Conghaileach
20th March 2003, 20:16
Palestine Center for Human Rights
Weekly Report - March 20, 2003
This week, Israeli occupying forces have perpetrated
more illegal military actions against Palestinian
civilians and civilian property in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, killing 27 Palestinians,
mostly civilians, including 7 children.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted a series
of large encroachments into Palestinian areas, using
heavy military vehicles and combat helicopters. On
Monday, 17 March 2003, 11 Palestinians, mostly
civilians, including three children, were killed when
Israeli occupying forces moved into Nusseirat refugee
camp in the central Gaza Strip and Beit Lahia in the
north. More than 30 people were injured during the
incursions. Israeli forces destroyed a house in
Nusseirat refugee camp, even though they knew well
that its owner, who is allegedly wanted by these
forces, was still inside the house. A number of
neighboring houses were severely damaged.
In two cases of apparent willful killing in less than
24 hours, undercover units of Israeli occupying forces
killed 5 Palestinians in Tammoun village and 4 others,
including two children, in Jenin refugee camp on
Thursday evening, 13 March 2003, and Friday morning,
14 March 2003, respectively. An tenth Palestinian was
killed when he and other Palestinian gunmen confronted
Israeli forces that moved into Jenin refugee camp.
Undercover units of Israeli occupying forces are
usually described as "death teams" due to the nature
of killings they perpetrate against allegedly wanted
Palestinians. On its Arabic web site, the Israeli
daily Yediot Aharanot quoted the commander of those
units as saying that his units killed 79 Palestinians
in 2002.
Israeli occupying forces also shelled Palestinian
residential areas, killing two Palestinian civilians,
including a child, in Khan Yunis and Rafah in the
southern Gaza Strip. In two cases of apparent willful
killing, Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian
civilians, including a child. Two other civilians
died from previous injuries they sustained by Israeli
forces. In addition, an American peace activist was
killed on Sunday, 16 March 2003, by an Israeli
military bulldozer in the Southern Gaza Strip town of
Rafah. She and eight of her colleagues from the
International Solidarity Movement were trying to stop
Israeli occupying forces from bulldozing a number of
houses in al-Salam neighborhood of Rafah.
In violation of international humanitarian law, which
prohibits collective punishment, Israeli forces took
retaliatory measures against families of Palestinians
who have carried out attacks against Israeli targets
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those
wanted by Israeli forces. In this context, they
destroyed 5 Palestinian houses in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip, including one in Nusseirat refugee camp.
Israeli occupying forces have maintained a total siege
on the OPT. They have isolated Palestinian
communities from one another. They have partitioned
the Gaza Strip into three separated zones and
restricted the movement of people and goods. They
have also maintained curfews on some areas in the West
Bank. Since Saturday, 15 March 2003, Israeli
occupying authorities prevented Palestinians aged
16-35 from traveling abroad. A similar decision was
in effect between 17 January and 3 March 2003. On
Monday, 16 March 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed
Sofa and Beit Hanoun crossings in the Gaza Strip, and
denied access of Palestinian workers to their work
places in Israel.
Weekly Report - March 20, 2003
This week, Israeli occupying forces have perpetrated
more illegal military actions against Palestinian
civilians and civilian property in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, killing 27 Palestinians,
mostly civilians, including 7 children.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted a series
of large encroachments into Palestinian areas, using
heavy military vehicles and combat helicopters. On
Monday, 17 March 2003, 11 Palestinians, mostly
civilians, including three children, were killed when
Israeli occupying forces moved into Nusseirat refugee
camp in the central Gaza Strip and Beit Lahia in the
north. More than 30 people were injured during the
incursions. Israeli forces destroyed a house in
Nusseirat refugee camp, even though they knew well
that its owner, who is allegedly wanted by these
forces, was still inside the house. A number of
neighboring houses were severely damaged.
In two cases of apparent willful killing in less than
24 hours, undercover units of Israeli occupying forces
killed 5 Palestinians in Tammoun village and 4 others,
including two children, in Jenin refugee camp on
Thursday evening, 13 March 2003, and Friday morning,
14 March 2003, respectively. An tenth Palestinian was
killed when he and other Palestinian gunmen confronted
Israeli forces that moved into Jenin refugee camp.
Undercover units of Israeli occupying forces are
usually described as "death teams" due to the nature
of killings they perpetrate against allegedly wanted
Palestinians. On its Arabic web site, the Israeli
daily Yediot Aharanot quoted the commander of those
units as saying that his units killed 79 Palestinians
in 2002.
Israeli occupying forces also shelled Palestinian
residential areas, killing two Palestinian civilians,
including a child, in Khan Yunis and Rafah in the
southern Gaza Strip. In two cases of apparent willful
killing, Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian
civilians, including a child. Two other civilians
died from previous injuries they sustained by Israeli
forces. In addition, an American peace activist was
killed on Sunday, 16 March 2003, by an Israeli
military bulldozer in the Southern Gaza Strip town of
Rafah. She and eight of her colleagues from the
International Solidarity Movement were trying to stop
Israeli occupying forces from bulldozing a number of
houses in al-Salam neighborhood of Rafah.
In violation of international humanitarian law, which
prohibits collective punishment, Israeli forces took
retaliatory measures against families of Palestinians
who have carried out attacks against Israeli targets
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those
wanted by Israeli forces. In this context, they
destroyed 5 Palestinian houses in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip, including one in Nusseirat refugee camp.
Israeli occupying forces have maintained a total siege
on the OPT. They have isolated Palestinian
communities from one another. They have partitioned
the Gaza Strip into three separated zones and
restricted the movement of people and goods. They
have also maintained curfews on some areas in the West
Bank. Since Saturday, 15 March 2003, Israeli
occupying authorities prevented Palestinians aged
16-35 from traveling abroad. A similar decision was
in effect between 17 January and 3 March 2003. On
Monday, 16 March 2003, Israeli occupying forces closed
Sofa and Beit Hanoun crossings in the Gaza Strip, and
denied access of Palestinian workers to their work
places in Israel.