While the Occupation is business as usual for Israel, there should be no business with Israel

In Occupied Palestine

Zionism in practice

Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Property

(Compiled by Leslie Bravery, Palestine Human Rights Campaign POB 56150, Dominion Rd, Auckland, New Zealand www.palestine.org.nz)

10 March 2014 [Main source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group (PMG). http://www.nad-plo.org/dailyreports.php] NB: We shall always do our utmost to verify the accuracy of all items in these IOP newsletters/reports wherever possible – but please forgive us for any errors or omissions (not of our own making) that may occur! L & M.

Israeli Army shoots dead Palestinian bus passenger

West Bank villager shot dead by Israeli Army

Israeli Navy opens fire on Palestinian fishing boats

Gaza incursion: shelling and live fire as Israeli Army destroys crops

Israeli Army home invasion and occupation – beating – hospitalisation

Occupation settlers annex Palestinian farmland and uproot olive trees

Zionist fanatics annex Palestinian farmland and bulldoze crops

Israeli Army destroys part of West Bank village public park

Israeli soldiers abduct 4 Palestinian minors aged 16 to 17

Night peace disruption and/or home invasions in 14 towns and villages

4 attacks – 22 raids including home invasions

1 beaten – 2 dead – 4 injured

4 acts of agricultural/economic sabotage

11 taken prisoner – 10 detained – 108 restrictions of movement

Home invasions & occupations: 02:35, Beitin – 19:50 and throughout the night, Ramallah - 00:10, al-Silat al-Harthiya - 01:15-05:00, Tulkarem - 19:45-00:40, Azzun - 02:20, Jayus - dawn, Beita.

Peace disruption raids: 04:00, Jerusalem - morning, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound - 10:55, Deir Ghassaneh - 03:05, al-Bireh - 13:30, Sanur - 11:50, Burqa - midnight-02:45, Qabalan - 14:20, Burqa - 04:05, Kifl Hares - 00:40, Jericho - 09:30, Bethlehem - 02:35, Tuqu - 03:30, al-Shuwarat - 03:45, Bethlehem - 10:45-16:30, Hebron - 16:40, Halhul.

Palestinian missile attacks: none

Israeli attack – economic sabotage: Northern Gaza – morning, the Israeli Navy opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats off Beit Lahiya.

Israeli attack – incursion – agricultural sabotage: Khan Yunis – morning, under cover of shelling from Israeli tanks, the Israeli Army shot its way onto Khaza’a village farmland and bulldozed crops.

Israeli attack – death: Ramallah – 20:15, Israeli forces positioned near Beitin opened fire on local residents, killing one person, Saji Jara’iya.

Israeli attack: Jericho – 09:00, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian-Jordanian judge at a border crossing. The Israeli Army searched passengers on a bus that was carrying them to the West Bank when an Israeli Occupation soldier molested a jurist, Raed Zu'aytir, travelling from Jordan and shot him when he reacted angrily. The soldier fired twice, missing Zu'aytir the first time and then hitting him the with the second shot. Another soldier then fired two more bullets that penetrated the judge’s body.

Home invasion and occupation – beating – hospitalisation: Ramallah – since 19:50 on 9 March, Israeli troops have been occupying a home near the Bet El Occupation settlement. The roof has been commandeered for use as military post and a resident, Moath Odeh, is in hospital after being beaten up by the soldiers.

Home invasion and theft: Jenin – 00:10, the Israeli Army raided al-Silat al-Harthiya, invaded a home and stole a villager's vehicle.

Israeli Army rubber-coated bullets tear gas grenades: Jerusalem – 11:30, the Israeli Army fired rubber-coated bullets and tear gas grenades at people near the al-Ram road junction.

Israeli Occupation violations: Jerusalem – Israeli authorities banned a 16-year-old youth, Abdel Rahim Barbar, from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for a period of 30 days, imposed a five-day house arrest and a fine of approximately US$850.

Israeli Army violation: Jerusalem – 15:00, Israeli troops, positioned at the entrance to Beit Iksa, prevented two cement lorries from entering the village.

Israeli Army rubber-coated bullets tear gas grenades: Ramallah – 08:40, the Israeli Army fired rubber-coated bullets and tear gas grenades at people near the Bet El settlement road junction.

Israeli Army rubber-coated bullets tear gas grenades: Ramallah – 17:10, Occupation troops fired rubber-coated bullets and tear gas grenades at al-Nabi Saleh villagers and closed a checkpoint.

Israeli Army rubber-coated bullets tear gas grenades – injuries: Ramallah – 23:30, the Israeli Army fired rubber-coated bullets and tear gas grenades at al-Jalazoun refugee camp residents, wounding three people: Jamil Shuwamra (16), Qaher Faraj and Abdel Rahim Al-Tarifi.

Israeli Army abduction: Tulkarem – 19:20, Israeli soldiers abducted a 17-year-old villager, Hamza Bawaqi, near Quffin.

Israeli Army stun grenades: Bethlehem – 14:30, the Israeli Army fired stun grenades at al-Khadr schoolchildren.

Israeli Army abduction: Hebron – 09:00, Israeli forces, positioned at an Old City checkpoint, abducted a 16-year-old youth, Hamdi Al-Rajabi.

Israeli Army abduction: Hebron – 16:00, Occupation troops fired stun and tear gas grenades at people near the al-Tabaqa village road junction and abducted a 16-year-old youth, Abu Atwan.

Israeli Army stun and tear gas grenades: 21:00, the Israeli Army fired stun and tear gas grenades at Beit Ummar residents. Several villagers were detained.

Occupation settler land theft – agricultural sabotage: Jerusalem – settler militants invaded al-Nabi Samuel village farmland and paved a road, surrounded the area with barbed-wire and uprooted olive trees.

Occupation settler land theft – agricultural sabotage: Tubas – 11:30, Zionist fanatics invaded North Jordan Valley farmland, bulldozed crops and annexed the area with barbed-wire.

Occupation settler vandalism: Nablus – 13:10, settler militants invaded al-Labban al-Sharqiya and attempted to steal a horse but were prevented from doing so by alert villagers.

Raid – mosque violation: Jerusalem – morning, settler militants, escorted by Israeli troops, invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and molested worshippers.

Raid – tear gas casualties: Jenin – 13:30, Occupation troops, firing tear gas grenades, raided Sanur village. There were several tear gas casualties.

Raid – vandalism – destruction: Nablus – 14:20, the Israeli Army raided the al-Masu’diya area of Burqa village and destroyed a section of a public park.

Raid – abduction: Hebron Israeli attack – economic sabotage: Northern Gaza – morning, the Israeli Navy opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats off Beit Lahiya. 10:45-16:30, Occupation troops raided Hebron and abducted a 16-year-old youth, Ziyad Irfa’iya.

SEE ALSO: Restrictions of Movement notes after Behind the Wall (below)

News updates:

The first anniversary of the abduction of 5 Palestinian children from the village of Hares: Friday, 14 March – Free Hares Boys Protest – First Anniversary of five boys abducted, tortured and caged by Israel for a crime that never happened. This week is the first anniversary of the abduction of five Palestinian children from the village of Hares in the West Bank by Israeli Occupation forces; their subsequent brutal torture at Israel's infamous G4S guarded Al Jalame interrogation centre; and their indefinite imprisonment at Israel's Megiddo Prison (again secured by G4S) with never-ending military court hearings for a crime that clearly never happened. To mark this tragic anniversary, protesters in the UK will be demonstrating outside the headquarters of the British security contractor G4S, which is complicit in Israel's crimes against the Hares Boys and other Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas publishes captured Israeli drone photos. http://maannews.net/ENG/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=680716

Israeli Army denies farmers access to their land in Jordan Valley. http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=24585

Gaza missile seizure, Netanyahu's latest anti-Iran joke. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37920.htm#IDCommentundefined

Reading Week in Palestine. Librarians and Archivists to Palestine | The Yafa Cultural Centre in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus does amazing work with hundreds of kids in the camp and they're trying to raise US$4250 this month in order to participate in Palestine's National Reading Week (April 1-7). All donations to Librarians and Archivists to Palestine in March will be donated directly to Yafa Cultural Center for this purpose. Donations are tax-deductible; more info here. We've raised just over $500 so far – please help us raise a few thousand more! An activist with International Women's Peace Service, Um Fadi, is trying to raise money to cover legal costs following the arrest last year of her son, Ali. More info here if you'd like to contribute to this important effort. If you're thinking of travelling to Palestine and are interested in joining a delegation, I truly think there is no better one than the Health and Human Rights Project (HaHRP). Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to request an application form – applications are due by March 15! More info here. If you would like to be put on a (low volume) email list just send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Further news sources

Today in Palestine! www.groups.yahoo.com/group/f_shadi

PNEWS Vacy Vlazna This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Behind the Wall

Rich Wiles is a photographic artist who has been living and working in Palestine for some years. His photographic work has been shown around Europe, the US, Australia and in Palestine itself. Since 2006 he has been writing from Occupied Palestine under the title Behind the Wall. Much of this work is based in and around the refugee camps in Palestine, highlighting daily life and memories of refugees who still live in forced exile for over 60 years since Al Nakba (The Catastrophe). www.richwiles.com

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Life under Israeli military occupation

Every area of Israeli-Occupied Palestinian territory experiences arbitrary restrictions of movement imposed by the Israeli Army. The lack of freedom of movement is the frustrating and humiliating background to daily life for the Palestinian people, whose suffering includes a variety of human rights abuses from night home invasions to wanton acts of agricultural and economic sabotage. The Israeli Occupation Army enforces a permit system for the benefit of settlers that determines where Palestinians may live in their own land.

Water

Across the Occupied West Bank, Israel's illegal settlements have completely free access to water. Settler homes enjoy full swimming pools and well-watered gardens, while Palestinian access to their own water is severely restricted. Israel compounds this crime in two ways: The Zionist state forces Palestinians to pay the Israeli government public water supply company Mekorot[1] for what little water they are allowed and, at the same time, Israel forbids Palestinians to sink wells or even build water storage facilities. Palestinians living under Israeli occupation are restricted to about 70 litres a day per person – well below the 100 litres per capita daily recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) – whereas Israeli daily per capita consumption, at about 300 litres, is about four times as much. In some rural communities Palestinians survive on far less than even the average 70 litres, in some cases barely 20 litres per day, the minimum amount recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency situations response.

In addition, reports by both the World Bank[2] and the United Nations Environment Programme show that the water crisis in Gaza[3] is likely to be critical and irreversible by 2020. The reports show that Gaza is almost completely dependent on a coastal aquifer that has now become filled with undrinkable sea water. Both international bodies express concern that Israeli military occupation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip means severe limitations on people's access to essential water supplies.

Checkpoints

Israel places checkpoints at the entrances to towns and villages to prevent people entering or leaving. Interference with people attempting to move around towns and villages consists of blocking roads with concrete blocks, barbed-wire and/or earth mounds. People attempting to transport farm produce and other goods find obstacles placed on the roads by the Israeli Army. Trucks have to be unloaded by hand and similarly re-loaded onto vehicles brought from beyond the obstructions. Road closures are used to isolate areas wherever the Israeli Army considers the presence of Palestinians to be ‘illegal’. When the Israeli Army declares a curfew, anyone appearing in the street or at a window is liable to be shot dead. There are instances of Palestinian mothers giving birth at checkpoints, having been denied ready access to hospital.

Agricultural and economic sabotage

Both the Israeli Army and illegal (according to international law) settlers terrorise Palestinian farmers, often preventing them from working their land as well as frequently uprooting or setting fire to Palestinian olive trees and bulldozing their crops. The United Nations[4] (UN Security Council Resolution 465)[5] has repeatedly upheld the view that Israel's construction of settlements constitutes violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention[6]. The International Court of Justice[7] see also summary[8] says these settlements are illegal and no foreign governments support Israel's settlements. The Gaza fishing industry is being crippled by the enforcement of a draconian fishing limit. The Israel Navy forces Palestinian fishing boats to remain within a three-nautical-mile, over-fished zone, sometimes at the cost to crews of life, limb and property. Gaza City's ruined international airport is permanently closed. Palestinians needing to enter or leave Palestine can do so only with Israeli permission. In addition to Israel's occasional massive bombing raids, Gaza residents are forced to live with the constant fear of overflying drones and the traumatising effects of sonic booms created by Israeli war-planes. The effects on the children of Gaza are particularly distressing.

House demolitions and evictions

The Israeli Army routinely destroys Palestinian houses built without Israel's permission. Israeli troops frequently invade Palestinian homes (often at dead of night) and abductions of Palestinian minors are commonplace. Israeli soldiers often vandalise the interiors of Palestinian homes being raided and frequently terrorise children and other minors with threats. Youngsters abducted by Israeli soldiers are often blindfolded and their wrists tied behind their backs. Many children are illegally taken to prison in Israel, where more terror is practised against them, such as solitary confinement and shackling in painful positions for long periods. The majority of these children are detained inside Israel in violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Israel’s toxic hazard weapon

Israel has devised yet another technique designed to to drive Palestinians from their land and weaken their resolve to resist. It is a direct assault on their health that carries the menace of further agricultural and economic sabotage. For instance, activity at Israel's Barkan industrial complex generates growing quantities of polluting waste-water from the production of plastics, lead and other commodities that endanger human health. Pollution from Barkan flows into the streams that run through valleys where there are Palestinian farms as well as towns. Israeli Occupation settlements discharge their untreated waste to add to the pollution. This practice poisons Palestinian land, crops, farm animals and essential, if meagre, water supplies. Settlers – with Israeli Army assistance – release wild pigs, that reproduce rapidly, into Palestinian areas, spoiling agriculture and damaging olive trees, fencing and small buildings. The pigs cannot be controlled because Israel will not allow the people to own or use firearms, or even knives, to kill the pigs. Poison cannot be used because of the danger to Palestinian farm animals.

Tear gas – Israel's daily violations of the CWC

Israel has signed but refuses to ratify the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention[9] (CWC). Tear gas riot control agents, including tear gas and pepper-spray, are banned in international warfare under both the 1925 Geneva Protocol and Article 1 of the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. The CWC defines chemical weapons as “munitions and devices that are designed to cause death or other harm through toxic chemicals” that lead to “death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals.” According to the CWC, “riot control agents” are any chemicals, not specifically named in their list of prohibited chemicals, that can cause humans to suffer rapid “sensory irritation or disabling physical effects which disappear within a short time following termination of exposure.” Belligerent military occupation by a foreign power is an act of war and when the Israeli Army fires tear gas grenades at Palestinian villagers in their homes or at protesters it is violating the CWC; the more so when standard weapons of war such as live fire accompany the use of tear gas. Persons blinded by tear gas cannot avoid live fire, rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades or military vehicles and bulldozers. But that is the reality for Palestinians living under Israeli military Occupation.

Israeli Army military exercises force Palestinians out of their homes[12]

An example of this practice is contained in an International Women's Peace Service (IWPS) report[10] on the Israeli Army's terrorising of a Bedouin community in the Jordan Valley. The report tells of a continual programme of Israeli military training in the village of ‘Atuf that traumatises the population. Every week 22 families, amounting to 172 individuals, are displaced from their homes from 4am to 5pm by Israeli military live-fire exercises. Since 1967 Israeli troops have been forcing the Bedouin people to leave their houses each week. Whole families and their livestock are displaced to outlying fields to the sound of gunfire and explosions. The entire area is designated “Area C” and there is a 'closed military zone' where nothing is allowed to be built or improved. A whole valley of fertile farmland lies uncultivated while the nearby Occupation settlement of Beqa constantly expands. In both ‘Atuf and Tamun countless houses have been demolished by the Israeli Army and many more are under demolition orders. Since 1970, 14 people have been killed and 30 have lost limbs due to exploding abandoned Israeli Army ordnance. The explosives can be as small as a pen, easily mistaken by children as harmless. The continual sound of explosions and gunfire results in many cases of psychological trauma, especially to children, and the only school in the district is within earshot of the weekly Israeli military exercises.

Ethnic discrimination

In addition to all of the above, Palestinians citizens of Israel as well as those living under occupation have to contend with more than 50 discriminatory Israeli laws[11]. These affect all areas of life, including rights to political participation, access to land, education, state budget resources and criminal procedures. Some of the laws also violate the rights of refugees.

Israeli Army violence

The Israeli Occupation Army enforces many of the above restrictions with the threat, or actual use, of military action as well as personal physical assault. Thus, daily life for Palestinians is conducted in an all-pervasive atmosphere of violence and fear.

The Prawer Plan[13]

The Israeli Knesset has approved a plan for the mass expulsion of the Arab Bedouin community in the Naqab (Negev) Desert in the south of Israel. When fully implemented, the Prawer plan will result in the destruction of 35 'unrecognised' Arab Bedouin villages with the forced displacement and dispossession of up to 70,000 Arab Bedouin citizens of Israel.

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[1] http://members.stopthewall.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=1338&qid=381088

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Bank

http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/resources/who_notes/WHO_TN_09_How_much_water_is_needed.pdf

[3] www.unep.org/PDF/dmb/UNEP_Gaza_EA.pdf

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations

[5]http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/3822b5e39951876a85256b6e0058a478/5aa254a1c8f8b1cb852560e50075d7d5

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Geneva_Convention

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Court_of_Justice

[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_settlement#cite_note-13

[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Protocol

[10] http://iwps.info

[11] http://adalah.org/eng/Israeli-Discriminatory-Law-Database

[12] http://www.deliberation.info/what-sort-of-state-drives-people-out-of-their-homes-in-order-to-conduct-live-fire-military-exercises/

[13] http://www.truah.org/issuescampaigns/bedouin/government-response/prawer-plan.html#sthash.XiKpBPqZ.dpuf

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Leslie Bravery www.palestine.org.nz

PHRC | Palestine Human Rights Campaign Aotearoa/New Zealand

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