Israeli violations of Palestinian/ Human rights during the month of January 2000
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 3/6/2000

Casualties
On 4 January, 11 year old Ibrahim Abu Marasa, a Palestinian child was beaten by Israeli soldiers near the settlement of Nitzarim in the Gaza Strip. The soldiers also shot at the neighbors who came to help the boy. Mohammad Saleh, a 27 year old Palestinian was transferred to hospital for treatment of wounds he sustained in the incident.

On 16 January, Hussein Ghassan Abdel Hadi, a 25 year Palestinian died in Nablus of injuries he sustained ten years ago. Abdel Hadi was shot by Israeli undercover units in 1989.

On 20 January, Lutfi Rujaby, a 20 year old Palestinian, died after being tortured by Israeli police in Ariel, an Israeli illegal settlement near Salfit in northern West Bank.
Land Confiscation and Settlement Activities

On I January, Israeli government approved construction of 51 housing units in Alfe Menashe, an illegal Israeli settlement near ëAzzoun,
Qalqilya.

On 2 January 2000, Israeli settlers from Rachel and Gilaíad, two illegal Israeli settlements near Qariout in the Nablus District, vandalized 450 dunums of land belong to village of Qariout.

On 3 January 2000, settlers of Dolev, an illegal Israeli settlement built on land of ëAin ëAreik, ëAin Qinya, and al-Janiah villages near Ramallah, added three mobile houses to the settlement.

On 4 January 2000, settlers from Tafouh, an illegal Israeli settlement, usurped 100 dunums of land belong to the village of Yassouf, near Salfit, in northern West Bank. Later on 17 January they constructed a pen. The settlers usually let the sheep out to graze over agricultural crops of the village.

On 4 January, settlers from Bracha and Yitzhar, two illegal Israeli settlements near Nablus, put up electricity poles on adjacent land. Normally, this is a first step in an attempt to start a new settlement.

On 6 January, the Commander of the Israeli occupation army in the West Bank issued a military order to confiscate undisclosed parcels of land near Nabi Samuel north of occupied Jerusalem.

On 11 January, Israeli army announced a Planning Design # 921/4 for the construction of Road #5 at the juncture of Marda-Tafouh, in the Districts of Nablus and Tulkarem. The plan means the confiscation of large parcels of land in the villages of Hawwara, Jamaíin, Marda, Tafouh and Yassouf.

On 11 January, Israeli army units prohibited Palestinian farmers from Ain al-Baida, ëAqaba, Bardala and Tayassir to work their land claiming it to be Closed Military Areas (CMA).

On 13 January, Israeli troops set up a military tent in the middle of Shallala Street near Bait Hadassah, an illegal Israeli settlement in the center of Hebron, which restricted Palestinian traffic in the area.

On 13 January, settlers from Mijdal Oz, an illegal Israeli settlement near Bait Ummar in the Hebron District, usurped 12 dunums of land belong to villagers of Bait Ummar.

On 13 January, Israeli bulldozers dredged large parcels of land belong to the villages of Rummaneh, Taíanak and Zabbouba in the District of Jenin in northern West Bank.

On 16 January, in order to construct a 7 km by-pass road for settler purposes, Israeli occupation authorities announced plans to confiscate large parcels of land in the villages of Jamaíin, Marda and Yassouf in the District of Salfit.

On 17 January, Israeli occupation authorities announced Planning Design #129 to expand Burqan, an illegal Israeli settlement, in the District of Salfit. The settlement was built on land belong to villages of Harith and Qarawa Bani Hassan. The expansion plan means the confiscation of more land of the two villages.

On 17 January, Haaretz, an Israeli Daily, reported a plan by the Municipality of Jerusalem to build 240 housing units for Israeli settlers, in the town of Abu Deis east of occupied Jerusalem. The plan is part of schemes by he municipality to hinder the transfer of Abu Deis to the Palestinian Authority.

On 19 January, Israeli occupation authorities cordoned off 2800 dunums of land in the village of al-Mughayyar near Ramallah and declared it Closed Military Areas. At the same time, Israeli settlers living in nearby settlements vandalized farmland and destroyed crops in the villages of Al-Mughayyar and Jaloud.

On 24 January, Omar Hassan, a Palestinian from Abu Deis, a town east of occupied Jerusalem, from working his land claiming it a state land.

On 25 January, Israeli occupation authorities confiscated 30 dunums of land in ëIzbat Noufal, near Jayyous in the District of Tulkarem. The confiscated land will be used to expand Souvim, an illegal Israeli settlement in the area.

On 26 January, Israeli occupation authorities confiscated 400 dunums of land near the towns of Toubas and Tammoun in northern Jordan Valley. The land will be used to expand Balas, an Israeli military compound in the area.

On 27 January, Israeli occupation authorities declared 3000 dunums in al-Zawiyah, a town in the District of Salfit, as Closed Military Areas for military drills. Town residents were served with notices claiming the closure order was based on Israelís security interests.
Arrests, Detentions and Military Siege

A total of 88 Palestinians were arrested by Israeli authorities on border crossings, checkpoints and during night raids.
On 1 January, Israeli forces set up a surprise roadblock at the entrance to several villages east of Nablus. Palestinians were provocatively forced out of their vehicles and were searched thoroughly. Soldiers smashed the windshield of a car belongs to Palestinian journalist Nasser Ishtaiah.

On 2 January, Akram Hantouly, a 16-year-old Palestinian youth from Silat al-Dhahr in the Jenin District, was sentenced to six month actual imprisonment.

On 2 January, Israeli soldiers prevented Palestinian farmers from the village of Bardala in the Jordan Valley from working their land claiming it Closed Military Areas.

On 3 January, Israeli troops raided Dair Ibzeigh, a village west of Ramallah, and thoroughly searched several houses.

On 11 January, Israeli soldiers raided Askar al-Jadid, a refugee camp near Nablus, several times during ëEid al-Fitr, a three-day religious Moslem holiday. Thirteen young Palestinians were arrested during the raids.

On 12 January, Israeli occupation army set up roadblocks at the entrances to the villages of Jamala, Dair ëAmmar, and Beitello in the Ramallah District. Palestinian traffic in and out of the villages was severely restricted.

On 13 January, the town of Sair in the Hebron District was declared a Closed Military Area. Movement of town residents was severely restricted.

On 13 January, Israeli soldiers raided the village of al-Mughayyar in the Ramallah District. Six Palestinians were arrested including children under 13 years of age.

On 13 January, Israeli troops raided Kafr ëAbboush, a village in the Tulkarem District, and searched several houses thoroughly.

On 16 January, Israeli army units raided Sourif, a Palestinian town in the Hebron Districted, and arrested 5 of its residents.

On 16 January, Israeli authorities arrested 3 Palestinians at al-Karameh Border Crossing on their way back from a pilgrimage trip to Saudi Arabia. Iman Youssef Kharrouby, a 38-year-old Palestinian female was among the detained. Ms. Kharouby is the President of Al-Huda Women Association in al-Birah.

On 16 January, Israeli army raided the towns of Bidia, Salfit and al-Zawiyah. The soldiers destroyed furniture and other belongings as they searched the houses.

On 16 January, Israeli soldiers raided the refugee camp of Dair ëAmmar in the Ramallah District and thoroughly searched several houses.

On 18 January, Israeli army raided the Bait Kahel Association in the Hebron District. They seized the societyís documents and served members with orders to report to Israeli intelligence in the area.

On 18 January, Israeli forces raided the house of Engineer Adam Ahmad in the town of al-Zawiyah. After a thorough search of the house they arrested Mr. Ahmad.

On 20 January 2000, Israeli troops raided several houses in al-Fawwar, a village in the District of Hebron, and arrested several of its residents.

On 20 January, the town of Bidia in the District of Nablus was raided by Israeli troops.

On 23 January, three Palestinian teachers were arrested by Israeli army at the entrance to Bait Kahel, a village in the Hebron District.

On 25 January, Israeli occupation forces raided Shweika and Rantice in the Tulkarem District and searched several houses.

On 26 January, over 700 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails went on a hunger strike to protest conditions imposed by the Israeli authorities.

On 27 January, Israeli troops raided Qalandia, a refugee camp north of occupied Jerusalem. Houses were searched thoroughly and 15 young Palestinians were arrested.

On 28 January, Israeli authorities denied four Palestinian families the right to visit their sons held at the Mageddo prison.

On 28 January, Israeli troops raided Houssan, a town near Bethlehem, and arrested two of its residents.

On 31 January, Israeli occupation forces besieged Bidras, Rantice and Qibya, three towns west of Ramallah and conducted house to house searches.
Ý
Uprooting of Trees and Vandalism to Crops
Israeli journalist Gideon Levi wrote in Haíaretz: ìThe code of ethics in Israel is double-standard. One for Jews and another for the indigenous people of the land. The tree is only valuable if it was planted by Jewish hands. The people doing the planting are the ones doing the uprooting. The trees, in the Palestinian society, have a pristine deep-rooted value. Every attempt to uproot one is regarded as painful as the killing of a person. Their bond with their land is much stronger than ours. Perhaps that is the reason why Israel persists to uproot more Palestinian treesî.

On 3 January, Israeli settlers uprooted 500 Guava saplings hours after being planted in al-Mawasi near Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.

On 13 January, settlers vandalized 600 dunums of fertile land in the village of Jaloud near Nablus and destroyed its winter crops.

On 13 January, Israeli bulldozers destroyed 30 mature olive trees belong to Abdallah Abdel Rahman from the village of ëAboud in the District of Ramallah.

On 14 January, under the protection of Israeli troops, settlers, from the illegal settlement of ëEli Zahaf, uprooted 200 mature olive trees in the nearby village of Dair Ballout, near Salfit. The settlers aim to expand their settlement.

On 17 January, armed settlers vandalized hundreds of beehives in al-Badhan and al-Faraía two villages north of Nablus. On 24 January, settlers from Dolev poisoned 80 beehives in Bait Sira, a village west of Ramallah. They came back again on 26 January and poisoned 30 others, belong to Sakeb Abdallah Qarajeh, using strong chemicals.

On 20 January, settlers from Qarne Shomron, an illegal Israeli settlement, uprooted 200 citrus trees belong to Youssef Mansour a
Palestinian from Wadi Qana near Salfit.

On 23 January, Israel army bulldozers uprooted 50 mature olive trees as they dredged a large parcel of land in Kafr Qaddoum west of Nablus. Israeli authorities plan to construct an industrial zone on the land.

The Israeli army banned Israeli peace activists from entering Khirbet Al-Tawaneh near Yatta/Hebron to express solidarity with the Palestinian residents who were evicted by the Israeli forces several weeks ago. Commenting on the armyís action Israeli peace activist Uri Avneri wrote in the Israeli Daily Maíariv: ìApparently the planting of olive saplings is considered an act of terrorism by the Israeli government. Obviously, Arbor Day is for Jews only... As peace comes closer Ihud Barak intensifies efforts to displace more Palestinians with great help from Israeli settlers. These who act as agents for his government to implement its expansionist designs. The planting of an olive sapling, on a site targeted by the government, is a weapon no less dangerous than a bombî.

Religious Violations
On 4 January, an Israeli extremist group, Friends of Baruch Goldestein (the terrorist who perpetrated the massacre of 25 February 1994 at al-Haram al-Ibrahimi al-Sharif in Hebron whereby 29 Palestinians were slaughtered while praying) desecrated the tomb of Sheikh Izz Eddin al-Qassam near Haifa. The group painted the monument red and drew swastikas on it. They also wrote, ìBaruch Goldestein livesî.

On 11 January, throughout the three-day Moslem holiday of Eid al-Fitr, Israeli army set up roadblocks around al-Haram al-Ibrahimi al-Sharif (a holy shrine for Moslems) in Hebron. Soldiers manning the roadblocks detained Palestinians for hours and prevented others from conducting prayers at al-Haram.

On 14 January, Israeli extremists destroyed the Mihrab (Prayer Niche) of Wadi Hawareth Mosque in Khadira. The (abandoned) building of the mosque is used by Israeli drug addicts.

On 17 January, Israeli army issued a military order to expropriate a mosque (Mosque of the Forty) in Tel Rumaidah in the center of Hebron. The army claimed the site would be used for military purposes.

On 17 January, Israeli forces arrested Sheikh Ihab al-Jaíabari, a Mouaíthen (Caller for Prayers) at al-Kawthar mosque in Hebron.

On 22 January, the Israeli Electricity Company desecrated a Moslem cemetery in the occupied city of Jerusalem. Human remains were seen around the site.

On 26 January, Israeli army prevented trucks carrying construction materials from reaching al-Aqsa Mosque (Third Holiest Moslem Shrine). Israeli authorities hinder renovation work at the Mosque in compliance with extremist Israeli groups who advocate the destruction of the Mosque in order to build their alleged Temple in its stead.

On 26 January, Israeli authorities conducted excavations in the Moslem cemetery of Teberias. Human remains were reported to be seen around the site.

On 27 January, Israeli Archeology Authority rented out the historical site of the Church of Mariam to an extremist Israeli group. The site is frequented by Christian pilgrims who visit the Holy City of Jerusalem. The Israeli group ìThe Torah Fireî intends to turn the site into a student hostel.

On 29 January, Israeli fundamentalists desecrated the Moslem shrine of Sheikh Bariq east of Haifa. The group tore down the monument and exhumed the remains.

Destruction and Displacement
In a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ihud Barak over 300 prominent Israelis called for the repatriation of Palestinian families who were displaced by Israelís army from the area they had lived in for decades near the town of Yatta in the Hebron District. The letter said: ìschemes of the Israeli army to establish areas for military drills does not justify the displacement of defenseless and helpless people and whose only crime is being Palestinians and not Jewsî.

On 4 January, Israeli occupation authorities served 4 Bedouin families with orders to destroy their homes. The authorities claimed the houses are too close to Nitzar Hazane, an illegal Israeli settlement in the District of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. This is one of Israeli tactics to evict Palestinians and usurp their land.
Amnesty International reported that Israeli authorities have destroyed 2650 Palestinian homes displacing 16700 Palestinians including 7300 children since 1987.

On 19 January, Israeli authorities ordered the destruction of a house owned by Hani Abu ëAwdeh in the village of Rummaneh in the Jenin District. The Israeli authorities claim the house, which is a dwelling for a family of six, was built without permit.

On 24 January Israeli authorities ordered ëEid Bani Kaíabneh, a Palestinian living in Bir Nabalah north of occupied Jerusalem, to halt construction and destroy the completed part of his house. Mr. Kaíabneh supports a family of 20 who all live in the house.

On 25 January, Israeli army units destroyed ten vegetable-vending stands near the villages of ëAin Al-Baida and Bardala in the Jordan Valley. The soldiers confiscated all the produce on the premises valued thousands of dollars.

On 28 January, members of an Israeli settler group ëAtirat Cohanim broke into a store in the Old City of Jerusalem. They threw out the contents and moved some furniture in a step to usurp the location.

On 28 January, a research prepared by Yehuda Gordoss, a professor at the University of Beer Sheva, revealed that Israel had destroyed 1300 homes for Bedouins in the Negev Desert between 1992-1999 allegedly for lack of permits.

Miscellaneous Violations
Attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers on defenseless Palestinians have intensified lately especially in the Hebron area.

On 2, Bilal Maswadi, a Palestinian from Hebron was savagely beaten by Israeli settlers. He was transferred to hospital for treatment of severe injuries.

On 2 January, an Israeli settler driving at high speed ran into a herd of sheep, killing 50 of them, in the northern Jordan Valley. The sheep belong to Mohammad Omar al-Jahalin from the village of Jiftlik.

On 6 January, Israeli police assaulted Omar ëUwaisat, a Palestinian journalist, as he photographed them arresting a Palestinian in the city of Jerusalem. They also smashed his equipment.

On 6 January, in a racially discriminative act, an Israeli taxi company Sharon-Yafa, dismissed Ibrahim Zabarqa, an Israeli Arab from the city of al-Taibeh, simply because he is an Arab. The supervisor of the station told him that he would do his utmost to get rid of all Arabs working in his station.

On 11 January, Palestinians living on Al-Shallalah Street in Hebron reported intensified attacks on them by Israeli settlers from Bait Hadassah, an illegal settlement in the heart of Hebron. Settlers often throw rocks and Molotov Cocktails at Palestinian pedestrians.

On 12 January, Israeli occupation authorities issued 15 military orders to evict Palestinian families living in caves near the villages of Saíir, Samouí, Sourif and Yatta in the Hebron District. The orders came in complaisance with wishes of Israeli settlers in the area.

On 12 January, Israeli settlers torched a store belong to Abdel Fattah Idíais, a Palestinian in Hebron. The store was burned down completely.

On 12 January, Palestinian residents of occupied Jerusalem reported harassment by Israeli soldiers as they were crossing into the Gaza Strip to spend ëEid al-Fitr holidays with relatives. They also reported unnecessary delays and provocative body search. Dozens of Palestinians were ordered back.

On 13 January, Israeli army impounded the tractor of Jamal Moussa Jibrin, a Palestinian living in Khirbet al-Tawaneh near Hebron. He was pressured to relinquish the deed to his property in return for the tractor.

On 13 January, Israeli army units destroyed vending stalls on the Jenin-Haifa road and confiscated most of the merchandise displayed. The owners were asked to pay heavy fines for return of the merchandise.

On 13 January, an Israeli court sentenced an Israeli who knifed an Arab with probation only.

On 13 January, Israeli army units confiscated an electrical generator, stone cutters, and demolished barns and barracks on the main road between Jenin and the villages of Rummaneh, Taíanak and Zabbouba.

On 14 January, Israeli troops raided the town of ëAnata, north of occupied Jerusalem, and delivered orders to pay heavy taxes to dozens of the town residents.

On 15 January, Israeli army conducted tank maneuvers near al-Maleh and Bardala, two Palestinian villages in northern Jordan Valley. The maneuvers left heavy damages to farmland in the area.

On 17 January, settlers from Kharsina, an Israeli illegal settlement east of Hebron, blockaded all routes to the residence of the Jaber family with heavy rocks and piles of dirt. Family members and relatives were prevented from reaching the site.

On 17 January, Israeli army units raided a secondary school in Salem a village in the Nablus District. Students were terrified as the soldiers fired tear-gas canisters into the schoolyard.

On 17 January, Israeli settlers prevented a Palestinian farmer from working his land in al-Dhaheria, south of Hebron, and threatened to kill him should he try.

On 20 January, Israeli authorities denied Hussein Sheikh Ali, a Palestinian from Tulkarem, the right to travel. Mr. Ali was to head a football team to a tournament in Baghdad. They also prevented Issam Zoíubi, a 31 year old Palestinian, from travelling to Egypt. He was to attend a training seminar on sports administration.

On 21 January, Israeli Border Guards assaulted two Palestinians from Ramallah when they crossed into occupied Jerusalem. The Border Guards alleged the Palestinians had no permits. The two Palestinians were on their way to Saint John Hospital, the only hospital specialized in optometry in the area.

On 24 January, Israeli tax officials, protected by Israeli army units, raided dozens of commercial businesses in occupied Jerusalem. Store-owners were ordered to pay heavy taxes.

On 26 January, clashes broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian civilians in the Khan Younis District in Gaza. The Palestinians wanted to flatten a parcel of land to make it a public garden. The soldiers interfered to stop the work alleging the garden is too close to Neve Deqalim an illegal Israeli settlement in the area.

On 28 January, Israeli authorities prohibited the University of Hebron to establish a center for continuing education in central Hebron.

On 28 January, Israeli troops raided Nabi Moussa, a Moslem shrine near Jericho, and ordered everyone out. The building is used by Palestinian NGOs as center to treat drug addicts.

Previous Stories:
  UN General Assembly rejects Israel's Jerusalem schemes   (12/2/1999)
  UN committee calls on Israel to implement Geneva Convention on Palestinians   (6/15/1999)
  Israel opposes UN Geneva Convention conference on its practices   (2/11/1999)

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