Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
29 April – 5 May 2021
- IOF kill Palestinian child near Odala checkpoint in Nablus, and an elderly woman for alleged stab-attack at Gush Etzion Junction, southern Bethlehem
- IOF excessive use of force in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem: 63 Palestinians wounded, including 3 children
- 50 Palestinian civilians sustained bruises and stun grenades shrapnel wounds during IOF assault on Sheikh Jarrah sit-in
- Four IOF shootings reported at agricultural areas (east) and nine others on fishing boats in the Gaza sea
- In 135 IOF incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 89 civilians arrested, including 10 children, 3 women
- Collective punishment policy: IOF siege several villages in Nablus and launch wide-scale demolition campaign
- Two barracks and two car washers demolished in Bethlehem and Hebron
- Wide-scale settler-attacks: elderlies wounded, cars damaged, and thousands of trees uprooted, and crops set ablaze across the West Bank
- IOF established 66 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians on said checkpoints
Summary
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to commit crimes and multi-layered violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including raids into Palestinian cities that are characterized with excessive use of force, assault, abuse and attacks on civilians that are mostly conducted after midnight and in the early morning hours. This week, IOF repression against Jerusalemites in Bab al-‘Amoud (Damascus Gate), which leads to al-Aqsa Mosque; as well as the repeated assaults on Sheikh Jarrah sit-in in protest to the Israeli occupation’s attempts to evacuate several houses in a forcible deportation policy. As a result, dozens of civilians sustained wounds and dozens of others were arrested. Settler-attacks witnessed a rise this week too on Palestinian civilians and their properties, particularly in Nablus. PCHR documented 244 violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by IOF and settlers in the oPt.
IOF shooting and violation of right to bodily integrity:
IOF killed two Palestinians this week, a child and a woman. IOF attacks also resulted in the injury of 63 others in an escalation of its attacks on the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. On 5 May 2021, Said Y. M. Odeh (16) was killed and his cousin was wounded in clashes near Odala checkpoint, southeast of Nablus. On Sunday evening, 02 May 2021, an elderly Palestinian woman succumbed to her serious wounds after IOF directly opened fire at her, claiming she attempted to carry out a stab attack near the “Gush Etzion” settlement junction, south of Bethlehem. According to PCHR’s investigations and in a video published on Israeli social media, the old woman posed no imminent danger to the soldiers’ lives and could have been controlled without lethal force.
As to the injuries, they were as follows:
- 1 Palestinian civilian was wounded at Gush Etzion checkpoint for alleged stab-attack;
- 3 others, including a child, during IOF assault on a protest in Beit Dajan, Nablus;
- A child in IOF incursion into Beita, Nablus;
- A child in IOF assault on a protest in Jenin;
- Two civilians in IOF assault on Kafr Qaddum protest, Qalqilya; and
- 50 Palestinian civilians sustained bruises and stun grenades shrapnel wounds during IOF repeated assaults on Sheikh Jarrah sit-in.
Dozens of others suffocated due to tear gas inhalation, and others were wounded in various IOF assaults across the West Bank.
In the Gaza Strip, 4 IOF shootings were reported on agricultural lands eastern Gaza, and 9 shootings at fishing boats, western Gaza.
IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians: IOF carried out 135 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids of civilian houses and shootings, enticing fear among civilians, and attacking many of them. During this week’s incursions, 89 Palestinians were arrested, including 10 children and 3 women. IOF imposed a siege on several villages in Nablus and shut their entrances with sand berms; IOF conducted a wide-scale raid operation in Aqraba under its collective punishment policy against Palestinians after a shooting occurred at Za’tara checkpoint earlier in the week.
Demolitions:
PCHR fieldworkers documented two violations:
A barracks (mechanic) and a car wash were demolished in southwestern Bethlehem; and another barracks and car wash were demolished in Hebron.
Settler-attacks: PCHR fieldworkers reported and documented 8 attacks:
- Jenin: assault on an elderly shepherd grazing sheep in Mariha
- Nablus: 30 olive tree, sage and thyme seedlings uprooted; racist vandalization in Qusra; agricultural lands set on fire in Jalud; a car assaulted with stones in Lubban ash-Sharqiya village; greenhouse damaged and 3200 tomato seedlings and 1500 zucchini seedlings uprooted; assaults on civilian houses and agricultural lands set on fire in Burin
- Qalqilya: an elderly man assaulted near Fara’ata.
Israeli closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement:
The Gaza Strip still suffers the worst closure in the history of the Israeli occupation of the oPt as it has entered the 14th consecutive year, without any improvement to the movement of persons and goods, humanitarian conditions and bearing catastrophic consequences on all aspects of life. The United Nations confirmed that the Gaza conditions are worsening, with deteriorating health, power, and water services. The UN emphasized that the Gaza Strip requires immense efforts in the housing and education sectors and to create job opportunities.
Meanwhile, IOF continued to divide the West Bank into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the Second Intifada and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilian movement is restricted, and they are subject to arrest.
