The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR): Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
Israeli forces continued to commit crimes and multi-layered violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties. This week witnessed escalation of demolitions and attempts to displace Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem, with the complicity of the Israeli judiciary. Soldiers continued to use excessive force against the Palestinian civilians, and carry out incursions into the Palestinian cities and villages in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, as well as arrest campaigns, turning the West Bank into isolated blocks of land. Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip enters its 15th year under closure, exacerbating the humanitarian hardships across the territory.
Soldiers shot and wounded 3 civilians in excessive use of force in the West Bank: one in Qalqilia and two including a child in al-Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem.
In the Gaza Strip, PCHR documented 3 Navy shootings at fishing boats in the Gaza Sea, and two army shooting incidents on agricultural lands in eastern Gaza.
Israeli forces carried out 119 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids of civilian houses and shootings, inciting fear and terror among civilians, and attacking many of them. During this week’s incursions, 80 Palestinians were arrested, including 16 children and a woman who arrested with her husband.
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military conducted a limited incursion into eastern Khan Younis.
PCHR documented 8 incidents:
Israeli closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement:
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to ban the entry of dozens of goods, including construction materials, in collective punishment measures against the Gaza Strip as the Israeli closure imposed on the territory entered its 15th year, without an end in sight that would fulfill Palestinians’ right to enjoy their economic, social, and cultural rights.
Meanwhile, occupation authorities continue to divide the West Bank into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the 2000 Second Intifada -still closed to this date- and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilian movement is restricted, and they are subject to arrest, especially at al-Karama border crossing, alongside the Palestinian-Jordanian border.
I. Shooting and other Violations of the Right to Life and Bodily Integrity
At approximately 01:00 on Thursday, 28 October 2021, a group of Palestinians gathered by Dura’s eastern entrance, connecting Bypass road 60, and threw stones at an Israeli military watchtower in the area. The soldiers deployed on the bypass road and fire tear gas canisters arbitrarily, causing several stone throwers to suffocate. The clashes continued until 02:00, and the soldiers later closed the metal gate established on the city’s entrance.At approximately 13:30, an infantry unit of the Israeli military forces moved into al-Aroub refugee camp, northern Hebron. They fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the Palestinians present in the camp, allegedly for throwing stones on the military watchtower by the camp’s entrance. As a result, several Palestinians suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. Clashes continued until 16:00 when soldiers retreated and stationed on the entrance connecting with Bypass road 60.At approximately 08:45 on Friday, 29 October 2021, soldiers stationed along Gaza border area opened fire in eastern Khan Younis at nearby agricultural lands. No casualties were reported.Following Friday prayers, the army assaulted dozens of worshipers leaving al-Aqsa Mosque via Bab al-Asbat and onto al-Yousifiyah cemetery in central East Jerusalem. Soldiers assaulted the worshipers and fired tear gas canisters at them to disperse any gathering near the cemetery.
At approximately 14:00, a group of Palestinians gathered in Ras al-Joura, northern Hebron, and threw stones on an Israeli military watchtower established on the road connecting Hebron and Halhoul. Soldiers deployed in the area and fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the protestors. Soldiers also chased them and arrested Usama Zeyd al-Jnaidy (21), taking him to an unknown destination. The clashes continued until 18:00.At approximately 17:45, Israeli Navy gunboats in the northern Gaza sea chased Palestinian fishing boat sailing at 3 nautical miles, pumped water at them and opened heavy fire at them, stirring fear among the fishermen and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.At approximately 18:30, soldiers moved into al-Samen area, west of al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem, under the pretext of stone throwing. Tens of young men gathered at the area entrance and threw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers and their vehicles. The army immediately attacked the protesters with rubber-coated metal bullets and teargas canisters. Muhanad Hasan Hasanat (16) was arrested from al-Dheisheh refugee camp, south of the city.At approximately 14:00 on Saturday, 30 October, a group of Palestinians gathered in Bab al-Zawya area in Hebron where Israeli soldiers maintain a military checkpoint on the entrance of the closed Shuhadaa St. The protestors set tires on fire and threw stones on the military checkpoint. Israeli soldiers deployed on rooftops in the area and fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the protestors. Soldiers chased a group and several protestors suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. The clashes continued until 18:00, and Israeli soldiers forced civilians to close their shops.At approximately 16:00, dozens of Palestinians gathered on the road connecting al-Aroub refugee camp, northern Hebron, and Bypass road 60. They threw stones on soldiers near the military watchtower, set tires on fire, threw empty bottles, and closed the road with metal bars. Army reinforcements arrived and deployed in the area. They fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the stone throwers and chased them; many suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. Israeli soldiers arrested a child, identified as Jamal Rami al-Mughrabi (13) and took him to the detention center at “Gush Etzion”At approximately 23:30, Israeli Navy gunboats in the southern Gaza sea chased Palestinian fishing boat sailing at 6 nautical miles, pumped water at them and opened heavy fire at them, stirring fear among the fishermen and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.At approximately 05:00 on Tuesday, 2 November, Israeli soldiers arrested Saqr Ashraf Abdulqader Rakban (19) after raiding and searching his home in al-Dheisheh refugee camp, Bethlehem. Before withdrawing, dozens of Palestinians gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at the army. The latter fired live and rubber-coated bullets. As a result, Amir Ahmed Mahmoud Hassan (16) and Mohammed Ashraf Abdulqader Rakban (21) sustained bullet injuries in their extremities.At approximately 19:00, Israeli soldiers suppressed a sit-in in solidarity with Karam al-Ja’ouni area under the threat of displacement in favor of Israeli settlement organizations in front of the sit-in tent in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They assaulted the protesters and forced them to leave the area.
At approximately 17:00 on Tuesday, 02 November 2021, a number of young men gathered at the entrance to al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, where the army established a military checkpoint. The young men threw stones at the military vehicles stationed near the watchtower and set fire to tires on the road leading to Bypass Road (60) and to the camp. The soldiers deployed in the area and nearby agricultural field and fired stun grenades and teargas canisters at the stone-throwers. As a result, some of the stone-throwers suffocated. The clashes continued until 21:00, during which the army closed the entrance to the camp and prevented vehicles’ movement. No arrests were reported.At approximately 01:00 on Wednesday, 1 November, Navy gunboats in the northern Gaza sea chased Palestinian fishing boat sailing at 3 nautical miles, pumped water at them and opened heavy fire at them, stirring fear among the fishermen and forcing them to flee. No casualties were reported.At approximately 08:00, the army stationed along the border fence opened fire and fired teargas canisters at the agricultural lands in eastern Khuza’ah village, east of Khan Younis. No arrests were reported.
II. Incursions and arrests
At approximately 02:40, Israeli soldiers arrested a child, Ghazi Omar Derbas (17), after raiding and searching his house in Qalqilia.At approximately 03:00, Israeli soldiers arrested Anas Wael Qasem (25), after raiding and searching his house in Abu Dis village, east of the occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 04:05, Israeli soldiers arrested Mo’taz Omar Abdul Jawad (23), after raiding and searching his house in Far’a refugee camp, south of Tubas.At approximately 07:15, Israeli soldiers arrested Samed Abdul Latif Abu Jish (25), after raiding and searching his house in Beit Dajan village, northeast of Nablus.At approximately 14:00, Israeli soldiers deployed in Hebron’s Old City arrested Mazen Mohammed al-Natshah (16), claiming that he did not obey the soldiers’ orders. Israeli soldiers took him to the Ibrahimi Mosque police center. Later, the army released the child after the intervention of the Palestinian military liaison office.Around the same time, Israeli soldiers arrested Ameer Malik al-Faqih (22), after raiding and searching his house in Biddu village, northwest of the occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 19:30, Israeli soldiers arrested a child, Jehad Dawoud al-Badan (17), while present near Belal Bin Rabah Mosque, north of Bethlehem, claiming that he threw a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli watchtower located in the area.Israeli soldiers carried out an incursion in Kafr Thulth, east of Qalqilia. No arrests were reported.
At approximately 00:00, Israeli soldiers arrested 2 children after raiding and searching their houses in Husan village, west of Bethlehem. The arrestees are: Mohammed Khaled Hamamera (14), and Mahmoud Abdul Wahab Hamamera (17).At approximately 02:00, Israeli soldiers arrested Nedal Mazen Ballout (29), after raiding and searching his house in Bani Na’im village, east of Hebron.At approximately 02:30, Israeli soldiers arrested Belal Abdul Kareem Darwish (37), after raiding and searching his house in al-Shuhada village, southeast of Jenin governorate.At approximately 02:40, Israeli soldiers arrested Sami Abdul Rahim Salama (44), along with his brother, Hussam (49), after raiding and searching their houses in Tulkarem.At approximately 03:05, Israeli soldiers arrested an elderly man, Basheer Ahmed al-Khairy (78), a leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian (PFLP), after raiding and searching his house in Ein Munjid neighborhood in Ramallah.At approximately 03:15, Israeli soldiers arrested Mohannad Yousef Arafa (30), after raiding and searching his house in Tulkarem.At approximately 04:10, Israeli soldiers arrested two children, Saber Bassam Hebroun (17) and Izz al-Dein Abu Shanab (17), after raiding and searching their houses in Askar refugee camp, northeast of Nablus.At approximately 11:00, Israeli soldiers arrested Suhaib Mohammed Nababetah (19), after raiding and searching his house in Shu’afat refugee camp, northeast of the occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 15:00, Israeli soldiers arrested a child Tamer Emad Abu Sharikh (17), from al-Tur neighborhood, east of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, while present near Herod’s Gate, in Jerusalem.At approximately 15:30, Israeli soldiers arrested Mahmoud Abdullah Bani Owda, from Tubas, northeast of the West Bank, while he was leaving the al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.At approximately 17:00, Israeli soldiers arrested Mohammed Khader Abu al-Humus (56), while participating in the weekly protest against settlement at the entrance of Sheikh Jarrah, north of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, after a settler hit and pushed him.
At approximately 18:00, Israeli soldiers severely assaulted and arrested Ashraf Kayed al-Rajabi (13) and Jehad Yaqin al-Rajabi (12), while leaving the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.Israeli soldiers carried out (5) incursions in Ya’bad and Qabatia in Jenin governorate; Hebron, Beit Ummar and Samu’ in Hebron. No arrests were reported.
At approximately 00:00, Israeli soldiers severely beat up and arrested (3) civilians after raiding and searching their houses in Bab Huta area, one of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City’s neighborhoods, causing injuries and bruises in their bodies. The arrestees are: Bahaa Da’na (18), Mo’tasem al-Rajabi (18), and Mohammed al-Razim (27). Meanwhile, dozens of young men gathered and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who responded with firing sound bombs randomly at civilians’ houses.At approximately 18:00, soldiers arrested Dawoud Mohammed al-’Amoudi (12), while present near Bab al-Amud Gate, in the occupied East Jerusalem.Israeli soldiers carried out (2) incursions in Asira al-Shamaliya and Madama, southeast of Nablus governorate. No arrests were reported.
At approximately 01:30, soldiers handed Salah Mohammed Mousa Sabbah (23) a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Services, after raiding and searching his house in Harmala, east of Bethlehem.At approximately 02:00, soldiers arrested Mo’taz Ya’qoub Abu Roumi (40), after raiding and searching his house in Eizariya village, east of the occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 03:00, soldiers arrested Huthaifa Nabil al-Ja’bari (31), after raiding and searching his house in Nimra neighborhood in Hebron.Around the same time, soldiers moved into Suba area, west of Dura, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a barrack used as a store for goods, belonging to Mo’tasem Ramadan al-Awaweda, but no confiscations were reported.At approximately 04:00, soldiers arrested (6) civilians after raiding and searching their houses in Ni’lin village, west of Ramallah. The arrestees are Abdul Raziq Firas al-Khawaja (21), Omar Talal Srour (24), Rani Nedal al-Khawaja (25), Ahmed Mohammed al-Khawaja (20), Ahmed Awwad Srour (29), Mohammed Jamal al-Khawaja (19), and Mohammed Salah Srour (25). Later, the army released Mohammed Salah Srour.At approximately 16:30, soldiers arrested Oday Ali Derbas (19), after raiding and searching his house in al-‘Isawiya, northeast the occupied East Jerusalem, while present in Shu’afat neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.Around the same time, soldiers arrested Mo’tasem Syam (21), while present in Bab al-‘Amoud area in occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 23:30, soldiers arrested Karam Mohammed Alian (21), after raiding and searching his house in al-‘Isawiya, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem.
At approximately 01:00, soldiers arrested Mahmoud Abdul Karim Farajallah (35), after raiding and searching his house in Idhna, west of Hebron.At approximately 02:30, soldiers arrested a child, Hamza Mahmoud al-Tawil (17), after raiding and searching his house in Ras al-’Amud neighborhood, east of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.At approximately 03:15, soldiers arrested Ehsan Abdullah Mawqidi (26), from al-Zawiya village, north of Salfit, after referring to the Israeli Intelligence Services, upon a prior summons.At approximately 03:30, soldiers arrested Wisam Saleh Maghaslah (23), after raiding and searching his house in Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron.At approximately 03:30, soldiers arrested Mohammed Haitham Shilbaya (22) and Ahmed Fares Abu Musallam (27), after raiding and searching their houses in Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus.At approximately 07:30, soldiers reinforced with several military vehicles moved dozens of meters into eastern Khuza’a village, east of Khan Younis. They leveled and combed lands adjacent to the border fence before they deployed again after several hours.At approximately 16:00, soldiers arrested Khaled Mohammed al-Heih (43), after raiding and searching his house in al-Dawha, west of Bethlehem.At approximately 17:00, soldiers arrested Mohammed Rizq Hammash (25), after raiding and searching his house in al-Dheisheh refugee camp, southwest of Bethlehem.At approximately 18:20, soldiers established a temporary military checkpoint at the entrance to Ti’nik village, west of Jenin. They stopped and checked the Palestinian vehicles, and arrested Ibrahim Ahmed Khuzimiyah (23), from Qabatiya, southeast of Jenin governorate.The army carried out (2) incursions in Yatta and Samu’ villages in Hebron. No arrests were reported.
At approximately 01:00, soldiers arrested Wadea Mohammed Daghlas (19) and Mo’taz Mohannad Daghlas (19), after raiding and searching their houses in Burqa, northwest of Nablus.At approximately 01:30, soldiers arrested Basel Mahmoud Abu Eid (24), after raiding and searching his house in Biddu, northwest of the occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 02:00, soldiers arrested Mohammed Jaser Qara’in (22), after raiding and searching his house in Ras al-Amoud neighborhood, east of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.At approximately 03:00, soldiers arrested Fadi Mousa Ghuneimat (39), after raiding and searching his house in Surif, west of Hebron.At approximately 03:15, soldiers arrested (5) civilians after raiding and searching their houses in Qalqilya. The arrestees are Hamouda Musleh Nazzal (24), Saleem Sahm al-Lail Nazzal (24), Hamza Sayil Taha Nazzal (21), Mo’men Obada Nazzal (23), and Ehab Abdul Kareem Abu Hamed (27).Around the same time, soldiers arrested Mohanad Yousef ‘Arafa (30), after raiding and searching his house in Tulkarem refugee camp.At approximately 04:00, soldiers arrested Harbi Nedal al-Rajabi (18), after raiding and searching his house in Silwan, south of the occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.At approximately 05:00, soldiers arrested Mohammed Rabah Hanoun (29), who is a former prisoner, and Khalil Yousef Shreiteh (30), after raiding and searching their houses in al-Mazra’a al-Gharbiya, north of Ramallah governorate.At approximately 18:30, soldiers stationed at Mavi Duttan military checkpoint, established on Ya’bad Jenin Street, southwest of Jenin, arrested Qaisar Ya’qoub Nufei’at (21), from Ya’bad, southwest of Jenin.
At approximately 01:00, soldiers arrested Ra’ed Yousef Rayyan (27), after raiding and searching his house in Bait Duqu village, northwest of the occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 01:30, soldiers arrested Haitham Mohammed Suyyah (22), after raiding and searching his house in Um al-Sharayet neighborhood, south of al-Bireh, north of Ramallah governorate.At approximately 03:00, soldiers arrested Oday al-Lawzi (21), after raiding and searching his house in Kafr ‘Aqab, north of the occupied East Jerusalem.At approximately 04:00, soldiers arrested 2 students studying at Birzeit University. after raiding and searching their houses in Birzeit, north of Ramallah. The arrestees are Mohammed al-Titi (25), and Mohammed Habib Aziz (22), who was later released.At approximately 18:30, soldiers arrested Bassam Mohammed Ghunaimat (43), and his wife, Amal Barathi’iya (40), after raiding and searching their house in Surif, west of Hebron.At approximately 23:00, soldiers arrested Monthir Omaira (50), Chairman of the Popular Resistance Coordination Committee in the West Bank, while present in Teqoa, east of Bethlehem.
III. Settlement Expansion and settler violence in the West Bank; Land razing, Demolitions, and Notices
At approximately 10:00 on Thursday, 28 October 2021, soldiers handed a notice to stop construction works in an under-construction house in Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem, and confiscated a concrete mixer.
On Friday, 29 October 2021, the Israeli occupation authorities handed a civilian from al-Ma’sarah village, southwest of Bethlehem, a notice to level the agricultural road he built in his land, west of the village.
At approximately 10:30 on Monday, 1 November 2021. The army accompanied with a bulldozer and an Israeli Civil Administration SUV moved into Kherbet al-Meetah in the Northern Jordan Valley in eastern Tubas. The bulldozer demolished a home belonging to Mohammed ‘Eid Ahmed Saray’ah Faqir and sheep barns under the pretext of being in Area C.
The damage was as follows:
On Monday, 01 November 2021, the Israeli High Court approved the Israeli District Court’s decision in occupied Jerusalem to take over a 4700 dunam plot of land in the al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, for the public interest.
At approximately 04:00 on Wednesday, 03 November 2021, the army demolished 2 shops belonging to ‘Abdel ‘Aziz Shehadah al-Khatib on the main street near Hizma Checkpoint, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem.
At approximately 08:00, the Israeli Border Guard Police accompanied with the Israeli Civil Administration vehicle, an excavator and a bulldozer moved into al-Jawaya area, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The border guard officers deployed in the area and raided a house belonging to Nejmah Hammad Mahmoud Nawaj’ah (80), who live in the house with members of her family. They forced them to leave the house while the Civil Administration officers took out all the furniture and electric devices in the house and demolished it.
At the same time, the Israeli municipality’s bulldozers demolished 2 residential houses belonging to Mohammed Salman al-Haroub in Deir al-Sanah area on al-Mukaber Mount village, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem, under the pretext of no construction license.
On Wednesday, 03 November 2021, 7 Palestinian families from Kobaniyet Um Haron in western al-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, received notices to evacuate their houses under the pretext that the land and estate the house are established belong to a settlement company.
