11 of the wounded, including two children and a British journalist, were wounded in Ne’lin village near Ramallah, during a non-violent march and rally against the Israeli Annexation Wall. Israeli forces continued to use a foul smelling liquid against demonstrators in Bil’in and Ne’lin villages near Ramallah.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child, and wounded 15 civilians, including three children and a woman, in the West Bank. They also wounded a British journalist.
On 20 September, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child from ‘Assira village, south of Nablus. They claimed that they shot a Palestinian who was about to set fire to a Molotov cocktail and throw it at Israeli forces positioned near “Yitzhar” settlement. On the same day, Israeli soldiers violently pushed a Palestinian woman in Abu Dis, near Jerusalem, while raiding her house. The woman was killed.
On 22 September, Israeli forces positioned at Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus, opened fire indiscriminately when an unidentified girl sprayed a liquid at an Israeli soldier at the checkpoint. As a result, three Palestinian civilians, including a woman, were wounded by shrapnel from Israeli gunfire.
On 24 September, Israeli forces wounded and abducted a Palestinian child from Deheishe refugee camp, south of Bethlehem.
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 30 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces abducted 26 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a girl. The number of Palestinian civilians abducted by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the beginning of the year stands at 1,974.
Israeli forces conducted 30 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, Israeli forces abducted 26 Palestinian civilians, including five children. Israeli forces positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank abducted four Palestinian civilians, including a girl and a child.
Israeli Annexation Wall:
Israeli forces continued construction of the Annexation Wall inside Palestinian territory in the West Bank.
During the reporting period, 11 Palestinian civilians, including two children, and a British journalist were wounded when Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized in protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall in N’elin and Bil’in villages, west of Ramallah. Israeli forces also used a liquid with a disgusting smell against the demonstrators.
Following the Friday Prayer on 19 September, scores of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, in protest of the construction of the Wall. Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. A number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation and vomiting.
Also following the Friday Prayer on Friday noon, 12 September, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the area where Israeli forces were razing land to construct a section of the Wall in the village. Immediately, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, 6 demonstrators, including a child, were wounded:
1. Firas Hamdan ‘Amira, 28, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right hand;
2. Mohammed Khalil ‘Abdul Haq, 27, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right shoulder;
3. Jom’a Hosni al-Khawaja, 24, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg;
4. Mahmoud ‘Ali Nafe’, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg;
5. Mohammed Hussein Sorour, 18, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the back;
6. Rateb Taher ‘Amira, 22, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right hand.
On Tuesday noon, 23 September, Mr. Jerome Bellion, Political Officer of the European Commission, visited Ne’lin village, west of Ramallah, to witness development related to the construction of the Wall in the village. He was accompanied by a delegation from the Public Committee against the Wall. Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters. They then fired a sound bomb near the European official’s head. ‘Aahed al-Kahawaja, Coordinator of the Public Committee against the Wall, was hit by a tear gas canister to the face, which cause a fracture to the nose and a serious injury to the face. Soon after, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders gathered in the center of Ne’lin village. They moved towards the area where Israeli forces were razing land to construct a section of the Wall in the village. Immediately, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and a British journalist, were wounded.
Israeli settlement activity:
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. On Thursday, 18 September, Israeli forces issued a military order confiscating 140 donums of land in Bardala village in the northern Jordan Valley. According to Palestinian farmers, Israeli forces have razed large areas of land in the area for the purpose of settlement activities.
On the same day, Israeli forces issued a military order seizing 22 donums of land in Mnaizal area to the south of Yatta village, south of Hebron, to establish a wall near “Miskadot Yehuda” settlement.
In the early morning of Thursday, 18 September, five Israeli settlers attacked 2 houses belonging to Mohammed Nom’man Jaber and Hijazi No’man Jaber in the southeast of Hebron. They claimed that stones were thrown at one of them near the two houses. Later, Israeli forces and a number of settlers raided and searched the two houses and forced the families out for some time.
On the same morning, dozens of Israeli settlers gathered on the roadsides of a bypass road near “Yitzhar” settlement, south of Nablus. They threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles and attempted to close the road.
On Thursday afternoon, dozens of Israeli settlers closed Nablus – Ramallah road. They threw stones at Palestinian civilian vehicles and prevented them from passing through.
Also on Thursday afternoon, at least 20 masked and armed Israeli settlers attacked a house belonging to Yousef Mohammed Qutob, 55. They damaged the house and Qutob’s car. According to Qutob, they opened fire at water tanks at the top of the house and threw stones at his windows. They also smashed some historical jars. According to Qutob, the settlers came from “Tilmon” and “Harasha” settlements, which are nearly one kilometer away. They attacked his car; slashing the tires, broke the windows and then turned it over. Qutob, who is a journalist, photographed the attack.
On Saturday evening, 20 September, Israeli settlers who had already seized al-Rajabi building in al-Ras neighborhood in the southeast of Hebron attacked Palestinian civilians as soon as they exited a mosque in the area. The settlers threw garbage and rotten vegetables at Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces were present in the area, but did not intervene to stop the attack.
Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip:
Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli forces siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
As a result, the territory is unable to secure its basic needs of food, medicine, and other supplies, pushing the poverty rate above 80%.
The continued Israeli ban on fuel supplies required for civilian life in the Gaza Strip has led to the paralysis of the educational sector. In addition, the health sector is struggling with continuing chronic fuel shortages which are also affecting ambulance services. Healthcare facilities have registered a drop in clients due to the transport crisis. In addition, essential services, such as the delivery of drinking water delivery, sewage water disposal, and garbage collection have all been forced to downscale.
The tightened siege has also led to the collapse of the Gaza Strip economic sectors. Most production facilities have ceased to operate due to the siege and restriction on movement of goods and individuals. During the reporting period, Israeli forces closed Sofa crossing, northeast of Rafah.
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights this week, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights made a number of recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that the international community pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The PCHR reiterated 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 agreement or process must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.
For the full text of the report, click on the link below: