Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continued Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)
· IOF killed a Palestinian at a military checkpoint near the northern West Bank town of Jenin.
· A Palestinian civilian was killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left by IOF in the Gaza Strip.
· Two Palestinian civilians were wounded by IOF and a third one was wounded by the Israeli police in the West Bank.
· IOF continued to target Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip.
- A Palestinian farmer was wounded.
· IOF continued to use force against peaceful protests in the West Bank.
- Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded.
· IOF conducted 37 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 3 limited ones into the Gaza Strip.
- IOF arrested 22 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children.
· Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
- Israeli soldiers positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children.
· Israel has continued to take measures aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem.
- A tunnel was established between Silwan village and the western wall of the al-Aqsa Mosque.
- The Israeli municipality of Jerusalem declared intention to confiscate areas of Palestinian land in Silwa village.
· IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law in the OPT continued during the reporting period (20 – 26 January 2011):
Shooting:
During the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian man and wounded 3 others, including a child, in the West Bank. A Palestinian civilian was also killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left by IOF in the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian farmer was also wounded by Israeli gunfire.
In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers positioned at "Mavi Dutan" checkpoint to the south of Ya'bad village, southwest of Jenin, fired at a Palestinian man who was near the checkpoint. As a result, he was wounded by 3 bullets, and IOF denied him access to medical treatment for several hours. Later, IOF claimed that a gunman fired at Israeli soldiers, who repeated fire and killed him. The al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) stated that the victim was one their members and went to the checkpoint carrying a machine gun to attack Israeli soldiers there.
On 23 January 2011, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by the Israeli police in Hares village, north of Salfit.
On the same day, Israeli soldiers opened fire at a civilian vehicle that was transporting a number of Palestinian workers near Hebron. Two workers were wounded.
During the reporting period, IOF used excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall. As a result, two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded, and dozens of Palestinian civilians and international human rights defenders suffered from tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises.
In the Gaza Strip, on 22 January 2011, a Palestinian civilian was killed and another two ones were wounded by the explosion of a projectile left by IOF nearly one kilometer away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The three civilians were collecting scraps of construction materials in the area.
On the same day, a Palestinian farmer was wounded by Israeli soldiers in the east of Gaza City.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 37 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, during which they arrested 22 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 3 limited incursions into Palestinian communities, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.
Restrictions on Movement:
Israel had continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
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