THIS WEEK IN PALESTINE

15^th - 21^st November 2004

Israeli Occupying Forces continue to impose oppressive measures which severely restrict and violate the economic, social, cultural, and human rights of 4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

THIS WEEK IN GAZA: 15^th - 21^st November 2004

Nothing has changed in the Gaza Strip - severe restrictions on internal movement continue and border crossings are closed either partially or completely. Gazans are constantly faced with sudden checkpoint closures, random searches, detention, long queues, interminable waiting periods, refusals, harassment, humiliations and indignities. These restrictions also affect food and medical supplies. Work, school, health care, and social interaction are all severely affected.

For the fourth consecutive month, Israeli troops closed the international terminal at Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border. In between times, Israeli troops severely restrict the travel of Gazans through the crossing point regardless of health needs or work commitments. Gazans aged between 16 and 35 are for the most part prevented from travelling at all, and if they are able to travel through, they are subjected to lengthy coordination procedures.

RAFAH

Tuesday 16^th November 2004

Israeli troops opened fired at residential areas south of Rafah. ‘Alaa' Suleiman al-Sheikh ‘Eid 19 and Salam Joma'a al-Rush 50 were wounded by the gunfire. The shelling caused damage to a number of homes in the area.

Saturday 20^th November 2004

Four young residents were shot in Rafah. The wounded are: Fatima Lafi, Abeer Rajab Fajhan 21, Yousef Fajhan 24, and Hamada Al-Najri 14.

KHAN YOUNIS

Monday 15^th November 2004

Soldiers fired at tens of homes west of Khan Younis and wounded Mustafa Omar Al-Astal 21.

Friday 19^th November 2004

A number of homes west of Khan Younis were shelled by heavy ammunition causing damage, but no injuries.

Israeli soldiers fired at tens of homes in the north of Khan Younis and broke into a number of homes. Ten members of the Abdul-Hadi Abu Haddaf family were held for several hours in one room while soldiers searched the home and set themselves up on the roof using it as a monitoring tower. Damage was caused in the process.

CENTRAL GAZA

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

Israeli troops with heavy military vehicles razed at least 200 dunums of Palestinian agricultural land planted with citrus and olives.

Soldiers raided Al-Boreij refugee camp and fired at tens of homes.

Sunday 21^st November 2004

Soldiers raided the Abu Thaher and Al-Sameery areas, east of Al-Qarara and fired at tens of homes and cars causing substantial damage. A number of homes were broken into, searched, and used as military posts and monitoring towers. Ten residents, including three brothers, were arrested. More than 100 dunums planted with vegetables and trees were bulldozed. The tanks and military vehicles are now sitting about 300 metres away from the homes.

Khaleel Shihada, 20 was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the Al-Nussirat refugee camp.

Abu Holi checkpoint was closed without reason and soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber-coated bullets at the residents. Three people were wounded and soldiers detained tens of youths.

GAZA CITY

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

Intisar Jaber Darweesh 14, died of wounds sustained last week when she was shot during a military raid. Ambulances and medical teams had been unable to reach her quickly as a result of heavy military fire.

NORTHERN GAZA

Friday 19^th November 2004

Ibrahim Abu Laila, 33 was killed by Israeli soldiers after they fired at him near the Al-Shuhada graveyard, east of Jabaliya refugee camp.

THIS WEEK IN THE WEST BANK: 15^th- 21^st November 2004

Palestinian communities and civilians are still being subjected to sieges and severe restrictions of movement. This means that entrances to cities and towns are closed and Palestinians have nom guarantee that they will reach their places of work, their farming lands, their schools, their medical appointments or be able to engage in the day-to-day activities so many of us take for granted.

When the death of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was announced on 11^th November, Israeli troops moved to stop Palestinian civilians from travelling between Ramallah and other Palestinian communities which prevented many from attending the funeral procession.

In Jerusalem, the al-Aqsa Mosque was closed to Palestinian under 45 who had come to pray on the last day of the Ramadan month. Throughout the festive days following Ramadan, cities like Nablus, Jenin, Hebron, Jericho, Tulkarem, all had severe restrictions imposed on them, preventing Palestinians from celebrating Eid al-Futr with their families and friends.

Tens of military checkpoints were erected adjacent to West Bank cities in the north after Israeli security sources claimed that Palestinian groups intended to carry out suicide bombings.

HEBRON

Monday 15^th November 2004

Israeli troops surrounded a 3-storey building in Yatta village and forced the 35 residents to get out. The owner of the building Khaled Mur refused to surrender and the Israeli troops then opened fire on the building. Dozens of Palestinian children began throwing stones at the troops and immediately they were fired upon. 12-year-old ‘Alaa' Isma'il Abu ‘Oalayan was hit by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head. 8 Palestinian civilians were arrested, including 2 of Mur's sons.

Friday 19^th November 2004

22 year old Shamia Al-Haddar and her father Mohammad, 45 were arrested after more than 30 soldiers raided the Al-Somoud neighbourhood near Hebron. Tens of residents were held and interrogated before being released and intensive searches were conducted in the homes and surrounding fields.

JERUSALEM

Tuesday 16^th November 2004

25 Palestinians were arrested in ‘Eissawia village, east of Jerusalem after Israeli troops entered the village and raided it. A n umber of homes were damaged after troops broke into them and searched them.

Israeli troops erected sand barriers and concrete blocks and positioned themselves on top of several homes in villages near Jerusalem to prevent residents from paying their condolences to President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

Tens of residents returning to their villages from Ramallah and Jerusalem were forced out of their cars while wide searches were conducted.

Friday 19^th November 2004

Four armoured vehicles raided the village of Beit Iksa west of Jerusalem. Soldiers broke into the home of Anas Kamel Shihada 26, clubbed him, then handcuffed and blindfolded him before taking him to an unkown location.

Saturday 20^th November 2004

Soldiers erected multi portable checkpoints on roads linking villages in north western Jerusalem with other Palestinian cities. Tens of residents were interrogated and barred from leaving the area.

TULKAREM

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

Several military bulldozers uprooted tens of trees belonging to residents in the south of Tulkarem. Also, soldiers began digging a new settlement road raising fears among the residents that soldiers might confiscate more lands for the road or settlement expansion.

BETHLEHEM

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

A village east of Bethlehem was raided by Israeli soldiers in 10 military vehicles: one resident was arrested after his home was besieged and the family members forced out. The furniture and belongings were destroyed.

A huge military force raided Deheishe camp, south of Bethlehem at dawn and arrested Lutfi Al-Akhras 30, after besieging and searching his home and holding family members for several hours.

Friday 19^th November 2004

Mohammad Yousef Sneina, 36 was severely clubbed to his legs, hands and face as he made his way to work.

Saturday 20^th November 2004

Tens of residents were held up at two checkpoints near the village of Al-Khader and were forced to stand in mud for hours.

Tens of homes were broken into after Deheishe refugee camp was raided. A number of homes were damaged.

Sunday 21^st November 2004

Soldiers again raided Deheishe refugee camp and forced residents out of their homes in order to conduct a thorough search.

JENIN

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

Several military vehicles raided the city of Jenin forcing tens of residents out of their homes while they searched them. Soldiers fired rounds of ammunition and concussion grenades causing huge damage.

Sunday 21^st November 2004

Israeli troops raided the villages of Sielet Al-Thaher and Jaba', south of Jenin. Tens of homes were fired at and all roads leading to Jenin were closed.

QALQILYA

Monday 15^th November 2004

Soldiers arrested Baha' Rahhal at Qalandia checkpoint on his way back home to Bethlehem.

Tuesday 16^th November 2004

Tens of residents were prevented from reaching their lands to pick what is left on the olive trees behind the Separation Wall. They were searched in a provocative way and forced to wait for several hours despite the fact that they carried the special permits allowing them to reach their fields.

Friday 19^th November 2004

Soldiers raided the city of Qalqilya and arrested two residents. The family of one of the men arrested, Ibrahim Al-Fayed, was forced to leave as the army prepared to level the home.

Sunday 21^st November 2004

Soldiers closed Qalqilya anda conducted thorough searches of tens of cars Both the northern and southern entrances of the city were closed and tens of residents were detained and interrogated.

TUBAS

Tuesday 16^th November 2004

Israeli troops raided this northern city and erected a military checkpoint in its centre. Searches were conducted among the residents and cars were also searched.

JERICHO

Monday 15^th November 2004

Soldiers arrested a resident and transferred him to Israeli security for interrogation.

RAMALLAH

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

More than 20 armoured vehicles and jeeps raided Ramallah.

Thursday 18^th November 2004

Soldiers arrested 6 youths aged between 13 and 16 years old for throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at settlers' cars and buses.

NABLUS

Wednesday 17^th November 2004

Approximately 70 Israeli settlers assaulted tens of Palestinians picking olives in their fields south east of Nablus.

Saturday 20^th November 2004

Two boys were shot dead by Israeli soldiers. A third was critically wounded as tens of youths hurled stones and empty bottles after the two youths were killed. They were Montaser Harara 14 and Amer Banat 15.