehem was “aimed at arresting wanted Palestinians, but Israeli Forces troops were fired at by militants and they returned fire.” He further claimed that Israeli Forces initiated an investigation into the incident.

But according to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 16:15, a vehicle of the Palestinin Customs Department was patrolling on Hebron – Bethlehem road, southeast of Bethlehem. A civilian van with a Palestinian registration plate chased the vehicle and demanded the driver to stop, but he proceeded towards the Palestinian security compound. Members of the Palestinian National Security Forces positioned in the area attempted to stop the suspicious van. Immediately, Israeli troops inside the van opened fire at members of the National Security Forces, wounding Mohammed Khalil Suleiman Salah, 36, with 4 gunshots to the head, the abdomen and the right thigh. He died at Beit Jala Hospital an hour later. Soon after, Israeli military vehicles moved into the town, and Israeli troops opened fire at Palestinian security sites, houses and shops. They withdrew from the town at approximately 17:30 that same evening.

During the reporting period, Israeli Forces conducted at least 19 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, Israeli Forces arrested 56 Palestinian civilians, including a child. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by Israeli Forces in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 2,525. During the reporting period, Israeli Forces transformed 3 Palestinian houses into military sites.

Israeli Forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. Israeli Forces have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

Israeli Forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, Israeli Forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilian in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah.

Following the Friday Prayer on 30 November 2007, scores of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, to protest the construction of the Wall. Israeli Forces troops had placed barbwires in the area to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the Wall. The demonstrators attempted to move forward. Immediately, Israeli Forces troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, and violently beat them. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded by rubber-coated bullets and tear gas canisters.

Israeli settler attacks:

Israeli Forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

At approximately 12:00 on Thursday, 29 November 2007, at least 10 Israeli settlers from “Ma’oun” settlement, south of Hebron, closed the road that links Yatta town with Kherbat Touba areas with rocks and sand.Israeli troops were present in the area, but did not intervene to prevent the settlers from closing the road.

Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:

Israeli forces killed 18 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip this week. All were members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas). 17 others were wounded by Israeli forces in 7 separate attacks throughout the Gaza Strip.Israeli Forces conducted 2 incursions into Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip, and Wadi al-Salqa in the central Gaza Strip. During those incursions, Israeli Forces wounded and arrested a Palestinian civilian, and arrested his two sons.On Saturday, December 1st, at approximately 00:50, Israeli warplanes fired 3 missiles at a number of fighters from the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas), who were stationed on agricultural land in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis, hundreds of meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Ten minutes later, Israeli warplanes fired 2 additional missiles at another group of militants in the east of ‘Abassan village. As a result if the two air strikes, 5 fighters were killed.On Monday, December 3rd, in another incident, at approximately 22:30, an Israeli infantry unit moved nearly 600 meters into Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Israeli troops besieged and fired at a house belonging to Mousa ‘Abdul Karim Abu Meghassib, 42. He was wounded by a gunshot to the right thigh. Israeli Forces troops then raided the house and arrested Abu Meghassib and his two sons: Bassem, 18; and Jamal, 17. Abu Meghassib’s wife claimed that Israeli Forces troops stole some jewelry from the house. A neighboring house was also damaged.In addition to the various airstrikes and invasions this week, Israeli Forces also decided a new reduction in the supply of fuel to the Gaza Strip, which already suffers from serious shortages in fuel. It is noted that this decision preempted a pending decision by the Israeli High Court on a petition submitted by PCHR and several human rights organizations against the Israeli Forces decision on 25 October 2007 to reduce the fuel and electricity supplies to the Strip. The Israeli High Court held a session on 30 November to review the petition and it rejected the petition.

Statistics indicate that the Strip’s fuel supply was reduced by more than 50% since the Israeli Forces decision was issued on 25 October 2007. Gasoline supplies dropped 90,000 liters a day (73% decrease); benzene supplies dropped to 25,000 liters a day (67% decrease); whereas natural gas supplies dropped to 100 tons (56% decrease). The daily fuel needs of the Gaza Strip are 350,000 liters of gasoline, 120,000 liters of benzene, and 350 tons of natural gas.